Jeff Gordon Admits Doubts About Rick Hendrick’s “Crazy” Gamble That Changed NASCAR Forever

When Amazon Prime entered NASCAR as a broadcaster, fans didn’t know what to expect. After all, it was unlike anything they had seen before. Sure, you had your usual platforms, but a streaming service? It was unheard of! But what an entry it has been. Getting Dale Jr. on board for commentary? We thought that was the cherry on the cake, but they weren’t even halfway through the gifts they had for NASCAR fans. The Earnhardt documentary, taking on the Coca-Cola 600, and finally, Rick Hendrick’s dream. One would think making a documentary on NASCAR would cut it. But, as usual, Rick Hendrick had broader plans. And, the result blew the minds of even the 4-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon.

Hendrick Motorsports saw this as an opportunity to tell a uniquely American story on the world’s grandest stage. The event marked NASCAR’s return to Le Mans after more than four decades, and many expressed enthusiasm about the Garage 56 Project’s future. Mr H was never one to shy away from pushing boundaries, and he saw the Le Mans race as something more than just a one-off racing stunt.

The result? A roaring cinematic homage to the even titled “American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans” — a documentary bent on expressing his love for the motorsports culture. While this might have seemed like a big no for some, the idea was set to achieve the heights of greatness.

Jeff Gordon, while on the ‘Black Carpet’ for the premiere of the documentary series, “Earnhardt,” admitted that he wasn’t completely sold on the concept at first. “I mean the first time that we sat down with Jim France, and I was with Rick Hendrick, and he sort of presented this idea, I think we all thought he was crazy and there is no way this could happen,” said Gordon, half-laughing and shaking his head at the thought.

Mr H and Jim France masterminded the move, bringing the Next-Gen NASCAR ZL1 to the Le Mans track, and what a moment it would be. The 100th anniversary of the race and HMS would be right up there at the biggest stage in Europe. And it was not the first time NASCAR had visited the iconic race. Bill France had made the attempt once, but let’s just say it didn’t go so well. The cars ended up with a DNF result. But was that going to stop it?

HMS participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, as a part of the Garage 56 program in 2023, with the 7-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, and the 2-time Le Mans class winner Mike Rockenfeller, running the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and showcasing NASCAR’s Next Gen car’s adaptability to sports car racing. They finished 39th overall, but their pit crew won the Pit Stop Challenge in style.

“Then lo and behold, this collaboration between Chevrolet and Goodyear and Hendrick and NASCAR, and we find ourselves in Le Mans, competing that 24 hours and competing at a high level,” Gordon added. But the rush was real, the enthusiasm was fierce as Gordon recalled the experience saying, “I mean listen, it was all Americana, in the middle of Le Mans, France, you knew when that car went by every single time, because that roar of the V8, that pit crew, to have athletes showcase what they’re capable of doing was amazing.” For American manufacturers, putting a car on the track is a big honor. Think back to the 1960s, when Ford entered with the GT40 and beat Ferrari, or the Chevy Corvette that has raced in the league.

For Jim France, it was about fulfilling his father’s dream. He said at the time, “From the early days of NASCAR, it was important to my father that we played a visible role in international motor sports, and there is no bigger stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, we have the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in NASCAR history. We look forward to showcasing the technology in the Next Gen car and putting forward a competitive entry in the historic race.” 

But, for Hendrick, it wasn’t just about track positions or lap times; it was about building that NASCAR legacy, a shifting narrative on what American motorsport could be on the global stage. He said, “To see all that has been done to this car and how it has performed so far, we are really proud of it. I know it’s special to NASCAR and it’s special to me.” And Mr H is not wrong. When we watched the trailer, it was a moment that sent goosebumps! To watch a snippet of the hard work the team has put in, not just to get to the track but to document the whole process, is incredible.

With NASCAR’s growing partnership with Amazon Prime and other streaming sites, it is clearly visible that the sport is putting in efforts to keep the racing world alive, and with NASCAR finally following the footsteps of Hollywood, it won’t be long before we see NASCAR return to its glory days.

Jeff Gordon Says Tom Cruise Wants ‘Days of Thunder 2’

Be it Michael Jordan, Kal Penn, Bernard Pollard, or even Tom Cruise, the NASCAR fanbase has surpassed the ordinary people to reach the likes of celebrities. There are many collaborations that have already taken place within and outside the sports community, and one such fan favorite would be the 2 worlds of Hollywood and NASCAR colliding with the friendship between Jeff Gordon and Tom Cruise.

While Tom Cruise has already played a major role in the movie ‘Days of Thunder’, which was released in 1990, according to the NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon, the former would not be opposed to a sequel to the movie. In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gordon said that Cruise is interested in making a sequel to one of the most popular NASCAR films of all time. “I’ve been getting asked this a lot, so I’m going to go ahead and tell you: yes, he wants to have ‘Days of Thunder 2,'” Gordon said.

While Gordon was already seen at the red carpet with Cruise for the premiere of the latter’s “Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning”, their friendship spans back to as late as December 2015, where Cruise surprised Gordon at the NASCAR Awards Ceremony before Gordon made a speech following his final full-time NASCAR season.

It would be lovely to see the two on the big screen together someday, especially when plans are on the way for the Hollywood world and the NASCAR universe to collaborate.

The post Jeff Gordon Admits Doubts About Rick Hendrick’s “Crazy” Gamble That Changed NASCAR Forever appeared first on EssentiallySports.