SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Fans lined up two- and three-deep outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway media center hoping for autographs from four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon , who is returning to NASCAR competition this weekend. The five-time Indy winner will drive for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. for two races — at Indy and next week at Pocono — while Earnhardt recovers from concussion-like symptoms.
Gordon, 45, was all smiles and admittedly still a little overwhelmed with the new part-time job as he addressed the media for the first time Friday morning. He was primarily concerned with his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Earnhardt’s recovery.
“Most of all, I’m proud to be here and help this team out,” Gordon said. “This is his team and what we want the most is to have him healthy and strong for the long term. My goal is to come here and give this team the best effort I can.”
Gordon said the whole opportunity to fill in for Earnhardt began with a simple cell phone text he received while vacationing with his wife in France. “Call me,” read the text from team owner Rick Hendrick.
“I can tell you, you sit down when you call,” Gordon said smiling. “It hasn’t happened a lot, but when it does, it’s usually something big.
“I was in the South of France at that time, second day of our vacation. I got that text and looked at my wife and said, ‘Oh, boy, here we go.’
“Rick said to me, ‘Are you coming to Indianapolis?’ And I told him I was coming on Saturday. He said, ‘You better bring your uniform.’ Then he started telling me what was happening, and I told him, ‘You’re messing with me. I know you’re messing with me.’
“I knew right away the seriousness, that he wasn’t joking. That this was serious. I honestly didn’t have to think twice.”
So Gordon flew back from Paris to New York on Tuesday, a day earlier than expected and Hendrick had a plane waiting on its “new” driver to transport him to the team’s headquarters in North Carolina. Once in Charlotte, Gordon had to get a NASCAR driver’s license — he currently held one as a team owner — and get the required physical tests to certify he was ready for competition.
The team still had Gordon’s seat and steering wheel from last season’s Cup finale at Homestead. Gordon said he spent time studying data and GoPro video from inside the cars of Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott when they tested last week at Indy. Gordon said he also spent time speaking with crew chief Greg Ives.
“The cool thing about Greg Ives is he reminded me that he worked for Robbie Loomis when Robbie was my crew chief and he was telling some great stories about working with Robbie,” Gordon said. “I’ve known Greg for a long time and always been impressed with him. But, I have never had the opportunity to work with him. I’m looking forward to working with him. I think he’s a great crew chief and they have a great race team.”
An hour before Gordon and Hendrick spoke to the media in Indianapolis, Earnhardt sent a message to his fans on social media.
“Today is the 1st day in many that I sensed improvement. Seen small gains during my physical therapy as well. Light at the end of the tunnel,” Earnhardt wrote on Twitter.
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“I certainly woke up feeling good when I saw Dale Jr.’s tweet, that he’s seen progress,” Gordon said. “I texted him right away as soon as I saw that. So, that is great news. Great way to start the day.”
Hendrick also reiterated how proud of Earnhardt he was for recognizing a problem and taking correct and cautious measures in terms of racing. And, he noted, Earnhardt was in the race shop Wednesday spending time with his team.
“He looks good and he’s in great spirits,” Hendrick said. “He’s encouraged and following the doctors’ orders and we’re really excited. He wants to get back in the car.
“He wants to race, but he also knows that the regimen they have him on will get him right for a long time. So he’s following doctors’ orders, but I can tell he’s getting a little antsy. But he’s going to do well.”
Gordon conceded that in addition to getting used to the 2016 Cup cars — and the digital dash, which he has never used — was the simple and obvious thing of remembering he’s driving the No. 88 Chevrolet. For 24 seasons, Gordon drove the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick, earning four series titles and a record five Brickyard 400 trophies. Now, rookie Chase Elliott drives that car.
“I’m going to be racing against the No. 24 car out there,” Gordon said, allowing a slight smile. “It’s a race car and I’m going to be focused on driving, not focused on anything else.
“To me, once I get behind the wheel and I’m inside the car I don’t know what is on the outside of that car.”
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In addition to this role driving for Earnhardt, Gordon revealed he was asked in February to fill in for then-injured Tony Stewart in the season-opening Daytona 500 . He couldn’t because of contract obligations with his new on-air role with FOX Sports.
Certainly, few of Gordon’s competitors Sunday have any doubt whatsoever that he will be competitive here.
“He has the best stats of anybody or as good of stats as anybody here at this race track as far as top fives and top 10s,” Richard Childress Racing driver Ryan Newman said. “I think that he is driving the same equipment, it’s not like he’s in somebody else’s race car. He knows what he’s driving, he knows the people he is driving for, so I don’t see any reason why he is not one of the guys to beat.”
Teammate Jimmie Johnson echoed the prevailing sentiment in the garage. With both Stewart and Gordon in their final Brickyard, there will be plenty to watch.
“It is big, the way it worked out obviously, but to have Tony Stewart in his final race, Jeff Gordon in his final race — Part Two, it is a big time,” Johnson said. “Jeff has always been so well supported by the fans at this race track. I can only imagine how loud they are going to be at driver intros — and how bonkers this place would go if he is able to win.”
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In another nod to the team’s regular driver, track crews took down a sign the Speedway had placed above the No. 88 team’s garage that identified Jeff Gordon as the driver of the car instead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon insisted that it was Earnhardt’s car regardless of who was driving it this weekend.
Gordon looked good in opening practice for Sunday’s Brickyard 400 with the ninth-fastest speed, and no one has proven himself better here.
“I’m certainly a little overwhelmed over everything that has happened over the last week,” Gordon said. “But, most of all, I’m proud to be here and help his team out. This is his team. What we want most is to have (Earnhardt) healthy and strong for the long-term. Today is a great sign of things to come for him.
“For me, my goal is to come here and give this team the best effort that I can, and give them the best result … hopefully a good one. So really, this is just me helping out the organization. We will see what happens on Sunday. If we are out there having fun, and put a good result together, I can tell you what is in it for me is to make that team proud, and not let them down.”
