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Jeff Gordon to run one more full season

Jeff Gordon celebrates his record fifth victory after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup John Wayne Walding 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 27, 2014. UPI /Darrell Hoemann
Jeff Gordon celebrates his record fifth victory after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup John Wayne Walding 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 27, 2014. UPI /Darrell Hoemann | License Photo

Jeff Gordon has announced that 2015 will be his last as a full-time driver on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit.

The four-time champion told his Hendrick Motorsports team about the decision Thursday morning, not calling it a retirement.

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"I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and I've decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship," Gordon said Thursday. "I won't use the 'R-word' because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and there's always the possibility I'll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that."

Gordon has driven for Rick Hendrick since November 1992. In addition to Cup championships in 1995, '97, '98 and 2001, he has 92 wins and 77 pole positions.

The 43-year-old California native is third on the all-time wins list, behind only Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105). He has three Daytona 500 victories, a record five Brickyard 400 wins and is the circuit's all-time winningest road course driver with nine.

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"There's simply no way to quantify Jeff's impact," said Hendrick. "He's one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed. There's been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properly express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. I'm so grateful for everything he's done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners."

Gordon had four wins last year, 14 top-five finishes and a series-leading 23 top-10s. He finished sixth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

[SportsNetwork.com]

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