Junior considers Gordon gesture a tribute to father

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Maybe it's time for Dale Earnhardt fans to quit hating on Jeff Gordon.

Maybe the next time someone wants to throw something onto a track to protest a Gordon victory, thinking perhaps they are somehow upholding the late Earnhardt's honor, they ought to think twice about it. Maybe they ought to think about what Earnhardt's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., so carefully took the time to point out Tuesday during an appearance at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Missed perception

They were fierce competitors who shared a mutual respect for one another. They were popular champions who occasionally found themselves on opposite ends of an issue. But rivals? Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon were anything but, writes David Caraviello.

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The elder Earnhardt and Gordon were always closer than the public perceived, said the younger Earnhardt.

"They were business partners, in properties and in companies. They worked together," Little E said of his father and Gordon. "When I first met Jeff Gordon, I was trying to qualify for a late-model race that I had no business being in. My dad walked up with this guy who a little mustache; he had his arm around him and said, 'I want to introduce you, son, to Jeff Gordon.' ... I had seen him doing some sprint-car stuff on TV, so I kind of knew who he was. But that was when I met him for the first time in person."

Earnhardt said he was recently doing a radio show with John Andretti when Andretti reminded him of how much Earnhardt's father attempted to nuture Gordon and Andretti during their rookie seasons in Cup racing.

"The second race they ran, I saw Dad walk John and Jeff through the garage," Earnhardt said. "He would walk through with his arm around one of them. He would spend six to eight months [that year], talking to them about the cars, the sport, the business, the people. ... I think Jeff would give Daddy a lot of credit for helping him out with that stuff.

"They raced hard against each other. Daddy didn't have to teach Jeff nothin' about how to drive; Jeff already knew how to drive. Daddy taught him about off-the-track stuff, how to handle the business end. I think Jeff appreciates that."

In turn, Earnhardt said he deeply appreciated Gordon's attempt to honor his father following Gordon's victory Saturday in the Subway 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. It was the 76th career win for Gordon, tying him with the elder Earnhardt for sixth place on the all-time list of winningest drivers. (Continued)