1994 Brickyard 400

Jimmy Spencer won the DieHard 500 at Talladega, immediately preceding the 1994 Brickyard 400. Going into the race, the top five in championship points were as follows:[17]

Championship standings following the 1994 DieHard 500

1. Ernie Irvan, 2,739 points
2. Dale Earnhardt, −16
3. Mark Martin, −258
4. Rusty Wallace, −289
5. Ken Schrader, −357

NASCAR "tire war" was notable during the 1994 season. Both Goodyear and Hoosier tires were used by entrants. Many of the front-runners utilized Goodyear. Among the top teams using Hoosier tires was Geoff Bodine.

In order to attract more entries, the initial Brickyard 400 was concurrently included in the NASCAR Winston West schedule. One provisional starting position would be available to the top driver in Winston West points that did not qualify on speed. The points leader in Winston West standings entering the race was Mike Chase.

Going into the race, conjecture amongst fans and media contemplated the possibility of an expanded field, a special qualifying format, a three-abreast starting grid, a celebrity pace car driver, or other changes for the race. However, NASCAR officials planned on treating the Brickyard 400 as any other points-paying race, with standard rules and regulations.

On June 22–23, 1992, nine top NASCAR Winston Cup series teams were invited to Indy to participate in a Goodyear tire test.[18][19][20] Over the weekend, the teams had raced in the Miller Genuine Draft 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Although no official announcements were made, it was in fact an unofficial feasibility test to see if stock cars would be competitive at the circuit. An estimated 20,000-25,000 spectators watched a rather exciting two days of history in the making. A. J. Foyt took a few laps around the track in Dale Earnhardt's car on the second day.[21][22][23] ESPN covered the test.

On August 16–17, 1993, thirty-five NASCAR teams took part in an official open test at Indy. It was held as the teams returned from the second race at Michigan, the Champion Spark Plug 400. The top 35 teams in NASCAR points received invitations. Hosting the test in August mimicked the weather conditions expected for the race in 1994. Several thousand spectators attended, and many announcements were made.

Bobby Labonte (165.624 miles per hour (266.546 km/h)) set the fastest lap on Monday, while Bill Elliott (167.467 miles per hour (269.512 km/h)) turned the fastest lap overall on Tuesday morning. On Monday, Kenny Wallace spun out and hit the inside wall. He was taken to Methodist Hospital for minor injuries.[24] At noon on Tuesday, recently retired NASCAR legend Richard Petty took four fast laps by himself and then donated his car to the Speedway museum.[25] Later on Tuesday, during a session of "drafting practice," a full complement of over 30 cars took to the track, to simulate race condition. John Andretti spun in turn 1, and several cars crashed. No injuries were reported, but the incident drew the ire of some of the veterans who thought some drivers were pushing too hard. ESPN covered the test, airing highlights of both days on SpeedWeek.

Some of the participants compared the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Ontario Motor Speedway, which was built to closely mimic Indy's layout. Only a handful of drivers in the field had actually driven at Ontario before it closed (1980), and none of them felt they held any sort of measurable experience advantage.

Richard Petty taking practice laps at the Open Test in 1993.

During the summer of 1994, private testing sessions conducted by the manufacturers were held.[26][27] Ford teams tested in late June,[28] with Sterling Marlin leading the first week with a lap at 170 miles per hour (270 km/h). During the second week, Ernie Irvan turned the fastest unofficial lap at the Speedway at over 171 miles per hour (275 km/h). Rusty Wallace was close behind at 170 miles per hour (270 km/h). A. J. Foyt came out of retirement, shaking down and testing the #50 Ford.[29][30]

In early July, Davy Jones turned a lap at 168.659 miles per hour (271.430 km/h),[31] but would later wreck his primary car.[32][33] Chevrolet and Pontiac's teams took to the track in mid-July.[34] Danny Sullivan blew an engine.[35]

A trio of brothers - Geoff, Brett, and Todd Bodine made the field, a feat that had only been accomplished once in the history of the Indy 500. In 1982, Don, Bill, and Dale Whittington all qualified for the 500. Another trio of brothers nearly did the same as Rusty and Kenny Wallace qualified, but Mike Wallace ranked only 55th. P. J. Jones, son of 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones, and the only driver entered who was a son of a former Indy 500 winner, did not complete a qualifying attempt.

Future Hall of Fame drivers Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, and future Hall of Fame nominee Neil Bonnett had all been notably killed in the time between the initial tire tests in 1992–1993 and the running of the race. Allison was the only one of the three that had participated in one of the early tire tests, taking part in June 1992. Neil Bonnett, who entered but did not qualify for the 1979 Indianapolis 500, announced plans to enter the 1994 Brickyard 400.[38] However, he was fatally injured in a crash at Daytona in February 1994, five months before the Brickyard 400 was held.[39] Kulwicki and Allison both died in aviation accidents in 1993. Geoff Bodine bought Kulwicki's team, Allison was eventually replaced by Ernie Irvan, and Bonnett was replaced by Jeff Purvis. All three of those entries qualified for the race.

Pre-race ceremonies

Popular Indianapolis 500 fixture Jim Nabors was invited to sing the national anthem, accompanied by the Indiana State University Marching Sycamores. Mary F. Hulman gave the traditional starting command. Elmo Langley drove the Chevrolet Monte Carlo pace car, and Doyle Ford served as flagman. The flyover was performed by the 181st Fighter Group, featuring four F-16 fighter jets.

All living former NASCAR Winston Cup Champions were invited to participate in a pre-race parade around the track. Besides the former champions who qualified for the race (Earnhardt, Wallace, Elliott, Waltrip, and Labonte), those in attendance included Richard Petty, Rex White, Buck Baker, Ned Jarrett, and Benny Parsons. Former Daytona 500 winner Buddy Baker was also in attendance.

After the final practice session Friday evening, polesitter Rick Mast, as well as Ernie Irvan and Brett Bodine, were among the teams that changed the engines in their cars.[40]

At the start, polesitter Rick Mast led Dale Earnhardt into turn one. In turn four, Earnhardt brushed the wall, which allowed Mast to lead the first lap. Earnhardt quickly began to slip in the standings. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon passed Mast to take over the lead. On lap 3, Danny Sullivan lost a side window, bringing out the caution for debris. Earnhardt pitted to check the damage and fell to the rear of the field.

The green came back out on lap 6. On lap 10, Jimmy Spencer lost control and crashed hard in turn 3. He would become the first driver to drop out.

Jeff Gordon leads the field for a restart.

The first half settled into a comfortable pace, with Jeff Gordon leading for several segments. The top five were battled among drivers including Gordon, Geoff Bodine, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, and Brett Bodine. Dale Earnhardt attempted to charge through the field and managed to lead laps during a sequence of green-flag pit stops.

A. J. Foyt ran out of fuel around lap 40. He attempted to stay out and lead a lap during green-flag pit stops, but had to coast around a full lap, and lost several laps in the process. He made it back to the pits and re-joined the race.

Ricky Rudd

On lap 95, Mike Chase and Dave Marcis crashed in turn 2, bringing out the caution. Under the yellow, Brett Bodine took on only two tires, which allowed him to re-enter the track with the lead.[41] The field lined up for the restart with brothers Brett and Geoff Bodine first and second, respectively. Brett got the jump and led down the backstretch on lap 100. In turn three, Geoff nudged Brett's rear bumper, which caused Brett to become loose, and Geoff took the lead.[41] In turn 4, however, Brett bumped Geoff in the rear bumper and spun him out in front of the entire field.[41] Geoff hit the outside wall and collected Dale Jarrett. After the crash, Geoff suggested Brett spun him out on purpose, attributing the move to "family problems" between the brothers.[41] Brett later admitted he spun Geoff out on purpose, and the brothers feuded for nearly two years afterward.[41]

With Geoff Bodine out, the race came down to a battle between Jeff Gordon and Ernie Irvan, with Brett Bodine holding on to a strong top-five position.

On lap 130, Geoff Brabham got high in turn 1 and hit the outside wall. Jimmy Hensley swerved to avoid him, but Brabham spun and smacked into the side of Hensley's car. Brabham was out of the race, but Hensley limped back to the pits with damaged fenders and flat tires. During the caution, the leaders made their final scheduled pit stops. Rusty Wallace's pit crew led by Buddy Parrott, executed a 15.9-second pit stop, and he came out of the pits with the lead. Jeff Gordon and Ernie Irvan came out second and third. The top five was rounded out by Brett Bodine and Bill Elliott. By that point in the race, Dale Earnhardt had worked all the way up to seventh.

The green flag came back out with 26 laps too. Rusty Wallace held the lead into turn 1, but Jeff Gordon passed him going down the backstretch. The two ran side by side in turn four, down the main stretch, and into turn 1. Gordon finally got by, Irvan now in second, and Wallace slipped all the way back to 7th.

Ernie Irvan (#28) leading Geoff Brabham (#07).

With 20 laps to go, Ernie Irvan led Jeff Gordon and Brett Bodine. Gordon was battling a loose condition and decided to tuck in behind Irvan to improve his handling. As the laps dwindled down, Irvan and Gordon raced nose-to-tail and began to pull away from the rest of the field. Gordon slipped by to re-take the lead on lap 145. Irvan stayed within reach, and on lap 149, attempted to pass Gordon for the lead on the backstretch. Gordon stayed high in turn three, and the two went side by side into the turn. Exiting turn 4, Gordon held off the challenge. On lap 150, exiting turn two, Irvan tried the same move, and this time took the lead.

With ten laps to go, Gordon tucked into second and allowed Irvan to lead. Gordon's crew was instructing him to wait until the final 2–3 laps to make a pass attempt for the lead.

With five laps to go, Irvan apparently ran over a piece of debris down the main stretch. He slid high going into turn one, and Jeff Gordon immediately dove underneath to take the lead. Down the backstretch, Irvan's right front tire blew, and he was forced to the pits. Gordon pulled away with Brett Bodine now in second. In the final four laps, Bodine began to close the gap, but Gordon held off the challenge and won the Inaugural Brickyard 400, his second career NASCAR Winston Cup victory. ABC Sports announcers Bob Jenkins and Benny Parsons described the finish thus:

Jenkins: Years from today when 79 (the number of Indianapolis 500s run prior to this event) stock car races have been run here, we'll remember the name: Jeff Gordon, winner of the inaugural Brickyard 400!
Parsons: Man, oh man, oh MAN!
Jenkins: Jeff is screaming on his radio back to the pit crew, "Oh my God, I did it! I did it!"

After dropping to the last place early on, Dale Earnhardt charged all the way to a fifth-place finish. A dejected Ernie Irvan wound up a lap down in 17th place. Two weeks later, Irvan was involved in a serious crash at Michigan International Speedway where he suffered a near-fatal head injury. Brett Bodine's second place with King Racing would be the final top-five finish of his career. It was also the best finish for car owner Kenny Bernstein at the Speedway. Bodine's second place came six days after Scott Goodyear had delivered King Racing their first Indycar victory at Michigan.

• (R) – denotes 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rookie contender
• (WW) – denotes NASCAR Winston West competitor

• Time of race – 3:01:51
• Average speed – 131.977 miles per hour (212.396 km/h)
• Margin of victory – 0.53 seconds
• Lead changes – 21 amongst 13 drivers
• Total purse: $3,213,849 (winner's share $613,000)

Jeff Gordon and the Hendrick Motorsports crew celebrating in victory lane.

• Busch Pole Award: Rick Mast
• Busch Beer Fastest Second Round Qualifier: Terry Labonte
• Goody's Headache Award: Geoff Bodine[42]
• AP Parts Meet the Challenge Award: Lake Speed (+26 positions)[42]
• True Value Hard Charger Award: Jeff Gordon[42]
• Plasti-kote Winning Finish Award: Ray Evernham[42]
• Western Auto Mechanic of the Race: Ray Evernham[42]
• Unocal 76 Challenge: $15,200 available to polesitter Rick Mast – not won (rollover)

Sources:

Championship standings following the 1994 Brickyard 400

1. Dale Earnhardt, 2,883
2. Ernie Irvan, −27
3. Rusty Wallace, −268
4. Mark Martin, −344
5. Ken Schrader, −355