It was in 1975 that the first episode of Saturday Night Live aired, an exceptional music show that became iconic as days passed. In fact, if America has music shows that have stood the test of time and proven their worth, SNL is certainly one of them. It has continued to become one of the longest-running shows that America has ever witnessed.

While it is not unheard of for NASCAR drivers to make a cameo in the world of television, Jeff Gordon is the only one who has appeared in an episode of SNL. 11th January 2024 stands as the 22nd year of this iconic appearance, an incident that had got fans going gaga over. 

Gordon rocks the SNL stage with a dapper, man-in-black look 

The 2003 time had already been quite iconic for Jeff Gordon, given his illustrious NASCAR career. When he made the SNL appearance, he had already won the Daytona 500 twice. Not only that, by this time he had also bagged the Winston Cup title four times, something that had immensely added to his popularity and made him a household name, irrespective of whether NASCAR was watched at the house or not. 

This was when Gordon made an appearance in the show wearing a solid black colored tuxedo that made him look like a dream. Avril Lavigne accompanied him. Gordon had rocked the stage with his charm and presence. Lavigne had sung her hit song, “Complicated”. 11th January was the date, and this episode has become an instant hit among fans from all across the world. 

SNL has continued to become one of the most popular shows since then, and today there are more than 970 episodes that have been shot and aired. The show has also won some of the most prestigious awards, like the Primetime Emmy Awards. 

The focus on humor and the slight political satire have added to the unique nature of the show and made it so popular. Moreover, racing fans looked back at this particular episode fondly

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Fans cannot help but shower their nostalgia over the post

A recent post on Reddit sparked discussion among fans about how iconic this appearance was and how it is bizarre that two decades have already passed. Given how no other driver has ever been called to the SNL stage, a fan commented, “22?!? Ouch that hurts. Would love to see another driver get a chance but I don’t think anyone really has that much star power anymore”. 

Jeff Gordon had a prolific media presence as well. Throughout his driving stint, Gordon had appeared in various TV shows, that included talk shows in different networks. Consequently, it added to his visibility and TV presence. Pointing out the same, a fan commented, “Still a lot of people who don’t realize just how big Jeff Gordon was, not just in the 90s, but in the early 00s. SNL host. Consistent guest host on Live With Regis and Kelly (even was considered for the full time role apparently). And genuinely every talk show or late show in the 00s. He even has a wikipedia article, Jeff Gordon in Pop Culture”. 

For most people who have taken to the post now, they were kids or youngsters when this iconic crossover happened. Recounting the experience of watching the episode, a fan commented, “I still have this on VHS. We watched it at my 16th birthday party. 😂”. The fact that no other driver has ever taken up this opportunity is indeed something that might upset fans. However, to appear in SNL, you would need a varied media presence, and that is something that a lot of drivers would not want to work on currently. 

Given how driving is a top priority for them, a fan commented, “The thing is, that opportunity is ripe for the taking, but there aren’t any Cup drivers currently willing to pick up that torch and run with it. ………At the same time, I get it. These guys wanted to be racecar drivers, not content creators. They want to do their job and go home to their families….. But that’s what it takes to get, and keep, your name out there. Maybe if I didn’t have the 9-5, I might feel different, but I’m not afforded that luxury”. 

For 22 years, there has been no other driver who has marked his entry on the SNL stage. Pointing out the same, a fan commented, “The only NASCAR driver to date that has hosted SNL”. Jeff Gordon’s SNL appearance remains a testament to his unparalleled crossover appeal, highlighting an era when a driver’s charisma could transcend the track and captivate mainstream audiences.