When Jeff Gordon gave his take on NASCAR's rising aggression: "We don't need that to become a regular thing"

Former NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon once gave his input on the rising driver aggression in racing, ruling that no sport needs this level of aggressive display from its athletes. However, he later also claimed that the rise in aggression and reckless driving was partially because of the 'elimination' format.

Gordon is regarded as one of the most competitive drivers in the Cup Series history. He shared a rough few years battling with Dale Earnhardt Sr on the field shortly after his debut, and even though he was called a reckless driver back in the day, he once claimed that NASCAR did not need such a level of aggression.

Despite his opinion, he shared a moment with Brad Keselowski in 2014. Racing in Texas, Gordon was the favorite to win the race until a caution flag bunched the field up. As they raced the final few laps, Keselowski bumped into Gordon which spun him out of win contention. The two drivers had a heated argument after the race, which soon turned into a major brawl between both teams.

Jeff Gordon confronts Brad Keselowski after the race, Texas, 2014 (Getty Images)

Gordon, who was 43 at the time, was questioned about this brawl. In 2014, ESPN asked him if such post-race brawls were becoming more and more common. He replied that 'no sport' needs such acts to become a "regular thing," further stating that there is a separate place for pure emotions.

"We don't need that to become a regular thing," Gordon told ESPN. "No sport does. But I do think that there is something to be said for real, genuine emotion, whether that's anger or frustration or genuine happiness in Victory Lane. I'm a lot more emotional when I win now. I don't take it for granted -- sharing it with my kids is a whole new level of emotion. And it's a lot better emotion than the one that gets you punched in the face!"

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Jeff Gordon blamed the playoff elimination format for reckless and aggressive driving

The elimination system in the NASCAR playoffs was introduced in 2014, which Jeff Gordon felt was one of the major reasons drivers were getting more aggressive behind the wheel.

He claimed that since winning was the only way to stay active in chasing the championship, the drivers were desperate to win.

"This new elimination format has something to do with it too. Guys don't just want to win, they need to win. A win gets you into the Chase, and then, as I learned this year, wins are the best way to advance. You have to be more aggressive. Throw a bunch of young guys in there who aren't afraid of getting hurt and it can get crazy," Gordon said.

Jeff Gordon retired from NASCAR at the end of the 2015 season with 93 race wins and four Cup Series championships. He remains one of the most competitive drivers to have raced in the championship.