IMS Press Release: 50 Entries for Brickyard 400

07/30/96

For Immediate Release

	50 ENTRIES TO VIE FOR SPOTS IN THIRD BRICKYARD 400 FIELD

	INDIANAPOLIS, July 27, 1996 -- Fifty NASCAR Winston Cup cars
are entered and will bid for starting spots in the third Brickyard 400
according to a list of entries released today by the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway.

	Drivers seeking to divide more than $4.7 million worth of
posted cash and prizes, and be presented with the winner's PPG Trophy,
include 1994 winner and 1995 Busch polesitter Jeff Gordon, 1995 victor
Dale Earnhardt and inaugural Busch Pole winner Rick Mast.

	Fourteen of the last 16 Winston Cup championships are
represented on the list, including Gordon (1995), Earnhardt
(1980-86-87-90-91-93-94), Rusty Wallace (1989), Bill Elliott (1988),
Darrell Waltrip (1981-82-85) and Terry Labonte (1984).  =20

	Practice starts Wednesday in preparation for qualifying
Thursday and Friday at the 2-mile Speedway oval.  The race for the
PPG Trophy is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. (local time) Saturday, Aug. 3,
broadcast live by ABC Sports television and the IMS Radio Network.

	Thirty of the drivers listed on entries have made both
Brickyard 400 starting fields to date.  The entries include 30 Fords,
15 Chevrolets and five Pontiacs.

	The fastest 25 qualifiers in Thursday's Busch Pole qualifying
secure spots in the field. Another 13 cars will be added after
second-round qualifying Friday.  Four additional starting spots are
available through provisionals, plus a 43rd spot, if needed, for a
past Winston Cup champion who fails to make the lineup through
qualifying.

	Several connections exist with the track's Indianapolis 500,
led by A.J.  Foyt, the four-time "500" winner who will bid for his
second Brickyard=
start.

	Also on that list is John Andretti, the only driver to start
both an Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year (1994).
Foyt is the only other driver entered who has competed in both races
at the Speedway.

	Wally Dallenbach Jr., whose father competed in 13 Indianapolis
500s, is entered.  The younger Dallenbach made the inaugural Brickyard
400 field in 1994.

	Ron Hemelgarn, whose car won the Indianapolis 500 in May with
Buddy Lazier aboard, and his Indy Racing League sponsor, Delta Faucet,
will be associated for the second straight year in the Brickyard 400
with the Spam/Melling Engine Parts Ford driven by Lake Speed.  Cale
Yarborough, owner of Jeremy Mayfield's No. 98 RCA Ford, and Bobby
Allison, owner of No. 12 Derrike Cope's Badcock Ford, are both former
Winston Cup Champions who have driven in the Indianapolis 500.

	With the inclusion of newcomer Eric Smith on the entry list,
the Brickyard 400 field could have the first driver of that surname
ever to make a starting field at the Speedway.

	Greg Sacks, who qualified 13th and 16th in the first two
editions of the race, has the fastest speed in testing sessions at
177.340 miles per hour, followed by Derrike Cope at 176.915 mph.  The
track record for Winston Cup cars is 172.536 mph by Gordon a year ago.