“Racing didn't seem to stick” - Jeff Gordon on his kids’ interests outside motorsports

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is regarded as one of the greatest NASCAR Cup Series drivers in the history of the sport. He has been an inspiration for young drivers around the world, with many professing they want to be like him.

But do his children want to follow in their father’s footsteps? In a recent interview, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion revealed that his two kids are not interested in racing and are instead passionate about something else.

Watch the full podcast here:

In The Charlotte Observer’s podcast, Jeff Gordon stated that his daughter Ella Sofia and son Leo Benjamin occasionally go at quarter-midget track but are not serious about taking it as a profession. He also said that he would support his kids in achieving their goals or interests.

Gordon said:

"They would go to the go-kart track and cheer it up every once in a while and I’m pretty proud of what they do out there but they don’t seem to have. Early when they were like five or six years old, I introduced him to quarter midgets, the same thing that I grew up racing that I was introduced to by my parents."

He continued:

"But it (racing) didn’t seem to stick and they just have other interests and that’s fine. You know, I want to support them in whatever they’re passionate about, or whatever their interests are, that doesn’t seem to be racing."

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“She’s been a tremendous athlete on the track” – Jeff Gordon

Later in the podcast, the NASCAR legend and Hendrick Motorsports vice-chairman mentioned that Ella was good in athletics and called her a “speed demon” on the track. His son Leo, meanwhile, wants to pursue a career as a Youtuber or an influencer.

Jeff Gordon said:

“She’s been a tremendous athlete on the track. I love watching her run, she’s a beautiful runner. She plays field hockey and she can play about anything honestly,”

NASCAR is a sport that is built around families and has a rich history of racing families, but it seems that Gordon’s second generation will be exploring other avenues.