“I was just in awe”: When NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon opened up on his Indy 500 dream

Jeff Gordon is arguably one of the most well-recognized and successful stock car racing drivers in NASCAR history. However, even during his early years of racing, Gordan dreamt of racing in the IndyCar, and in an interview in 2015, the NASCAR legend opened up on the Indy 500 dream.

The 53-year-old lived and raced in California for the initial years of his career. However, to accelerate his racing career, Gordon's family moved to Indianapolis, which inspired Gordon to become an IndyCar driver.

Talking about his desire to race in Indycar, Jeff Gordon said (as quoted by onlineathens.com):

“To me as a kid, even when I lived in California and I was racing, it was sprint-car racing, and the Indy 500 was what I dreamed about. I was just in awe of the (Indy) museum, the track, the race.”

The Californian climbed the USAC ladder like most aspirational American open-wheel racing drivers. Gordon was given the USAC license at the age of 16 in 1987. Teams were hesitant to take chances with the young talent. Gordon raced in the junior USAC championships in the early 90s.

The 53-year-old then contacted multiple top teams for a racing seat in Indy but was rejected as Gordon was still relatively young and low on experience. The Indy team preferred drivers with Formula racing experience. The legend then found an opportunity to advance his racing career with the NASCAR Busch series.

Gordon started racing in stock cars in 1991 and was awarded the Rookie of the Year in the first year itself. He soon stepped up the ladder of stock car racing becoming a 4 time NASCAR Cup series champion. He fulfilled his dream of racing in Indianapolis by competing in the Brickyard 400.

---

“Possibly more special for me”: Jeff Gordon reflects on his NASCAR career and the missed Indy 500 opportunity

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

Although Jeff Gordon never got the opportunity to race in IndyCar, his presence within NASCAR helped build the sport. The Hendrick Motorsport legend is seen as one of the many building blocks of NASCAR. Looking retrospectively, Gordon still pinches himself about not racing in the Indy 500 but is content with the path he took. Jeff Gordon said (via NASCAR):

“My heroes were the drivers that raced there (at IMS). And so I remember traveling back to Indiana in the early ’80s and going and visiting the museum and the track and it just became that much more real and that much more of a dream to race there one day.”

"So it was disappointing that it didn't happen in an IndyCar. But at the same time, I think being a part of the inaugural NASCAR event and what that did to NASCAR and my career and Indianapolis and the history, it might have been even possibly more special for me just because of that personal connection," he added.

That being said, Gordon did get the opportunity to drive at the Indy 500 in 2015 as the pace car driver.