It seems like every driver has a signature post-race celebration these days.
Jeff Gordon: NASCAR Drivers’ Post-Victory Celebrations Have Evolved Rapidly
Kyle Busch bows to the crowd. Carl Edwards does a backflip and runs into the stands. Joey Logano holds his steering wheel aloft in Victory Lane. Brad Keselowski takes a victory lap with an American flag.
But back when now-veteran driver Jeff Gordon was coming up through the ranks, NASCAR drivers celebrated victories in a much different way.
"You got to understand, through 1999, we didn't even do burnouts," Gordon said earlier this season. "We drove around there, we waved at the crowd, we drove to Victory Lane, celebrated.
“Somewhere along the way, Dale Jarrett or somebody started doing burnouts, started this whole new celebration thing, melting down tires, destroying engines.”
Then, referring to Edwards’ ill-advised spin through the Charlotte Motor Speedway grass – which tore up the No. 99 car after Edwards won the Sprint All-Star Race – Gordon said, “Now we’ve taken it all the way to destroying race cars.”
“I don’t think he meant to do that,” Gordon quickly added.
On a more serious note, Gordon said drivers have to find the “fine line” between celebrating and going too far. He predicted other drivers wouldn’t be spinning through the grass after what happened to Edwards – and that includes Gordon.
And don’t expect Gordon to ever attempt an Edwards-style backflip.
“No, you won’t have to worry about that,” he said. “I won’t be going into the stands, either.”
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