Fox Sports made a big splash with their NASCAR coverage this offseason as they added one of the all-time greats to the broadcast booth in recently retired Jeff Gordon. The Rainbow Warrior was one of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, but how would he fare in the broadcast booth?
Simply put, it was one of the best debuts by an announcer I can remember seeing in some time at a major sporting event. There’s something about NASCAR that seems to produce more ex-athletes turned analysts that are great on television than other sports and Gordon is the latest to star in a new role. Gordon was a revelation for Fox, offering plenty of fresh insights and fitting right in with longtime Fox announcers Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip. NASCAR fans got to see a new side of Gordon in the broadcast booth, just listen to how excited he was to call the photo finish won by Denny Hamlin.
Watch: @dennyhamlin edges @martintruexjr in the closest #DAYTONA500 finish EVER. #NASCARhttps://t.co/hqYMworKIn
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 21, 2016
Gordon may have done something even more impressive yesterday – he completely won over social media. Usually when people are talking about an announcer on Twitter, that’s never a good sign for an announcer. (See: Simms, Phil… McCarver, Tim… Berman, Chris…) But for Gordon and Fox Sports, it was a great thing as praise of his Fox broadcasting debut was nearly universal.
As always these are Real Tweets from Real People…
True I only watch one car race a year so I lack perspective. But that was a heck of a finish. Also, nice work by rookie analyst Jeff Gordon.
— Neil Best (@sportswatch) February 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/dano_connell/status/701611486079275008
With 4 laps left, @JeffGordonWeb said the car to watch was @dennyhamlin who was 4th at the time. Hamlin won. Nice rookie debut for Gordon.
— LEE GOLDBERG (@TVLeeG) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/aikens34/status/701584312043343872
#WKEN: I thought Jeff Gordon did a great job on his Fox debut today. Talked a lot but was informative
— Ken McMillan (@KenMcMillanTHR) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/horsefly223/status/701571084802457601
https://twitter.com/mendalerenda100/status/701541255679971328
https://twitter.com/jasonangel5/status/701537423050801154
The two best surprises in the broadcast booth this yr both go to @FOXSports; 1st @AROD in #worldseries & @JeffGordonWeb for #Daytona
— Joe Favorito (@joefav) February 21, 2016
Brilliant call by Jeff Gordon in his commentary debut. Predicted the race win of the Daytona 500. Great work too by my mates chris and matt.
— Andrew Marriott (@Pitlaneandy) February 21, 2016
Loved Jeff Gordon's #DAYTONA500 commentary debut today – on the finish: "I've got chills up my spine, that was amazing!" #racefan
— Tim Hodges (@timmyhodges) February 22, 2016
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