Five Things The 2016 NASCAR Season Taught All Of Us

Honorable Mention – No Two Legends Are The Same

The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season brought with it the end of Jeff Gordon’s full-time career in NASCAR. Gordon announced prior to the start of the season that 2015 would be his final run and it seemed as though we were reminded of it almost every race.

Gordon made the NASCAR Chase in 2015, won a race and went to the final-four and had a shot at a fifth title before walking off into the sunset. Gordon was showered with gifts and special honors at tracks throughout the season and in the end it was somewhat of a magical season for him.

The 2016 season brought with it the end of Tony Stewart’s NASCAR career and it felt nothing like what we had all witnessed the prior season with Jeff Gordon. Sure, Stewart made it clear when he announced his retirement from NASCAR that he didn’t want nor felt that he deserved the send-off that Gordon received.

However, despite his words, it still felt like NASCAR let their three-time champion down. There is a fine line between respecting someone’s wishes and paying someone the respect they deserve and NASCAR missed the boat with Stewart. Leading into the final weekend in Miami, teammate Kevin Harvick voiced his displeasure with the farewell that his friend received.

It’s a shame that others didn’t speak up sooner and that NASCAR couldn’t find a way to do a little more.