Jeff Gordon: From Wonder Boy to NASCAR's Iron Man
Jeff Gordon made NASCAR history Sunday afternoon when he took the green flag at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 789th consecutive career Sprint Cup start.
In a career filled with records, Gordon says this one's got a special ring to it, though.
“When I think of things I’ve accomplished in NASCAR, the Iron Man record is one I think ‘…damn, that’s a tough thing to do,’ especially when you see what happened to Kyle (Busch) or Denny (Hamlin) or Tony (Stewart)," said Gordon. "It could be an illness or a broken bone or an accident or a lot of things that can easily take you out of one race."
Barring something more severe and serious than anything he’s experienced in the last 23 years, when the season ends in eight more races, he’ll do what no other driver in the modern era has done: start every race of every season in his Cup career with the same owner and essentially the same primary sponsor.
Sure, in the last few years Gordon has worn the AARP livery, and occasionally Panasonic’s. This season 3M came on board. And yes, DuPont sold the Automotive Coatings unit and it was re-branded as Axalta - but it’s essentially the same company, and they remained with Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports. So for all intents and purposes, Gordon’s had the same sponsor for his whole career, even in his debut the last race of the 1992 season.
In a career filled with records, Gordon says this one's got a special ring to it, though.
“When I think of things I’ve accomplished in NASCAR, the Iron Man record is one I think ‘…damn, that’s a tough thing to do,’ especially when you see what happened to Kyle (Busch) or Denny (Hamlin) or Tony (Stewart)," said Gordon. "It could be an illness or a broken bone or an accident or a lot of things that can easily take you out of one race."
Barring something more severe and serious than anything he’s experienced in the last 23 years, when the season ends in eight more races, he’ll do what no other driver in the modern era has done: start every race of every season in his Cup career with the same owner and essentially the same primary sponsor.
Sure, in the last few years Gordon has worn the AARP livery, and occasionally Panasonic’s. This season 3M came on board. And yes, DuPont sold the Automotive Coatings unit and it was re-branded as Axalta - but it’s essentially the same company, and they remained with Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports. So for all intents and purposes, Gordon’s had the same sponsor for his whole career, even in his debut the last race of the 1992 season.
Speaking to the press on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Gordon acknowledged the role that such security played.
“I never had to think twice about whether I was going to have a ride. It was how good of a performance or result are we going to get that day. I’ve never had to worry about whether we had a sponsor or not. We have always been very secure in that instance.”
Gordon also said that his record of consecutive starts didn’t begin with his debut in what was then the Winston Cup Series.
“Since I was five years old, I have missed only one race that I was scheduled to do, and that was because of poison ivy,” Gordon stated.
“You have to understand if you are a sprint car racer, you are racing 100 times a year. Coming into the Cup level and racing 30 times a year, now 38 times a year, and it’s a lot more work that goes into 38 weeks than what went into 100 races in a sprint car. But, still, to me if there was a race and I was scheduled to do it, then I was going to do everything I could to be healthy and to be focused and to give 100 percent. I think just by having that mindset and that effort, that is what got me here. It’s not that I was looking at ‘hey I want to set an Iron Man record’ or anything like that.”
In claiming the Iron Man title, Gordon surpassed the record of Ricky Rudd, 788 consecutive starts. Rudd would still hold the record had he not stepped away from racing in 2005. He returned in 2007, running 31 of 36 races, before walking away for good.
“Since I was five years old, I have missed only one race that I was scheduled to do, and that was because of poison ivy,” Gordon stated.
“You have to understand if you are a sprint car racer, you are racing 100 times a year. Coming into the Cup level and racing 30 times a year, now 38 times a year, and it’s a lot more work that goes into 38 weeks than what went into 100 races in a sprint car. But, still, to me if there was a race and I was scheduled to do it, then I was going to do everything I could to be healthy and to be focused and to give 100 percent. I think just by having that mindset and that effort, that is what got me here. It’s not that I was looking at ‘hey I want to set an Iron Man record’ or anything like that.”
In claiming the Iron Man title, Gordon surpassed the record of Ricky Rudd, 788 consecutive starts. Rudd would still hold the record had he not stepped away from racing in 2005. He returned in 2007, running 31 of 36 races, before walking away for good.
Known as “Rooster,” Rudd was arguably the toughest driver of the modern era. After a crash in the 1984 Busch Clash left his face swollen and battered, Rudd used tape to keep his eyes open enough to see to race in the Daytona 500. He finished in seventh. The next week, using Band-Aids® instead of tape, he won the race at Richmond.
Behind Rudd, the 2000 Winston Cup Champion Bobby Labonte had 704 consecutive starts, despite having broken his shoulder blade twice. His streak ended in 2013 when after a cycling injury, he stepped aside and let AJ Allmendinger drive the No. 47 for a couple of races. Allmendinger took over full-time duties the next season, and Labonte has only run six races since then.
Rusty Wallace’s streak of consecutive starts ended in 2005, too, when he retired as a driver. Wallace now has a career in broadcasting, but his 697 starts should keep him at fourth on the all-time list for some time to come.
The older Labonte brother, Terry, in addition to winning championships in 1984 and 1996, started 655 consecutive races from 1979 to 2000. The Ice Man, as Labonte was known, was also the Iron Man until his streak ended at Indianapolis in 2000. Inner ear injuries sustained at Watkins Glen sidelined Labonte for two races.
Texas Terry held the Iron Man title longer than he’d anticipated, though. Before the 2001 Daytona 500, Labonte and Dale Earnhardt worked together on special paint schemes in anticipation of Earnhardt eclipsing his record later that season at Talladega. Instead, Earnhardt’s string of consecutive starts was frozen at 648 with his death in the 2001 Daytona 500.
Jeff Burton (626), Mark Martin (621) and Ken Schrader (579) hold the seventh, eighth and ninth places on the all-time list. None of them are active drivers. The only active driver in the top 10 for all-time consecutive starts is Matt Kenseth, who won Sunday in his 566th start.
At 43 years old, Kenseth shows no signs of slowing down, but he’d have to race another six seasons to surpass Gordon. Whether that's likely to happen is anyone's guess.
“I’m curious to see what happens with the more modern era of safer cars, safer race tracks and how that affects what drivers do in the future,” said Gordon. “Will they not race as long and they not get to it? Or will they blow this number out of the water and it won’t even be significant? I don’t know.”
Jeff Gordon: From Wonder Boy to NASCAR's Iron Man
Reviewed by Janine Cloud
on
Monday, September 28, 2015
Rating:

new balance, abercrombie and fitch, michael kors outlet online sale, air jordans, coach bags, abercrombie and fitch, abercrombie and fitch, coach usa, louis vuitton handbags, prada bags, lululemon australia, puma online, new balance canada, cheap michael kors, ray ban outlet, ralph lauren outlet online, jimmy choo outlet, jordans, hermes bags, ralph lauren online, rolex, michael kors outlet online sale, nike outlet store, air max thea, custom roshe runs, converse outlet, new balance, bags outlet, cheap jordan, oakley sunglasses, tiffany und co, swarovski australia, relojes especiales, pandora rings, north face uk, gucci outlet,oakley outlet, toms shoes outlet, michael kors outlet online sale, hollister.com, cheap michael kors, swarovski uk, ugg, moncler, cheap michael kors, coach outlet store online, watches for men, nike.com, ferragamo shoes, nike schuhe
ReplyDeletechristian louboutin shoes
ReplyDeleteuggs outlet
true religion jeans
louis vuitton bags
uggs australia
kate spade handbags
ugg sale
mont blanc pens
tory burch outlet online
michael kors handbags
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet
ray ban outlet
coach factory outlet
michael kors outlet store
ralph lauren outlet
chanel bags
michael kors outlet
coach factory outlet
abercrombie outlet
canada goose sale
uggs for men
mulberry uk
uggs outlet
beats by dr dre
cheap toms
cheap air max
canada goose outlet
ray ban sunglasses
coach factory outlet
prada handbags
ray ban sunglasses
north face jackets
cheap air jordans
coach outlet store online
p90x
nhl jerseys
coach outlet
louis vuitton outlet
2016113yuanyuan
20160322 junda
ReplyDeletemichael kors
burberry uk
babyliss pro
oakley sunglasses
coach factory outlet
canada goose outlet
polo outlet
michael kors outlet online
rolex watches
michael kors handbags
coach outlet
canada goose outlet
oakley sunglasses outlet
supra for sale
cartier watches
ralph lauren pas cher
nike air max uk
gucci borse
michael kors bags
kate spade outlet
mcm outlet
michael kors outlet
converse shoes
ralph lauren uk
longchamp
christian louboutin uk
chaussure louboutin
converse uk
ray ban outlet
oakley sunglasses
ed hardy uk
pandora charms
valentino shoes
coach outlet
new balance outlet
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
ralph lauren outlet
ghd flat iron
junda
coach outlet online
ReplyDeleteoakley sunglasses
pandora outlet
tiffany jewellery
michael kors handbags
michael kors factory outlet
michael kors outlet online
cheap jordans
lululemon pants
herve leger outlet
ray-ban sunglasses
nba jerseys
oakley sunglasses
louis vuitton sunglasses for women
hermes outlet
hermes outlet
tiffany and co
nike air force 1
rolex watches
beats by dre
michael kors uk outlet
jordan pas cher
nike air force 1
rolex watches
oakley sunglasses wholesale
coach outlet
michael kors handbags clearance
juicy couture tracksuit
michael kors outlet store
louis vuitton bags
michael kors handbags
louboutin pas cher
coach outlet
true religion jeans
swarovski outlet
2016513caihuali
lions jerseys
ReplyDeleteed hardy
packers jerseys
coach outlet
chiefs jersey
nike roshe
michael kors handbags
cheap snapbacks
coach outlet
cheap ray bans
Thank you for presenting information of interest .. wooow outstanding
ReplyDeleteCara Mengobati Sakit Ulu Hati
Obat Kurap Paling Mujarab
Cara Mengobati Masalah Telinga
Pengobatan Pneumonia Secara Efektif
Obat Alternatif Sakit Kepala Menahun
Cara Menurunkan Kadar Leukosit Tinggi