Paul Menard claims his first career win at the Brickyard 400

Paul Menard and team celebrate after kissing the bricks.
Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

The ending of the Brickyard 400 tends to be memorable every year and today was no different.  Fuel mileage played into the ending but Paul Menard and crew chief Slugger Labbe were willing to gamble, their gamble resulted in the jackpot, a win at the Brickyard. Menard ended with enough gas to hold off Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray who were making the late race charge.


Early in the race Kasey Kahne was dominant, leading 48 laps. Jeff Gordon also showed why he is a multiple winner at IMS, leading a total of 4 times and for a combined 36 laps.


The race all changed at lap 121 when Landon Cassill and David Ragan made contact trying to battle four wide for position. Cassill spun, many drivers went through the grass to avoid the wreck and that resulted in grass on the grille of their cars. Several cars, including points leader Carl Edwards, had to make multiple pits stops to repair damage sustained from avoiding the incident.


Menard is the first driver to win his first career race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is the fourth  different first-time winner this season, the most since 2007.


“This is for my dad” Menard said in Victory Lane, honoring his father and his support of racing through his Menard’s sponsorship. "I've been coming here since I was a little kid, and my dad's been trying to win here for 35 years," said Menard, speaking in reference to his father John, who has been in racing as both a team owner and sponsor as well.


"There's a lot of emotion. I can't believe we won Indy. This is big."


Race results:

1. Paul Menard
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Regan Smith
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Tony Stewart
7. Greg Biffle
8. Mark Martin
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Kyle Busch
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Ryan Newman
13. Clint Bowyer
14. Carl Edwards
15. Brian Vickers
16. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
17. Bobby Labonte
18. Kasey Kahne
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Landon Cassill
21. Kurt Busch
22. A.J. Allmendinger
23. David Ragan
24. Martin Truex Jr.
25. Joey Logano
26. Andy Lally
27. Denny Hamlin
28. Juan Pablo Montoya
29. Casey Mears
30. Trevor Bayne
31. Dave Blaney
32. Mike Bliss
33. David Gilliland
34. Marcos Ambrose
35. Jeff Burton
36. David Reutimann
37. Michael McDowell
38. Joe Nemechek
39. Scott Speed
40. Mike Skinner
41. Terry Labonte
42. T.J. Bell
43. Robby Gordon