Saturday 6th August 1994

The inaugural NASCAR Allstate 400, also known as the Brickyard 400, was run over 400 miles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race marked the nineteenth race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. It was first race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway besides the Indianapolis 500 since the Harvest Classic in 1916. The race featured the largest crowd in NASCAR history, and a then NASCAR record purse of $3.2 million. Second-year driver, 23-year-old Jeff Gordon from nearby Pittsboro, was cheered on by the hometown crowd to a popular win.It was his second career NASCAR Winston Cup win, and thrust the young Gordon into a superstar on the racing circuit.
The race was a culmination of over two years of preparation, and decades of speculation. While the event was looked on with enormous anticipation and significant media attention, the traditional nature of the Indy 500 and the Speedway was a concern to ownership and some fans. Despite some mild complaints, the event was considered a huge success and a financial cash cow- -it ultimately bankrolled the formation of the INDYCAR. The race featured two former Indy 500 winners (A. J. Foyt and Danny Sullivan). Foyt came out of retirement to participate, which would be his final Winston Cup start..