“He and I can relate”: When Jeff Gordon made an honest admission about 7-time NASCAR champion being a ‘good example’ for his children 

About a decade ago, Henrick Motorsports' vice chairman Jeff Gordon opened up about how much he admired teammate Jimmie Johnson and saw him as a great example for his children in the garage.

Gordon has two children, Ella Sofia and Leo Benjamin, with his wife Ingrid Vandebosch. During a 2014 interview, he praised Johnson for being a good dad and a well-rounded person, both on and off the track. When asked who could be a good example for his children in the garage, Gordon said (via USA Today):

"There are a lot of good guys in the garage area. But you know, Jimmie (Johnson) lives near us, he's a good dad, he's a great race car driver and I think he's very well-balanced. So I'd say probably Jimmie. He and I can relate. We both have two children, we both have won championships, we kind of understand their lifestyle and feel like they understand our lifestyle. "And I've probably seen him more away from the track than anyone else."

Johnson, who won seven Cup championships from 2006 to 2010, 2013, and in 2016, has two daughters, Genevieve Marie and Lydia Norris. Gordon also mentioned former NASCAR driver Casey Mears, who competed in the Cup Series for HMS during 2007-08.

"I'd also put Casey Mears in there, too. They're both dads, good people and fun to be around. I think they're good parents," he added.

Gordon retired from full-time racing the following year at 43 years old. He ranked third in career wins behind Richard Petty and David Pearson.

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"We started just hanging out a lot together" - Jeff Gordon on friendship with Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon was teammates with Jimmie Johnson for a long time before retiring in 2015. Gordon had been with Hendrick Motorsports since the early 1990s while Johnson joined the team in 2001.

"We started just hanging out a lot together and having a good time up here in New York. As a matter of fact, he met his wife, now Chandra, here in New York. I met my wife, Ingrid, up here in New York. So, yeah, we had some good times traveling, not just around the U.S., but around the world," Gordon said.

Johnson had also stated that Gordon played a big role in helping him understand racing and how to handle things in the sport.

Gordon took part-ownership in HMS and became the second highest member of the team after Rick Hendrick in early 2020. Johnson started Legacy Motor Club. The 49-year-old still competes part-time for his team in the Cup Series since retiring in 2020 and competed in the IndyCar Series for two years.