By Eric Powell
allstate400atthebrickyard.com
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Three NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams will add color and flavor to the 10th running of the Brickyard 400 on Aug. 3 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with special paint schemes on their cars.
The Ray Evernham Motorsports team is saluting the 10th anniversary of NASCAR racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by adorning the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge of defending Brickyard 400 champion Bill Elliott with the official logo of the 2003 Brickyard 400. The car also features graphics that simulate the paint peeling off the car at speed, revealing bricks beneath the exterior paint.
The No. 45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge driven by Kyle Petty will feature Garfield, the world’s most famous feline and popular comic strip character. Garfield, the creation of Muncie, Ind., resident Jim Davis, is celebrating his 25th birthday.
Images of Garfield, humorously adorned in regalia mimicking Richard Petty’s trademark sunglasses and hat, will appear on the sides and hood of Petty’s car. Renowned motorsports artist Sam Bass designed the special paint scheme.
An ice cream social and autograph session for fans will take place from 2:45-3:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2 at the Speedway’s Pagoda Plaza with Richard and Kyle Petty, and Garfield.
Team owner/driver Brett Bodine also is carrying a slice of Indianapolis Motor Speedway heritage for the 2003 Brickyard 400 by driving the U.S. Micro Brick Car Ford.
Fans were given the opportunity to support Bodine’s effort at Indy by purchasing a brick decal, which will appear on the side of the car. Bodine’s car will be filled with bricks, as the “Brick Car” program sold out.
The significance of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway comes from the track’s surface. After discovering that the track’s original surface of tar and crushed rock was unsuitable for racing, track co-founder Carl G. Fisher had the track paved with 3.2 million bricks in the fall of 1909, and the track from that point forward was nicknamed “the Brickyard.”
A 36-inch strip of original bricks is still in place just south of the start/finish line, paying homage to the track’s world-famous surface.
Tickets: Reserved-seat Race Day tickets for the Brickyard 400 remain available. Tickets and parking can be purchased on the World Wide Web via www.imstix.com or by calling the IMS Ticket Office at (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700.
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