https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRwuc2qKu70
It was Ray Evernham's night last Friday to soak it all in. Being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a dream come true for the former crew chief. And he almost got emotional, but then rolled the audience with a loving dig at his longtime partner Jeff Gordon.
"I don't know if I can get through this without crying," Evernham said during his speech which was posted on YouTube by NASCAR. "I know that's normally Jeff's gig, but tonight it's likely to be me, and I get it, man."
The crowd loved it. Anyone who has followed Gordon's career knows the soon-to-be Hall of Famer cries, a lot. He's just an emotional guy. Go back to 2015 when Gordon retired from racing. Video of his final NASCAR Champions Award Banquet shows Gordon tearing up as he's introduced by Tom Cruise. Then he really gets choked up delivering his own remarks.
2019 will be Gordon's turn for the Hall, and you can be sure they'll be a box (or two) of tissues close to his seat.
Related: Jeff Gordon weighs in on team comment that it can't find qualified American drivers