Media Tour Day 4: Gordon doesn’t want to be distracted by commemorations
When he announced his intentions to step away from the No. 24 car at the end of 2015, Jeff Gordon mentioned that he didn’t want the entire season to become a retirement tour.
Heck, Gordon has even refrained from calling his departure from the Cup Series a retirement, though as he continues to say he likely won’t be back in a Cup car after the 2015 season, that’s basically what it is.
On Thursday, Gordon reiterated his desire to not be distracted by the accolades he’s sure to get throughout the season.
“I am concerned,” Gordon said via USA Today about the inevitable recognitions.“I have seen others go through it and through those experiences you take a mental note of what you think was good and what wasn’t.
“Statements and comments and accolades and already the things that have been put out there are very overwhelming to me and much appreciated, but I want to race hard and be competitive and focus at the race track.”
• There will be no human named Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. in the near future.
Because of his teammate’s retirement plans, Junior was asked about his future. He turned 40 in 2014, but doesn’t have any plans to step away in the near term.
“Jeff made his decision based on factors in his life, whether it be his health or his kids,” Earnhardt said via USA Today. “… I don’t have any back issues and I don’t have any kids on the way. I don’t have any factors.”
• New Hampshire Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Gappens was arrested earlier in January after he was allegedly spotted by police with a 19-year-old female in a car.
The 53-year-old is charged with indecent exposure and lewdness.
“Mr. Gappens acknowledges using poor judgment that has resulted in a misdemeanor charge that is both embarrassing and devastating to him and his family, and for that, he sincerely apologizes,” a statement from his lawyer to WMUR 9 in New Hampshire said.
“He regrets his actions. While he made a bad decision, he did not, in my opinion, engage in conduct that violates the referenced statute or any other criminal law. Mr. Gappens cooperated fully with the police, and we hope to have this difficult situation resolved soon.”
• Organizers in Brazil have canceled the IndyCar Series opener in Brazil. The race, scheduled for March 8, was supposed to be run in the nation’s capital of Brasilia. The IndyCar season will now open on March 29 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
IndyCar CEO Mark Miles told The Indianapolis Star that the cancellation of the Brasilia event “is disappointing,” but it won’t hurt the sanctioning body or its competitors.
“Economically, we’re protected, and the paddock is protected,” he said.
If true, IndyCar learned from the last-minute cancellation of a scheduled race in Qingdao, China, in 2012. IndyCar did not receive the money it was promised, but Miles said this event was financially front-loaded.
Band, the television station promoting the race, announced the cancellation, saying the decision was made by the local government. No additional details were given.
• The 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductions are Friday night. The telecast begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
