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Jeff Gordon


gundogC3

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I don't understand how anything "bad" can be taken from it. It's not the first time a flag with a number has been carried around the track by a race winner. Earnhardt Sr himself himself a couple of times. Anybody remember Rusty and Dale at Atlanta? one carried the #7 and the other #28.

 

I think if a person can only find the "bad" in it, then they are only being blinded by their dislike of Gordon - which is pretty sad.

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no joke.........some people who dislike him took it as if he was saying haha i tied his record i am better than him, probably the ones tossing the beer cans...........i see it as a hell of a driver paying respect to a mentor and fallen hero...........lots of class and respect from ole gordy and i am by far not a fan of his............you do have to respect his talent though, regardless if you like him or not............he is a talented driver.........

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At TMS a guy that was sitting in front of me said that if Jeff won he was gonna throw a beer can at him. Then two seconds later he said I know hes gonna tie the record and probably is gonna win the seven championships but i dont want him to do it and if he does im throwing something. I just wish that some of these people who are throwing the beers would understand he's dead hes not coming back and his records will be broken by the new generation.

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Gordon has always been respectful and like any champion,respects the acomplishments of others probably more so than a beer gusseling loudmouth can appreciate.Im sure he even respects the boos knowing the worse thing is silence.I personally have been cheered and booed but dread that silence when nobody cares.But if he had given that race to Tony I would have thrown a beer at him too.(at my TV after I finished it.) Great race.Maybe Gordo can teach Tony how to deal with the boos.

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I know Kevin is doing a happy dance up in heaven because Jeff Gordon won a race.

 

That was a good race. And as far as the "3" flag that was very nice to honor him in that way.

 

Richard and I have taken to cheering for Jeff now for Kevin. So all that help helling at the tv helped.

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Story from Yahoo! today:

 

CONCORD, N.C. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't understand the backlash over Jeff Gordon's decision to fly a No. 3 flag after tying the late Dale Earnhardt on NASCAR's career victories list.

 

 

 

Gordon took the flag on his victory lap following win No. 76 on Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway. His car was pelted with beer cans during the tribute, and fans have been critical of the display in the days since.

 

But Junior, who congratulated Gordon in Victory Lane, called the tribute to his father a classy move.

 

"I don't know how in the world you could take that the wrong way," Earnhardt Jr. said Tuesday during an appearance at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "That's what's bothering me so bad. Jeff can't win for losing.

 

"He was trying to make a good gesture. That's all that was. I don't think anybody in the world could find anything wrong with what he did. That's a shame he didn't get all the credit he deserved for it."

 

Gordon's crew decided on the tribute last summer when the driver reached win No. 75. The team had carried the No. 3 flag in its truck ever since.

 

Aaron Kuehn, a crewman on Gordon's team, approached Junior and his sister at a party last year to get their approval. Earnhardt had forgotten the request until reminded Tuesday.

 

Earnhardt said he thought his father would have appreciated the moment, and the time the team had to carry the flag before using it.

 

"That flag rode around in that truck for several months — which my dad would get a real kick about that," he said.

 

"I don't understand the disrespect — what's the angle there? When you win a race, it's all about you at that moment. You won, you're happy, you're excited, you're the best of the best.

 

"And (Gordon) decided to split that down the middle, 50/50, and give my father some respect and take half of his moment and give it to my dad. I thought that was really classy."

 

Earnhardt took particular issue with fans who threw beers cans onto the track. It's grown increasingly common. And a few years ago it created a dangerous situation at Talladega Superspeedway, where fans showered the track with cans after Gordon beat Earnhardt under caution.

 

As the Nextel Cup Series heads to Talladega this weekend, Earnhardt acknowledged Gordon could see more animosity — and beer cans — if Gordon wins to break a tie with Dale Earnhardt.

 

"I'd consider it nasty," he said. "I don't feel comfortable with beer cans flying on the racetrack at any point in time. You see a lot of them are full, half full, hitting people 'cause they're not making it over the fence, knocking people in the back of the head.

 

"I've seen that happen on occasion. It's a dangerous business. I don't think it's cool. It ain't cool at all."

 

Earnhardt said it's a misconception that his father and Gordon were bitter rivals, saying the two were friends who partnered together in several business ventures.

 

And when Gordon was breaking into the sport, it was the elder Earnhardt who helped him understand the etiquette of big-time racing.

 

"I never remember a rivalry. ... I actually never remember any problems," Rick Hendrick, Gordon's car owner, said. "I think there was a lot of respect there. I think when you've got two popular drivers, different fan base, I think a lot of times the fans create the rivalry.

 

"I think in that case it was just the Earnhardt fans didn't want to see Jeff win. And Jeff fans against Earnhardt."

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Don't know if this is the case in Phoenix, but in my opinion, it's just a matter of time until the privilege of bringing in your own coolers to a NASCAR race goes away - in fact, it may even be overdue.

 

 

I'm glad Jr spoke out about this - shows class on his part as well. Again in my opinion, I've always felt that if you are wearing an article of clothing - whether it be a driver, track or series t-shirt - you are representing that person, track or series.

 

I've heard it at the track before "They're an (insert driver name here) fan, what do you expect?" or "They are from (insert state or track here) - what do you expect?"

 

Is it fair to stereotype? No - but that's what happens.

 

It hurts the sport big time - and do you think people who saw that on TV would really be motivated to go see ANY race - including the locals - in person? I doubt it.

 

 

If Earnhardt Sr were alive today I think he'd be downright embarassed his fans act that way.

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