The 'Fabulous Factor' for Gordon keeps on going up

By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
April 11, 2008
01:42 PM EDT

Jeff Gordon: Don't hate him because he's beautiful.

Ladies, admit it. You all can agree that Gordon is the cat's meow, easy on the eyes and downright charming.

But all the No. 24 haters will tell you Gordon is nothing but a pretty face, disconnected from NASCAR's homespun, Southern fan base and even (sigh) light in the loafers?

As ridiculous as it sounds, some men apparently still believe if you don't have a visible Skoal ring in your Wranglers, you must be gay!

These types who say Gordon is light in the loafers merely suffer from I-wish-I-could-fill-those-loafers jealousy. And by the way, Gordon's loafers: Prada!

The subject, along with our sport's four-time champion, is discussed in Men's Vogue this month where the Hendrick Motorsports driver dons European slim-cut suits and could be mistaken for one of the magazine's staff models. Yes, he looks that good, but I also say that because the Vogue readership is likely unfamiliar with Gordon off the track and out of his fire suit.

Editor-in-chief Jay Fielden chose Gordon, the first NASCAR driver to be featured in a Vogue publication, because he's another talented athlete, married to a model, and is hazed for expressing too much individual style.

Fielden writes, "Dale Earnhardt Sr. may have called him 'Wonder Boy,' but his crisp appearance -- 'I'm a Prada shoe guy' -- and Manhattan bio do to the Talladega locals what Jean Girard and his 'jazz moozeek' did to Ricky Bobby."

Anyway, in the article, which highlights and even perpetuates several NASCAR and Gordon stereotypes, the driver further demonstrates why he continues to be the class of the field.

He embraces the idea of hybrid racecars, talks of why he chose the Big Apple over Dixieland and why refined taste isn't just for girly men.

Still, the fashionable statement I appreciated the most: "The man has liquid nitrogen in his veins and carbon-steel castanets in his fireproof undies."

Yes, that describes Gordon alright, but more than that I appreciate Gordon's willingness to be the millionaire, sports mogul, model-izer, metro-sexual he has become without apology. I appreciate Gordon's unwillingness to pander to Southern cultures and pleasantries simply to please a crowd.

Sure, he grew up in Indiana and could use double negatives and wear Dickies with the best of them. (This is now me perpetuating the stereotypes) He could've refused to shave his working-man's mustache and left his eyebrows to converge into a monobrow, yes.

But he didn't. He epitomizes the Manhattan culture, wears flat-front pants and a trendy coiffed hair-do.

For this, a large faction of NASCAR fans hate him. And more of them hate him because of his natural ability behind the wheel. And most of them hate the fact that this time last year, Gordon garnered his first victory at Phoenix International Raceway, tying him with the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth in all-time wins.

This pushed the Gordon haters right over the edge. A barrage of beer cans poured from the stands onto the No. 24 Chevrolet as Gordon went on to perform a burnout in celebration.

I would have to say displays such as these makes the aforementioned stereotypes ring true and continues to have outsiders believing NASCAR has failed to evolve past beer bellies and wife beaters, again, another stereotype.

So for me, Gordon is the pocket full of cool points I dip into when arguing with non-NASCAR types who choose to believe the sport is still steeped in moonshine and Southern fried.

He's the bridge that will gap a new generation of potential NASCAR fans who identify "going green" as an environmental movement, not a change in track conditions.

Gordon can captivate and convert Gen-Xers at home watching Saturday Night Live to avid NASCAR fans and speak to stay-at-home moms hooked to daytime TV like Live with Regis and Kelly.

As someone who has hosted to both network shows, Gordon is the pop culture pass NASCAR needs to keep the sport relevant with mainstream audiences.

This is why I love Gordon and his cologne-add, wine making, fashion-week-going fine, fabulous self.

He's takes NASCAR to a new dimension and satisfies the appetites of fans who follow the sport as a lifestyle, not just camber and carbon fiber seats.

So again, don't hate him because he's beautiful. Love him for what he does for the sport.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.