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Driver #1 - Jeff Gordon - American - Age 37 - Chances of Joining the ICS = 0.01%
IndyCar Garage breaks down ten drivers that aren’t driving in the IndyCar Series and what their impact would have done or could do to the IndyCar series.
IndyCar Garage concludes it’s countdown of the top ten drivers not currently driving full-time in the IndyCar Series with the number one driver:
1. JEFF GORDON - AMERICAN – AGE 37 – Chances of Joining the ICS = 0.01%
May 26th 1990 – On this day Jeff Gordon had just won his second “Night before the 500” at Anderson Motor Speedway, in Anderson Indiana at the age of 19. Gordon would go on to win the USAC National Midget title later that year. This is also the time period that the IndyCar Series, then CART, lost one of its best opportunities to secure a rising star in open wheel racing. The following day on May 27th 1990, the 74th running of the Indianapolis 500 took place. A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr, Arie Luyendyk all participated in that race and IndyCar was in its prime. What happened in the next year is what many within the IndyCar Series considered one of the biggest mistakes ever to happen to their sport.
Jeff Gordon was not offered any rides in the Indy Lights series or the current CART series. At the same time this was taking place, young 29 year old Tony George was being named president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon, with no opportunities to join open wheel, joined the Busch Series in 1991 and the rest is history. Gordon became NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1993 and NASCAR now had a young American rising star to develop their fan base around, not to mention a huge rival to Dale Earnhardt. What is even more ironic is that in the inaugural Brickyard 400, Gordon captured his second career NASCAR win at his home track.
One of the underlining factors in Tony George creating the Indy Racing League is Jeff Gordon himself. There is no reason Jeff Gordon shouldn’t have at least had the opportunity to run IndyCars. His presence in NASCAR has done wonders for their series and spring boarded them past Indy Cars in the mid 90s. To this day, Jeff Gordon has never raced in an IndyCar. He was quoted this past May as saying that no matter how many races he wins at IMS, it won’t compare to what A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears have accomplished as four time winners.
The biggest “WHAT IF” question in IndyCars is Jeff Gordon. His chances for joining an IndyCar Series today are slim to none, NASCAR would have to hit rock bottom and chances are Gordon would be too old by that point. The Jeff Gordon story forever changed the landscape of IndyCar racing. Good Job CART (interest bitterness here)
IndyCar Garage concludes it’s countdown of the top ten drivers not currently driving full-time in the IndyCar Series with the number one driver:
1. JEFF GORDON - AMERICAN – AGE 37 – Chances of Joining the ICS = 0.01%
May 26th 1990 – On this day Jeff Gordon had just won his second “Night before the 500” at Anderson Motor Speedway, in Anderson Indiana at the age of 19. Gordon would go on to win the USAC National Midget title later that year. This is also the time period that the IndyCar Series, then CART, lost one of its best opportunities to secure a rising star in open wheel racing. The following day on May 27th 1990, the 74th running of the Indianapolis 500 took place. A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr, Arie Luyendyk all participated in that race and IndyCar was in its prime. What happened in the next year is what many within the IndyCar Series considered one of the biggest mistakes ever to happen to their sport.
Jeff Gordon was not offered any rides in the Indy Lights series or the current CART series. At the same time this was taking place, young 29 year old Tony George was being named president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon, with no opportunities to join open wheel, joined the Busch Series in 1991 and the rest is history. Gordon became NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1993 and NASCAR now had a young American rising star to develop their fan base around, not to mention a huge rival to Dale Earnhardt. What is even more ironic is that in the inaugural Brickyard 400, Gordon captured his second career NASCAR win at his home track.
One of the underlining factors in Tony George creating the Indy Racing League is Jeff Gordon himself. There is no reason Jeff Gordon shouldn’t have at least had the opportunity to run IndyCars. His presence in NASCAR has done wonders for their series and spring boarded them past Indy Cars in the mid 90s. To this day, Jeff Gordon has never raced in an IndyCar. He was quoted this past May as saying that no matter how many races he wins at IMS, it won’t compare to what A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears have accomplished as four time winners.
The biggest “WHAT IF” question in IndyCars is Jeff Gordon. His chances for joining an IndyCar Series today are slim to none, NASCAR would have to hit rock bottom and chances are Gordon would be too old by that point. The Jeff Gordon story forever changed the landscape of IndyCar racing. Good Job CART (interest bitterness here)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by micheal on -
IT IS ALL TRUE, IN MY OPINION!..EXCEPT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE 500 IS HELD IN NEARBY CLERMONT IN..AT ORP..WHICH WAS THEN CALLED IRP, OR INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK..I DO REMEMBER J.G. CIRCLING IMS (IN AN INDY CAR) WHICH WAS MORE OF A PROMO THAN A REAL RIDE OFFER! WE SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIM ! NOT SURE WHAT YEAR THAT WAS..BUT THATS THE WAY I SEE IT TOO.. VERY GOOD DISCUSSION....MIKE
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Permalink Reply by micheal on
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LETS NOT FORGET EITHER, THAT A.J FOYT WAS THE ONLY ONE TO GIVE TONY STEWART A SHOT IN HOMESTEAD...( IN THE INDY CARS).NO ONE HAD EVEN HEARD OF THIS KID OUTSIDE OF OPEN WHEELER TYPES... 3 USAC TITLES IN THE SAME YEAR! UNBELIEVABLE! LATER IT WAS JOHN MENARD... ROBBY STANLEY REPEATED THAT TOO, BUT WE LOST HIM IN A SPRINT CAR CRASH. THE REST IS HISTORY!..ANDERSON IN. STILL HOLDS THE LITTLE 500, THE NIGHT BEFORE THE INDY 500..(WHICH I SADLY HAVENT SEEN YET!) 33 SPRINT CARS, FOR 500 LAPS.. AROUND A ONE QUARTER MILE PAVED BULLRING, COMPLETE WITH PIT STOPS!..SOMETHING TO SEE!
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Permalink Reply by B-Dawg on -
Jeff Gordon is as likely to race an Indy car as I am to throw a rock in the air and have it land on the moon... In the early '90's the CART and Indy Lights (then called ARS if I remember right) teams weren't looking for sprint car drivers -- unfortunately it looks like that is happening again. I haven't seen any team in a long time take a driver from USAC and bring him or her along. No wonder they end up to going to NASCAR...
Also, not to be splitting hairs, but Bill Elliott won that race at Atlanta. Kulwicki was second and edged Elliott for the championship. Anyway, you're right about the state of he sport... =(
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Permalink Reply by B-Dawg on
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Actually Kulwicki led one more lap than Elliott. It was something like 103-102 or something like that. His crew figured when to make their last stop based on how many laps were left to run, and how many Elliott could lead. If Elliott had led the most laps, they would have been tied for the points lead, but Elliott would win the tie-breaker because he had more wins.
Now that was actual, real drama...not the contrived, artificial "Chase"... Come to think of it, the IndyCar season has come down to a finish like that for the past three years...why is their marketing department (if there is one) not promoting that?
And don't worry about the methanol fumes...I've lost my share of brain cells from exhaust and welding fumes...
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