BRISTOL, Tenn. – The rainbow paint scheme means so much to so many.
As excited as Jeff Gordon was to bring back that version of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS one more time, it didn’t fully dawn on him the type of reaction it would generate.
“You forget how this car made an impact back in the day,” Gordon said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. “It was really special today going out and getting in that car. I never get to see the car on the track, because I’m inside of it. But just the reaction from the fans has been overwhelming. They’re really the reason – them and Axalta – why this happened.”
Gordon also sported a brand new rainbow-themed helmet that along with the car harkens back to his early days as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver.
From Gordon's very first start in 1992 through the 2000 season, the rainbow paint scheme compiled some impressive numbers.
It made 52 trips to Victory Lane, earning at least one win at 17 different tracks. In it, Gordon amassed 129 top-five finishes, 166 top-10s, 33 pole positions and 10,708 laps led. Not to mention a rookie of the year trophy, an All-Star Race victory and three NASCAR Cup Series championships.
"I think it's really cool, because it's such a big part of Jeff's history and Hendrick Motorsports history," former No. 24 team crew chief Ray Evernham said. "It's one of those cars I think that'll continue to be recognized in racing history."
From the moment Gordon unveiled the 2015 version of the iconic paint scheme on “CBS This Morning,” he knew fans would be fired up. He didn’t know at the time how much it would affect him as well.
“I was very proud this morning to not only see all the cool gear from what all the fans were sporting out there, but to hop in that car,” he said, noting everything from brand new hats to jackets from the 1990s. “It’s gotten me really excited to drive this car as well.”
"I was really proud to get behind the wheel."
And he won’t be driving it just anywhere. He’ll do so at a track where his name will adorn a seating terrace starting in 2016 -- Bristol Motor Speedway.
He is tied for the most wins among active drivers at the track, and four of those wins came in the rainbow paint scheme.
“I love competing here no matter what the car is,” Gordon said. “I think it’s a special track. It’s hard no matter how many times you’ve been here not to be in awe of this place. It’s just impressive in so many ways. The racetrack is fast, fun and exciting, and the fans seem to just be over the top. So the whole experience in so many ways just adds to your desire to win here.”
The driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS said that racing under the lights adds even more energy to the equation.
Despite qualifying 24th Friday evening, Gordon said the car’s performance in race trim gives him confidence for the Saturday-night event.
And the goal never changes no matter where he starts.
“Well, we want to win,” he said. “I think we finished third here earlier this year and I felt like we had a very strong race car. We had a lot of adversity we had to overcome, yet we were still in contention there at the end. So if we can have a clean night, which isn’t always easy to do at Bristol, I think that we have the ability to have a really fantastic result, possibly a win.”
Even with all of the memories the rainbow paint scheme has brought back, Gordon said it hasn’t given him a sense of nostalgia.
“It will if we pull into Victory Lane tomorrow night,” he smiled.
With his eyes fixed on the winner’s circle, Gordon’s Bristol weekend has already been special thanks to the Axalta paint scheme.
“I was really proud to get behind the wheel,” he said.