Jeff Gordon Ending Full-Time NASCAR Career

Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will bow out of full-time racing at the end of the 2015 season. 

“I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the off-season, and I’ve decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship,” Gordon said today.

Gordon, 43, says that its not a full retirement, leaving the door open to compete on a smaller scale in the future. “I won’t use the ‘R-word’ because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead and there’s always the possibility I’ll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that. I don’t foresee a day when I’ll ever step away from racing,” he said.

This year marks Gordon’s 23rd full season of racing the number 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports. Besides winning the overall championship four times, Jeff Gordon sits in the third position when it comes to overall NASCAR race wins with 92, falling short of David Pearson at 105 and Richard Petty at 200.

“I’ll explore opportunities for the next phase of my career, but my primary focus now and throughout 2015 will be my performance in the #24 Chevrolet,” said Gordon. “I’m going to pour everything I have into this season and look forward to the challenge of competing for one last championship.”