[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 108 (Monday, August 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA

                                 ______


                           HON. JOHN T. MYERS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 8, 1994

  Mr. MYERS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, the inaugural running of NASCAR's 
Brickyard 400 was run last Saturday at the world-famous Indianapolis 
Motor Speedway.
  Forty-three drivers answered chairman of the board emeritus Mary F. 
Hulman's call, ``Gentlemen, Start Your Engines,'' with the roar of 
their engines. After a warmup lap and a parade lap, they received the 
green flag.
  After 3 hours and 160 laps around the 2\1/2\ mile oval, more than 
300,000 spectators in attendance and millions watching around the world 
saw the winner cross the yard of brick for the checkered flag. He was 
the youngest driver in the field, and he was a Hoosier, Jeff Gordon.
  The 23-year-old from just 15 miles west of the speedway had visited 
the track many times as a child, and like many young people, he dreamed 
of sometime driving there. His stepfather, John Bickford, put him in a 
go-kart at age 5, and he was off. Jeff later advanced to midgets, then 
to sprinters at local tracks, to stocks at the Indiana Raceway Park 
near his home and also to Daytona. He won USAC's midget championship at 
19 and by his 21st birthday Jeff was driving with NASCAR's bigname 
drivers.
  This weekend, there were parades, parties, and excitement in the tiny 
community of Pittsboro, IN. It was the 1989 Tri-West High School grad 
who put his community on the map Saturday afternoon by winning NASCAR's 
biggest and richest race.
  Jeff Gordon was back home again in Indiana.

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