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Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The drivers who participated in the first NASCAR test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. From the program for the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994.
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The phone call came bright and, from the perspective of a
24-year-old sportswriter who treasured his sleep, much too early. The gist,
from my editor: Get up, get dressed, get down to Indianapolis.
There’s a NASCAR “tire test” at the Speedway. Go cover it.
Now.
What had been rumored finally was taking shape on this June
day in 1992. Nine of stock-car racing’s top stars – Davey Allison, Dale
Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, Ernie Irvan, Mark Martin, Kyle Petty, Ricky Rudd,
Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip – were going to drive on the famed 2½-mile
oval.
This was much more than a tire test. (“We get as many as we
want, right?” I heard Irvan quip on pit road.) It really was the first step in
determining the feasibility of a NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As someone who grew up on the west side of Indianapolis,
literally within earshot of the track, I always was interested in the
Indianapolis 500. In addition to attending the race, I went to practice,
qualifications and Carb Day, and also closely followed the IndyCar races
throughout the season.
Unlike others, I wasn’t necessarily opposed to “sharing” the
track with stock cars. I found this first test extremely interesting, even with
only a handful of cars circling the track at once.
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| My credential for the NASCAR test in June of 1992. |
One of my main takeaways that day was how deep the NASCAR
talent pool was – and it only seemed to be getting deeper. Keep in mind, this
test, which drew several thousand interested spectators, was before NASCAR’s
popularity was about to skyrocket. Big time. And before IndyCar’s was about to
wane. Big time.
Part of the reason why NASCAR started to overtake IndyCar
during this timeframe was because of its growing driver star power backed by
legions of passionate fans. IndyCar, on the other hand, couldn’t keep up.
By the time the first Brickyard 400 was held in August of
1994, the following popular/legendary Indianapolis 500 drivers had officially retired
or were within a year or two of doing so:
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Rick Mears (retired after the 1992 season)
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A.J. Foyt (retired in May of 1993)
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Johnny Rutherford (retired in May of 1994)
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Al Unser Sr. (retired in May of 1994)
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Mario Andretti (retired after 1994 season)
And although neither former winners Tom Sneva nor Gordon
Johncock had officially retired, as it turned out, their last Indianapolis 500
starts were in 1992.
IndyCar temporarily staved off NASCAR’s oncoming surge
thanks to the arrival of Nigel Mansell for the 1993 season. The reigning World
Champion demanded global interest and attention throughout the season, capped
by him winning the IndyCar title as a rookie.
Still, “Mansell Mania” only temporarily masked a problem in
the IndyCar ranks: A growing lack of star power. And when Mansell left the
series after the 1994 season ended, it became even more apparent.
The pipeline of American IndyCar drivers began to dry out,
something Tony George promised to fix with the subsequent formation of the Indy
Racing League. Those who did make it to the Indianapolis 500 before the
infamous split, like Jimmy Vasser, Robby Gordon and Bryan Herta, found it tough
to displace the departed legends in the hearts of fans.
NASCAR, on the other hand, found a new hero in Jeff Gordon.
Gordon, who moved from California to Indiana to pursue his racing dreams, shined
in USAC’s midget, sprint and Silver Crown divisions – once the key training
ground for future Indianapolis 500 champions – before taking his talents to NASCAR.
Without any offers from IndyCar owners, by the way.
His first Cup start was … wait for it … in 1992. After
winning the inaugural Brickyard 400 two years later, the popularity of Gordon
and NASCAR seemed intertwined. And almost unstoppable. NASCAR truly became a
nationwide phenomenon, with new events at new tracks across the country.
By the end of the decade, Gordon was joined by Tony Stewart,
another former open-wheel star from Indiana who had served the same old-school apprenticeship
even more successfully, winning the midget, sprint car and Silver Crown
national titles (all in 1995), plus the 1997 IRL championship.
Today, though, Gordon and Stewart, who combined to win 7 Cup
titles and 7 Brickyard 400s, are retired. So is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Carl Edwards
stepped away. Retirement seems imminent for Kasey Kahne, too.
Like IndyCar in the early 90s, NASCAR has seen several of
its most popular drivers retire the past few years. And based on declining TV
ratings and vast expanses of empty seats in the stands, it seems that NASCAR
fans are not as passionate about the new breed of drivers.
That’s not a dig at Brad Keselowski (the most recent
Brickyard winner), Joey Logano or any other young(ish) driver. Several are
tracking toward very respectable careers. But they, like their IndyCar
counterparts from more than 20 years ago, seem to lack the “it” factor.
Regaining that star power, rather than changing dates, is
what truly will revitalize the Brickyard 400. Once a guaranteed full house, attendance
has dropped steeply the past few years. Part of the reason, it was thought, was
because people didn’t want to sit in aluminum seats under a glaring sun during
the heat of the summer. So this year, the Brickyard 400 was moved to September.
Moving the event to later in the season also meant the race
was the final one of the “regular season,” so potentially playoff spots were on
the line for NASCAR’s “Chase.” That, too, was expected to juice up interest.
Because of rotten weather, we’ll never know if these changes
would’ve worked. The Brickyard 400 finally was run on Monday before an
understandably sparse crowd. Next year, weather permitting, should be much
better in terms of attendance. On the other hand, I find it hard to believe
Indianapolis residents will abandon their beloved Colts in any great numbers to
head to the race.
Maybe NASCAR should try this: Push the Brickyard 400 back
another couple of weeks until after the IndyCar season. Then guarantee spots
for the Indianapolis 500 winner and the IndyCar champion. It just might be the
injection of interest the Brickyard 400 needs.
