"My popularity started growing" - When Jeff Gordon recalled the beginning of his rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The rivalry between Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Sr. is regarded by many as one of the greatest in NASCAR's history. While the young #24 driver was finding his footing in the early 90s, Earnhardt was already a legend and a towering figure in the garage. But as Gordon's talent led to race wins, a rivalry began to emerge between the rookie and the master.
Earlier this year, Jeff Gordon described how their rivalry evolved over time. Gordon said that the year 1994, the season that saw him win his first race and the then-RCR driver his 7th championship, was "all about Dale Earnhardt."
Speaking about the next year with the Charlotte Observer, Gordon said,
"When you were on the racetrack, you know, he was the guy. And so I of course looked up to him and admired him. Respected him. That didn’t always come through on the racetrack because he’s 'The Intimidator,' and he’s going to show you why that’s his nickname[...] I really wanted to learn from him, on and off the track.
"My popularity started growing and I think what really happened is in 1995, we battled together for the championship. And so we’re doing more media together. We’re racing together more. It just helped me get closer, or at least to understand him, a lot more that year."
He said that he earned a little bit of respect back from "The Intimidator" after he finished as the 1995 Cup champion and Dale Earnhardt finished second.
Gordon also touched on Earnhardt's business-savvy nature which involved licensing and merchandising. He added that Earnhardt took him "under his wing a little bit" in that regard.
Earnhardt also once appreciated Gordon publicly. At the 1995 NASCAR Awards, he toasted the latter with milk, keeping a promise to do so if Gordon won the Cup series.
Jeff Gordon 'took offense' to Dale Earnhardt giving him the nickname of 'Wonderboy'
Earlier on in their rivalry, Dale Earnhardt Sr., who had nicknames such as "The Intimidator" and "The Man in Black," bestowed Jeff Gordon with the moniker of "Wonderboy."
However, Gordon said, he wasn't a fan of nicknames. And that it wasn't until later that he realized that Earnhardt was "trying to get under his skin" with the nickname. He claimed he 'took offense' to being called 'Wonderboy' by the 7x Cup champion. He said,
"I was just wanting to be Jeff Gordon. And I think early on, I wasn’t mature enough or able to really fully understand what Dale was doing. He was not only trying to get under my skin a little bit to get a competitive advantage, but he also was recognizing what attracts people to the sport, right? A rivalry. A controversy. Personalities."
He also remarked that Earnhardt could "almost get away with anything" because of his confidence and experience as well as his huge fan base.
"At first I didn’t understand it and maybe took offense to it. Over time, I started to appreciate it a lot more to where I’m glad he did some of those things. It not only helped the sport grow, it helped my fan base grow."
Jeff Gordon also said that he'd have loved to have spent more time with Dale Earnhardt, especially late in their careers.