For every Jeff Gordon rivalry that played out under the brightest lights, another unfolded quietly, one that took years to reach a final resolution. Long after the checkered flag had fallen, one former competitor has now offered a definitive public verdict on Gordon’s actions following a controversial on-track incident.

That verdict came from Ron Hornaday Jr., who revisited a long-forgotten Dover clash and made it clear where he ultimately stood on Gordon’s apology.

Hornaday delivers his verdict on the forgotten Gordon incident

The story resurfaced when Ron Hornaday Jr., a veteran of nearly 600 starts across NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series, shared it during an appearance on the Dinner with Racers podcast. While recounting his career, Hornaday framed the moment not as lingering resentment but as a situation Gordon ultimately handled the right way.

“We’re at Dover,” Hornaday recalled. “I’m running third with about 40 or 50 laps to go. I started to come up, and then I got dumped.”

What followed, according to Hornaday, mattered more than the contact itself. The following week, during driver introductions, Gordon approached him directly.

“Jeff Gordon comes over and says, ‘I guess I owe you an apology,’” Hornaday said. Gordon explained that he believed Hornaday was a lap down at the time and felt pressure from the leaders around him, leading to the contact.

Hornaday made it clear that the explanation and the apology settled the matter in his mind. Years later, his recollection stood as a closing judgment on the incident rather than an open-ended grievance.

The incident Hornaday referenced occurred during the 2001 MBNA 400 at Dover Downs International Speedway, the 13th race of that NASCAR Cup Series season.

After qualifying was washed out by rain, Dale Jarrett started on the pole, with Jeff Gordon alongside him on the front row. Hornaday, driving for A.J. Foyt Racing, started deep in the field but found himself involved late as traffic tightened near the leaders.

Gordon was leading the race when he made contact while navigating through lapped cars. Hornaday spun and was eliminated from contention, ultimately finishing 35th. Gordon went on to win the race, finishing ahead of Steve Park and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

While the incident never became a headline feud, Hornaday’s later comments framed it as a moment resolved by accountability rather than rivalry.

Hornaday was never positioned as a long-term Cup Series rival to Gordon, making his reflection more notable. In an era defined by grudges and hard-nosed racing, apologies, especially from championship contenders, were rare.

By revisiting the moment years later, Hornaday effectively delivered his final verdict: Gordon acknowledged the mistake, owned it, and earned closure.

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Gordon’s defining rivalry is still traced to Earnhardt

Gordon’s career remains most closely associated with his fierce rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr., a clash that defined NASCAR throughout the 1990s. The two drivers split championships, fanbases, and eras, shaping the sport’s modern identity.

“For whatever reason, my time coming into the sport and being able to go up against one of the all-time greats put me on the map and changed my life forever,” Gordon said in a 2019 interview with Motorsport.com.

That rivalry was later immortalized in the 2019 NASCAR Productions film Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs. Gordon, co-produced by Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hornaday’s reflection may not rewrite NASCAR history, but it adds a meaningful layer to Gordon’s legacy. Long after tempers cooled and careers moved on, Gordon’s decision to apologize stood as the final word.

In a sport built on hard racing and long memories, Hornaday’s verdict was clear: the moment ended not with bitterness, but with respect.