Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 31, 1994 TAG: 9408020049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Forty-four NASCAR stock cars will roar down the frontstretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday to start the Brickyard 400.
The Indianapolis 500, with a crowd that exceeds 400,000, long has been the largest single-day sporting event in the world. And the 2.5-mile speedway, with slightly more than 300,000 seats, is the world's largest stadium.
Every seat has been sold for the Brickyard 400, which means it is the second-largest sporting event in the world even before it happens.
Only the lack of an infield crowd (no general admission tickets are being sold) will keep the Brickyard 400 attendance from matching that of the Indianapolis 500.
``The only other event you've seen in recent years with megabucks hype that took a short time to establish a tradition has been the Super Bowl,'' NASCAR President Bill France Jr. says.
And just as football fans were intrigued with the showdown between the National Football League and the American Football League when the Super Bowl was created, NASCAR fans are riveted by thoughts of the 3,500-pound stock cars on the greatest race course in the world.
One special attraction of any inaugural event is that no one knows how it will turn out. But a lot of racers want to be part of it. Eighty-four cars are entered, including those for Indy 500 winners A.J. Foyt and Danny Sullivan.
The sensations, to be sure, are likely to be different - and memorable - for fans and participants alike.
``On race day, when you look up in the grandstands and see over 300,000 fans sitting around the race track, it will be exciting,'' Dale Earnhardt says. ``I'm sure the roar of all the cars will be something to remember.''
Len Wood knows what he will be expecting.
``The cars sound different there than at any other track we run,'' says Wood part of the Wood Brothers racing team, which fields Morgan Shepherd's cars.
The railbirds at Indy haven't heard this kind of full-throated engine roar since the days of the old roadsters in the 1950s.
``I don't think anybody's going to realize what it's going to be like that morning when they say, `Gentlemen, start your engines,' and that whole place is filled with people,'' says Roger Penske said, who owns Indy cars and stock cars. ``Typically, at a normal Winston Cup track, the stands are way away from the track. At Indy, everybody sits on top of each other.''
For drivers, one new sensation will be driving down a frontstraight with solid walls of people on both sides.
``It really reminds me of a video game, with all that stuff going by,'' says Darrell Waltrip. ``Pocono [also a 2.5-mile speedway] seems twice as big as Indy. But it just doesn't seem like Indy is that big because there is so much around you. It's like a video game.''
In recent weeks, the crews and drivers have set aside their wonderment in favor of the hard work of preparation.
Most of the regular Winston Cup teams have built new cars for the Brickyard 400 and have tested at Indy at least once.
After going to Victory Lane at Talladega last Sunday with driver Jimmy Spencer, car owner Junior Johnson, who never shows much excitement about anything, was asked if Indy was on his mind.
``You can bet it is,'' he said. ``I would say we've put more work into Indy than any race team out there. We are taking new cars and we have spent several days testing. It will be our own fault if we don't do good there.''
One of the first official Brickyard 400 events also may be one of the most important. At 10 a.m. Thursday, the 84 teams entered in the race will draw for qualifying positions.
Every driver will be hoping for a high number, which will allow him to qualify at the end of the session, when the track probably will be cooler and faster.
``Qualifying is going to be interesting,'' Earnhardt says. ``If you go out and qualify and slip just a little bit, that will be the difference between making the show or going home. I have a feeling you're going to see some good team go home.''
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB