Jeff Gordon Mourns Passing of His NASCAR ‘Godfather’ With Heartfelt Goodbye Message

When a jewel falls, a crown loses its luster. NASCAR lost one of its jewels three days ago, and the community is in mourning. Bill Davis, a team owner in the Craftsman Truck Series, provided a springboard for many glamorous names. They included Mark Martin, Jeb Burton, Bobby Labonte, Randy LaJoie, Dave Blaney, Hut Stricklin, Kenny Wallace, and so many more. But one name probably stood out among the rest – Jeff Gordon.

The four-time Cup Series champion and 93-time Cup race winner is mainly known for his run with one team. Jeff Gordon achieved legendary status under Hendrick Motorsports, for which he currently serves as vice chairman. However, before Gordon worked with Rick Hendrick, he worked with Bill Davis – a memory which he emotionally remembered recently.

Jeff Gordon remembers an old bond

Hailing from Batesville, Arkansas, Bill Davis kicked off his NASCAR career in 1988. Mark Martin worked with Davis between 1988 and 1990, clinching the first three race victories for Bill Davis Racing. However, Jeff Gordon, a 19-year-old kid from California, became the first full-time driver to work under Davis. He earned the  Busch Series Rookie of the Year honors in the 1991 season. Gordon then won three races (and a record 11 poles) in the 1992 Busch season, finishing fourth in the final standings. These achievements made Davis strive to keep Gordon in his team, but eventually, the legend moved to power-packed team owner Rick Hendrick’s fold. Gordon’s wings took off from there in NASCAR, but he has never forgotten his roots.

Bill Davis passed away at the age of 74, sending ripples of sadness through the NASCAR garage. Jeff Gordon paid tribute to the late team owner in a heartfelt message, remembering the old times with his ‘godfather’. He wrote, “Reflecting today on the loss of Bill Davis, a legendary car owner whose belief in young talent helped launch my career. Driving for Bill changed my life and set me on a path I never could have imagined. My heartfelt condolences go out to Gail and the entire Davis family. Rest easy, Bill.”

Reflecting today on the loss of Bill Davis, a legendary car owner whose belief in young talent helped launch my career. Driving for Bill changed my life and set me on a path I never could have imagined. My heartfelt condolences go out to Gail and the entire Davis family.

Rest… pic.twitter.com/8DBKz7MkPI

— Jeff Gordon (@JeffGordonWeb) September 9, 2025

Every good thing comes to an end, as Jeff Gordon and others try to move on from Bill Davis’ everlasting legacy. After both Jeff Gordon and his crew chief, Ray Evernham, moved to HMS, Davis signed a promising driver out of Corpus Christi, Texas, to replace Gordon in 1993. That was none other than Bobby Labonte, another future Hall of Famer. Davis is known for being a pioneer behind Toyota’s arrival in 2007. Although Davis clinched many race trophies in all three NASCAR national series, he fetched his sole championship in 2008, the Truck Series title with Johnny Benson Jr. behind the wheel of the No. 23 Toyota Tundra.

These golden achievements just became immortal upon Bill Davis’ passing. The iconic team owner cherished the association with Jeff Gordon, along with another driver.

The victory that stood out

Bill Davis competed as a Cup Series team owner in 16 seasons across 722 starts, but managed to win only five trophies. While all of them were memorable, one particularly stood out in his memory. That was Ward Burton’s victory in the 2002 Daytona 500. It was the first edition of the Great American Race after Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s passing. It also proved that a 40-year-old Burton could beat the heavyweights of the time. In the final laps, race leader Sterling Marlin left his cockpit during a red flag to adjust his damaged right-front fender. His restart penalty left Burton free to lead only the final five laps – three under green – in beating Elliott Sadler.

This victory left Bill Davis ecstatic, as was evident in his interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in 2002. He said, “To me, the biggest thing and the thing I’m most proud of is we were just some hillbillies from Arkansas, and we took it to the top. We worked hard and are proud of what we’ve accomplished.” All five of Davis’ Cup wins came with Ward Burton behind the wheel. These included his first win as a Cup owner in 1995 at Rockingham (North Carolina) and his final win as a Cup owner at New Hampshire in 2002. The others were the 2001 Southern 500 at Darlington and the spring 2000 race at the same track, along with the Daytona 500.

Such victories with star-studded drivers carved a lasting legacy for Bill Davis. May the bygone legend rest in power.

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