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Gordon willing to sub for Earnhardt as long as needed

Josh Hedges / Getty Images Sport / Getty

LONG POND, Pa. - Jeff Gordon weaved his way through a mob of fans lined the outside the media center, all screaming for an autograph from a driver they thought would never again wear a firesuit.

He stepped over the tripod legs of three TV cameras lined against a side wall, patted a reporter on the back and took a seat on the dais where he was peppered with questions about how long his comeback tour might last.

''I'll be here as long as they need me,'' Gordon said. ''I say that very loosely.''

At Pocono Raceway, Gordon made it seem for hundreds of fans on Friday like he never left racing.

Gordon 2.0 will last only as long as Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. Earnhardt will miss his third straight race Sunday and Gordon will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for the second straight weekend. There is no timetable on Earnhardt's return.

What should have been a leisurely first summer of retirement for a driver once sponsored by AARP has instead turned into a hectic world tour for Gordon. He was vacationing in France when team owner Rick Hendrick asked him to come out of retirement. He returned to racing at the Brickyard in Indianapolis. Then it was off to a sponsorship commitment in Mexico. This weekend, he looks to extend his track record for wins with his seventh.

His busiest task?

''Doing some laundry,'' Gordon said, smiling.

Gordon can handle the busy load, though he's unsure how many more weeks he will be needed as NASCAR's most popular substitute. Earnhardt warned Monday that his return to NASCAR could take longer than planned. No decision has been made by Hendrick Motorsports about next week's race at Watkins Glen.

With an off week following that, the smart move could involve benching Earnhardt at least one more race. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion who turns 45 on Thursday, would make his 800th career start at the Glen.

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