NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Could Conquer the 30th Anniversary Brickyard 400?
After three years off the schedule, the Brickyard 400 makes a triumphant return to NASCAR this weekend. Sunday celebrates the 30th anniversary of stock cars’ maiden trip around the famed track. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is finally back in all its rightful glory. There has been one major change since this crown jewel’s last running in 2020 however. The Next Gen Car has radically redefined the Cup Series and its frontrunners. Making its IMS debut, who can cap off the racing return to the famed oval in victory lane?
Denny Hamlin
Three times a Daytona 500 Champion and Southern 500 winner, and with a Coca-Cola 600 to boot, Denny Hamlin is no stranger to success on racing’s biggest stages. One crown jewel win has evaded him in 15 past starts however–kissing the bricks at Indy. His best Brickyard finish of third has come three times before. There is no single race more meaningful to the 11 team than Indy. Already a future Hall of Famer, Hamlin wants to further cement his legacy with this milestone.
“It certainly will be a track position-type racetrack,” Hamlin said. “It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be wild on restarts. I think you’ll have restarts very similar to Pocono where guys are trying to fit in spots that are not there. And you’re talking about a track that is even narrower than what Pocono is. Indy is one lane, not one and a half. We all know being on the outside is not going to be preferred. So you’re going to want to be on the bottom. What’s going to happen is we’re going to go down these long straightaways and everyone is going to try to go three-wide bottom. You’re probably going to see a lot of wrecks late if there are restarts to bunch us up.”
Coming into Indy weekend, Hamlin is listed as the odds on favorite. Hamlin had this race in command in 2020, until a late blown tire handed the win to Kevin Harvick. Trying to avenge that tough loss, Hamlin should be on kill to check this box off his winless list.
Kyle Larson
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Kyle Larson already have a very up and down 2024 history. Making his Indy 500 debut in May, Larson started fifth and appeared as a contender. A pit road speeding penalty relegated the McLaren rookie to a dismal 18th-place run, however. Larson was sadly unable to complete the second leg of the Memorial Day Double. His paint scheme this weekend will honor that attempt though in a unique callback.
“Fans were really excited for this design to run back in May (at Charlotte Motor Speedway), and I was too,” Larson said. “Justin (Allgaier) did a great job driving the car. But with all the build-up and merch and everything around it, I asked HendrickCars.com if we could run it this weekend at Indianapolis and give the fans a chance to see me drive it. I’m grateful they agreed. Excited to get to run the scheme to say thanks to the fans for all the support.”
On the NASCAR side, Larson’s best Indy oval result was fifth in 2016. The Hendrick No. 5 nearly matches Hamlin blow for blow on a weekly basis in speed. Larson should be right in the 11’s tire tracks chasing down this win. Larson’s crown jewel résumé includes a Coke 600 and a Southern 500. 2024 allows another chance to add IMS hardware to his trophy case.
Ryan Blaney
November 2019 saw Roger Penske become the man in charge of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the five years since, ‘The Captain’ has won two Indianapolis 500s. He now has another chance at the Brickyard 400. Defending Cup Series champion and last week’s winner Ryan Blaney may have the best shot at delivering Penske a win on his turf.
“You definitely always want to make cool weekends,” Blaney said. “We’ve had the pleasure of sweeping last year at Indy 500 and the 600 with Josef (Newgarden), and Josef winning again this year at the 500. I think it was the 20th 500 for RP. Now we have a unique opportunity to go and sweep Indianapolis for him with INDYCAR and NASCAR. That’s a special deal. That is the one we have circled. We don’t even talk about it in our camp. You know that is a huge one for RP. It is full speed ahead for Indy.”
Pocono Raceway has played as a preview for Indianapolis throughout multiple past generations of racecar. Will the Next Gen Car see this trend repeat and Blaney earn back-to-back wins?
Brad Keselowski
One driver has gifted Roger Penske a Brickyard 400 win–Brad Keselowski. He’s also one of only two drivers in Sunday’s race to kiss the bricks before. This kicked off a run of Fords winning the last three Brickyard 400s. RFK Racing hopes to keep this streak alive. Keselowski was fourth in his last outing on the oval, and has reason to be seen as a favorite again.
The No. 6 Mustang paced the field for 39 laps a week ago at Pocono. Despite early season struggles, Fords have come to play in recent weeks. Five of the last nine wins for the blue oval have manufacturer parity nearing an all-time high. Should Keselowski sniff the lead late, the crafty veteran may head home with another brick.
Chase Elliott
Across 27 past Brickyard 400s, there has never been a father-son duo go to victory lane. That may change in the 30th anniversary running with Chase Elliott. His Hall of Fame father Bill won Indianapolis in 2002, with a six-year-old Chase in victory lane. Already matching many of his father’s career accolades, Chase wants to join Bill on the list of Brickyard winners.
“That’s so tough because they are all a big deal,” Elliott said on crown jewel wins. “The one that is more meaningful to me is the Brickyard, just because I was old enough when my dad won to just very vaguely remember a few little things about it, and then to be in the photos and whatnot I thought was really cool. That one really hits closest to home for me, personally.”
If not for a late pit road speeding penalty, Chase Elliott may have been a decider in Pocono last week. Speed was very evident in Engine No. 9, rallying back to a ninth-place finish. Elliott’s best Indy result was also ninth; the 9 may be a few steps higher this weekend.
Joey Logano
Leading Team Penske to two Cup Series titles, one of very few accomplishments not owned by Joey Logano is the Brickyard 400. Driver 22 has been second here in two of the last five runnings, close enough to taste the bricks. As stated above, speed found by Fords in recent weeks gives optimism in the 22 camp. Standout flat track pace has them eyeing a maiden victory on their boss’ track.
Looking to peak in perfect time for the Playoffs, an Indy win may springboard Logano to another championship run.
Jeff Gordon solidified his racing legacy with a breakthrough inaugural Brickyard 400 win. Three decades later, another driver aims to add their name to this exclusive club. The 30th anniversary Brickyard 400 goes green Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the IMS Radio Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Much like that warm August afternoon in 1994, one driver will live on in racing history as the first Next Gen driver across the yard of bricks.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Jamie Squire/Getty Images
