The Brickyard: Bonanza or Bust
Since its inception in 1994 won by the young upstart, Jeff Gordon, his second win in his second year, NASCAR’s top circuit has become enamored by the Indianapolis Speedway legacy. It’s a race were the top performers give all to give their top performance won by championship quality teams. Just for reminders, here’s a summary of those who gave all for a slug of milk at the end:
1994 – Jeff Gordon, #24, Chevrolet
1995 – Dale Earnhardt, #3, Chevrolet
1996 – Dale Jarrett, #88, Ford (also won Daytona 500)
1997 – Ricky Rudd, #10, Ford
*1998 – Jeff Gordon, #24, Chevrolet (2)
*1999 – Dale Jarrett, #88, Ford (2)
*2000 – Bobby Labonte, #18, Pontiac
*2001 – Jeff Gordon, #24, Chevrolet (3)
2002 – Bill Elliot, #9, Dodge
2003 – Kevin Harvick, #29, Chevrolet
2004 – Jeff Gordon, #24, Chevrolet (4)
*2005 – Tony Stewart, #20, Chevrolet
*2006 – Jimmie Johnson, #48, Chevrolet (also won Daytona 500)
2007 – Tony Stewart, #20, Chevrolet (2)
*2008 – Jimmie Johnson, #48, Chevrolet (2)
*2009 – Jimmie Johnson, #48, Chevrolet (3)
2010 -- ??? (pick ‘em!!!)
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(*) - notes driver who won series championship the same year.
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So many of the races have intense stories behind them, but the summer big event also provided NASCAR with one of the most embarrassing and painful to watch races in its history in 2008 the first year of the “car of tomorrow.” Between having the race surface having been recently refurbished with the diamond grooving process, lots of unknowns with no “book” on the COT, and Goodyear miscalculating on what rubber compound to use, there was little true racing facing. Jimmie Johnson took the pole but after just 10 laps, a first of many competition yellows was mandated to allow tire changes harkening back to the historic NASCAR fiasco at the 1969 Talladega 500. The first caution waited until lap 14 due to an accident involving Michael Waltrip on lap four. There was only one other caution caused by racing action when Brian Vicker’s Red Bull Toyota blue an engine about halfway through the race. Nine competition yellows were thrown during the race making it almost a parade led by Jimmie Johnson with scant hopes of Carl Edwards or Denny Hamlin to push for the lead. Two days after the race, Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s Vice President of Competition issued a formal apology to its fans. Goodyear agreed to much more stringent testing procedures for 2009 with two additional tire test sessions.
The dreadful 2008 race stands in contrast to some of the most exciting races in each NASCAR season since the first race in 1994 which featured the Bodine family feud between Geoff and Brett. Ernie “Swervin’ Irvin was a dominant driver until blowing a tire yielding to Jeff Gordon.
In 1995, Dale Earnhardt proclaimed himself the first “man” to win the Brickyard race joking about Jeff Gordon’s youth. The race was delayed by rain.
1996 was Ford’s first victory with Dale Jarrett showing the power of his new ride with Robert Yates. He and his team began the kissing the bricks tradition. Kyle Petty was injured when his car blew a tire and he was t-boned by Sterling Marlin. Dale Jarrett won the years’ two richest and most prestigious events having also won the Daytona 500 to open the season.
1997 showed car owner/driver, Ricky Rudd, use fuel strategy to bring home his box of Tide detergent to Gasoline Alley at race’s end. His main competition, Gordon, Jarrett and Mark Martin had to make late stops for fuel.
1998 flexing his manhood, Jeff Gordon became the first second time winner fending off a challenge from Mark Martin.
1999 found Dale Jarrett not to repeat his error of running out of gas from the previous year and handling challenge from Bobby Labonte for the win.
2000 looked like Rusty Wallace’s year to kiss the bricks giving Indy 500 patriarch, Roger Penske, a shot at winning in NASCAR as well. Despite leading 114 laps and holding the lead late in the race, Bobby Labonte took the lead in the backstretch to hold on to win in a race with only seven laps under two cautions.
2001 the first Brickyard since Dale Earnhardt’s death, was all about his younger rival, Jeff Gordon who dominated the race en route to his third Brickyard win.
2002 found much attention focused on the Kurt Busch/Jimmy Johnson season long duel after an incident at Bristol earlier in the year, but it came down to a race between wily old veterans, Rusty Wallace and Bill Elliot. Bill Elliot, helping Dodge reestablish itself in the sport took home the trophy.
2003 found the Dale Earnhardt’s old gang at Richard Childress now supporting Kevin Harvick who snaked through late race traffic to beat Matt Kenseth putting E29 in victory lane.
2004 brought green/white/checker excitement to the finish of the race with Mark Martin blowing a tire and Dale Earnhardt Jr. giving up an engine as once again it was Jeff Gordon’s showcase winning Brickyard #4 for the DuPont rainbow warriors.
2005 found a former Indy 500 competitor and popular hometown hero Tony Stewart win the race for Joe Gibbs Racing’s second win at the Brickyard.
2006 proved to be an omen for the series champ as Jimmie Johnson became the second driver to win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard in the same year. 2006 would be the first of four championships and counting.
2007 made history with Juan Pablo Montoya becoming the first driver to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the Brickyard 400, the “Trifecta” at Indy. The Indy 500 winner was second best to Tony Stewart.
2008 as reported earlier, this was the summer of “Tire-gate” the dreadful mismatch of car, rubber, and track won by Jimmie Johnson.
2009 should have been the dramatic win for a driver who won the Indy 500. Juan Pablo Montoya absolutely dominated the field for most of the race. With only 35 laps left to finish, Montoya was hit with a speeding on pit row penalty yielding the race to Jimmie Johnson, now the second three time winner and first back to back winner of the classic race.
The 2010 race before teams report looks to be one of the most wide open competitions in all for the 17th running of the Brickyard event. Teams should be recovered and ready to compete after having a week off and a more placid race in Chicago after the carnage at Daytona to begin the month. Putting it all together, the #48 or #24 cars from Hendricks, #11 or maybe #18 from Joe Gibbs, or #29 from Richard Childress would perhaps be the safest bets. If all goes right, it’s hard not to look favorably on the #48 from Earnhardt/Ganassi or how’s this for a long shot – the #9 Budweiser Ford from Richard Petty Racing?
After qualifying and practice, the picture will become clearer. Here’s hoping Goodyear has good rubber for this year’s race or Tony Stewart might not ever let them out of Indiana.
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