By Dick Mittman
allstate400atthebrickyard.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
Kyle Busch was 9 years old when Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in 1994 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he already was a Gordon fan.
"Our family were big (Dale) Earnhardt fans," said Busch, who Sunday at age 23 seeks his first Brickyard victory but his eighth of this breakout NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. "Mom was an Earnhardt fan. Dad was an Earnhardt fan and Ernie Irvan fan. My brother (fellow Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch) was a Mark Martin fan. I was kind of a Jeff Gordon fan."
Gordon entered the Sprint Cup Series scene in 1992 at the fall Atlanta race, earned series rookie of the year honors in 1993 and then exploded into full bloom as a driver in 1994, winning at Lowe's Motor Speedway and Indy and becoming the young lion threatening the long reign of Earnhardt, the beloved "Intimidator."
Last season, Gordon moved past Earnhardt's career victory total and has reached 81 - but none yet this season - heading into Sunday's race. This is Gordon's 16th full season behind the wheel of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet.
The osmosis that has happened is that Gordon is the seasoned veteran with a legion of fans, and Kyle Busch has taken over his role as the young lion reaching for success.
"Sooner or later there's going to be a young lion chasing me," said Busch, who drives the No. 18 M&M's Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. "Before Gordon there was (Rusty) Wallace and (Darrell) Waltrip chasing Earnhardt. It's fun to chase after these older guys and beat them."
Gordon, who turns 37 on Aug. 4, isn't bothered emotionally about a new challenge on the racetrack. He loves the position he holds in the sport and has accomplished all of his dreams.
"I've got more respect these days than I've ever gotten," he said. "I'm older. I'm a dad now. I'm very comfortable where things are at for me. And when you're comfortable with that, you expect and know there are going to be young lions that are going to be coming up and that you're going to watch them make the same mistakes you made.
"But you're going to watch somebody like a Kyle really step up and do some of the amazing things he's done. He's been impressive. I guess I'm just the old lion, just keeps on plugging along doing my thing, not paying too much attention to all the little details as long as I'm out there getting the job done."
Gordon thinks it's good that a young driver like Busch has come along who is getting booed when he beats established stars. Gordon noted that a rivalry between the old and the new has been absent in the sport since Earnhardt was fatally injured in 2001 at Daytona.
"I think we have been missing the good guy, bad guy," Gordon said. "Earnhardt was sort of the tough guy, and I was sort of the young, clean-cut kid. It's a little different scenario (now), but still it's a rivalry. It's opposites, it's somebody everybody can base an opinion on, and that's what our fans need. To be avid, you've got to have somebody to love and somebody to hate."
Busch, from Las Vegas, actually is ahead of Gordon age-wise in terms of career accomplishments. He drove in his first Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at age 20 - Gordon had just turned 23 when he won the inaugural race. Busch has steadily climbed up the Brickyard finishing ladder from 10th to seventh to fourth.
Gordon won his first of four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships when he was 24. Busch can top that if he can survive the season-ending "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" 10-race shootout. He holds a 262-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. with seven races to go before the start of "The Chase."
But Gordon had a strong season last year, racing from 21st to third in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, one spot in front of Busch. But when "The Chase" rolled around, he was bested by teammate Jimmie Johnson by 77 points. Busch finished fifth in the series points.
Last year Busch was Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate. At season's end, he joined Joe Gibbs Racing and chief mechanic Steve Addington, who hadn't won a race until teaming up with Busch.
"We're still learning things about each other," Busch said.
Busch is a teammate with Tony Stewart but will quickly become a team leader at Joe Gibbs Racing as Stewart, the defending Allstate 400 at the Brickyard champion, becomes a team owner/driver with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009.
As for Gordon, he is sixth in the standings and still in the hunt for a fifth championship. He sees his career winding down before too long.
"I don't really see myself driving past 40 very much," he said.
His new Hendrick teammate next season will be Mark Martin, who "retired" two years ago but is still driving and just signed a three-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports. He'll be 50 on Jan. 9.
The circle of age, and of dominance, continually evolves in the Sprint Cup Series garage. As Busch strives for success, Gordon has found a niche as a leader at Hendrick Motorsports, and Martin joins Gordon - formerly a bitter rival when Martin drove for Roush Fenway Racing - to try for an elusive first Sprint Cup Series championship.
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Tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, scheduled for Sunday, July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.
Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday, while online orders can be made at any time.
General admission Race Day access is available for the first time at this event through an IMS General Admission Season Ticket. The season ticket provides gate admission for a combined six days over the two remaining events this season at IMS, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, for just $120.
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