Hardwood timber During a conversation with fellow racing icon Kyle Petty, NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon recently shared a surprising revelation about his early perception of stock car racing.
The four-time Cup Series champion admitted that he once dismissed stock cars as nothing more than oversized taxi cabs before a single driving experience completely transformed his perspective and launched one of the most successful careers in motorsports history.
How Did Jeff Gordon Go from Open-Wheel Skeptic to NASCAR Champion?
Coming from a background in open-wheel racing, Gordon had developed what he now acknowledges was an elitist view of NASCAR machinery. The California native was deeply entrenched in sprint car and IndyCar racing circles, where stock cars were often viewed as primitive compared to the sleek, technologically advanced open-wheel vehicles.
“Coming from being an open wheel guy, driving a badass sprint car, right? And being around Indy cars, all my thought was, stock cars are just big old heavy taxi cabs,” Gordon revealed during his appearance on Kyle Petty’s “Dinner Drive” show. “I’m like, I don’t want to race those. That was my mindset, right? Until I drove one.”
This dismissive attitude nearly prevented Gordon from discovering his true calling in motorsports. His perception reflected the broader sentiment within open-wheel racing communities during the late 1980s, where stock cars were often looked down upon as less sophisticated racing machines.
The turning point came when Gordon’s IndyCar dreams hit financial roadblocks. ESPN broadcaster Larry Nuber, who had been promoting talents in USAC racing, suggested exploring opportunities in NASCAR. This led to an arrangement at Buck Baker’s North Carolina Motor Speedway driving school in Rockingham.
What Life-Changing Experience Did Jeff Gordon Have at Buck Baker’s School?
Everything changed when Gordon slipped behind the wheel of a stock car. “The first time I got into a stock car, which was at a driving school, I loved it to death,” Gordon recalled. “It felt right. I was just attracted to it right off the bat.”
The experience completely shattered Gordon’s preconceived notions about stock car racing. “I realized that first time I drove a stock car, even though it was Buck Baker driving school and all that stuff, I realized this is way closer to what I’ve been doing than what I’m trying to pursue in anything Indy car,” he explained.
That day at the driving school changed Gordon’s career trajectory and ultimately helped reshape NASCAR’s cultural identity and mainstream appeal, leading to his 93 Cup Series victories and four championships.