Jeff Gordon Looks Back at the Time He Teamed Up With Jimmie Johnson to Win the ‘Race of Champions”
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LONG POND, PA – AUGUST 03: (L-R) Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, stand in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 3, 2007 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were once the most formidable duo in NASCAR as they raced for Hendrick Motorsports. With 11 NASCAR Cup Series titles between them, both drivers are certainly legends of the sport. At the same time, the two men share a great camaraderie and friendship.
As Johnson bid the sport adieu, Gordon was asked about his favorite story involving Johnson. He thought about one and joked, “Probably not one I could tell you.”
Gordon then thought some more and reminisced how they would travel the world not just as friends, but also competing in other countries as teammates.
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Back in 2002, both Gordon and Johnson participated in an event abroad, called the ‘Race of Champions’. It was an event where drivers and motorcycle riders from all around the world got together to run a motorcycle-racing event.
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6 Feb 1999: A portrait of Jeff Gordon #24 taken as he poses before the pole qualifying heat during the Daytona 500 Speedweek at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
When Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson raced for ‘Team USA’
It was a different challenge for them, and they even represented their country at the event.
“He and I were teammates with a motorcycle racer Colin Edwards in this event called the ROC. They’d bring drivers from all over and motorcycle riders from all over the world and team you up on a country team. So we were Team USA,” Gordon expressed.
Gordon also revealed that NASCAR Cup Series driver Casey Mears accompanied them as they traveled to Spain and France for the event.
“We went to the Canary Islands in Spain, and we made a trip out of it, we had a lot of fun. We were in Madrid and Paris, and one of our other buddies, Casey Mears, was with us,” Gordon reminisced.
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BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 06: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, prepares to drive during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 6, 2019 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
Making their country proud with a victory
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The NASCAR greats showed their racecraft in such a different event. They ended up winning the event for their country, while also enjoying themselves to the fullest.
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“And we just had a blast. And on top of that, we won this event, which I think still to this day is the only time Team USA ever won that event,” Gordon said further.
Gordon and Johnson are also two of the most popular drivers in NASCAR. They are a big reason for Hendrick Motorsports’ rise over the years as one of the best NASCAR outfits. The two men also played a huge role in grooming the current crop of drivers for the team.
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