9: How To Be A Great Driver
Jeff Gordon took the young Earnhardt Jr. under his wing after his father had passed away and the two formed a friendship ever since. They had a sort of sibling rivalry on the track but would meet for dinner later that night. He explained to Men’s Health what makes a great driver “The best drivers think about it all day and stay in constant communication with their team about how to get better. Out on the track, you can spot a guy who’s smart about decisions and one who makes the same mistakes over and over.”
“Look at three to four years of races and you’ll see the same guys getting themselves—or someone else—into trouble. I think it’s about how you’re raised—your values and morals help you make split decisions. Everybody who comes into NASCAR is going to be rough around the edges at the start. They’re going to tear up some cars. But if they don’t grow out of that quickly, they’ll lose a lot of respect in the industry.”