"People may not understand that": When Jeff Gordon opened up on the challenge of fulfilling Rick Hendrick’s legacy beyond racing

Jeff Gordon has had a great career racing for the Hendrick Motorsports team from 1992 through to 2015. The three-time Daytona 500 winner is now part of the Hendrick Motorsports team as Vice Chairman and has various responsibilities to manage in his career. The 53-year-old began his tenure as the Vice Chairman of the team in 2022, where he has been an equity owner since 1999.

Jeff Gordon's position in the team makes him the second-ranked official to the team owner and chairman, Rick Hendrick. Gordon serves with the NASCAR team owner council, and also serves as a member of the sanctioning body’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. Prior to his role at the iconic team, he worked as a race analyst for Fox Sports and contributed to their pre-race coverage.

Gordon expressed himself back in 2023 about the challenges of fulfilling his role at his team, fulfilling their legacy beyond racing.

"There’s bucket list items and a branding legacy play for Hendrick Motorsports and Rick Hendrick. We started with this idea that Jim France had with Garage 56. I’m so proud of our efforts and the collaboration that’s gone on to bring that to life. It’s a lot of work and it’s very challenging. People may not understand that. Even though we’re in a class of our own, there are still targets with high expectations that we want to meet," James Gordon said via Forbes.

NASCAR: Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon - Source: Imagn

Gordon is ranked third in terms of most wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, behind veteran drivers Richard Petty and David Pearson. The driver still has a strong connection and influence in the sport even after his retirement in 2015.

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When Jeff Gordon quit FOX Sports for his role at Hendrick Motorsports

Jeff Gordon is a living legend of NASCAR, with a decorated career consisting of four NASCAR Cup Series championships, which ranks him fourth in the list of drivers with the most Cup Series championships. Gordon drove for the Hendrick Motorsports team for his entire career, winning 93 races with them.

Gordon worked with FOX Sports as a NASCAR analyst after his retirement in 2015. He then quit his job in 2021 and decided to become the Vice Chairman of his team, Hendrick Motorsports. He shared his feelings and love for the team back in 2021 when he decided to expand his role and quit FOX Sports.

"I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me. In many ways, it’s my home, and the people here are my family. I’ve never lost my passion for the organization, for our sport, and for the sheer challenge of racing and winning at the highest level. Being part of the competition is where I’m happiest and feel I can make the biggest contribution to the continued, long-term success of the team," Jeff Gordon said via a team statement.

The Hendrick Motorsports team now boasts four amazing drivers in Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, William Byron, and Chase Elliott. Gordon's team has shown such dominance this season that the top three drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series standings race for Hendrick Motorsports.