Update On Jeff Gordon Possibly Joining Live! With Kelly Ripa

Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to listen to Jeff Gordon while you get ready for work?

Fortunately for NASCAR fans that might become a reality, as Tvline.com is reporting that the 44-year-old retired NASCAR driver is on ABC’s short list of candidates to replace Michael Strahan and sit alongside Kelly Ripa on the daily morning show Live! With Kelly Ripa. Gordon has co-hosted the show before, nine times in fact during the Regis and Kelly era, and he returned as a guest on the show in 2015.

If this rumor is true, Gordon would be only the second athlete in the shows history to become a permanent co-host and the very first NASCAR driver to co-host the morning show. Not to mention the only modern day NASCAR driver to co-host a morning show as well.

So is it true?

While nothing is confirmed (the people at Live told BTF that they don’t comment on co-host speculation and we are still waiting to hear back from Gordon’s camp) this story has gained a lot of traction since TVline.com first reported it. Other news outlets like Yahoo and The Hollywood Gossip have also begun reporting a possible move to the mornings for Gordon. Even though it’s just a rumor right now, the move does make sense after the success that Gordon has had in the broadcast world since leaving NASCAR, paired with the success that he has had the several times that he has co-hosted with Ripa already.

With being said, one has to wonder if this is the right move for Gordon right now.

Don’t get me wrong, Gordon can definitely pull this off with flying colors, especially with his charming personality and good looks, but he also has a lot of commitments that he would have to sort through as well. For example, he already has a job as a race commentator for Fox Sports and originally retired from NASCAR racing to have more time to spend with his wife and family. Then of course there is that small hope by fans that he will one day return to the track for a one-off in the coming year or two.

There’s also the question of whether Gordon would have enough cross-over appeal to bring in new fans to the show while maintaining their current audience. While Strahan was able to do that with ease, especially since he came from the widely popular NFL, one could argue that Gordon would face a more difficult time due to NASCAR’s inability to gain mainstream attention.

The good news though for Gordon fans is that if he truly is on the short list of candidates, this job is something that he could easily knock out of the park. The other good news for Gordon fans is that watching him on TV every morning is probably the next best thing as compared to watching him in the car every Sunday.

must read: NASCAR Needs Parity And Tom Brady To Reach Next Level

Do you think Gordon is a good fit to join the show? Would you want to watch Gordon and Ripa every morning? Be sure to comment below and let us know what you think. You can also share your thoughts via our various social media platforms.