WATCH: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. momentarily held the track record at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

In 2004, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a record-setting qualifier. Three drivers broke the track record that year. Dale Earnhardt Jr. set the pace, followed closely by Ward Burton and Casey Mears. Ultimately, Casey Mears won the pole position for the race.

The 2004 edition of the Brickyard 400, the 11th run of the event, took place on August 8th. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won the race that extended to 161 laps, one more than scheduled due to a green-white-checker finish. Held at the 2.5-mile speedway, the race marked the 21st round of the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season.

During the qualifying rounds of the race, for the first time ever, three drivers shattered the track record at Indianapolis. Dale Earnhardt Jr. started by setting a lap time of 48.657 seconds at 184.968 mph. Not to be outdone, Ward Burton soon topped that with a lap of 48.54 seconds, reaching speeds of 185.39 mph. Casey Mears then went a step further, clocking in at 48.31 seconds with a speed of 186.293 mph.

Despite this strong start and qualifying in third place, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ultimately finished the race in 27th place.

That season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had already won at Daytona, Atlanta and Richmond in the regular season before heading to Indianapolis. After the Brickyard 400 race, he continued his winning streak later in the year with additional victories at Bristol, Talladega and Phoenix, ending the season fifth on the overall standings.

While his father, Dale Earnhardt, secured his first Brickyard 400 win back in 1995, Dale Earnhardt Jr. never managed to win the race in his career.

---

What to expect in the upcoming race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

Since its inception in 1919, the Indianapolis 500 stood as the lone sanctioned event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway until the introduction of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series’ Brickyard 400 in August 1994. The event not only drew the largest crowd but also the biggest cash purse in NASCAR history at the time.

Fast forward to now, the track poses different challenges for the drivers. Known for its rectangular 2.5-mile oval shape with two 1000-meter straights, the track will test skill and strategy as it will be the first time Next Gen cars compete on this historic oval since NASCAR's last visit in 2020 when Kevin Harvick won the race.

The Brickyard 400 race might level the playing field, bringing potential surprises, especially from drivers well-versed in handling Next Gen cars like William Byron. Yet, seasoned racers with strong track records here - like Joey Logano with an average finish of 10.8, Brad Keselowski at 12.9 and Kyle Larson at 18 - remain formidable contenders.

Moreover, with Denny Hamlin still chasing his first Brickyard 400 victory, Indianapolis will offer him a prime opportunity to finally make his mark.