For many, their love for NASCAR begins with a driver.
You’re a kid mesmerized by the sweet roar of the
engine. Sitting in the stands watching the cars race past you is exhilarating.
But the fan experience isn't complete without that one guy/girl you root for –
week in, week out. The person who you cheer for when they win, and defend when
in the midst of controversy. In NASCAR the connection between fan and athlete
is closer than almost any other sport. That is one of the many remarkable
things of NASCAR.
But time goes on. You grow older, they grow older.
Wins go by, rivalries and on-track battles go by, for some - championships go
by. Then you find yourself in the situation so many fans are in right now.
Last month, Jeff Gordon announced that 2015 would be
his last full-time year in NASCAR – possibly his last time piloting a stock
car. That revelation became a little more real as the drivers took to the track
Friday.
Every passionate NASCAR enthusiast has been a fan at
some point in their life. We each have had a special connection with one
particular driver. And to see that driver face his last year in the sport must
be incredibly bittersweet.
Gordon is not only a driver with many fans, but a true
legend of the sport. He is a pioneer that changed the face of NASCAR in more
ways than one. Whether you are a part of “Gordon Nation” of not, it is hard to
imagine a race without him.
The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has
driven in the sport longer than I have been alive. Every race I have witnessed
has included him in the field. His talent is incredible and I will certainly miss
watching him battle on the track every week.
As I reflected on this, I realized Gordon’s absence
will mark the beginning of a very strange event. It won’t be instantaneous, but
the next decade will likely mark the end of an era – the passing of the torch.
Several
drivers who make up the top ranks of the Sprint Cup Series are not far behind
him in age - 43.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Matt Kenseth,
Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart have left their mark on the sport, racing at
the highest level for more than 13 seasons. Johnson and Stewart have recently
discounted retirement plans, while Kenseth hasn't made any mention. However,
that day is approaching, most likely within the next 10 years. This phase
begins with the man who ushered in that era more than 20 years ago: Jeff
Gordon.
However, this is not necessary a sad event. While no
one can ever replace drivers like Gordon, , Kenseth, Johnson, or Stewart, NASCAR
has developed a truly remarkable class of young talents ready for their shot at
one of the most competitive motorsports series in North America.
And so it continues, just like when Gordon was the new
kid with that interesting mustache. What prevailed was excellence throughout a
remarkable career. That kind of excellence is about to happen again, with a new
face, new name – perhaps more than one.
NASCAR’s future is certainly a bright one – one filled
with many more battles, rivalries and wild, exciting moments. Another era will soon
be in the record books, but a bright new chapter is about to begin.
