Interview
NASCAR Cup
Jeff Gordon's advice to drivers: Fans want to see the 'true you'
Jeff Gordon’s career as a NASCAR broadcaster has proved to be an “eye-opener” in at least one respect.
Jim Utter
Published: Jan 15, 2019, 5:00 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In a recent interview with Motorsport.com regarding his decision to sign a contract extension with Fox Sports, Gordon said his move to the broadcast booth has helped shed a new light on one aspect of a driver’s career.
“The biggest eye-opener for me or that I wished I had paid more attention to or had this perspective when I was driving, is how just how much people resonate with a driver’s personality,” Gordon, 47, said.
I think what really drew people to (NASCAR) were these characters and personalities.
Jeff Gordon
“So often as a driver you are caught up in the competition. Everything is about winning or getting a better finish. And you think if I just perform better the sponsors will come, if I perform better then I’ll have more fans or I’ll keep my ride or whatever.
“But there is much more to showing your personality. It doesn’t mean you have to be entertaining all the time, it’s just people want to see the ‘true you.’ They want to get to know you as a person as well as a race car driver.”
Gordon, who will won four championships in the NASCAR Cup Series and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next month, said many drivers – himself included at one point – tend to be very guarded, preferring not to open themselves to potential criticism.
“I think we lose a little bit there,” he said. “I look back at the characters and personalities that built the sport. And while there were some great race car drivers and great racing action on the track, I think what really drew people to it here these characters and personalities.
“I feel like we’ve gotten to the point where there is so much business, there is much money involved in getting a car on the track and getting a team together that the corporate side has made drivers less open to showing us who they really are.”
Embracing the role
Gordon said drivers at times embraced the roles fans thrust them into, even when it may not truly represent the type of person they were.
“Even Dale Earnhardt Sr., he wasn’t necessarily a guy that you would say that would play up to a character or play this role, he was not that kind of person,” Gordon said. “But he recognized – in part because he had an incredible fan base that gave him confidence – he could do things to show that side of him and his fans would embrace it for the most part.
“For Darrell (Waltrip), I think it was part of his personality and he had the ability to back it up on the track and he went with it. A lot of people embraced it – not everybody – but it was entertaining.
“It brought a lot to fans. You had people who wanted to see the race but also they couldn’t wait to see his interview after to see if he was mad or happy or this or that; what’s he going to say about what happened on the track?”
Gordon, who amassed his own sizable fan base while marking to a remarkable career that included 93 Cup series wins, said he initially found it difficult to share his personality.
“Later in my career, I started to open up more. Early in my career, I was very much like, ‘I don’t want to get overly analyzed or criticized’ or ‘I just want to say the right thing,’ ” he said.
“Later in life you realize I can still say things to reveal who I am more and not necessarily lose sponsors. It becomes something that has a little bit of an art to it.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article William Byron hopes to "continue the tradition" of the No. 24 car
Next article Front Row Motorsports adds two veteran crew chiefs to Cup teams
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jim Utter
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
Latest news
Why NASCAR's indecision led to Dodge's decision to return to Cup
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
49 min
Why NASCAR's indecision led to Dodge's decision to return to Cup
Dodge announces return to NASCAR Cup Series in 2027
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 4 h
Dodge announces return to NASCAR Cup Series in 2027
Justin Allgaier confirms he will return for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Martinsville II
4 h
Justin Allgaier confirms he will return for 2027 NASCAR O'Reilly season
NASCAR Cup Homestead finale to feature full field of 40 cars
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
7 h
NASCAR Cup Homestead finale to feature full field of 40 cars
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe