During his 26-year career as a NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon encountered danger pretty much on a weekly basis. Like every other driver who competes in the sport's highest level, Gordon consistently hit speeds of nearly 200 MPH, wrecking several times and coming close to catastrophe even more frequently. Guys who race as long as Gordon did come to embrace that intensity and crave that adrenaline rush, to the point that, even in retirement, they're still looking for other exciting ways to get the ticker pounding. Even in his 50s, Gordon is looking for every opportunity to experience the extreme. He may have traded in the racing suit for a business suit, but thanks to all the money he's made over the years, he can afford to get the blood pumping in, let's just say, more exotic ways.
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To ring in the New Year a couple years ago, Gordon was vacationing in the Bahamas with his family when he decided to get that thrill-seeking fix by cliff jumping at Thunderball Grotto. For some context, Thunderball Grotto is an underwater cave system that is popular among snorkelers, divers, and water enthusiasts in general. The cave got its name after it was featured in a scene of the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball.
Now, the drop into the water is about 23 feet from the ceiling. If the jump doesn't sound doable, there are a few nearly invisible entrances on the western side, but they're only accessible during low tide. As if it were no big deal, Gordon took the plunge into the beautiful, crystal-clear waters. Thankfully, it was captured on video and uploaded for all his fans to see.
In the first clip posted to Instagram, we get an aboveground look as Gordon jumps into the entrance of the popular Bahamian landmark, but the second Instagram post shows the moment the real magic took place. Incoming!
Pretty cool, right? A young Jeff Gordon, who grew up in Vallejo, California, with a passion for extreme sports and stunts, would no doubt be high-fiving his future self for going balls to the wall all these years later.
