NASCAR: Gordon's drive diminishing

SPEEDWAY, Ind. - At 33 and only in his 13th full season, Jeff Gordon seems destined to rewrite many of NASCAR's records. But just how far Gordon wants to go might depend on the forces away from the track - sponsor commitments and fatherhood.

While racing still consumes the four-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion, it's not the only thing in his life. There are other challenges, including the desire to start a family far away from the sport's fast lane.

"My thing is I'm not saying I'm doing too much. I'm going to do all I can as long as I can. Then I'll step away," he said.

"I want someday to be able to enjoy all of this, not to say I don't already enjoy life. There are some things out there that I don't get the opportunity to do. There are places I want to go, things I want to see and do. I want to have a family someday, too."

His $71 million in earnings is a stock-car record. His 72 victories rank seventh in NASCAR history, just four wins behind legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. A victory in Sunday's Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway would make him the all-time winner at that legendary track and push him even closer to the win totals of Cale Yarborough (83), Bobby Allison (84) and Darrell Waltrip (84). In fact, David Pearson's mark 105 wins is also within reach.

Richard Petty is the all-time leader in NASCAR victories with 200. By the time he was 33, he already had 101 wins. Gordon's 72 victories are the second-most for any driver 33 or younger. Pearson, the second-winningest driver in NASCAR history, won 81 of his races after his 33rd birthday.

Other racing commitments pull Gordon away from track more than 75 days a year. Testing, commercials, sponsor appearances and endorsements take a brutal toll on everyone, but few, if any, have as many demands as Gordon.

One day he's jetting to New York City for a photo shoot, the next day he might be in Chicago for Pepsi. A day later he might be testing in Texas, and on Thursday he's on the way to the racetrack. So much of Gordon's life is spent peering through the window of his Learjet.

"I recognize we can't go out there and do what we do without (the sponsors)," he said. "They're an essential part of what we do.

"But no matter how great all that is, it pulls at you, it wears on you. ... I think there's no doubt I'm not going to be racing as long as the other guys. I want this to happen under my terms."

Others see the demands wearing on Gordon.

"He's one of the guys out there that can break records of the Richard Pettys and Dale Earnhardts and guys like that," rival car owner Richard Childress said. "The biggest thing for Jeff is if he doesn't get burned out on it. ... I don't see him racing as long as these other guys did, but I think the sky's the limit for Jeff Gordon."

Reach Don Coble at don.coble@bellsouth.net.