RELATED: Will Gordon’s second final ride really be his last?
Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville is Jeff Gordon’s last planned race, but he’s still atop Rick Hendrick’s short list of substitute drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks we haven’t seen the last of the four-time champion on the Virginia track.
While thanking Gordon for filling in as driver of the No. 88 in his absence while recovering from a concussion, Earnhardt Jr. said Monday on his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast on Dirty Mo Radio that he thinks one upcoming development will lure Gordon back to the track where he has nine wins in 29 starts.
“I doubt it’s Jeff Gordon’s last race,” Dale Jr. said. “He’ll probably have to come out of retirement to race in Martinsville if they ever race there under the lights in the next couple years. You know, he’d love to try that.”
Martinsville Speedway track president Clay Campbell announced earlier this month that LED lights will be in place at the track for the 2017 season, though no night races are scheduled yet.
RELATED: Martinsville installing LED lights
Gordon’s sixth-place finish at Martinsville was his best showing driving the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports car this season.
Over the last three races of the 2016 season, Junior says he’s rooting for Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson and will be at Homestead-Miami for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale.
“I know he’s excited about this opportunity; he’s been talking about it a couple years,” Junior said in the podcast of Johnson’s pursuit of a seventh title. “Being able to tie my father and Richard Petty for championships is something he’s always dreamed about since he got within a few titles of those guys.
“I’ll be at Homestead cheering him on. And when our teammates do great, it’s great for the whole company.”