Five NASCAR Legends Running IROC at Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte, Ken Schrader, and Mark Martin will compete in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway in August, as part of the IROC Race Group.

Jeff Gordon will be among five NASCAR legends to compete in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway in August, as part of the IROC Race Group. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Five of the most legendary names in NASCAR have been confirmed to compete in the IROC Race Group at the 2025 Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway in mid-August.

Those committed include Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, and Bill Elliott. They’ll be a part of the IROC Race Group in addition to NTT IndyCar Series legend Danny Sullivan, and expert road course racer Scott Pruett.

Ray Evernham, the co-owner of IROC and a long-time crew chief for Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, is excited to reunite the historic vehicles with many of their original drivers at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway.

“I think this is the first time several of these drivers, including Jeff Gordon, have raced at Laguna Seca, and to do so during the renowned Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is something I know they will enjoy,” said Evernham. “I’m also excited to give fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with our drivers and the incredible group of IROC cars that will be on display.”

Zak Brown and Bruce Canepa may have a small advantage on the field of living legends, just because of their experience around the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. Brown recently acquired the 1977 Chevrolet IROC Camaro driven by Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Alan Jones, Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, James Brolin, and Paul Newman. Canepa will be driving a Dodge Avenger driven by Dale Earnhardt, George Follmer, Emerson Fittipaldi, Richard Petty, and several other legends.

“I’m so pumped that they’re bringing back the iconic IROC series, when we used to be able to answer the question of who the best of was the best! Can’t wait to get it out on the track,” Brown announced on social media.

Jeff Gordon is a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, who throughout his 30-year career competed at just about every single circuit. At NASCAR’s top-level Gordon secured 93 wins, the third-most all-time, and 477 top-10 finishes. Now, the California-born driver serves as the Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.

Mark Martin was another popular name in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series throughout the 1990s and 2000s, amassing 40 victories – the majority of which came from car owner Jack Roush and Roush Racing. Martin is an inductee in the 2015 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the 2017 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Bobby Labonte is still driving racecars, competing part-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion will get back behind the wheel of an IROC vehicle to defend his championship in the series in 2001. During his NASCAR career, the younger of the Labonte brothers amassed 21 victories at NASCAR’s top-level.

Bill Elliott was one of NASCAR’s Most Popular Drivers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, amassing 44 victories and the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. Elliott was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998, and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2007.

Ken Schrader may not have been known for his overwhelming success in NASCAR’s National Series, scoring four NASCAR Cup Series wins, but he’s well-known (even to this day) for his versatility. With a NASCAR Canada Series win on the dirt in 2023, he became the oldest winner of a NASCAR-sanctioned event.

In addition to this highly rated group of drivers, Al Unser, Jr. will represent the legendary Unser family as the honorary pace car driver for the event.

The IROC compound will be inside the paddock, so that fans can enjoy a walk-through history under one tent and talk to owners and drivers in an open and friendly environment. “We want to engage with fans and make their visit one to remember,” Evernham added.

IROC’s race group is one of 14 race groups to be featured at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which is dedicated to celebrating authentic and historic race cars from the past.