A cautionary word or two about your new wing man, Jeff Gordon.
Check his ID at all times. Watch your back at every press conference. And do not leave your cellphone unattended.
Jordan Taylor has no deference for your fancy NASCAR credentials. To him, you are just fresh meat on the block, a foil for new hijinks.
Welcome to Wayne Taylor Racing and the Rolex 24, Mr. Gordon. Sit back and enjoy the occasional party favors.
"Obviously intimidated when I met him, but I quickly figured out how normal and humble he was," Taylor said. "As soon as I did that first little prank on his phone, I think he enjoyed it and it opened him up to let him know we like to have fun as well."
That "little prank" was Gordon's mistake. He handed Taylor his cellphone during a presser. Taylor then clicked on "record," and shot a rat-tat-tat flurry of selfies while making funny faces. "And now he has some selfies," Taylor said.
Taylor then went incognito, posing a superfan "Rodney Sandstorm," while testing at Daytona International Raceway earlier this month. Jordan _ wearing a Rainbow Warrior jacket and sunglasses and a baseball cap _ tried to punk Gordon.
Gordon, a wise veteran, smelled a rat. "You almost had me," he said, smiling.
But let's be clear on one thing: Gordon did not sign up strictly for the shenanigans. He wants to be part of the four-driver tag team trying to win Saturday-thru-Sunday's race, a 24-hour grind of endurance for man and machine.
And that's where the competitive part of Taylor's resume comes in handy. Wayne Taylor's team _ based in Apopka _ has finished second, third and second in the last three Rolex races.
Adding a four-time NASCAR Cup champion to the mix _ which this year includes Jordan's brother Ricky, and veteran Max Angelelli _ isn't meant for celebrity photo-op purposes. They want the top spot on the podium.
Enter Gordon, an astute and talented wheelman, no matter what he drives.
Taylor picked up on that immediately during testing sessions last month, when Gordon took his first spin in the Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R.
"I was a little concerned how he would adjust to it being so different," Taylor said. "But it was funny at Charlotte. We were the only ones testing there and you could hear the tire noise on the track. On the third or fourth lap you could actually hear him sliding the car around.
"I was absolutely shocked how fast he acclimated to the car. I was incredibly impressed by his natural ability and comfort."
This is actually Gordon's second run with the Taylor team in a Rolex race. His first one was in 2007, when Jordan Taylor was 15 and his brother Ricky was 17. Back then, he met him briefly but never spoke to him, being a bit overwhelmed by the celebrity factor.
Ten years later, they are on more equal footing. Jordan and Ricky have taken well to the family business, and have forged their own resumes in the IMSA series.
Jordan's history comes with a comedic touch, thanks to a series of offbeat videos he posts on Instagram and Twitter. Always quirky, and laced with music and humor, Jordan often finds an unwilling partner in his dog, Fonzie, a large golden-doodle.
One of his recent ones includes Jordan driving with Fonzie as his wing man in the front seat, accompanied by the Fleetwood Mac tune "Everywhere."
"Missed the Fonz over the past week, so I tried to tell him how I was feeling ... he's definitely playing hard to get," Jordan posted.
"My dog has gotten irritated because every time I pull out phone now and I aim it at him he knows something is about to happen, so he runs away," Jordan said.
Seems like someone else should consider that tactic. It's a dog's world out there in social media, Mr. Gordon.
