Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon has an unusual approach to retirement. The 45-year-old stock-car legend announced he was hanging up his helmet at the end of the 2015 Sprint Cup season?after 805 races dating back to 1992?and promptly returned to the cockpit fill in for the injured Dale Earnhardt, Jr., at eight races in 2016 with Hendrick Motorsports.
And what does the Californian have planned for the easy days of retirement once the calendar flips to 2017" Well, the three-time Daytona 500 winner just put his signature on a contract with the Wayne Taylor Racing team to compete at the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance contest in January.
He’ll be reunited with Taylor and Max Angelelli after a 10-year hiatus form the event; Gordon took part in the 2007 Rolex 24 with the WTR team and finished third in what was his debut. His 2017 bid will come driving alongside Taylor’s sons Ricky and Jordan, as well as Angelelli, in the No. 10 Konica Minolta-sponsored Cadillac DPi-V.R for IMSA’s longest WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event of the year.
Gordon, middle, with Angelelli and Taylor at the 2007 Rolex 24.
“I really enjoyed racing in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2007 with Max, Wayne, and Jan [Magnussen],” Gordon said. “When I announced I would no longer be competing full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, my hope was that I would get an opportunity like this to compete again in such a prestigious event?with Konica Minolta and Wayne Tay...