NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon finished sixth in his final race, but it was his gorgeous wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, who friends believe took the checkered flag.
Her ultimatum that Jeff “get out” before he was seriously hurt or killed forced his retirement after an amazing 23-year run, according to racing sources.
“No one was happier than Ingrid to see Jeff cross the finish line in his last race,” an insider told The National ENQUIRER.
Jeff and Ingrid are parents to two young children, and as far back as 2009, The ENQUIRER has reported ex-model Ingrid’s desire to see him quit.
“Jeff’s crashes left him with debilitating back spasms, and Ingrid had nightmares of him dying like Dale Earnhardt Sr.,” added another source.
“Ingrid told Jeff that with $150 to $200 million in the bank, and a string of championships, he had nothing else to prove. She wanted him to retire before their 10th wedding anniversary and before he turned 45.”
The three-time Daytona 500 champ achieved both goals. He and Ingrid, 45, celebrate that anniversary in November 2016, and he turns 45 next August.
Jeff now will work with Fox Sports as a broadcaster, and was given a special police escort to pit road in his famous No. 24 Chevrolet for his final outing Nov. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.
While he finished 4.1 seconds behind winner Kyle Busch, his wife considered it a personal best.
