The Brickyard 400
The Brickyard 400
There have been iconic motorsports events in Speedway, Indiana for over a century.
But 25 years ago, the racing world changed forever.
Little did I know how much it would change my life.
You only get one chance to be the first.
Guys like Dale and Rusty wanted it.
The Bodine brothers fought for it.
Ernie Irvan battled hard.
But in the end, it was my day.
The trophy. That trophy became one of the most coveted in NASCAR.
Earnhardt had to wait a year, but he got one.
Dale Jarrett got his in 1996, and then started the tradition of kissing the bricks.
Kind of wish I'd thought of that.
The list of Brickyard winners adds to just how special this race is.
For many, it's the high point of a long career.
Champions like Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott. Kevin Harvick. Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.
All know the feeling of winning at Indy.
I wasn't the only hometown hero to win at the Brickyard.
Tony Stewart did it twice, and who can forget Tony's memorable climb up the fence?
I thought I had set the bar pretty high by winning four times, and then came my teammate Jimmie Johnson with four of his own.
Twenty years after my first win, the track that meant so much to me gave one more opportunity.
This race is about so much more than a trophy, or a kiss.
It's about adding your name to the history books and calling yourself a winner at the most famous race track in the world.
**VIDEO: 1994: Pittsboro residents rally behind Jeff Gordon in inaugural Brickyard 400 race.**
