Jeff Gordon stepped away from NASCAR full-time after 2015, and retired from racing entirely after winning the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Most assumed he would never drive competitively again — it seemed like he was more intent on competing against other teams in an executive role. Since retirement, the winningest driver of NASCAR’s modern era has been the Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsport, the team where he spent his entire Cup Series career. But that doesn’t mean he can’t get a few more laps in.
Jeff Gordon is coming out of retirement for one weekend only. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will be making a one-off appearance in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands. Gordon will be racing in the IMSA-sanctioned one-make Porsche 911 GT3 Cup series when it visits Indianapolis Motor Speedway between September 2nd and 4th. The native Hoosier isn’t a stranger to success at the Speedway with a record five wins at the Brickyard 400.
Jeff Gordon said in a press release:
“I’m looking forward to getting back in a race car and competing against a talented field of teams and drivers. It’s always special when I get a chance to compete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ray (Evernham) and I have always talked about running another race together, and we felt like Indy was the perfect place. It’ll be a fun way to spend the holiday weekend and make some new memories.”
Yes, Gordon will also be reuniting with long-term crew chief Ray Evernham for the first time since 1999. Gordon won three of his four Cup championships with Evernham atop the pit box. The duo, enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will have to contend with a field of 30 other drivers on Indianapolis’ 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.
It should be noted that Gordon wasn’t a pushover when it came to making both left- and right-hand turns: Nine of Gordon’s 93 Cup Series race wins came on road courses, still the series record for road-course victories. And yes, his 911 GT3 Cup car will wear the No. 24.