NASCAR, Motorsport, USA YellaWood 500 Oct 1, 2023 Talladega, Alabama, USA Former Nascar driver Jeff Gordon visits pit row before the 2023 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Talladega Talladega Superspeedway Alabama USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xVashaxHuntx 20231001_tbs_hd1_523
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA YellaWood 500 Oct 1, 2023 Talladega, Alabama, USA Former Nascar driver Jeff Gordon visits pit row before the 2023 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Talladega Talladega Superspeedway Alabama USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xVashaxHuntx 20231001_tbs_hd1_523
After hanging up his racing gloves at the end of 2015, Jeff Gordon picked up the broadcasting mic with FOX Sports. However, his work was met with a mixed reception from the fans. Years later, while reflecting on his time in the booth, he has explained why he left the broadcast.
During his recent appearance on the 'Bussin’ with the Boys' podcast, Jeff Gordon was questioned about whether the job of being a broadcaster was easy as he went from being judged as a driver to being the one doing the judging on air.
While admitting that he enjoyed the job, he recalled one of the mistakes he made while commenting on the May 17th 2020, Darlington race. Speaking on the podcast, Gordon said:
"Chris Buescher, I think, was about to go lap down, whatever, but I think Jimmie (Johnson) was leading the race at Darlington. Anyway, they come off a turn two, and Jimmie gets a little bit loose, makes contact. I'm having to call this, and I got it wrong. I put it on Buescher, and then I got home that night. I've seen all the different angles and thinking about it more, and I was like, man, I screwed up. I got that one wrong."
TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 06: Jeff Gordon stands on pit road prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series YellaWood 500 on October 06, 2024 at Talladega SuperSpeedway in Talladega, AL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: OCT 06 NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241006441500
TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 06: Jeff Gordon stands on pit road prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series YellaWood 500 on October 06, 2024 at Talladega SuperSpeedway in Talladega, AL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: OCT 06 NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241006441500
Gordon commentated on NASCAR races for six seasons after his retirement. He further pointed out that remaining completely impartial was far more difficult than he anticipated. He said:
"I'm looking at social media, and they're like, 'Oh, you know, that was not that was totally Jimmie's fault, right?' And they're like, 'Jeff's so biased. He's so biased.' Right? And I really wanted to go into every broadcast and not be biased. It's impossible not to be because you have these relationships, but I really wanted to be as neutral as possible. And I promise you, that's what I was trying to do that day. But it didn't come across that way."
Jeff Gordon’s comments highlight the fine line drivers who transition into broadcasters must walk to remain impartial.
What Jeff Gordon did after ending his broadcasting stint in NASCAR
After leaving behind the FOX broadcasting booth in 2021, Gordon took over the role of vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports from January 1, 2022.
While talking to the media post-announcement, the four-time NASCAR champion expressed his gratitude to Rick Hendrick and Co.
"I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me," Gordon said in a statement via NASCAR. "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."
With Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon racked up 93 race wins and four NASCAR Cup Series championships as a driver from 1992 to 2015. He became an equity owner of Hendrick Motorsports in 1999.
Written by
Chionia Libania Colaco