The NASCAR fandom is not exactly known to be the most liberal in sports. The Southern roots of the racing discipline ensure that strict traditions and values are upheld no matter the cost.
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Although this approach is molding into a culture more accommodating with time, it is just not there yet. This is why a 2014 rumor about Jeff Gordon being gay shook the very roots of stock car racing.
A report published by the fake news website Empire Sports said that Gordon had confirmed that he was in a homosexual relationship with Stephen Rhodes, the first openly gay driver in NASCAR.
Over 1.5 million fans read and over 1,400 commented on the parody article, believing that the news was true. Needless to say, they were completely outraged.
However, the piece contained many signs to suggest that the writer was playing a prank on his readers. It reads in one place, “The new couple has sparked a firestorm in the southern states where the rednecks tend to live.”
The website itself admitted that it reports only satirical news and that readers shouldn’t be taking it seriously. The writer too said that he is a big troll on the internet.
Gordon and his “boyfriend” Rhodes had to get on X (formerly Twitter) to clear the air and assure fans that what they were reading was a hoax.
The four-time Cup Series champion has been married twice. He is currently with his wife Ingrid Vandebosch Gordon and has two children. He was married to Miss Winston Cup model Brooke Sealy from 1994 to 2003.
Strongly religious, does Gordon believe NASCAR is open to gay drivers?
Gordon said in an interview with CNN in 2001 that he was a born-again Christian. He held a strong belief in god and even had verses of the Bible taped to his steering wheel.
Over the years, however, he began struggling to follow a single faith since he found valuable lessons to make him a better person in others as well.
A 2014 interview with Larry King, at about the time the rumor spread, revealed his stand about gay drivers in NASCAR. He answered in response to being asked if the sport would accept a homosexual driver,
“I think if they had talent and they earned the right to be here and could do everything that it takes to be a top driver… I think anybody would be accepted in the sport if they have talent and can do the job.”
The world is constantly changing and so is NASCAR. Perhaps, fans would take to the news more moderately if it came out now than they did ten years back.
