Steve Waid: NASCAR at Indy - years in the making
By Steve Waid
Monday, July 21, 2008
- TEXT SIZE: Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Reset Text Size
- No Comments. Leave a Comment
- Digg This
- Add to Del.icio.us
- RSS Feeds
Latest Headlines
- Jack Sprague returns to Wyler Racing's Craftsman Truck Series team
- Mike Wallace, AJ Allmendinger to replace Patrick Carpentier at GEM
- Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s Regan Smith doesn't regret Talladega finish
- Goodyear studying tires, but indications are punctures caused Talladega failures
- Sprint Cup teams take part in tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
COMMENTARY
The idea that NASCAR belongs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was first hatched decades ago.
The late Bill France Sr., NASCAR’s founder and powerful boss, broached the subject of a stock-car race at Indy more than once.
Problem was, the NASCAR of decades ago was far different than it is today. It was basically a regional sport that did not have the nationwide popularity it currently enjoys.
Indy officials, particularly the track’s president, Anton “Tony” Hulman, knew that and wouldn’t even think about a NASCAR race.
Indianapolis, with its venerable Indianapolis 500, had been hallowed ground for open-wheel cars since it was created in 1911. And as far as Hulman was concerned, it would remain so.
One could understand his reasoning. Indy-type cars were dominant in national – and international – auto racing. The Indy 500, attended by hundreds of thousands of fans each year, was considered by many to be the single most popular sporting event in America.
NASCAR had no chance.
But over the years, a few things changed that paved a path to Indy for stock cars.
NASCAR grew and became a viable force in American auto racing. As it spread to new venues, it gained in popularity and attracted more media attention.
After years of virtual non-existence on the national scene, NASCAR established effective marketing and licensing programs that greatly increased awareness of the sport, its teams and drivers.
Young drivers from parts of the country other than the South, who dreamed of racing in the Indy 500, found themselves devoid of opportunities in open-wheel racing.
So they turned to NASCAR, where owners of multicar teams were willing to hire virtual unknowns. The talent pool increased accordingly.
Sponsors who had once been willing to spend money in open-wheel racing weren’t blind to NASCAR’s swelling popularity – or that it staged many more races in many larger venues.
So companies began to migrate to NASCAR, where they figured they would get more bang for their buck.
But for NASCAR, the most important thing that happened was a change in leadership at Indy.
Tony George, Hulman’s grandson, became the track’s president in 1990.
George was ambitious – and smart. Already at odds with the powers that be in open-wheel racing, George recognized that his track could well benefit from a second race.
He also knew that NASCAR was quickly becoming the most popular form of auto racing in America. He wanted to capitalize on that.
The first indication that NASCAR would eventually stage a race at Indy came in June of 1992.
Nine drivers participated in the first official NASCAR test session in Indy’s history. Over two days, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Ernie Irvan, Davey Allison and Kyle Petty shook down their cars to ostensibly determine how stock cars would fare on the 2.5-mile Indy layout.
It might have been billed as only a test session, but most folks knew it really meant.
On April 14, 1993, George and NASCAR President Bill France Jr. announced at a press conference at Indy’s Hall of Fame Museum that the inaugural Brickyard 400 Winston Cup race would take place on Aug. 6, 1994.
While the announcement undoubtedly disappointed many open-wheel loyalists, the NASCAR faithful – not to mention stock-car racing fans across the country – were ecstatic.
But no one really knew how NASCAR would be accepted at Indy. They found out in August of 1993, when 31 cars participated in a test session for the inaugural race. Thousands of enthusiastic fans attended.
They turned out wearing the colors of their favorite drivers. They sought autographs (and got them, something rarely accomplished with the open-wheel guys). They cheered as the cars took to the track.
As much as the drivers were in awe of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, they were equally awed by the enthusiasm of the fans.
When the green flag fell on the first Brickyard 400 in August of 1994, an estimated 300,000 fans were on hand. Whatever the exact number, it was easily the largest crowd ever to see a NASCAR event.
Since then, what is now known as the Allstate 400 has become one of the most prestigious and eagerly anticipated races of each NASCAR season.
It was decades in the making.
No Comments
Be the first to comment on "Steve Waid: NASCAR at Indy - years in the making". Login or sign up for a free account below to post your comment