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Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Venue | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
| Corporate sponsor | Allstate |
| First race | 1994 |
| Distance | 400 miles (644 km) |
| Number of laps | 160 |
| Previous names | Brickyard 400 (1994-2004) |
The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, formerly known from 1994 to 2004 as the Brickyard 400, is an annual 400-mile (644 km) NASCAR Nextel Cup points race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event, when first held in 1994, marked the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1916.
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- In September 1991, A.J. Foyt filmed a commercial for Sears Craftsman tools at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While filming in the garage area, Foyt, and Speedway president Tony George decided to take Foyt's NASCAR Winston Cup car for a few laps around the track. Foyt was the first driver to drive a NASCAR stock car around the Speedway, and later on, George himself took a few laps. The event was not a direct plan for a future race, but caused some interest and speculation for the future.
- In March 1992, IROC drivers Dave Marcis and Dick Trickle tested at the Speedway. Trickle reportedly ran a lap at 162.799 mph. At the time, the Speedway was considering hosting an IROC event during the month of May during activities leading up the Indianapolis 500. The test was considered successful, but several improvements would have to be made to the track before it was safe for the IROC cars to race there. After consideration, it was determined that it would be more economically feasible to attempt to host a NASCAR Winston Cup race before inviting IROC. IROC eventually raced at the Speedway from 1998-2003, then folded after 2006.
- On June 22, 1992, nine NASCAR Winston Cup series teams were invited to participate in what was officially considered a Goodyear tire test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Although no official announcements had been made, it was in fact, a compatibility test to see if stock cars would be competitive at the Speedway. Over two days, an estimated 10,000 specators watched a rather exciting two days of history in the making. A.J. Foyt, who had driven his stock car there the previous September, took a few laps around the track in Dale Earnhardt's car on the second day.
- On April 14, 1993, Speedway President Tony George, and the president of NASCAR, Bill France, Jr. jointly announced the Inaugural Brickyard 400, to be held Saturday August 6th, 1994. A new race logo was also unveiled.
- On August 16-17, 1993, thirty-five NASCAR teams took part in an open test at the Speedway. Several thousand spectators attended, and many announcements were made. Recently retired NASCAR legend Richard Petty took a few fast laps by himself, and then donated his car to the Speedway museum.
- From 1994 to 2000 the race was broadcast live on ABC Sports. ABC had televised the Indianapolis 500 since 1965. The race was scheduled for the first Saturday in August, at 12:15 p.m. EST (1:15 p.m. EDT). Saturday was chosen for the running of the race to allow for Sunday as a rain date.
- In 1995, rain delayed the start until 4:25 EST (5:25 EDT). ABC had already gone off air, and chose to air the race via taped delay on ESPN the following day. In the greater Indianapolis area, the race was shown tape delay at 7 p.m. on WRTV.
- From 2001-2006, the race was broadcast on NBC, as part of a new eight-year $2.4 billion television deal involving FOX/FX and NBC/TNT. The race was moved from Saturday to Sunday, and the start time was moved to 1:45 p.m. EST (2:45 p.m. EDT). In 2006, Indiana began observing Daylight Saving Time, and the race was scheduled for 2:45 pm EDT.
- Starting in 2007, under the terms of a new $4.48 billion contract, television rights will be held by ESPN on ABC and ESPN. The race was moved up one week to the last week in July to coincide with the start of the new contract. The move to cable has drawn controversy among race fans after thirteen years of scheduled network television coverage. Some speculate the decision to move the race on cable is part of Disney chairman Bob Iger's decision to support raising per-subscriber rates on ESPN, while some believe it is Iger's decision to favor the Indy Racing League (the IRL and Champ Car will have races on ABC during the three months NASCAR does not have a Nextel Cup race on network television). Fans note that the reduced television exposure of moving the race to cable could hurt the event, considering NASCAR has no network television races in July or August, and Nextel Cup does not air network races between June and September. The 2007 starting time was slightly earlier than in the past, 2:30 p.m. EDT.
- All races have been broadcast on radio through the IMS Radio Network. From 1994-1999, Mike Joy anchored the broadcast. From 2000-2003, Mike King served as chief announcer. In 2004, Performance Racing Network began co-producing the race, as their lead anchor Doug Rice joined King as co-anchors. In 2007, veteran IMS broadcaster Bob Jenkins replaced King as co-anchor with Rice.
- In 1996, Dale Jarrett and his Robert Yates Racing crew began the tradition of the winning driver and crew kissing the bricks at the start-finish line [1], which has carried over to the Indianapolis 500.
- Six times the winner of the Allstate 400 has gone on to win the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship in the same year. The drivers include: Jeff Gordon (1998, 2001), Dale Jarrett (1999), Bobby Labonte (2000), Tony Stewart (2005), and Jimmie Johnson (2006).
- Seven of the nine drivers who have to date won the event have been NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champions at some point during their careers. Among the seven, only Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott did not capture both in the same year. The only two that haven't are Ricky Rudd, who won the race in 1997, and Kevin Harvick, the 2003 winner.
- Six times the race has been won by car numbers which have not been used on entries that have won the Indianapolis 500 -- #10 (1997), #18 (2000), #29 (2003), and #88 (1996, 1999)
- Only six drivers have ever won the Brickyard 400 and the Daytona 500, they are: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick.
- The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is considered one of NASCAR's top ten races, as voted by Maxim Magazine[1]
- Juan Pablo Montoya qualified and started in the 2007 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, he becomes the only driver to race in all three of the major events hosted by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, having won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 in dominant fashion in his first try as well as competing the in the United States Grand Prix from 2001-2006.
- Qualifying Record: 186.293 mph by Casey Mears on August 7, 2004.
As of 10/27/07
- Most Wins - (4) - Jeff Gordon
- Most Top 5's - (8) - Jeff Gordon
- Most Top 10's - (11) - Jeff Gordon
- Starts - (14) - 5 Drivers
- Poles - (3) - Jeff Gordon
- Laps Led - (433) - Jeff Gordon
- Avg Start (Minimum 5 starts) - (5.1) - Ryan Newman
- Avg Finish (Minimum 5 starts) - (7.6) - Tony Stewart
- ^ NASCAR's Best Races
- ^ Does not include Winston No Bull 5 $1 million bonus. Gordon was eligible because he won the previous No Bull 5 race, the Coca-Cola 600.
- ^ Purse reduced as part of new NASCAR television money policy.
- ^ 402.5 miles / 161 laps due to green-white-checker finish
- ^ Net total includes $25,000 subtracted for use of an obscenity in ESPN post-race interview. Stewart was also fined the prerequisite 25 points per NASCAR policy for language.
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- 1994 Brickyard 400 Official Program
- IndyStar.com