IMS Brickyard 400 Preview: $4.8 Million in Cash and Prizes
29 July 1997
BRICKYARD 400 OFFERS $4.8 MILLION IN CASH AND PRIZES For Immediate Release INDIANAPOLIS, July 29, 1997 -- The prize posting package for the fourth Brickyard 400 will be the largest in NASCAR Winston Cup history and will total more than $4,815,311, including $330,000 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, officials announced today. Inaugural Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon took home $613,000, while Dale Earnhardt got $565,600 for his 1995 triumph and Jarrett picked up a check for $584,035 for last year's victory. Gordon became the first driver to earn more than $1 million in Brickyard 400 competition last year, pushing his three-year total to $1,049,791. In addition to the posted $287,700 winner's purse on the entry form, the Brickyard 400 champion receives $200,000 from PPG Industries as part of its Winner's Trophy Award, a 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo pace car replica, a custom painted Brickyard 400 Falcon 2270 BR boat and an Eagle Custom Trailer valued at $80,000 and $5,000 cash from Thunderbird Products. Other winner's awards include the $10,000 Photo Finish award from Eastman Kodak Company, $5,000 to the winning Chief Mechanic and $5,000 to the winning team from Premier Farnell Corp., and the $5,000 Winning Engine Builder award from Crower Racing Products. Other Brickyard 400 awards include the $10,000 Fastest Race Lap award from Fastlane Footwear to the driver recording the fastest race lap, the $5,000 GTE Front Runner award to each of the front row drivers, the $5,000 Youngest Starting Driver award from Ameritech, and the Canon Quick Start award of $5,000 to the leader of lap five from Canon U.S.A. Inc. Brickyard 400 rookie awards include $5,000 to the fastest rookie qualifier from the American Dairy Assn., $5,000 from Marsh Supermarkets to the highest finishing rookie, the $5,000 top starting rookie award from Olinger Distributing Company, Inc., and the $5,000 Rookie Top Wrench award from Raybestos to the chief mechanic of the top starting rookie. The Busch pole winner's car owner will receive a customized 1997 Chevrolet van valued at $35,000, the leader of race lap 81 will receive $5,000 from the Robert Bosch Corp. in commemoration of their 81st year at the Brickyard, Snap-On Tools will give $5,000 to be divided among the top five finishers of the race, Bell Sports will award a $5,000 Safety Award to the driver who demonstrates superior safe driving skills, and Earl's Performance Products will give the Efficiency Award of $5,000 to the team that runs the most miles during pit stops. Lap-leader awards, funded by the 1997 Citizens' Speedway Committee of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, total $64,000, with $400 going to the leader of each of the 160 laps around the 2 _-mile oval. Jeff Gordon led 93 laps and received $37,200 from the lap-prize fund in the 1994 Brickyard 400, Dale Earnhardt led 28 laps for $11,200 last year, and Dale Jarrett took home $4400 from the 1996 Brickyard 400 race. The fourth Brickyard 400 NASCAR Winston Cup weekend begins with live practice coverage Wednesday, July 30 on ESPN2 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. (EDT), followed by live qualification coverage on ESPN on Thursday, July 31 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. (EDT). The Brickyard 400 has been sold out since last August, and will be run on Saturday, August 2, beginning at 1:00 p.m. (EDT), telecast live by ABC Sports. The IMS Radio Network will also carry the race live on several hundred stations. The Brickyard 400 is presented by Chevrolet, Miller Lite, Monsoon and Pennzoil. ..BY97-09..
