Grapevine: Gordon to give starting command

Jeff Gordon will have the bizarre opportunity to give the starting command for a race he will be competing in, when he says the famous "gentlemen, start your engines" line at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday

Diega Mejia Oct 26, 2007, 12:24 AM

Gordon has been honoured with that rare chance as he celebrates the 15th anniversary of his Nextel Cup debut, which happened to be the only time he raced against seven-time champion Richard Petty, who was making his final career start in the same event.

"It's an honour to give the command to start engines prior to the race at a track where my Cup Series career began 15 years ago," said Gordon. "For the first time, the entire crowd may actually cheer for something I did.

"Or, then again, this may be the first time that the command is booed," he joked.

The four-times Nextel Cup champion is rather familiar with reactions from the anti-Gordon army, who usually boo him whenever he wins a race, or even worse, start throwing cans at his car as was the case this year at Talladega.

Petty will serve as Grand Marshall, waving the green flag for the 500-mile race.