PITTSBORO, Ind. (AP) – Jeff Gordon felt right at home Thursday back in small-town Indiana.
His parents, some of his longtime friends and even some of his former high school teachers were among hundreds of people lining the streets in Pittsboro to celebrate Gordon as he wraps up his final full-time season in NASCAR.
It was a fitting place for the biggest stop yet on his farewell tour.
Here, a short drive from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Gordon honed his racing skills before he was old enough to obtain a driver’s license. Here, he learned the importance of balancing weekend races with daily life. And now, three days before driving in his final Brickyard 400, Gordon came back to a community full of tall corn stalks, endless farming fields and dozens of mementoes bearing his well-known No. 24 to thank his biggest fans.
“This is very cool,” Gordon said after participating in the short parade and brief awards ceremony. “Pittsboro is obviously very memorable to me because we lived here, raced out of here. Several years ago, they named Jeff Gordon Boulevard, so there have always been great experiences here. But to come here and have it be my last Brickyard 400, it’s pretty overwhelming. It’s putting a big smile on my face for the weekend.”