When Jeff Gordon revealed the dream track he’d build with unlimited budget and $5,000,000 paycheck

Former NASCAR star driver Jeff Gordon was once featured in a 12-question interview with stock car analyst Jeff Gluck on USA Today. During the interview held over a decade ago, Gordon talked about designing his ideal racetrack with an unlimited budget.

Gordon began his Cup Series journey in 1992, and drove the #24 Chevy Camaro ZL1 until he retired in 2015. The Hendrick Motorsports Ace made a name for himself, winning four Cup Series championship titles. Additionally, he secured three wins and two pole positions at the most prestigious race, the Daytona 500. He also won another crown jewel race, the Coca-Cola 600, three times in 1994, 1997, and 1998.

During the interview, Gluck questioned Jeff Gordon hypothetically: if someone were to give him $5 million to design a racetrack and an unlimited budget, how would he build the track? The former HMS driver had a perfect answer, and he stated:

"A little bit of progressive banking. I'd like to not put the tunnels in the corners if possible. Design the garage area where it flows right. The biggest thing I would do, no matter what size track it is, is it's all about transitions." (via USA Today)

"It's how you transition into the banking in the corners, how you transition from the banking to the straightaways, how banked the straightaways are and then the transition in and off the next corner. To me, the more focus you can put and the sooner you start the transitions, the more side-by-side racing you're going to see. I'd also put a lot of emphasis on the surface," he added.

Jeff Gordon drove the #24 Chevy for over 24 years and secured 93 wins, 325 top-five finishes, 475 top-ten finishes, and 81 pole positions in 797 starts. Additionally, Gordon led 24,917 laps in his career with an average start of 12.5 and an average finish of 10.4.

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NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon once opened up about quitting FOX Sports for his role at Hendrick Motorsports

Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon ranks among the top-five on the list of drivers with the most Cup Series championships. He had a successful career in the Cup Series and dominated the series with his remarkable skills.

The HMS Ace retired over a decade ago in 2015 and joined FOX Sports as a broadcaster. He spent nearly six years with the broadcasting company before leaving to become the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports in 2021. Reflecting on the same, Jeff Gordon told the media:

"I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me. In many ways, it’s my home, and the people here are my family. I’ve never lost my passion for the organization, for our sport, and for the sheer challenge of racing and winning at the highest level. Being part of the competition is where I’m happiest and feel I can make the biggest contribution to the continued, long-term success of the team."

Hendrick Motorsports fields four entries in the Cup Series, featuring Kyle Larson in the #5 Chevy Camaro ZL1, followed by William Byron in Jeff Gordon's #24, Chase Elliott in the #9, and Alex Bowman driving the #48 Chevy. Additionally, the team also features #17 Chevy, a part-time entry in the Xfinity Series.