"I love it when my worlds collide": Fans react as WWE star Cody Rhodes follows the iconic IndyCar tradition ahead of the Royal Rumble

IndyCar fans were elated to see WWE star Cody Rhodes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway carrying out the famous tradition of kissing the Yard of Bricks ahead of his much awaited clash with Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble this weekend.

The tradition began in 1996 when NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett and crew chief Todd Parrott decided to walk out to the start-finish line, kneel and kiss the Yard of Bricks to pay tribute to the history of the IMS. Since then, it has become an iconic tradition for drivers in both IndyCar and NASCAR.

A video posted on X by @Hickey93 on Saturday showed Cody Rhodes kneeling down and kissing the bricks, much to the amusement of the small crowd around him. The American could be heard saying:

"That's what you do. That's pretty dope. Thank you so much."

For fans who follow both IndyCar, WWE, and Cody Rhodes, this was a moment of alternate realities clashing and many took to social media to express their delight, with one fan writing:

"I love it when my worlds collide."

"That's so cool!"

"Whoa Oh Oh 🇺🇸💀🏎️," another fan wrote.

One fan was not too happy with Cody Rhodes though, as they wrote:

"Please folks always remember YOU NEVER KISS THE BRICKS UNTIL YOU WIN ON THOSE BRICKS. This is sad that we should think a WWE star is worthy of kissing those bricks. @DaleJarrett started this tradition in 1996. He won over those red bricks - CR [Cody Rhodes] didnt. - Stop it . He never raced."

"Racing has more then 1 royal family," another fan wrote.

"Dale Jarrett and Todd Parrot started a trend that’ll be going for 100s of years," another fan wrote.

Kissing the Yard of Bricks has become a huge tradition since 1996 and has turned into a tourist attaction not only amongst IndyCar fans, but also for many tourists visiting Indianapolis.

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WWE wrestlers joined Make-A-Wish families on a tour of Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Cody Rhodes and other WWE stars at a Make-A-Wish kids event in 2023 - Source: Getty

Five WWE Superstars hosted several Make-A-Wish children and their families at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as per WTHR. The wrestlers joined the kids and their families on a tour of IMS on Friday.

The tour also allowed the kids to check out the Borg-Warner Trophy and an IndyCar show car.

Danisha Pearman was one of the family members who attended this tour. She expressed her gratitude to the WWE stars, saying (via WTHR):

"They could've chosen any other kids, but they allow my kids to do this, so it's really, really heartfelt and I'm just grateful for it."

"I'm grateful he's able to get the experience, I'm grateful that they took the time to speak to him and ask him what his wish was," she added.

Make-A-Wish is a foundation that grants wishes to children diagnosed with serious illnesses. WWE has partnered with the organization for over 40 years.

The wrestlers joined the tour on Friday prior to the commencement of a weekend of WWE action in Indianapolis, starting with Friday Night Smackdown and leading into the Royal Rumble on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.