“Jeff embodies the spirit of The Amelia, often referred to as ‘the racer’s concours,’” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. “His incredible success on the track has made him a household name, but Jeff is more than a legendary driver. His charitable heart is on display at Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, where he has led the battle to find a cure for childhood cancer for more than two decades.”
Gordon joins a long line of racing royalty honorees including Sir Stirling Moss (1996 & 2015), Richard Petty (2010), Roger Penske (2020) and Chip Ganassi (2022). Gordon’s former crew chief, Ray Evernham, is an Amelia regular. This year he will lead a discussion on Gordon’s incredible career at Saturday’s seminar “Jeff Gordon: The Hendrick Motorsports Years.” It’s an invitation to relive a few of the duo’s greatest moments.
“Ray and I have talked about me attending The Amelia for years,” Gordon said. “It’s an honor to be recognized at such an incredible event that blends car culture, car enthusiasts, beautiful cars and high-performance vehicles. And for us to be able to showcase cars that have been such a huge part of my career will make the weekend that much more memorable for me.”
Gordon was one of the most versatile drivers of his era and is credited with helping take NASCAR mainstream in the 1990s. He changed the face of the sport by breaking stereotypes and drawing legions of new fans with his talent, poise and approachability. From November 1992 through November 2015, Gordon drove for Hendrick Motorsports, winning four NASCAR Cup Series championships (‘95, ’97, ’98 and ’01), 93 races and 81 pole positions while scoring 325 top-five finishes and 475 top-10s. With his first title in 1995, he became the youngest champion in NASCAR’s modern era.
Gordon is NASCAR’s winningest driver on road courses (nine wins) and restrictor-plate tracks (12). In January 2017, he became the first NASCAR Cup Series champion to win overall at the 24 Hours of DAYTONA joining A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Jamie McMurray as the only drivers to win the prestigious sports car race and the DAYTONA 500. In February 2019, Gordon was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
From 2016 to 2021, Gordon served as a race analyst for FOX Sports and contributed to the network’s prerace coverage. In addition, he was able to make the cross-over to wider public appeal, being the only auto racing driver to host “Saturday Night Live,” and co-host “Live! With Regis and Kelly.” He also appeared on the big screen in “Taxi,” “Herbie: Fully Loaded” and “Looney Tunes: Back in Action” and voiced the character “Jeff Gorvette” in the animated films “Cars 2” and “Cars 3.”
Gordon established the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation in 1999, which supports pediatric cancer research and treatment and has granted more than $22 million to support children battling cancer.
Broad Arrow Auctions Named Official Auction House of The Amelia
Adding to a week of thrilling cars, Hagerty has named Broad Arrow Auctions as the host of the official auction of The Amelia. Set for March 4, 2023 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Broad Arrow’s inaugural Amelia auction will feature exceptional collector cars ranging from pre-War American classics to modern supercars. Collectors interested in consigning their car(s) to this world-class event are invited to contact a Broad Arrow specialist via broadarrowauctions.com.
Four Days of Car Culture on Florida’s Beautiful Amelia Island
The Amelia’s multiday car culture celebration kicks off Thursday, March 2, 2023, with the Annual Porsche Winemaker’s Dinner, followed by Friday’s seminar: Corvette at Le Mans and a movie night featuring the film, “The Quest.” Saturday’s Cars & Community includes RADwood, Concours d’Lemons, Youth Zone, Ride & Drives, a Bavarian beer garden and a curated Cars & Caffeine. That evening’s Honoree Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island celebrates Jeff Gordon with a menu of gourmet food and beverages. On Sunday, The Amelia Concours d’Elegance will showcase 250 historically significant vehicles in 32 classes. Featured classes include Cars of Jeff Gordon, 125th Anniversary of Buick, Supercars Limited Production and Le Mans Winners. Additional featured classes and many more details can be found at AmeliaConcours.com.
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