For the first time since Kevin Harvick capped consecutive Brickyard 400 victories in 2020, NASCAR Cup Series drivers will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for Sunday’s event, the 30th anniversary of the circuit’s debut at the 2.5-mile track.
The past three Cup races were staged at IMS’ road course.
One part-time competitor should overjoyed with the move. Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time series champion, secured four trips to Victory Lane over a seven-race span at the Brickyard. Johnson’s first win at Indy came in 2006.
After overcoming the tire controversy in 2008 and outlasting Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin by 0.400 seconds in ‘09, Johnson’s streak ended after leading 99 of 160 laps in ‘12.
Johnson has long odds (+30000) to reclaim his past glory during the Cup’s return to the oval.
Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s Brickyard 400 Presented By PPG, go over the odds, and give our best bets for the 22nd race on the 2024 NASCAR schedule.
Winning the #Brickyard400 is no easy feat. But that’s what makes it so special.#NASCAR | @JimmieJohnson pic.twitter.com/jQqhQcfMcX
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) July 16, 2024
Brickyard 400 Storylines
- Ty Gibbs should start feeling postseason pressure. Still seeking his first Cup win, the second-year driver started from the pole at Pocono, but finished P27, exiting with a leaking engine. Gibbs remains 67 points above the playoff elimination line, but the questions resumed: When will Gibbs visit Victory Lane?
- How will the young drivers handle the laps around the iconic IMS track? Most have only competed on the venue’s road course. Todd Gilliland, like Gibbs, has yet to register an oval rotation, but can take refuge that Front Row Motorsports earned the last Cup win at the track.
- Bubba Wallace earned a P10 at Pocono and trails Ross Chastain by 27 points for the final non-guaranteed playoff spot. With five regular-season races remaining, will Wallace maintain enough on-track composure to make a serious run?
P10 at Pocono, we’ll take it. Congrats brother @Blaney 👊🏾 pic.twitter.com/BsbaZmbKkh
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) July 14, 2024
Brickyard 400 Odds
Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, according to BetOnline Sportsbook:
| Driver | NASCAR Cup Series’ Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG Odds |
Play |
|---|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +400 |  |
| Kyle Larson | +600 | |
| Ryan Blaney | +750 | |
| Brad Keselowski | +800 | |
| Chase Elliott | +1000 | |
| William Byron | +1000 | |
| Christopher Bell | +1200 | |
| Martin Truex Jr. | +1200 | |
| Tyler Reddick | +1200 | |
| Joey Logano | +1400 | |
| Ty Gibbs | +1600 | |
| Chris Buescher | +1600 | |
| Alex Bowman | +2800 | |
| Bubba Wallace | +2800 | |
| Ross Chastain | +3300 | |
| Kyle Busch | +3300 | |
| Josh Berry | +4000 | |
| Austin Cindric | +5000 | |
| Erik Jones | +6600 | |
| Daniel Suarez | +8000 | |
| Noah Gragson | +10000 | |
| Michael McDowell | +10000 | |
| Carson Hocevar | +10000 | |
| Chase Briscoe | +15000 | |
| AJ Allmendinger | +15000 | |
| Todd Gilliland | +15000 | |
| John Hunter Nemechek | +20000 | |
| Justin Haley | +25000 | |
| Austin Dillon | +25000 | |
| Zane Smith | +25000 | |
| Ryan Preece | +30000 | |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +30000 | |
| Corey LaJoie | +30000 | |
| Ty Dillon | +30000 | |
| Jimmie Johnson | +30000 | |
| Harrison Burton | +50000 | |
| Daniel Hemric | +100000 | |
| Cody Ware | +100000 | |
| BJ McLeod | +100000 | |
*Odds current at time of publication
Brickyard 400 Predictions and Picks
Here are our best NASCAR bets for the Brickyard 400 Presented By PPG at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
Denny Hamlin (+400)
Registering his first top-10 finish in five outings at Pocono, Hamlin earned a stage win and trails points leader Chase Elliott by 20 points. Before the Next Gen era, Hamlin registered a P6 or better in five of his past seven appearances at IMS. He enters Sunday as the race favorite.
Joey Logano (+1400)
If experience counts, Logano should have an upper hand against many of the younger pilots. In 12 previous outings at IMS, the two-time series champion compiled four top-fives and eight top-10s.
Kyle Busch (+3300)
A trip back to IMS could be what a struggling Busch needs. In 16 Cup appearances, Busch collected two wins and 12 top-10s and amassed 324 laps led at the iconic track. For the season, Busch ranks 18th in the points standings and has not registered a top-five finish since Dover on April 28.
Outside of a series championship, a #Brickyard400 victory is the only other thing missing from @dennyhamlin‘s resume.
Keep an eye on him next weekend, because he wants this one bad.#NASCAR | @JoeGibbsRacinghttps://t.co/qf0HC6yPfv
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) July 13, 2024
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