NASCAR
Can the Big 3 Be Contenders in Regular Season Finale at Indianapolis?
Race 26 of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season is a major turning point in the year. This weekend marks the Regular Season finale. The Playoff field will also be set at a new location for this race. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is this venue, for the 25th annual Brickyard 400. With the Regular Season defined by 3 drivers winning most of the races, can 1 of the Big 3 win at Indy?
Regular Season in Review for the Big 3
Through 25 races so far in 2018, the trio of Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr have won 17 times. These Big 3 drivers are all leading the points standings as well as the provisional Playoff seeding. Kyle Busch leads the standings with 6 wins, even though Harvick has him beat with 7 checkered flags. Truex rounds out the Big 3 with 4 victories as the defending champ. However, it has been 2 races since any of the Big 3 have won. This is the longest winless streak for the Big 3 all season long. Which of them has the best chance to win at Indianapolis?
Kevin Harvick
In terms of outright speed and performance from the 4 team this year, Harvick has to be a favorite to kiss the bricks at Indy. In 17 starts at the Brickyard, Harvick has 1 win, although it was back in 2003. He also has 11 top 10s at Indy, which includes each of the last 4 years. Expect Harvick to be a very strong car this weekend, as he looks for his record 8th win of 2018.
Kyle Busch
Perhaps nobody has been more consistent or fast at any track in the past 3 years than Kyle Busch at Indianapolis. Winner of the Brickyard 400 in 2015 and 2016, Busch has led 255 laps at the Brickyard in the past 3 years. If not for a late race wreck from the lead last year, Busch could potentially have 3 straight Indianapolis wins. As the current points leader by 39 markers over Harvick, Busch will likely clinch the Regular Season Championship at Indy. The 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota should be one of the cars to beat this weekend. His track record at Indy is simply remarkable, especially in recent years.
Martin Truex Jr
The only member of the Big 3 without a Brickyard 400 win, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hit or miss for Martin Truex Jr. In 13 Brickyard starts, Truex only has 3 top 10s, with a best finish of 4th in 2015. The incident that took Kyle Busch out of contention for the win last year was started by Truex. The 18 and 78 Toyotas were both racing hard on a restart that saw them both wreck in turn 1. Based on 2018 results, Truex should be a top 5 car in terms of speed alone. Although, with this week’s news regarding Furniture Row Racing, Truex’s Indy performance could be at either end of the spectrum.
The Big 3 drivers are all favorites for the Brickyard 400 win on Sunday. These past champions have all either had wins or strong performances in recent years at Indy. Conventional wisdom would out them at the top of prerace picks. However, if this Brickyard 400 is anything like a year ago, then the list of potential winners is wide open.
Photo credit to Racing Guimaraes via Flickr
