For nearly two decades, Jeff Gordon and Pepsi were one of NASCAR’s most recognizable pairings. From the bright blue Hendrick Motorsports cars to nationwide Walmart promotions and slick TV spots, the partnership that began in 1997 became part of Gordon’s on-track identity. By the time Gordon was deep into his Cup career, Pepsi was more than just a sponsor for Gordon. It became a storytelling machine.

And in 2013, that storytelling took a sharp left turn. Instead of speedways and trophies, Gordon went undercover at a North Carolina car dealership, trading his fire suit for a fake mustache and shaky nerves. What followed became one of the most unforgettable pranks NASCAR has ever produced.

The test drive that went completely off the rails

Released in March 2013, Pepsi Max & Jeff Gordon Present: Test Drive was never meant to feel like a traditional NASCAR commercial. And that was exactly the point! Produced in partnership with Funny or Die, the short film dropped Gordon into unfamiliar territory, far from pit road and race radios.

Disguised as an older man named “Mike,” complete with makeup, mustache, and goatee, Gordon walked into a Chevrolet dealership in Concord, North Carolina, pretending to be a cautious, slightly overwhelmed customer. The setup was simple. Gordon gravitated toward a Camaro, openly doubting whether he could handle “that much car.”

The salesman, Steve, did what any salesman would do. He offered Jeff ‘Mike’ Gordon a test drive. At first, Gordon played the role perfectly, nervously tapping the brakes and easing out of the lot as Steve encouraged him to “get a feel for it.” Then the switch flipped.

Within seconds, the calm test drive turned into controlled chaos. Gordon mashed the throttle, ripped burnouts across the parking lot, slid the Camaro sideways, and ignored increasingly frantic pleas from the passenger seat. Steve’s confusion quickly turned to panic, then anger, as Gordon drove like he was chasing a Cup win instead of a sales commission. Profanity flew. Threats to call the police followed. The reactions were raw.

The stunt reached its peak with one final burnout before Gordon spun the car around, calmly parked it, and revealed the prank. Cameras were exposed. The fake facial hair came off. And suddenly, the man who had nearly given Steve a heart attack was a four-time NASCAR champion standing inches away. What could have ended in fury instead turned into disbelief, laughter, and an iconic closing line when Steve asked, “You want to do it again?” Gordon’s reply was instant: “Yeah, let’s do it again.”

The video exploded online, racking up tens of millions of views and cementing itself as one of NASCAR’s most memorable crossover moments. Sorry to inform you guys in the end that it was a scripted ad. And while it may have been that, more than a decade later, it remains undeniably entertaining and hard not to smile at.

When the prank got bigger, louder, and way riskier

If the first “Test Drive” leaned on surprise, the sequel doubled down on scale. Released in February 2014, Test Drive #2 saw Gordon ditch the old-man disguise for something far sketchier. He was posing as a rough-edged ex-con taxi driver. His unsuspecting passenger was Travis Okulski, a Jalopnik journalist known for openly questioning Gordon’s abilities.

What followed was pure controlled chaos: a souped-up Crown Victoria, a staged police chase through the streets of Concord, North Carolina, and Jeff Gordon casually warning, “Hold on, we’re going for a ride,” as sirens and flashing lights filled the rearview mirror.

The production itself was no small operation. The sequel took nearly eight months to plan and required coordination with local law enforcement, including rehearsed segments to keep things safe while still looking authentic. Mid-chase, Gordon finally pulled the mask off, literally, revealing the prank and sending Okulski from panic to disbelief. A brief cameo from the original salesman tied the two videos together, winking at fans who remembered the first stunt.

By 2016, the sequel had racked up more than 21 million views, cementing the series as one of NASCAR’s most memorable crossover moments with pop culture. While both videos have since disappeared from Pepsi’s official YouTube channel, reuploads continue to circulate online. They are proof that even years later, Jeff Gordon’s undercover joyrides still have the power to shock, entertain, and spark nervous laughter.