Have you seen it? That look the drivers get in their eyes when they start talking about the Brickyard? It’s that same sense of awe you expect to see when someone returns from the Holy Land or Mecca, or some other sacred ground.
It’s almost funny watching Joe Gibbs on NASCAR Now describe NASCAR’s first experience as Gibbs’ team- at that time a single car operation with Dale Jarrett at the helm of the #18 car- experienced the Brickyard for the first team. The way Coach talked about it, it was like a bunch of hooligans going to church for the first time. They made sure to be on their best behavior because they wanted to be invited back.
It’s also funny to hear about Rusty Wallace talk about getting his car out on the track for that inaugural race in 1994. He was out there first, but Dale Earnhardt goes zipping past to be able to boast he was the “first to lead a lap” at Indianapolis.
How about having a kid who grew up in Indiana as the first Brickyard 400 race
winner? With 82 wins and 4 championships, “Wonder Boy’s” resume is not short on highlights- and yet he calls that 1994 victory his favorite win. Gordon has gone on to win three more 400’s.
There are several drivers with ties to the Hoosier state. Ryan Newman hails from South Bend, Tony Raines who will attempt to get the #37 in the field hails from La Porte. David Stremme also calls South Bend his home town.
Indiana is also home to “The Rushville Rocket.” You know him better as “Smoke” or Tony Stewart. The two time Cup champion and current points leader has a pair of wins and the highest driver ranking of any active driver. Stewart has also known success at Indy- having earned Rookie Of The Year honors in the 1996 running of the Indianapolis 500.
Stewart is not the only NASCAR driver to have experienced open wheel success. Juan Pablo Montoya won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 for Chip Ganassi. Former IRL ace Sam Hornish won here in 2006. Jack-of-all-trades Robby Gordon led 33 laps in the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and 22 laps in the 2001 race.
Two other drivers have family ties to Indianapolis 500 legends. Casey Mears is the nephew of 4-time Indy 500 Rick Mears. Mario Andretti? This Indianapolis ace enjoyed cross-over success with a win in the Daytona 500- and his nephew is John Andretti.
Daytona may be the “Birthplace of Speed”, but few would argue that Indianapolis is racing’s capitol. Over 244 races have taken place here, with 136 drivers laying claim to victory. Motorcycles, open wheelers and stock cars have run at Indy. Heck, they even play golf and had a speed roller skating competition at Indianapolis. IRL, Champ Car, Formula One and NASCAR are among the series to race here.
While NASCAR’s event at Indianapolis event has not exactly had the same breath-taking finishes that other famed courses such as Daytona may boast, a race fan can’t help but be a little bit in awe considering the rich history of the place, and the knowledge that auto racing’s roots are here. A little historic footnote, NASCAR founder “Big” Bill France served as a pit crew member Joel Thorne in the 1938 and 1939 Indianapolis 500.
Every sport has its hallowed sites- whether its Lambeau Field in football, Madison Square Garden for basketball and Wrigley Field for baseball. Daytona will always be that kind of place for NASCAR, but make no mistake about it…
America’s passion for automobile racing was born in Indianapolis.
PHOTO CREDITS- IMS Sign by Dwood B, Gasoline Alley by Tennessee Wanderer. To see more, visit flickr.com, or click on the hyperlinks.
