Jeff Gordon, the 55‑year‑old NASCAR icon, captured both 10‑lap heats of the International Race of Champions in Washington, D.C., securing his first victory in any national motorsports series since his final Cup Series win in 2015.
A Legend Returns
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a 1.7‑mile street circuit originally built for IndyCar, paid tribute to the late Kyle Busch with a special sticker on Gordon’s Pontiac Firebird, reminding fans of the driver who passed away in May 2021.
Revived by businessman Rob Kauffman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham, the IROC format brings together retired champions in identically prepared stock cars. The 2024 edition featured updated versions of the Pontiac Firebirds that dominated the series from 1996 to 2006, blending nostalgia with modern competition.
Gordon, nicknamed ‘Wonder Boy’ by the late Dale Earnhardt, outpaced fellow Hall of Famer Kurt Busch and shared the podium with an eclectic field that included Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliott, Tony Kanaan, Hélio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti.
Now serving as vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, the team where he built his Cup Series legacy, Gordon’s win adds another chapter to a résumé that includes four championships, 93 victories, and a place among NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.