History
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
NASCAR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
On June 22-23, 1992, NASCAR made its debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Nine drivers conducted the first official NASCAR test in the track’s history. The participants: Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Ernie Irvan, Davey Allison and Kyle Petty. The top speed was 168.767 mph by Elliott on June 23.
On April 14, 1993, IMS President Tony George and NASCAR President Bill France Jr. announced in a press conference at the IMS Museum that the inaugural Brickyard 400 will take place on Aug. 6, 1994. In preparation for the race, 31 NASCAR drivers participated in a test session Aug. 16-17, 1993 in preparation for the Brickyard 400. Bill Elliott was fastest again, at 167.467 mph.
The following year, 23-year-old Jeff Gordon, who had moved to nearby Pittsboro, Indiana, at a young age, won the inaugural Brickyard 400. He became the first driver to win a race at IMS in a stock car, and it was the first non-Indy 500 event held at IMS since 1916. The event still holds the record as the largest-attended NASCAR race in history with a sellout crowd estimated at 250,000.
Learn More about NASCAR coming to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.