Gordon hanging up the helmet......

[WIMUSKY]

.......... basically after 2015.

http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20150122jg

 

[GA_Boater]

I think his back is making the decision an easy one. He'll still go out on top of his game and will probably be in the thick of the 2015 Chase.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I bet this surpises a lot of people. Not sure too many people knew of any back problems.....

 

[thumpar]

From the new story I read it sounds like he still might race a few races after 2015 just not full time driving anymore.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I've also read the he's retiring per Pete Pistone. I guess time will tell..... Gordon did say he's going to be highly involved with NASCAR for years to come...

 

[GA_Boater]

Chase Elliott's opening for a Sprint Cup seat?

 

[MTboatguy]

I am sure here will be like a lot of the other drivers, he will retired, possibly field a car or two and pick and choose which big races he wants to drive in, I don't see him giving up Daytona, The Brickyard or Talladega anytime soon. it will be interesting to see who Rick chooses to fill the 24 seat.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Chase Elliott's opening for a Sprint Cup seat?

That's the first name throw out there.............

 

[thumpar]

I wonder if he is going to start a team or something like that. You know he won't be able to totally step away.

 

[MTboatguy]

Thump, I am sure he will start at least 1 team, heck the guys that were not big winners, started their own teams, Gordon is addicted, I can't see not starting a team or two.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I was listening to NASCAR radio and Moody's first guest was Ray Evernham. Ray said nothing about back problems, in fact he said a couple times how fit Jeff is. Basically said Jeff was ready to get out of the seat. Apparently, Jeff told Ray quite aawhile ago he didn't want to race past 40. I didn't hear Hendricks interview.....

 

[joed]

Thump, I am sure he will start at least 1 team, heck the guys that were not big winners, started their own teams, Gordon is addicted, I can't see not starting a team or two.

He is already a part owner of the Jimmie Johnson team.

 

[Thalasso]

Doesn't seem to have a bad back doing this.
"quote" from the above article
Heck, I was just out in the desert driving buggies and I maybe want to do the Baja 1000.

 

[GA_Boater]

Doesn't seem to have a bad back doing this.
"quote" from the above article
Heck, I was just out in the desert driving buggies and I maybe want to do the Baja 1000.

That might be the kid in him saying that. His Bad Brad encounter didn't show a bad back either. But he did say "maybe".

 

[64osby]

Sounds like a Mark Martin type retirement.

How many years ago was that?

 

[GA_Boater]

I think Martin's farewell tour took at least a couple of years, maybe three. It took Terry Labonte about ten years to finish his farewell tour. .

 

[WIMUSKY]

I don't think he'll do a Martin thing. As long as he's involved in NASCAR at some level he'll never say the R word....

 

[Tnstratofam]

Not trying to open a whole other can of worms here, but does anyone think maybe he feels he and his team don't get the support for a championship that Jimmy's team does? I am not a big Gordon fan but I do believe he is one of the most instinctive drivers around. To me he has always been able to take a bad car and make it perform as compared to other drivers who rely solely on their crew chief and crew to make their cars better so they can perform. Maybe allot of factors have gone into him deciding it's time, but I have to think his partner teams success over his own might be one of those factors.

 

[LippCJ7]

I don't think he has any issues with his support from Hendrick Motorsports, he has an ownership stake in Hendrick so I doubt he gets anything less then the very best.

I hated Jeff Gordon, afterall I am a Huge Dale Earnhardt fan, little did I know at that time was it was all a ruse by both Gordon and Earnhardt! As they say every super hero has their kryptonite! Once I lost #3 I began liking Gordon, more as the stories came out about Dale and Jeff's friendship and the way they let the fans stir the pot that didn't exist between them.

I think that maybe Jeff Gordon is doing this because he see's what Dale Earnhardt didn't, Family, maybe Jeff wants to be a bigger part of his family than Dale was, and I admire him for that, while I believe Dale was the Greatest NASCAR Driver ever, in my opinion he was far from a great Father.

What ever his real reasons are I am glad he is stepping aside to do whatever it is he wants to while he is still young enough to do so and enjoy it.

 

[bonz_d]

This all makes me reflect on how old I'm really getting. Then to hear that Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks passed away yesterday. Another true legend from a different era!