Jeff Gordon is profiled by Steve Lopez in TIME's
Business section, as Lopez has attended three recent Winston
Cup races on a "mission" to meet Gordon and to "answer one
of the greatest riddles of our time: What's the big deal
with racing?" Lopez writes that the "chances are" a NASCAR
driver "won't cry about his multimillion-dollar contract or
go on strike. ... If a NASCAR driver doesn't keep his public
happy, no sponsor will back him." Many NASCAR fans "loathe"
Gordon, who is from IN, and there are "some private
mutterings from other drivers about Gordon's success and
about how all the money translates into a better car, a
bigger advantage and ever more exposure." But Lopez notes
that NASCAR "didn't go national until a Yankee became its
star." Richard Petty: "When Jeff goes on the Letterman
show, he takes all of us with him. His success has been
great for NASCAR and every one of us." After the three
races, Lopez finds himself to be a NASCAR convert: "I now
check to see who wins each week, and on the highway, I find
myself looking for my openings, waiting for just the right
moment to jam it in there" (TIME, 5/31 issue).
LOOKING FORWARD TO RENEGOTIATIONS: Gordon is featured
in the cover story in P.O.V. and is interviewed by Randall
Lane. Lane, asks Gordon: "How much effort do you put into
licensing? Do sales simply reflect how you perform on the
track?" Gordon: "It's like Star Wars. I saw a figure the
other day: the movie is going to make $1 billion --
licensing is going to make $4 billion. Where would you put
your effort?" More Gordon, on his car's primary sponsor: "I
can tell you right now that DuPont Automotive Finishes has
the best program in the business. If you look at their
sponsorship dollars and what they get paid back in
royalties, they have the cheapest advertising going in any
sport." Lane: "Sounds like it's time to renegotiate."
Gordon: "Well, they've been a great sponsor. ... But yeah,
renegotiation is coming up, and it's going to get
interesting" (P.O.V., 5-6/99 issue). DuPont President Lou
Savelli, on signing Gordon: "What we liked about Jeff was
his image. He was clean cut, good looking with good
articulation. What I didn't realize was that we were
signing on one of the greatest drivers in the history of
racing" (Jeff Williams, NEWSDAY, 5/23).
