Video: Jeff Gordon’s emotional banquet speech

Jeff Gordon’s final NASCAR Awards banquet speech of his driving career was an emotional one.

Gordon took the stage Friday night in Las Vegas upon the conclusion of his legendary career and it was apparent that the magnitude of what he had accomplished hit him while he was there.

Here’s the speech. The man who introduced him was none other than Tom Cruise, who played Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder. Cruise was not included on the NASCAR guest list of celebrities. His appearance to introduce Gordon was a complete surprise.

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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! Follow @NickBromberg