Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon showed up at 5:30 a.m. Monday, ready for his role as celebrity builder for this week's 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' build in Horry County.
His first words on arrival were: "Hand me a hammer," said George DuRant, event director for the build.
He was chosen as the celebrity because the Suggs family members are NASCAR fans, and Derrick Suggs in a Gordon fan, officials said.
Gordon said he's eager to help, saying he'd tackle any task except getting up on the roof, citing his back problems.
"I’ll do anything they need including driving them to the airport and get them there on time," he said. And around 4 p.m., he got behind the wheel of the limo and drove them to the end of their driveway to the cheers of the crowd.
Gordon has won a record seven times at nearby Darlington Raceway, his first victory coming at the 1995 Southern 500 and the most recent at the 2007 Dodge Avenger 500. He is also a three-time Daytona 500 winner in the No. 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports.
