The inaugural Brickyard 400 was held in 1994 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and 23-year-old Jeff Gordon won the race in only his second full-time season.
Gordon went on to win the Brickyard 400 five different times, but he said that first win in the inaugural event changed his life forever.
The 1994 #Brickyard400 is the race that changed @JeffGordonWeb's life. #TBT #NASCAR #RaceHub @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/0UEDKhIKp8
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 20, 2017
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"The emotions started sinking in," Gordon said. "It was just flooding in as I was crossing the start/finish line. ... It changed my life forever. Who would have thought that a kid that lived in Pittsboro, Indiana before going to NASCAR would end up getting the trophy and pulling into Victory Lane that day?"
That win was only the beginning of Gordon's historic NASCAR career. He won three championships over the next five seasons and four championships overall.
Gordon racked up 97 wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series throughout his career, but that win at the inaugural Brickyard 400 will be the race is the one that put him on the scene and sparked his prestigious career.
(h/t For The Win)