Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman, Jeff Gordon, took a pause from his active schedule. Be it through the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway or the iconic music festival held at The Empire Polo Club, California, or a sizzling Hollywood project, Gordon never fails to turn heads. But this time, no light, no camera, no action, both on the field and the screen. A tight silence and a bunch of unexpressed emotion almost choked the legendary driver’s throat until he put it out there. April 20, 2025! NASCAR undergoes a black day! And so do its proprietors. The community is silently grieving the loss of an unsung ‘friend to the NASCAR industry.’ Gordon, 53, is the latest to hop on the train.
Long before safety became a central theme for NASCAR as a series, Dr. Petty was already pioneering neurological care for the drivers. Dale Jr. in particular knows about it. After his brutal crash in 2012, he treated the driver for concussion symptoms, advising him to sit out a few races. His mentorship stretched far beyond the confines of a clinic or a hospital, as he was there when Jr. completed the 132-lap test at Gresham Motorsports Park. Only after this test did he give the driver the green light to get back to racing. But now that he’s bid farewell to everyone, Jeff Gordon shared his emotions after his death.
“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Jerry Petty,” Gordon couldn’t hold back raw emotion while explicating Petty’s crucial role in his life, in many lives. “He was the person I trusted most for anything related to the head, neck, or spine. He helped me through some of the toughest moments, including times when I was dealing with severe back pain. But what stood out even more than his medical expertise was his kindness. After every hard crash, he would check in — not just as a doctor, but as someone who truly cared. Through his compassion and support, he became a dear friend. I’ll always be grateful for his guidance, and I’ll never forget the impact he had on me and so many others in our sport.”
Not just Gordon and Jr., Dr. Petty’s expertise also proved crucial when Denny Hamlin suffered an L1 compression fracture at the Auto Club Speedway crash in 2013. This compassionate care is rare, especially in the fast-paced world of NASCAR. This is why his notable contributions were recognized by NASCAR, as he received the Bill France Award of Excellence in 2006.
His passing has left a big void in the NASCAR community, and many of the veteran and young drivers took to social media to send their condolences along with touching stories.
NASCAR community mourns the death of Dr. Petty
Jerry Nadeau, WKA Grand National Championship, had a close call with death on May 2, 2003. It was on that day that Nadeau lost the life he dreamed of after suffering a severe head injury during a practice session at Richmond International Raceway. But how his doctor, his namesake, chose to convey that to him made all the difference. “When I woke up, Dr. Petty held my hand, he said, ‘Jerry, I love you like your son. Do me a favor and choose another profession,” Nadeau recalled the kind words of Dr. Petty that made the pain a little bearable.
The entire NASCAR community came together to pay respect to the veteran neurologist. Kenny Wallace, who suffered a bone-chilling accident during the 1991 Xfinity race, recalled the incident in his condolence message. “My prayers to Dr.Jerry Petty family. In 1991, I lost the @NASCAR_Xfinity Championship after wrecking at@NHMS.. Dr.Petty diagnosed me with a “positional vertigo” .. It was the god‘s worst .”
Xfinity Series driver Matt Tifft, who has had his share of injuries, opened up about the advice he received from Dr. Petty that led to his surgery and now he’s slowly and steadily making his comeback. “Very saddened to hear this. Dr Petty was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He helped me so much in 2016 and was instrumental in finding and diagnosing my brain tumor and helping me get my life back. RIP .”
Kyle Petty was also moved after Dr. Petty’s passing. He took to X and wrote, “This news makes me so sad. Dr. Petty was one of a kind. A remarkable man. The Petty family loved him dearly.” Going by the reports, it seems like all four Hendrick Motorsports Chevys will carry memorial decals on their race cars this weekend at Talladega, honoring, Dr. Petty and his contribution towards the sport.
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