Jeff Gordon stepping out of NASCAR TV booth into leadership role at Hendrick Motorsports

June 23, 2021 Greg Engle Featured, NASCAR News Top Story 0

A rumor that had been floating around for several months became fact Wednesday when Hendrick Motorsports announced that four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will become vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports starting on January 1st, 2022. The role will make him the second in command behind chairman and majority owner Rick Hendrick.

Gordon’s day to day will focus will be on the organization’s competition and marketing groups. The 49-year-old will report to Hendrick and work alongside President Marshall Carlson and general manager Jeff Andrews. In addition, he will join Hendrick on NASCAR’s team owner council and assume Hendrick Motorsports’ seat on the sanctioning body’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

“I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me,” Gordon said. “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. Rick and I have a shared vision, which is based on the values he’s instilled, the culture he’s built and our desire to be the very best in all categories, on and off the track.”

Gordon became an equity owner of Hendrick Motorsports in October of 1999 and remains Hendrick’s only partner in the 13-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning organization. He won 93 races and four titles as a driver from 1992 until his retirement from full-time racing in 2015.

“Jeff and I have talked about this for many years, and I feel it’s a natural evolution for him and our company,” said Hendrick, 71, who is also chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “I’ve always been impressed with his business instincts. On some level, he’s been involved in every major decision we’ve made over the last two decades, and his influence has continued to grow since he stopped driving. He understands our culture, our values, and the importance we place on our people and our partnerships.

“I love racing and competing, and Jeff is the only person I know who hates to lose as much as I do. I feel great physically and have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, which is exactly why it’s the right time. In the years to come, I couldn’t be more energized about working arm-in-arm with him and cementing the future of Hendrick Motorsports together.”

Gordon stepped into the broadcast booth with Fox Sports as a NASCAR analyst in 2016. Though he will remain with Fox through the end of season, the organizations part of the NASCAR season ended with the All-Star Race from Texas on June 13 making that essentially Gordon’s last race broadcast.

“I cannot thank the entire FOX Sports family enough for the incredible opportunity I’ve had over the past six seasons,” Gordon said. “I’ve come to truly appreciate the responsibility of bringing the sport to our fans and the tremendous work that goes into our broadcasts each and every week. I’m certainly going to miss it, but I will forever be grateful to FOX for the experience and for the trust they’ve placed in me. It’s been a privilege to work with such a talented group of people.”

Greg Engle
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