"I was scared to death": Jeff Gordon recalls hosting Saturday Night Live while urging Hendrick Motorsports drivers to "go outside their comfort zone"

Jeff Gordon's old quotes have resurfaced in which the former NASCAR driver encouraged drivers to try different things and get out of their comfort zones. Citing his own stint as the host of the Saturday Night Live, Gordon encouraged racers to reach out to the fans.

This was his view last year in 2022 when he took over the role of a full-time executive at Hendrick Motorsports and wanted the drivers to give something to the fans, especially reflecting on his own experience in the sport.

The driver was one of the household names of his time but the sport has not truly cracked the code on what clicks with the fans. Which drivers the fans gyrate towards is a question that has not been answered confidently by anyone. When Jeff Gordon joined Hendrick Motorsports, he was of the opinion that drivers need to do things outside of their comfort zones.

Talking about his own little stint where he hosted the Saturday Night Live, Jeff Gordon admitted he was scared to death before doing it. As quoted by Sports Business Journal, he said:

“‘I want our drivers to be organic and don’t want them to be anyone they’re not, but whatever you’re comfortable with, I want to see you go just outside that comfort zone."

He added:

"If you’re willing to put yourself in places people don’t expect you and you want to be there — the traditional sporting events and country music concerts are great, but let’s take that a step further — that’s what I’m trying to encourage our guys to do. I didn’t want to host Saturday Night Live [at first] — I was scared to death.'”

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The shift in Jeff Gordon's approach since 2022

Since 2022, Jeff Gordon's approach has seen a shift. He's changed his outlook now and does not want the drivers to go out of their way to do something that doesn't suit them. In a Sirius XM interview, he said that the drivers need to let the sport market you. He feels that the drivers should build their brand through social media and be the best that they can be. He said:

“Let the sponsors market you, let the sport figure out how to market you. Build your brand through who you are, on social media, and be the best you that you can be. “

It is an interesting debate for sure but one thing is quite clear when it comes to winning over the fans, everyone wants authenticity and unless that is present, fans won't gravitate towards anyone.