Legendary Drivers Take Part In IROC Goodyear Tire Test At Ten Tenths

Ahead of the 2026 Heritage Invitational at Ten Tenths Motor Club, scheduled for April 9-11, IROC held a Goodyear tire test at the facility in Concord, North Carolina, on Monday. On hand for the test were some legendary drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series champions Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Bobby Labonte, who logged a lot of laps around the track.

While it was just a test session, Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, admits things got competitive in the afternoon portion of the session as he and Gordon went out onto the track for what he believed was going to be a photo opportunity.

"And Jeff, I thought we were just going to do a little photo stunt, and he drops the hammer. It's like, 'Oh, I've got to go,' it turned into a semi-race out there," Busch quipped.

That's just the competitive spirit that IROC brings out in drivers.

Even though the IROC brand lay dormant from 2006 until Ray Evernham and Rob Kauffman acquired the name and began rebuilding the legacy, beginning with a 2024 exhibition event at Lime Rock Park, Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2001 IROC Series champion, says that he still holds his IROC championship trophy in high regard.

“I have that trophy in my house," said Labonte. "There’s not a lot of trophies in my house, but my IROC trophy’s in there.”

Gordon remembers what it was like receiving his first invitation to compete in the original IROC Series, and the feels he had seeing the legendary names he was lined up against in the race. To see IROC making a comeback, makes Gordon proud to be a part of it.

"I got fortunate to get that invite and be a part of IROC, you know, with my own career," Gordon stated. "It’s just amazing, every time we’d line up and take the green. You just can’t believe the names that you’re seeing on the cars and who you’re racing against. The best of the best. It just makes it a lot of fun and exciting. And so now, there's just history behind that. And to see it re-emerge, I mean, IROC is a brand in its own self. Cars were named after it, you know? So, it's awesome to see it coming back, and to be a part of it."

For fans looking to be a part of the re-emergence of IROC, they can purchase tickets for the Heritage Invitational at the official event website, heritageinvitational.com/tickets.

While drivers are subject to change, Mark Martin and Ken Schrader are currently slated to join Labonte, Gordon, and Busch on track in the IROC event at the Heritage Invitational.

In addition to the IROC event, a lot of other on-track action will be featured during the three-day event, including Vintage Indy exhibitions, a celebrity Pro-Am race, and the Heritage Invitational Concours featuring significant cars that highlight the history, artistry and innovation of the automobile and the community around the machines.