In an interview for an Autoweek story detailing NASCAR teams and their plans for ownership succession, Rick Hendrick dropped news about who he sees as being the future leader of Hendrick Motorsports.
Hendrick, 69, said his former driver, Jeff Gordon, would someday take charge of the team he started in 1984.
“That’s the way we’re going. Whenever I finally step away, it’ll be Jeff Gordon in my place,” Hendrick told Autoweek.
Gordon, 47, is already a long-time minority owner of the team, a result of a contract he signed in 1999.
But don’t expect Hendrick to give up the reigns soon.
“I love this and still enjoy it so much, and it’s tied to my automotive businesses,” Hendrick said. “My health is good, so I expect to be around for a long time.”
But it’s possible Gordon’s heart wouldn’t be into being sole owner of the race team he competed for from 1992 - 2016, or at least as the owner of his own team.
Gordon discussed the possibility of ownership on Tuesday during a Q&A related to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s podcast, “The Dale Jr. Download.”
“I would not be an owner if it weren’t for Rick Hendrick and being there for such a long time and the contract that I signed that helped me be an equity owner,” Gordon said. “I want to be partners with Rick in the business. I certainly would never want to go out and do this on my own. Nor would I even be capable of (it).”
Gordon has a history of ownership outside Hendrick. He and his former crew chief, Ray Evernham, co-owned Gordon-Evernham Motorsports, an Xfinity Series team they fielded from 1999-2000.
Gordon went on to explain what keeps him from being more involved in Hendrick Motorsports: the state of the NASCAR business model.
“I’m always so interested in what’s happening from the business aspect,” Gordon said. “I’ve got to say, (Interim CEO and Chairman) Jim France and the France family and the involvement they have right now, (President) Steve Phelps. I’m seeing some momentum of some thing things, what’s happening with the (Race Team Alliance). There’s just some cool things that are happening and it all got started I think talking about Comcast coming in and buying NASCAR.
“Whether that was ever a reality or whatever was going to happen, what it’s generated is concerted efforts where people are coming together to try and take the sport to the next level from a business viability standpoint. That’s what I’m excited about. If it could do that, you would see me far more involved. But right now, if you look at the business model on paper, no, it doesn’t make sense. We’re lucky to have racing as more of a hobby and do it the level we do it because of our partners.”