There are things that are pre-ordained, and no force can stop the inevitable. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon stands as proof of that. Breaking away from the traditional outlook of the sport, Jeff Gordon was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Class of 2019. But the road to being inducted was assuredly a bumpy one.

As the world of NASCAR reels with the selection for the 2024 Class of Hall of Fame and the possibility of inducting 7x Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, some unknown facts are being inducted, pertaining to Jeff Gordon. 

Dale Jarrett spills the beans behind Jeff Gordon’s induction to the Hall of Fame

On Wednesday, NASCAR announced 15 nominees, which also included the name of 7x Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus. The outcome is to be decided through the help of ballots by the voting panel, including 60 dignitaries. While the fans are hopeful that Johnson would be receiving the due credit from the panelists, they were astounded by the fact that Gordon failed to receive a unanimous vote from the panelist.

Although Gordon received the 96% of the total highest number of votes in the 10th Class of Fame, the former driver fell short to receive a first unanimous selection from the panelists. Referencing this shocking update from the past, Dale Jarrett, while speaking on Johnson’s induction to the Class of 2024, revealed,

“Years ago someone decided not to put Jeff Gordon on their ballot and make it unanimous. That better not happen with Jimmie Johnson, because there is no reason for anyone to be leaving him off.”

To rekindle nostalgia and affirm Gordon’s influence on NASCAR, one has to go back to the 1994’s Coca-Cola 600 race. The then-22-year-old had held off veteran Rusty Wallace to win his maiden Cup Series victory. Little did the world know that it would be the inception of a trailblazing career. With 4 Cup Series championships and 92 victories, Gordon occupies a hallowed position in the world of stock car racing.

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Fans dismissed the whole attempt as “a joke” for failing Jeff Gordon

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As the information came to light, the fans in a fervent plea asked the authorities not to repeat the same for Jimmie Johnson and to do justice to his legacy. This didn’t happen without them hurling their criticisms at the panelists for failing Gordon in receiving cent percent votes.

They wrote under the post, “He should be a unanimous vote but the fact that Bill France Sr, Richard Petty, Dale Sr, and Jeff Gordon weren’t unanimous is a joke.”

“Who the hell said no to Jeff Gordon?.”

“He would be the first. I know I am missing others but how was Jeff Gordon not?”

“Who was the guy that snubbed Gordon?”

With the dignitaries set to meet on August 2, it will be interesting to see how the members arrive at a decision. However, there is no denying the fact that Johnson is more than worthy of this achievement, and with his being inducted, the legacy of NASCAR will go as far as adding more value to its fans.

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