NASCAR’s golden era brought us one of the most iconic rivalries, with champions who pushed each other to the limit. As the 2024 season reaches its peak, Cup Series drivers are fully immersed in their chase for the Bill France trophy. This intensity echoes the unforgettable battles of Hendrick Motorsports veteran Jeff Gordon, who once faced the “Intimidator” himself, Dale Earnhardt Sr., in his own bid for NASCAR supremacy.

As the HMS vice chairman, Gordon carries a vast treasure trove of racing experiences. Yet none left a mark on him so big as his face-off with Dale Earnhardt Sr. In 1995, Gordon was merely a 25-year-old, and Earnhardt was already established as a legendary racer. Yet the former beat the latter—and also salutes Earnhardt for such a memorable run.

Jeff Gordon hails his rival for paving his path

In the ‘90s, NASCAR fans were split between two camps: those who cheered for Dale Earnhardt, the gritty racer from a North Carolina mill town, and those rooting for Jeff Gordon, the young, polished driver from Northern California. These two fanbases couldn’t have been more different—and they didn’t hesitate to show it.

Yet, on the track, despite their fans’ rivalry, Earnhardt and Gordon shared laughs and a fiercely competitive bond. Earnhardt saw the fire in the future four-time champion and respected Gordon’s raw potential. He claimed in their first 1-2 finish at a 1993 Coca-Cola 600: “He’s a tough little race driver. He’s going to be hard to handle.”

That respect was reciprocal trading paint with the Intimidator may have molded the HMS veteran’s career. That is what Jeff Gordon claimed recently in an interview with FOX Sports. He won seven races in his first Cup Series championship run in 1995. “I know they changed my life forever — big events like the Daytona 500, the Brickyard, 400 and championships—that kind of mold your career and your future and where you’re at with your team.” Yet Gordon admitted to the most impactful experience—his rivalry. “Winning that first championship in 1995 was just huge because not only were we going up against the greats at that time, but Dale Earnhardt, Sr., one of the best of all time.”

Jeff Gordon then heaped most of the credit for his glittering career on that season. He went on to win 93 races, way more than Earnhardt’s 76. “And to be able to go toe to toe with him and Richard Childress Racing and actually pull that championship off, from that point on, it just felt like, “All right, we have a car and a team that can do this every year.” Even though that wasn’t necessarily the case, it certainly was a string there for about four or five years that we were one of the top teams and went into every race feeling like we could win it, and every season that we could win the championship because of what we accomplished in ’95.”

And, Dale Earnhardt Sr. expected nothing less from the ‘Wonder Boy’ – who overcame great adversity to beat the legend.

The path was steep, but he made it

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Well, Jeff Gordon’s talent was visible the moment he landed under Rick Hendrick’s umbrella in 1993. A scrawny kid of 23 back then, he immediately soared to glory. Gordon became the first Cup driver to clinch the Rookie of the Year honors. 1993 was also the year he charged hard at Dale Earnhardt‘s victory in Charlotte.

The black No. 3 Chevy led 152 of 400 laps, taking the checkered flag 3.73 seconds ahead of Gordon. The seven-time Cup champion tipped his hat: “I’m glad he (Gordon) didn’t catch me because he was tough. He ran real good. He was good here in Charlotte, and that shows a lot.” These words were prophetic—Gordon could bow to Earnhardt as runner-up only one other time. The rest fell in HMS’ court, starting with a 1995 Darlington race.

The Southern 500 that season was a challenge for Gordon. He spun in Turn 1, triggering a four-car accident that brought out a caution on Lap 137. Somehow he could keep his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet off the wall, which saved his race. “I thought I must have cut a tire. Then I saw all those guys wrecking behind me, and I thought, ‘Oh, man.’” 

Eventually, Jeff Gordon was able to collect himself and place the No. 24 beyond the checkered flag and 0.66 seconds ahead of Earnhardt’s No. 3. Despite already holding nine wins at Darlington Raceway, the intimidator was not happy to see the tables flip. “Second sucks. … I was pushing to win. I’ve won nine of these suckers down here.”

Evidently, Jeff Gordon put up with the greatest and became a legend himself. This story is bound to inspire our current championship hopefuls, who are heading to Phoenix soon.