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Jeff Gordon won the first Brickyard 400, in 1994, and has added three more wins since.

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By Steve Winzenread

MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

Published: July 23, 2009

Jeff Gordon is a proponent of stock-car racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

He was born in California but grew up in Pittsboro, Ind., wanting to race at Indy. However, his professional path took him to NASCAR, closing the door on driving Indy cars.

But in 1994, NASCAR's premier series started racing annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gordon won the first Cup race there, and then won the Brickyard 400 three more times, most recently in 2004. The Sprint Cup series will return to Indianapolis this weekend, for Sunday's running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (ESPN Ch. 33, 2 p.m.).

No one can forget last year's debacle at Indianapolis, when severe tire problems led to mandatory cautions every nine laps and a herky-jerky "race" that Jimmie Johnson won driving a car owned by Gordon.

"I think that you're going to see us come out of what happened last year with the tires, you're going to see a whole different type of race," Gordon said. "I'm very confident in the tires. I did the last test there and was very pleased.

"So I think certainly a lot of damage was done. It might not take one race. It might take more than one race. I hope it happens, and we get a chance for that to happen because the fans are supporting the event and, you know, knowing it could take more than one race to repair that. But I believe it can happen."

The first Brickyard 400 at Indy remains one of Gordon's favorite memories.

"I was so thrilled just to be there and be a part of it, driving through that tunnel and pulling in and out of the garage area," he said.

"As a kid, I used to go in the month of May for a test day and watch and just stand there and dream of actually racing there."

It's no surprise then that Gordon ranks the Indianapolis race at the highest level.

"I love the fact that the Brickyard 400 happens every (year)," he said. "And I think it's just a spectacular event.

"I think we're all privileged to race there as long as we have. I think the fans have responded tremendously over the years.

"Has the novelty worn off? Hey, that happens in a lot of different sports and events. So maybe it has. But we still attract a huge crowd there, even if it's dropped a little bit.

"And so there's certainly a lot of attention around it. From the competitors' standpoint, it's one of the biggest races that we have. Right next to the Daytona 500 is where I would put it."

Gordon, who will turn 38 on Aug. 4, stands second in the Sprint Cup points behind Tony Stewart and is pursuing his fifth series championship. He last won the title in 2001.

"I'm loving driving, especially when we are having seasons like we're having this year when we are so competitive and a shot at the championship only inspires you to keep driving longer and longer," Gordon said.

"I feel like we've shown consistent strength all year long, and I think consistency right now is almost as important as momentum.

"I think the momentum is really going to be key just prior to the Chase, who can get that momentum and go into the Chase and even start the Chase with that strong momentum and continue it on. That's, I believe, what's going to separate the team or the top teams that are going to vie for the championship."

■ Steve Winzenread writes for the Independent-Tribune of Cabarrus County.

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