Michael Jordan was cut from his varsity basketball team during his sophomore year of high school. Dikembe Mutombo didn't start playing hoops until he arrived at Georgetown. Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates, among a few others, barely played any football before starring as tight ends in the NFL.
But forget all that, because this is not a story about humble beginnings or late starts. Jeff Gordon was better at driving as a kid than you will ever be.
MORE: Gordon's final season in NASCAR | Gordon through the years | Return of the rainbow
WISH-TV in Indianapolis interviewed some of Gordon's former teachers at Tri-West High School in Lizton, Ind., prior to the driver's final race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They had some wonderfully kind things to say about the four-time NASCAR champion — he was a nice kid, he loved sports. All your normal nostalgic pleasantries.
The most interesting memory came from Walt Dininger, who says he taught driver's ed for more than 30 years at several different Indiana schools. Dininger claims Gordon received the only perfect score he ever doled out in the course in three decades — a 302 out of 302. Gordon respected the 50 mph speed limit at all times, too, Dininger said.
“Oh, yes! He was the best,” Dininger said.
Gordon began racing at a very young age and excelled in high school, well before he had a driver's license.