Just how popular is Dale Earnhardt Jr.? He’s so popular even Jeff Gordon needed his help to get out of a speeding ticket.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. helped Jeff Gordon get out of speeding ticket
The popularity of Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows no bounds. Just ask Jeff Gordon.
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Gordon shared the story during the “After the Lap” event NASCAR holds annually in Las Vegas as part of its championship celebration featuring the 16 Chase for the Sprint Cup drivers.
As he recalled, Gordon was on the phone with Earnhardt in 2007 just after Earnhardt had signed with Hendrick Motorsports, Gordon’s long-time team. But as the two were talking Gordon noticed flashing lights in his mirror and that he was being pulled over.
“I said, ‘Hey man, congratulations, happy to have you on the team,’” Gordon said Thursday night. “And then I said, ‘Hey man, I’m getting pulled over, hang on one second.’”
Instantly, Gordon could tell the police officer was not a fan of his. Thinking quickly, Gordon decided to try and use Earnhardt’s popularity to his advantage.
“The (officer) was like, ‘License and registration.’ I said, ‘Are you a Dale Jr. fan?’”
Gordon has run into his fair share of folks who don’t exactly cheer him on during race and has learned to recognize them on most occasions.
“Because I knew the way he looked at me, he definitely was not a Jeff Gordon fan,” Gordon said. “I’ve seen that look before.
“So I handed the phone (to the officer) and (Earnhardt) said, ‘Hi.‘ (The cop then) said, ‘Have a nice day.’”
Earnhardt confirmed the story.
“I don’t even remember what I told him, but I didn’t know I was getting you out of a ticket,” Earnhardt said.
Other “After the Lap” highlights:
- As the drivers were engaged in conversation, Brad Keselowski was called out by Kyle Busch for repeatedly checking his phone.“I’m on the phone with my girlfriend, who sent me a picture of her in her bra,” Keselowski said. “Sorry, priorities.“Said Greg Biffle: “That’s not the first time you’ve seen it, is it?”“Definitely, not the first,” Keselowski said. “I’m not complaining. I’ve got a great girl and I don’t want to ruin it. I’m pretty good at ruining it, so I’m not going to say anything more.“That led Denny Hamlin, among the many who’ve taken issue with Keselowski this past season to quip: “It’s the last good relationship he’s got.”
- Earnhardt remembered the time his dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr., threw a shoe at him following a race in Japan because of how aggressive he raced his late father.“We were sharing this big trailer and I walked in there and he’s sitting down taking his shoes off, and I sit down,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I had my head down taking my shoes off and then he threw a shoe at me. He didn’t say a word at me the whole time I walked in there. (The shoe) must have been going 100 miles an hour.“It hit the wall behind me and knocked a hole in the wall. He was pissed.”
- Kasey Kahne is just fine with a fan base consisting primarily of females: “I’d rather have girls than guys.” Multiple jabs were taken at Keselowski’s accession to the least liked driver in NASCAR.“I feel like Dale Earnhardt Jr. anytime I walk in anywhere now,” said Kyle Busch, who before Keselowski regularly received the loudest boos among fans.
See More:
