In NASCAR, it’s normal for the next generation to follow their parents’ footsteps. But when it comes to Jeff Gordon, it’s not just about whether they will join the sport; it’s about whether they will follow the traditional route and whether that could be Hendrick Motorsports, a team so close to his own legacy.

Jeff Gordon highlights which of his two children could be interested in his work

During an appearance on the Stacking Pennies podcast, Jeff Gordon was asked whether his children have any interest in being involved at HMS or in racing in the future. Gordon is the father of two children, a daughter and a son. His daughter, Ella, was born in 2007, and his son, Leo, was born in 2010.

“Ellis seems to show interest in what I do. They’ve got a great business school there at the University of Michigan. So I’m hoping she takes some business classes, and there are some things that she can apply to either whatever she wants to do or if she wants to maybe be involved in Hendrick one day,” Gordon described.

The 4x Cup champion revealed that his daughter is graduating this year and going to the University of Michigan. But she isn’t focused or involved in racing because of another interest of hers at present.

“I’m so proud of her. She’s worked so incredibly hard. She’s a pole vaulter, too, which is, it’s not why she’s going to Michigan, even though I hope she walks on. Watching your daughter jump over a pole that’s 11 feet up in the air is kind of crazy,” he said of Ella.

Speaking about his son Leo, Jeff Gordon deemed him ‘the ultimate negotiator, a skill he believes could come in handy should his son join the car business or motorsports. Having said that, Gordon revealed which of his two children finds his work interesting.

It’s worth mentioning that currently, Jeff Gordon is in an executive position at Hendrick Motorsports. In fact, he is only second to Rick Hendrick in the hierarchy as the Vice Chairman.

While Jeff Gordon started in NASCAR as a first-generation racer, there have been instances where a driver’s son/daughter didn’t pursue the driving route and instead excelled in the sport in another role. The biggest example of that is Kelley Earnhardt Miller, the daughter of Dale Earnhardt Sr. She is currently the CEO of JR Motorsports, but did race stock cars on the grassroots level when she was young.

Other notable names of high-level personalities from the sport who joined their family’s line of work in an executive role include Ben Kennedy, who is the grandson of Bill France Jr., and is currently the Executive Vice President of NASCAR. There is Mike Dillon, the son-in-law of Richard Childress, who is the General Manager at RCR. And Jon Wood and Ed Wood, nephews of Glen Wood, who manage the iconic Wood Brothers Team.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be that far-fetched that Jeff Gordon’s daughter ends up joining her father’s world and begins her NASCAR journey at Hendrick Motorsports. Especially when her father could be the next in line to become the boss of HMS.

Is Gordon the successor to Rick Hendrick at HMS?

In 2021, Jeff Gordon left his role at FOX Sports as a broadcaster to pick up a big position at Hendrick Motorsports. After an entire career dedicated to racing and winning for Rick Hendrick’s team, he was now made the Vice Chairman of the organization, a role only second to Mr. H.

This naturally led many to wonder whether Gordon would end up becoming the one who succeeds Rick Hendrick at NASCAR’s most successful team when the founder steps away eventually.

However, Hendrick had confirmed the name of the person who would succeed him after his retirement all the way back in 2018. “That’s the way we’re going. Whenever I finally step away, it’ll be Jeff Gordon in my place,” Hendrick said, as per NBC Sports.

By the end of this year, Jeff Gordon will have spent 36 years with Hendrick Motorsports. And given Rick Hendrick’s age and Gordon’s high involvement with the team, it wouldn’t be surprising if the 4x Cup champion is handed the keys to the boss’s office in the next few years.