Love him or hate him, Jeff Gordon is the face of NASCAR for many people, and when he wins, it's good for the sport. Jimmie Johnson, winner of the last 3 Sprint Cup Championships, is known by many, but he is not the household name Gordon is.
Just look at the PGA. TV ratings dropped significantly while Tiger Woods was on the mend from his broken leg and knee injury. When the face of a sport is absent, the entire sport suffers. Ticket sales drop, TV viewership drops, apparel doesn't sell, and sponsorships become harder to come by.
During these tough economic times, a sport like NASCAR that is fueled by its sponsors needs to have its most famous competitors winning. It brings extra attention to the sport in the form of coverage on local TV newscasts, front page features in newspapers, and feature articles on sports related websites.
Jeff Gordon may not be as popular among race fans as Dale Earnhardt Jr., but it is Gordon who non-race fans know about. When Gordon wins, NASCAR wins.
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