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Dan Peters Sports Editor
Car Racing Writer
Oak Park Journal
 Qualifying is Lonely...
 Jeff Gordon's crew makes some last minute adjustments...perhaps the ones needed to win the race. © Oak Park Journal photo  The Race begins with a roar, but there will be enough cautions to bring it down to a purr a little later. © Oak Park Journal photo  Jeff Gordon working on the lead... © Oak Park Journal photo Aug. 8, 2004 –Jeff Gordon earned historic fourth Brickyard 400...Actually The Brickyard 402.5 today with a dominating performance in a wild, caution-filled race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon, who was born in Vallejo, Calif. but spent a majority of his younger days in nearby Pittsboro, Ind., became only the fourth driver to win a major event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway four times. His childhood racing heroes, Rick Mears, won the Indianapolis 500 four times along with racing legends A.J. Foyt and Al Unser.
“I’m blown away with four,” Gordon said, “I can’t believe it, really. You know, the thought went through my mind a couple times during the race today when we were really strong, we were out there running up front. I kept having to shake it off, going, ‘Stop thinking about that.’ “Even there toward the end at the caution there at the end, I knew that we had three laps to go, basically, I felt how special it was. It was starting to really get to me. I didn't realize how much this really meant to me, to win four. Then I had to shake that off because I had to get it done first.” Gordon's four victories in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet in 11 Brickyard starts marks the shortest span in which a driver has scored four major victories at the legendary 2.5-mile Speedway. Mears won the “500” for the fourth time in his 14th start, Foyt won No. 4 in his 20th start, and Unser won for the fourth time in his 22nd start. “You know, I don't compare myself to Rick Mears and A.J. Foyt, Al Unser,” Gordon said. “To me, the Indy 500 is always something unique and totally different than the Brickyard 400. I’m very proud to be a four-time winner, but I just will never allow those comparisons to really put us among equals with those Indy 500 winners.” The four-time series champion, who won the inaugural NASCAR event here in 1994 and added victories in 1998 and 2001, led 124 of the 161 laps on the 21/2-mile oval, but still had to hold off two-time Brickyard winner Dale Jarrett in a pair of late restarts. The last of those, coming on lap 160 -- which was supposed to be the final lap -- was the first green-white-checkered overtime since NASCAR added the rule last month in an effort to assure that races finished with the cars racing, instead of driving slowly behind the pace car. Thus adding one additional lap.. Hence the Brickyard 402.5 A crash involving Ryan Newman and rookie Brian Vickers on lap 155 -- the record 13th caution of the day -- on Lap 155. Following cleanup, the field took the green flag on Lap 159, white flag on Lap 160 and checkered flag on Lap 161..
 Some Might Call it Wall Abuse (look at the marks..), others see it as a time to slow down...under caution. © Oak Park Journal photo Gordon finished ahead of Robert Yates Racing drivers Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler, who finished second and third in the No. 88 UPS Ford and No. 38 M&M’s Ford. The race ended under checkered and caution flags due to an incident between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ricky Rudd on the back straightaway on the final lap. “I was hoping we wouldn't have that caution (on Lap 155) because it seemed that after we ran about two laps, I started going back toward Jeff a little bit,” said Jarrett, the Brickyard 400’s only other multi-time winner, with victories in 1996 and 1999. “I was really getting off of (Turns) 2 and 4, and it looked like I could gain on him a little. But getting to him and past him would have been something totally different. He had the best car looked like all day.” NEXTEL Cup Series rookie Kasey Kahne finished fourth in the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge, and Tony Stewart finished fifth in the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet. The race saw 13 cautions for 47 laps, both event records, which slowed the race pace to an average speed of 115.037 mph, the slowest average speed in event history. The field had completed only four laps when the first caution took place due to a single-car accident between Turns 1 and 2 involving No. 60 Jason Leffler. He was unhurt. The race had its share of controversy as well... Instead of pulling his DuPont Race car into victory lane, Gordon stopped his car at the famous "Yard of Bricks" and did a celebration there. Some say it was to avoid the recent "sponsor' infractions caused by other winner's in recent races. Car owner Rick Hendrick: "Sunday's Brickyard victory was one of the most special moments I've ever experienced in this sport. I really wanted to win that race and kiss the bricks to honor my father. It was an unbelievable feeling for all of us. "Nonetheless, I owe an explanation to the George family, along with everyone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The celebration was emotional, and it was fun to acknowledge the fans like that, but it became obvious that we had unintentionally disrupted the Speedway's program by not driving to Victory Lane after the checkered flag. Speaking for everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, I personally called Mary Hulman George on Monday to apologize for any actions that may have been perceived as being disrespectful."
"I can't adequately describe how emotional Sunday was. When I got out of the car, it was my intention to get back in and drive to Victory Lane after waving to everyone in the stands. Our team certainly would not disrespect any procedures on purpose, and I truly apologize to everyone at the Speedway for any problems we may have caused. It was a classic case of being caught up in the moment. I plan to support NASCAR's Victory Lane protocol going forward." Gordon Said
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