Why can't fans just realize that Jeff Gordon is and always be one of?

Question

Nascar's best drivers ever, you can't even begin to compare Jeff Gordon with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. they never ever had the competition that Jeff Gordon has had!! So who agrees (only serious answers no ignorant comments facts only!)

I know Jimmie Johnson is my favorite driver but he don't get the same hoopla that Gordon gets People always compare Gordon to the above mentioned, That is all I asked geeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz This is about Gordon, Petty, and Dale Sr. They all have records, thats all!!!! In the future will compare Gordon and Johnson

Answer 1

Nope, sorry. Tony Stewart's officially better.

Answer 2

Jeff is one of the best. But like you said, "You can't even begin to compare Jeff with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt."

As their times were totally different from the NASCAR you see now, it's a completely different animal. There were no corporate luxaries, engineers shaking down cars on seven post hydrolics, assistants, agents, etc. Today you can jump on with a big team with corporate money...its now the norm.

I will say Gordon is the best of the modern era, no doubt. But for me personally, its hard to hold him up in the same light as Dale , Richard and David. Thats not to say I deny his greatness. I just hold him on a different scale than I do past drivers on account that NASCAR is so different now. None of the old principles that those guys drove by even apply to the sport today.

Its hard to really drive that point home, as you really have to know the differences between what the sport was and what it is now. And the level of competition isn't so much greater now as NASCAR would like you to think either.

Ah well, I'm sure thats not the answer you wanted to hear XD

Answer 3

Not everyone is a fan of Gordon.I myself am not a fan of his but respect his ability as a driver.
Yes he is on of the top 10 all time greatest in NASCAR and deserves to be there,however the statement that Petty and Earnhardt did not haave the competition that Gordon has is erronious.
The type car these older drivers drove was nowhere near todays "stockcars" in technology.The older cars were built from real full body cars from Detroit,not the rolled out sheetmetal.
The drivers then not just drove the car they drove the transporter,worked in the shop building the car or repairing damage from the previous race.All this while racing 2 or 3 events a week.
So your right Gordon is not up too the Pettys and Earnhardts but with his driving style he is on of the greatest.

Answer 4

I can't imagine arguing that he is not ONE of the best drivers of all time. He has won 4 Championships. That alone puts him in an elite class. You will argument from Earnhardt and Petty fans that he is not as good as they were but that's what makes sports great. Comparing legends from different ERAs. I think the list goes like this;
1. Petty - He's the king for a reason
2. Earnhardt - synonomis with NASCAR. The two are inseperable.
3. Gordon - Helped NASCAR expand its horizon and elevate the awareness this sport to the rest of the country.
4. Pearson - How many championships and races would he have won had it not been for Petty?
5. Waltrip - Dominated the 80s like Petty and Pearson had done in the 70s.

Answer 5

The fans realize Jeff Gordon is one of the best drivers in NASCAR history, and yes, it is a love-hate relationship.

I think you need to consider what happens when you rise to the top of your field and become the "cream of the crop". One only has to look at others who have been successful to understand the phenomenon. Donald Trump, Howard Stern, Muhammed Ali, Howard Cosell and Jackie Robinson are names that come to mind that endured the same type of reaction that #24 has learned to deal with, people either love them or hate them.

In the case of Jeff Gordon, you should also take into account the "NASCAR fan base" of the "good ol' boys" from the south. Petty and Earnhardt were born and raised in the birthplace of NASCAR, Gordon in California. He broke the mold and the stereotype that led many to believe you had to be from the south to be good at NASCAR. This alone would lead many to dislike him. Add to that the "rainbow warrior" monacre he had for several yrs which led many to doubt his sexual orientation, thereby alienating even more fans, and the fact that he has been very successful in defeating the drivers other fans support, and you can pretty much understand this phenomenon.

By the time drivers like Jimmy Johnson and Kevin Harvick came into the cup races, Gordon had pretty much established that you didn't have to be from the south to be "one of the boys", and the expanded fan base was able to accept and embrace them.

Answer 6

You cannot compare old school drivers from new drivers these days not that i am a Jeff Gordon fan but hasn't he beaten Dale Sr. before? But anyway its a different race now compared to when Richard Petty was racing and seems to me Petty Enterprise is not doing that good I do not think even the king could get into one of his cars today and win.


JUST MY OPINION
NASCAR FAN FOR 20 YEARS

Answer 7

it has to be depressing to hope every week that he will win when even Vegas would not bet on him. Junior nation only looks at JR most of them can't even afford the new jacket or the 88 sweat pants at your local Walmart. The whole Junior fan thing bothers me,all those fans for a half wit driver. He lets down his fans because he can not help it, he is not a great driver. Dn't get me wrong he is ok but not at all great.He has the best equipment on the track right now and he has won one race. What a slap in the face to the whole Hendricks team.

Answer 8

Thank you so much! Finally someone realizes how good Jeff is. I go to school with people who say he is guy, and they know nothing about NASCAR. Richard and Dale didn't have the competition like Jeff, Jimmie, and Tony, and they are the best in the league.

Answer 9

While Jeff is one of the greatest drivers...4 championships, 81 career wins in Nextel Cup...he still has a while to go. He could never compare with Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt because they were both from different eras. Petty was from a purely stock NASCAR and also raced from the 60s to the 90s. Earnhardt ruled from 79 to 01, when NASCAR was experimenting with aerodynamics, restrictor plates, roof flaps and guys with balls of steel. They both had to deal with men in their 40s with years of experience.
Jeff has to deal with either young drivers with maybe a year or so of stock car experience or drivers coming from totally different styles of racing (Indy, F1).
So no one can truly compare these three men against each other. Their environments were too different from each other.

Answer 10

Earnhardt had to go up against Darrell Waltrip in his prime, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Davey Allison, Mark Martin, and other Champion caliber drivers. Speaking of being ignorant. LowesFedExgirl is correct. Jimmie Johnson's record has been better than Gordon's so it looks like Johnson is a better driver.

Answer 11

I agree. Jeff Gordon is my favorite driver and the competition is so much greater these days, even from his own team mate Jimmie Johnson and just wait 'till Jr. gets there. Richard Petty (my favorite driver when he was racing) just didn't have as much competition but Dale Earnhardt Sr. did. Sr. taught Jeff Gordon and a lot of other drivers a lot about racing.