‘The Brickyard’ History
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Jul 25, 2008
It’s a 2.5 mile track that compares to no other. With its rich history that spans all the way back to 1909, its hidden bricks hold more memories than most fans can list. With the infield and grandstand seating combined, this small town in itself can entertain over 400,000 eager race fans, earning it the right of being the largest capacity sporting facility.
The first race that took place here in August of 1909 was memorable, but not in a way that brought pride to the local residents. The race was to be ten miles long, but was stopped at the halfway point. It seems the surface of the track, made up of crushed stone and tar nearly tore up everything that tried to tackle it. Cars caught on fire and devastating injuries and deaths occurred of both drivers and spectators.
The track was closed and re-evaluated, resulting in 3.2 million paving bricks being laid to replace the old track. This repaving brought with it the infamous nickname The Brickyard. Today, at the start finish line there are 3 feet of those original bricks still in place, holding hundreds of racing moments inside their aging boundaries. One has to wonder after all these years of racing just how many men have bent down and kissed those bricks after a race, another Indy tradition.
From 1919 to 1993, the Indy 500 was the only race run at The Brickyard, but NASCAR soon joined in and ran its first race there in 1994.
And here we are, about to step out onto the track that is blanketed in history for another chance to see the boys run The Allstate 400, all focused on crossing that 3 ft of bricks before anyone else.
Four times, the winner of at the Brickyard has gone on to win the series championship.
Jeff Gordon has done it twice, while Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte each did it once.
“I was fortunate to win in 2000, and it has to rank at the top of my list of career wins,” Labonte said.
Like most drivers, Labonte has a soft spot for the storied track.
“My brother Terry was always one of my heroes when I was growing up. But as a young, aspiring racecar driver growing up in Texas, A.J. Foyt was another person that I often imitated,” Labonte said. “I can still remember his fourth Indianapolis 500 win in 1977. I thought it would be so cool to stand in Victory Lane at the Brickyard. Racing stock cars, however, I never thought I would get that chance. Then, in 1994, NASCAR raced at the Brickyard for the first time.”
“It’s perfect,” Casey Mears said. “That place is so important to my family and to me personally. Every time I walk into the track I think about my dad racing in the Indy 500. Then I think about my uncle Ricky winning the Indy 500. All of our memories here are good ones. It’s just a very special track for me and a very fitting place for the 200th start.”
