Jeff Gordon's comments during the Pure Michigan 400 about Dale Earnhardt Jr. have created a new controversy for the driver. Gordon is not the first person to show anger and use expletives in a rant, but his official Twitter account has been defending his actions while he has been attacked by some fans.
Jeff Gordon's Comments During the Race
Jeff Gordon expressed his anger after Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed him at the Pure Michigan 400 on Aug. 19 by telling his crew, "Tell the [expletive] 88 he can thank me later for not wrecking him. That was [expletive] stupid." Gordon later explained that he felt Earnhardt's move jeopardized him and could have led to another accident.
Is Jeff Gordon's anger justified? Dale Earnhardt Jr. has wrecked him this season, but the pass on Aug. 19 did not result in any problems. However, Gordon could have been remembering the wreck that Earnhardt caused at the Food City 500 on March 18 by damaging his tire.
Jeff Gordon's Comments are Defended on Twitter
Greg Biffle won the Sprint Cup race on Aug. 19. Jeff Gordon finished the Pure Michigan 400 in 28th place while Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended in fourth place. On Gordon's official Twitter account, his comments have been defended. His team posted that "he doesn't care who he's racing, he'll show displeasure if not happy about something" after the Sprint Cup race, but fans have been attacking him on Twitter. Gordon later experienced engine problems at the Pure Michigan 400.
The drivers may be teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, but Gordon and Earnhardt have their issues. Nevertheless, the latest incident is not likely to have a large impact on their relationship because they managed to get past the March 2012 wreck, and Jeff Gordon is not the only driver to rant on his radio. Danica Patrick frequently uses expletives while racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has also explained that he tries "to take care" of his teammates but has been under a great amount of pressure to perform better and did not see anything wrong with his actions at the Pure Michigan 400.
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Growing up in Indiana, Lana developed a love for motorsports at an early age. She follows NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One. Follow @Lana_Bandoim on Twitter.
