10 Years Ago Today...

[Doctorindy]

10 Years ago today...August 6th, 1994...they held the first Brickyard 400.

I always like to throw this one out from time to time...now that it's been around for ten years...

Should they have done it? Was it a good idea?

[MS]

It was SO strange to see stock cars sitting on the starting grid. It was SO strange to see stock cars rumbling into turn one. It still is strange to see---but not as strange as seeing F1 cars going the wrong way down the front stretch!

[MD-IRLFAN]

A friend of mine has been going to the 500 since the late 60's and has attended all ten 400's. Says she still has a difficult time seeing the stocks on the track. Also, she said it always takes her a few laps to get used to how slow the stocks are going.

[indyracefan]

...I am a traditionalist of sorts.

I have attended 24 Indy 500's now, 22 in a row. I have also attended every BY 400 and the USGP.

Should've they added the BY 400?!

All my life I've been an Indycar fan, but with growing up in Indy I'm also a race fan. I was at the first 2 'tire-tests' conducted by NASCAR & Good'Year back in 1992 & 1993.

I was elated when they announced the BY400.

Now Indy isn't a track that's real condusive to typical-like NASCAR-racing. Though this year's BY400 had some of the best racing through the corners I've seen in the 10 years I've gone.

The thing about IMS is this......tradition or not the place is simply to huge, too famous and too 'modern' to not have more than 1 event a year.

The B400 is now a very imporatant event on the NASCAR schedule, mainly for the prestige and money. It's not about the racing at Indy but that could also be argued about Daytona.

I for one am glad there's BY400 in addition to the INDY 500 and the USGP.

[MD-IRLFAN]

indyracefan - I agree on some of your points. But, also being somewhat of a traditionalist. Part of Indy's tradition is that it's THE crown jewel of open wheel racing. In the past, stock drivers had to strap into OW cars in order to race there. It was part of what made it a special event and place. Not just any driver could compete there. Now, with the BY400, don't you think the allure of the 500 from a drivers point of view has lessoned just a bit? Why bother with the 500 in a car you're not familiar with when you can race a stocker come August? After all, by winning the BY400, you've still won a race at IMS. (IROC does NOT qualify IMO)

Oh, I do agree that this years race was probably the best BY400 so far.

[indyracefan]

...md-irlfan - I understand what you mean about the 'allure' of being an Indy-driver meaning you jumped into an open-wheel car and ran the '500'.

As I said I've grown up an Indycar and Indy 500 fan. I had mixed feelings at first. In the long run I think it was a great idea and a great event that added to the 'allure' of Indy.

The '500' is still the '500' and even BY400 winners will admit that.

Indy now sports 3 world-class motorsport events that attract a wide array of drivers for each. And none are 'easy' to get into. And each is unique to itself as are the machines that race in them.

I just can't see a magnificent racing facility such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway sitting idle 11 months of the year.

And let's be honest, with the way sponsors dominate the sport, and more importantly the drivers, cross-overs for drivers to come to the Indy 500 from whatever their racing series is(ie NASCAR) is almost a thing of the past.

Some of the great names in NASCAR right now would never be at Indy if it weren't for the BY400....take it for what it's worth.

[Dick Ralstin]

Hey, I don't care if a driver wins 20 BY 400's, or if they have 10 races a year at the Speedway, until a driver shows up the first of May and wins the race late in May he still hasn't won the Indianapolis 500.

The Ghosts live at the Speedway the all year, but the Indianapolis 500 is held only once a year, the Sunday closest to Memorial Day.

[PHJIndy]

Originally posted by Dick Ralstin
Hey, I don't care if a driver wins 20 BY 400's, or if they have 10 races a year at the Speedway, until a driver shows up the first of May and wins the race late in May he still hasn't won the Indianapolis 500.

The Ghosts live at the Speedway the all year, but the Indianapolis 500 is held only once a year, the Sunday closest to Memorial Day.

[lutesk]

I'm getting along better with it as the years go by. I actually thought the race this year was pretty enjoyable. I was dead set against it initially though.

[Belanger99]

A good question.

I like to think I'm as much of a traditionalist as many of our veteran observers.

I thought I'd have a problem with it in 1992 when the first test was conducted, but when the announcement was made, I was quite happy. Any opportunity to go to the Speedway and see the Mecca of Motorsports with cars on the track is hard to beat.

I thought it might detract from the 500, and perhaps in some ways it has. But in 1992, one could see that Indy car racing was headed on a questionable path. No young American could break into the sport (see the Jeff Gordon Story) and none were likely to get a crack at the "500".

CART's car owners were likely to make a play against Tony, and if they had, without the 400, it could have been a financial disaster.

I put it to you that the 400 and coming to Indy was a huge stride for all of motorsports, much less NASCAR. I believe it helped NASCAR grow by leaps and bounds, gave young American drivers a shot at the Speedway, and forced NASCAR track operators to upgrade their own dilapidated facilites.

But, the 400 does not and doubtfully ever will mean as much as the 500. I seriously doubt the ghosts of Gordon, Elliot and Harvick will ever replace Harroun, Shaw and Vukovich.

And, I don't doubt for one minute Jeff would trade at least two bricks for one spot on the Borg Warner trophy (he isn't gonna give up being the first winner, now is he?)

[MD-IRLFAN]

I agree with so many things stated above that it useless to list them again.

I do believe that IMS does not receive its due credit for assisting in the massive growth experienced by NASCAR over the last 10 years. I think the amount of exposure, to the then average race fan, by NASCAR racing at IMS cannot be measured. Not to sound corny but, when NASCAR showed up at the 'greatest racetrack in the world', it showed they had "arrived" as a real form of motorsport.

[hdolan]

"Not to sound corny but, when NASCAR showed up at the 'greatest racetrack in the world', it showed they had "arrived" as a real form of motorsport."

WC had 'arrived' long before the initial BY 400...which, of course, is why TG wanted them there...

[MD-IRLFAN]

So you're saying that NASCAR 'arrived' as a nationally recognized form of motorsport LONG before 1994. I'd agree with you if nationally is defined as south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi.
I don't mean the above statement as a slant. I've been a fan of NASCAR for many years. But, 15 years ago (pre-BY400) NASCAR tracks had half the seats and not near the ratings they enjoy today.

Isn't it possible to think that TG merely saw the potential and took the chance?

[IndyJim]

I was there with my dad. Things I remember, Rick Mast on the pole, the Bodine brothers getting together in front of me, Sullivan racing, as well as AJ. AJ stayed out when others pitted trying to lead at least one lap and it bit him when he ran out of fuel. I guess leading one lap in the first Brickyard was worth the chance.

we had horrible seats inside turn four bleachers, but it was a fun day.

[R_Mears_Fan]

Wouldn't that be 9 years ago, or am I missing something?