Back to the Bricks

July 25, 2007

After a welcome weekend off, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series returns to action at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for Sunday's, Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Round 20 of 36 races on the 2007 tour.

Hailed as one of the most popular events on the NASCAR circuit, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard ranks alongside the Daytona 500 and the Nextel All-Star races in prestige. Since the inaugural Indianapolis 500 race in 1911, the facility has become steeped in rich tradition and heritage.

Among the most nostalgic aspects of the race track itself is the famous Yard of Bricks. The original surface of crushed rock and tar was replaced in 1909 by 3.2 million street-paving bricks that were trucked in by rail from the western part of Indiana. Over time, patches of asphalt were applied to the rougher portions of the turns and various sections of the track. By 1939, only about 650 yards of the main straight were still bricks. That portion survived until 1961, when it too was covered over, leaving exposed only three feet of bricks for the entire width of the 2.5-mile track at the start/finish line.

The #78 team is geared up to take on the track and the competitive challenge presented by the 51 cars entered into the Brickyard. Fresh from testing multiple cars in Kentucky, the team is taking the best of the best to Indy.

Qualifying is once again critical on Saturday for the #78. The team will have to fight for a coveted position in the prestigious race against the other go-or-go home cars outside the top 35 in owner’s points.