Why should a NASCAR fan or, for that matter any motor racing fan, go to watch a
Formula One race such as the United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 20?
Four-time NASCAR champion and three-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon, who has driven a
F1 car, says the race is a spectacle not to be missed.
"If they want to see the most technically advanced car that exists, and a car that can accelerate and brake and go through the corners faster than anything that is humanly possible in your mind, then go and see a F1 race," Gordon said. "To me, just that in itself is very exciting. The drivers are phenomenal, as well.
"But don't go expecting a NASCAR race. It's not the same. It's totally different. Our cars are really the exact opposite. We are limited on all of our technology to keep the costs down (and) to keep the competition closer."
On June 11, 2003, Gordon got a chance to drive a F1 car when he climbed behind the wheel of
Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams-
BMW in the "Tradin' Paint" day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Montoya, winner of the 2000 Indianapolis 500, drove Gordon's DuPont Chevrolet NASCAR racer.
Gordon's face still breaks into a wide, enthusiastic smile when he recalls the phenomenal performance of the Williams-BMW that he drove around the 2.605-mile (4.192 km), 13-turn Indianapolis F1 circuit.
"I am still talking about it," Gordon said. "That was a real (chance of) a lifetime for me, and for it to be televised on Speed was even better because I get to relive it over and over again. To have that in-car camera and to see that I was actually driving a F1 car, one of the best F1 cars out there was just... I can't even put it into words how to describe that."
The Tradin' Paint car swap led to Gordon and his Hendrick Racing teammate Jimmie Johnson being invited to attend the 2004 Spanish Grand Prix on May 7-9 as guests of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team and Montoya.
![Jeff Gordon gives Juan Pablo Montoya a few tips on how to drive his NASCAR Chevrolet Monte Carlo [Pic credit: BMW]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/58256.jpg )
