The summer of 1999 brought an unforgettable duel to Michigan International Speedway. It was the International Race of Champions, better known as IROC. That day, two Earnhardts, Dale Sr. and Dale Jr., away from the NASCAR ovals, locked horns in a race that was more than just about speed. It was a battle between legacy and youth, experience and ambition. With ten laps to go, they broke away from the field, their battle tightening with every corner. On the very final lap, despite his father’s warning, who was monitoring him, Dale Jr made an aggressive move. He tried to pass Dale Sr, who bumped him and clinched the victory by a mere 0.007 seconds. It is still the closest victory margin in IROC history. That Michigan race didn’t just mark another Earnhardt win; it became a benchmark for family rivalry and motorsport storytelling. Now, decades later, the magic of IROC still lives on.

Even as the Formula 1 and NASCAR worlds seem miles apart, the anticipation for IROC’s 2025 comeback has united fans once again. And at the heart of this buzz is McLaren Racing CEO, and longtime Roger Penske rival, Zak Brown. This time, Brown isn’t just watching. He’s racing. And his opponent? None other than four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon.

On June 4, Zak Brown, the man behind McLaren Racing’s resurgence, posted a surprising update on X. “First drive in this legendary IROC winner raced by Cale Yarborough & Darrell Waltrip at my home track, Riverside International Raceway. Prepping for the Monterey Historics this August… and just found out I’ll be racing Jeff Gordon and other legends. Shoutout to Ray Evernham for reviving the series,” he wrote. With that, Brown confirmed what fans had been hoping. He also shared the video of his first drive in the iconic 1977 IROC Camaro.

Notably, he’s hitting the track at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this August, where the IROC legacy will roar once more. The event will take place from August 13–16 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s a legendary venue, known for the Corkscrew and its challenging elevation changes. Brown will be in a 1977 IROC Camaro once driven by legends like Yarborough, Waltrip, and even Hollywood names like Paul Newman. Notably, for the first time since 2006, the IROC competition is real again.

Meanwhile, Zak Brown may be more recognized today as an executive, but his past behind the wheel is just as serious. His racing career started in the late ’80s in karting. He picked up 22 race wins and three IKF titles before moving into open-wheel racing in Europe. The McLaren CEO also grabbed a GT win at Donington Park in 2012. Brown raced professionally until 2013, giving him nearly three decades of on-track experience. His return to the seat at Monterey is more than nostalgia, it’s a revival of his racing spirit. The man enabling this renaissance is Ray Evernham. Known as Jeff Gordon’s former crew chief and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, Evernham co-owns the IROC brand with Rob Kauffman.

Evernham’s dream is bold: a new generation of “non-denominational” race cars with no brand allegiance. That would let drivers from NASCAR, F1, and IndyCar compete without sponsor conflicts. But before that dream takes full shape, the two have been carefully planning IROC’s comeback, focusing on vintage events before relaunching full-competition races.

One such display was at Lime Rock in 2024. But now, the focus has shifted to 2025 and Monterey’s full-throttle revival. Notably, in the upcoming IROC event, apart from Zak Brown and Jeff Gordon, many other racing stars will participate. The list includes names of Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Ken Schrader, and Bobby Labonte, who are returning to the wheel in 2025. And speaking of Brown, he recently let slip a surprising backstory, one involving a “crazy idea,” dinner in China, and Fernando Alonso’s historic run at the Indy 500.

The Joke That Changed McLaren Forever

In 2017, McLaren was struggling in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso, one of the world’s best drivers, couldn’t do much with a slow car. Then came a dinner in China. Zak Brown, still new as McLaren CEO, blurted out a crazy idea. “Why don’t we pull Fernando out of Monaco and put him in the Indy 500?” he said. At first, it was just a joke. Brown even admitted later, “Everyone thought I was nuts. I kind of thought I was a bit nuts.”

But Alonso took him seriously. “Let’s do it,” he told Brown the next morning. That was all it took. Soon, Brown had lined up a deal with Andretti Autosport and Honda. Alonso skipped Monaco and went to Indianapolis. He wasn’t just there to show up; he led laps and looked like a contender until an engine failure ruined his shot. Still, the impact was huge. The move changed how McLaren approached racing.

It sparked a wave of bold decisions, launching a full-time IndyCar team, entering Formula E, and even off-road racing. Now in 2025, McLaren’s got NASCAR’s Kyle Larson running the Indy 500. And it all started with one wild idea at dinner. “It was huge news… Then he came up the next morning and went, ‘Let’s do it.’ I was like, ‘Oh man, I’ve gotta figure out how to put this together,’” Brown said. That one joke? It turned into McLaren’s rebirth and Alonso’s place in Indy 500 lore.