WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jeff Gordon proved that the years away from full-time competition haven’t taken away his racing instincts.
The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion returned to the winner’s circle Saturday, capturing the revived International Race of Champions event as part of the Freedom 250 weekend on a temporary 1.7-mile circuit surrounding the National Mall.
Gordon, 55, started from the back in both 10-lap races but managed to work his way through the field each time, sweeping the two-race competition in a silver No. 24 IROC car owned by Rick Hendrick.
The victory was Gordon’s first individual race win since he took the checkered flag at Martinsville Speedway in a NASCAR Cup Series event in 2015. He also has a team victory from the 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“This is super special,” Gordon said. “It’s a real honor to be a part of this event.”
The performance brought back memories of Gordon’s dominant NASCAR years, when he earned the nickname “Wonder Boy” while establishing himself as one of the sport’s biggest stars.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch, who finished second, offered his own assessment of Gordon’s return.
“The dog has still got some bite in him,” Busch said.
IROC Returns After Two Decades
The event marked the official return of IROC competition after the series ended in 2006.
IROC originally brought together elite drivers from different forms of motorsports and placed them in identically prepared cars to determine who could prevail regardless of racing discipline.
Ray Evernham, the NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief who helped Gordon build much of his early career success, played a major role in bringing the series back.
This year’s cars are original IROC machines from the early 2000s. While they were updated with modern components to make them suitable for competition, the vehicles remain valuable collector pieces, adding another layer of caution for the drivers.
Evernham reminded the field before the race to be careful at the start.
Gordon apparently didn’t need much convincing—but some of his competitors were more aggressive than expected.
After watching four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves make several aggressive moves at the beginning of the opening race, Gordon jokingly questioned whether Castroneves had received the same pre-race instructions.
“You weren’t taking it easy!” Gordon told him.
A Special Return for Gordon
Gordon’s previous IROC victory came in 1998 at Daytona International Speedway. More than 25 years later, he added another one in a setting unlike any other he experienced during his NASCAR career.
The celebration was especially memorable.
After taking the victory, Gordon performed a burnout in front of the grandstands as fans erupted. An estimated Saturday crowd of about 70,000 spectators gathered throughout the National Mall area, with many fans standing several rows deep along the barriers for a view of the action.
“This is such a blast to be on the track with this group of drivers,” Gordon said. “It’s going to be hard to wipe this smile off my face for a very long time.”
Gordon now serves as vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, but Saturday demonstrated that the competitive fire remains.
National Mall Becomes a Racing Venue
The IROC event served as the opening act for Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race that represents one of the most unusual motorsports events in recent American history.
The temporary circuit winds through Washington, D.C., with the National Mall providing the backdrop.
The event was created as part of celebrations surrounding America’s 250th birthday and required significant political and logistical work to become reality.
Roger Penske’s organization initially pursued congressional approval for a race around the National Mall. That effort stalled amid gridlock on Capitol Hill.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy subsequently helped clear the way for an executive order from President Trump, allowing the project to move forward.
IndyCar is reportedly investing more than $35 million to stage the event, which marks the first motorsports race held around the National Mall.
For Busch, the opportunity to compete in such a historic location was almost as memorable as the racing itself.
“I felt like I was racing in an M&M’s bowl of candy with all the colors and buildings,” Busch said. “This is a monumental privilege to race on these streets.”
Gordon’s IROC triumph gave the Freedom 250 weekend its first champion. Now the spotlight shifts to IndyCar, where Sunday’s Grand Prix will determine the winner of the event’s main attraction.
