Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports are two inseparable entities in NASCAR, forming one of the best driver-team stories in the sport to date. Looking back at Gordon’s time in the team, from the driver of the #24 to now the team’s Vice Chairman, team owner Rick Hendrick recalled a funny story from the past when he thought the storied alliance was about to end.
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The 75-year-old recalled the incident during an interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s sister Kelley Earnhardt on Dirty Mo Media.
Hendrick narrated that Gordon was setting the premise to talk about something serious with him in the year 2002. By Jeff’s tone, and his choice of words, Hendrick feared that his driver and confidante was going to talk about wanting to leave HMS. Hendrick was “relieved” to hear that the conversation was about Gordon’s divorce.
He said, “I can tell you one funny story about Jeff. When he goes through a divorce, he told me, ‘You know me that if I ever was in town, I could come spend the night with you.’ And I thought something’s wrong here. He said, ‘I just want to tell you, I’m getting a divorce.’ I said, ‘Oh man, that’s good. I don’t mean that’s good but I’m relieved!'”
Rick Hendrick talks about the time he thought Jeff Gordon was leaving Hendrick Motorsports. 🗣️@EarnhardtKelley | @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/1R0hfgGaZ5
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) December 18, 2024
Gordon and his first wife, Brooke Sealey got divorced in 2002, a few months after Gordon spoke to Hendrick about it. The seven-year marriage was “irretrievably broken” by then.
Jeff went through a tumultuous period at the time with the divorce proceedings, the media glare, and the eventual settlement of $15.3 million weighing heavily on him. Perhaps the reason why he reached out to Hendrick privately.
“Being a personal matter, I hope that everybody will respect our privacy as we work through this difficult time. I also hope everybody will understand that it would be improper for me to discuss or comment on this matter publicly,” said Gordon at the time, while trying to maintain his focus on racing. “My focus has been 100 percent on racing.”
After retiring from full-time Cup racing in 2015, Gordon kickstarted his broadcasting career, joining Fox Sports as an analyst. Throughout his six-year tenure with Fox, Gordon was involved with HMS in a limited capacity. In 2021, the four-time champion returned to Hendrick Motorsports, this time as the Vice Chairman of the organization.
During most race weekends, the ‘Iron Man’ can be seen attending practice and races, serving as a mentor to the current crop of drivers in the team. He was also a big driving force behind Kyle Larson’s historic Memorial Day Double, something the #5 driver will attempt again in 2025.
