"I like to give him a hard time" - Rick Hendrick hints at Jeff Gordon's succession plans for HMS

Former NASCAR driver and current vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon is an important part of the team that just celebrated its 40th anniversary season in NASCAR.

Rick Hendrick is the most successful team owner in NASCAR history, with 14 championships won by five different drivers. He recently mentioned Jeff Gordon, his long-time friend, as a possible candidate to take over when he retires.

In a recent interview on Sports Legends of the Carolinas podcast by Scott Fowler, 75-year-old Hendrick shared some thoughts about who might lead Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) in the future. When asked if Gordon could replace him, Hendrick joked and said:

"Yeah. I kid Jeff. I say, 'I don’t know whether you’re a little brother or a son. I’d like to think about you as a little brother.' I like to give him a hard time," he said (via The Charlotte Observer).

Hendrick also talked about his son-in-law, Marshall Carlson, currently president of Hendrick Motorsports, and his grandson, Hendrick as potential successors.

"But yes, Jeff and also my son-in-law, Marshall Carlson. And my grandson, Hendrick, who loves the business. He’s a gearhead. He’s a senior in high school this year but he works in the dealerships. Everybody really likes him and he loves it," he added.

Jeff Gordon, who raced for HMS from 1993 to 2015, is a four-time Cup Series champion. Gordon ranks third on the all-time wins list with 93 victories. He has three Daytona 500 and five Brickyard 400 wins.

The 53-year-old became the vice chairman and co-owner of HMS in 2022. His influence also helped NASCAR gain popularity. The team celebrated its 40th anniversary with a win at the Daytona 500 earlier this year. This victory by William Byron happened exactly 40 years after the team’s first race in the Cup Series.

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Jeff Gordon’s 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to be auctioned at The Chattanooga Auction

The famous 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Jeff Gordon in the early 2000s will be auctioned by Broad Arrow Auctions. It will take place at The Chattanooga Auction at Chattanooga on October 12, 2024. 80 collector cars will be sold at the 2024 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival.

The sixth-generation Monte was built by Hendrick Motorsports and was raced by Gordon during 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons. It finished in the top five at each of the three Budweiser Shootout races at Daytona International Speedway.

The Monte Carlo has an 830-horsepower engine and a classic DuPont Flame paint job. It has a basic three-spoke steering wheel, a rectangular dashboard with different gauges, including a sideways tachometer, and a bucket-style racing seat. It was restored in 2015.

The price is expected to be between $125,000 and $175,000.