Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Brickyard still lags behind Daytona

Friday, Aug. 4, 2000 | 2:16 a.m.

Six years later, however, the Winston Cup Series' annual visit to the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway has failed to supplant the Daytona 500 as the crown jewel of stock-car racing.

"The Brickyard 400 will be as big as Daytona if they ever cease to run Daytona," Winston Cup veteran driver Kyle Petty said. "It's like golf: Will the Greater Greensboro Open ever be as big as the Masters? No, there is not that much history there."

Saturday's sixth running of the Brickyard 400 carries a purse of $6.5 million, with the winner earning a paycheck of more than $700,000.

"The Brickyard is a big event because it pays a lot of money, but there is not a lot of tradition there for us, not for the Winston Cup cars," Petty said. "There is a tremendous amount of tradition there for the Indy cars and the CART cars.

"It's a big place for Winston Cup to be, and it gets bigger every year, but most of that is because of the winner's purse. To me it's just another race, but more money. Don't get me wrong, it's a big deal to win -- a really big deal to win."

Sterling Marlin, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, has a different perspective of the importance of the Brickyard 400.

"Once you strap in the car and crank the engine, they are all 'just another race,' " Marlin said. "The only times they are different are right before you climb in the car before the race and in victory lane.

"Winning the Daytona 500 was big after I took the checkered flag and it started to sink in as to where I was. If we win at Indy, it's going to be the same way: big after it's done. You're way too busy during the race to think about it any other way."

Once the checkered flag falls on Saturday's race in Indy, Marlin said the Brickyard 400's importance quickly will diminish.

"I want to win the Brickyard more than anything, but most of that is because it's the next race," Marlin said. "After Indy, win or lose, the race at Watkins Glen is going to be the biggest race on the schedule. The next race is always the biggest race. When you look back, the only big races are the ones you've won."

NASCAR officials have mandated that primary and secondary throttle shafts must have an independent travel stop to prevent the throttle plates from opening beyond vertical. NASCAR also will require the addition of an auxiliary ignition kill switch that must be mounted on the steering wheel, within reach of the driver's thumb.

Both modifications will go into effect beginning with Saturday's Brickyard 400.

In 15 career CART starts, Gidley has posted six points-paying finishes driving for Walker Racing and Payton-Coyne in 1999 and Player's/Forsythe Racing and Della Penna Motorsports in 2000. Gidley has scored three consecutive top-ten finishes in five races this season. ...

Team Rahal owner Bobby Rahal announced this week that he has reached an agreement on a contract extension with driver Kenny Brack through the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Series season. Rahal also announced that Shell has signed a multi-year agreement to continue as the primary sponsor on the Reynard/Ford driven by Brack.

Cheever, who won the most recent IROC race on June 10 at Michigan International Speedway, sits fifth in the IROC standings and trails leader and defending IROC champion Dale Earnhardt by 19 points.

Cheever said his experience at the Brickyard should help him in today's race.

"I think having done a lot of laps there definitely doesn't hurt," Cheever said. "The more you learn at Indy, the more you learn to understand the conditions and how they apply with the way your car is handling."

Dixon drives the Miller Lite Top Fuel Dragster for Don Prudhomme -- a two-time winner at Sears Point -- but has yet to win a single round at the dragway.

"California races have always seemed like having home court advantage to me, so to not have won a single round of racing at Sears Point is downright depressing," Dixon said.

"Do I feel like I am jinxed at this track or that I have a monkey on my back? No. I like Sears Point, I like going to California. For one reason or another I just have not run well there. (Prudhomme) has won there in the past and I have some real good memories of that track. We just have to do better than we have in the past."

Gregory's other entry, the U-10 York, driven by Mark Weber, finished sixth after being penalized a lap before the race. The hydroplanes are in Seattle this weekend. ...

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host Friday Night Drags tonight from 6 to 11. High school and import drivers will compete in bracket eliminations while other racers will have an open test-and-tune and gambler elimination with a $10 buy-in. Gates open at 5. ...

Speed Trucks, Bandoleros, Mini Stocks, Chargers, Legends Cars, Grand American Modifieds, NASCAR Late Models and a demolition derby highlight Saturday night's action at The Bullring at LVMS. Gates open at 5 and racing starts at 7.