"Dale Earnhardt, great effort man, here's some milk": When Jeff Gordon took a cheeky jibe at the 'Intimidator' after winning the NASCAR championship
Jeff Gordon took a cheeky jibe at Dale Earnhardt during his 1995 NASCAR Awards Banquet speech after beating him for his first-ever Cup Series championship title. This cheeky incident preceded the sport's iconic rivalry in the 90s.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Gordon was in his third season with Hendrick Motorsports when he clinched his maiden championship title by dethroning the 'Intimidator' from defending the Cup Series title for two years in a row.
In the post-season NASCAR Awards Banquet, the then-24-year-old Gordon took a jibe at the seven-time Cup Series champion Earnhardt and made a toast to the latter with milk in a champagne glass. Gordon apparently looked quite young for his age at that time and was mocked for drinking milk rather than alcohol during race celebrations. He subsequently came up with a hilarious idea at the awards banquet.
"I’d like to recognize a man who never let up on his efforts to win his eighth championship. Dale Earnhardt is a true competitor and a great champion and at this time, I would like to offer a toast to the man. Dale, great effort man, here’s some milk," Gordon said.
NASCAR legend Earnhardt sportingly raised his glass as he stood up and acknowledged the toast.
Jeff Gordon then went on to win three more Cup Series championships for Rick Hendrick in 1997, 1998, and 2001. He also amassed 93 Cup wins and is ranked third in the all-time win list.
"I miss him" - Jeff Gordon once visited Dale Earnhardt's bronze statue and reminisced about his iconic rivalry with the legend
Ahead of the 2019 NASCAR season, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports Jeff Gordon paid tribute to the former Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt as he visited the latter's memorial in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
Gordon recalled his love-hate relationship with Earnhardt and praised the motorsports legend. He said (via NASCAR on FOX):
"As much as he messed with me, somehow on the inside I always thought that it was a sign of respect. He would have not said anything at all if he didn't care. I respected the heck out of this guy. Loved racing with him, hated it at times, but overall my experience with Dale was incredible. I miss him. I know a lot of people do." [1:58]
Gordon was teammates with Earnhardt's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in 2008. Both the retired Cup Series drivers have now taken a different role in the NACAR world. While Gordon serves as an executive at HMS, Dale Jr. ventured into broadcasting and team ownership.