Dale Earnhardt arguably was the overwhelming favorite to win the inaugural Brickyard 400 on Aug. 6, 1994 – with good reason.
“The Intimidator” was at the height of his mighty powers behind the wheel of the famous black No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet, having won the 1993 NASCAR Cup Series title, his sixth overall championship and third in the last four seasons. He also qualified second for that historic first NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, starting next to shock pole winner Rick Mast.
But all predictions sailed into the wind created by 43 roaring stock cars on the IMS oval when Earnhardt’s customary aggression resulted in him brushing the Turn 1 wall while trying to take the lead at the start. Earnhardt started to drop through the field, and he ended up fifth, leading just two laps, while rival Jeff Gordon earned a chapter in racing history with his victory.
The 1995 Brickyard 400 was worth the wait for Earnhardt, in more ways than one.
Once again, Earnhardt came to IMS as the race favorite, having won his record-tying seventh Cup championship in 1994. But “The Intimidator” and the rest of the field had to wait out a rain delay of four hours to start the 1995 race as the remnants of Hurricane Erin rumbled through Indiana.
When the race started, one of the cleanest and fastest Brickyard races unfolded, with just one caution period. Reigning race winner Gordon won the pole, and 1988 Cup champion Bill Elliott led the most laps, with 47.
Earnhardt, who started 13th, only led once – when it counted. He took the lead on Lap 133 and led the last 28 laps to edge fellow Cup champion and rival Rusty Wallace by .37 of a second as the checkered flew at 8:03 p.m. (EST), nine minutes after the official sunset in Indianapolis.
Wallace’s runner-up finish was heartbreaking. He held a commanding lead on Earnhardt when pitting on Lap 129 but got caught behind a pit-lane accident involving Joe Nemechek and Rich Bickle. That delay let Earnhardt take the lead.
The final dash to the checkered was far from a joyride for Earnhardt. He narrowly missed the spinning car of Jeff Burton right after taking the lead on Lap 133, an accident that triggered the only caution period of the race.
Earnhardt’s victory was the biggest of his Hall of Fame career to that point, surpassed only by his emotional sole win in the Daytona 500 in 1998. But he couldn’t resist a playful jab after his Brickyard victory at his archrival and inaugural Brickyard winner Gordon, whom Earnhardt often called a “boy” because Gordon was 20 years younger than him.
“I’m glad I’m the second man to have won, if not the first,” Earnhardt said. “We really appreciate it. NASCAR is happy to be here.”
