Dale Jarrett's most recent win at the Brickyard was in 1999, the year he won a NASCAR championship. Credit: Autostock

Jarrett aiming to join Brickyard elite

CONCORD, N.C. -- The list of guys who have won three times at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is surprisingly short. Considering the place has been open since just past the turn of the century -- the 20th century -- having only nine three-time winners is rather impressive.

There are no average drivers on the list. You don't win three times at Indy without being above average ... well above average.

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A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears won the Indy 500 four times. Mauri Rose, Wilbur Shaw, Louis Meyer, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser won it three times. Jeff Gordon has won the Brickyard 400 three times.

And that's it.

(Well, OK, Mark Martin won three IROC races at the Brickyard, but we're going to overlook those.)

Dale Jarrett can join that exclusive group this weekend. He's won the Brickyard 400 twice and can make it three in Sunday's race.

A native North Carolinian, Jarrett has an understanding of what winning at Indy means on par with guys like Hoosiers Tony Stewart and John Andretti.

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"That's quite a special opportunity," Jarrett said. "As I look at the people that have raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, whether it be in the Indy-style cars or our stock cars, and the opportunities that have been there, and to know that I'm one of a very select group that has multiple wins there means a lot.

"And to try to get that third, we're using it as motivation and inspiration to try to join that group. Never thinking that I was going to have the opportunity to race there and knowing that this weekend I'm going back there with the opportunity to win a third race is pretty incredible.

"I don't know if I can express it in words as to how much it would mean to me for people to understand just how much I appreciate -- not only the opportunity that we have to race there - but for the opportunity to be in such a select group."

Jarrett's career was always in stock cars, and until 10 years ago, no one in stock-car racing had a chance to race at Indy -- unless it was a one-off attempt.

But in the early 1990s, NASCAR and IMS owner Tony George got together to bring stock cars to the Brickyard.

The first time NASCAR rolled into the famed 2.5-mile track, Jarrett was as wide-eyed as a Chicago Cub fan seeing Wrigley Field for the first time.

Credit: Autostock

"I was totally in awe the first time," Jarrett said. "It was even better than a dream come true because I just never envisioned myself having the opportunity to get into a race car and be competing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was certainly bigger than life and an opportunity that I will always remember that was given me by NASCAR and Tony George and his family for allowing us to come there."

Gordon won the first race there, and Dale Earnhardt won the following year. One of the guys Earnhardt had to beat in 1995 was Jarrett, who ended up third. But the following year belonged to Jarrett, as did the 1999 race.

Since the victory in 1999, Jarrett seems to have lost the magic at Indy, for he hasn't finished higher than seventh. His Robert Yates Racing team is in a rebuilding mode, but Jarrett has said the team is getting closer.

A good test at the Brickyard has Jarrett confident. And don't forget, crew chief Mike Ford guided Bill Elliott to Victory Lane two years ago.

"We approach it in a way that we're coming there to win this weekend," Jarrett said. "We had an excellent test. We're bringing a car that we've had the most success with this year. It did great on the test, and I'm really excited about our chances.

"I look forward to the race for a lot of reasons. It's one of our biggest races. Everybody there just treats us fantastic and the fans just continue to support this race. That gives you just a great feeling about the weekend, and I feel that this is our opportunity because of the success we've had.

"I know what I need to feel in the car for us to have a chance and I know that our people have worked extremely hard in preparing this car and engines that will allow us to run up front for this weekend. So I'm excited and, hopefully, that excitement will carry us over to, if not a victory, to a really good finish."