Brickyard Weekend Celebrates 30 Years with Return to Oval

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is returning to its stock car roots during Brickyard Weekend, as the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to the famed oval for the first time in four years.

NASCAR conducted annual races on the 2.5-mile oval from the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994 through 2000, with the Xfinity Series joining the Cup Series for a doubleheader weekend starting in 2012. In 2021, both series moved to the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course, running a left-and-right-turn tripleheader with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES from 2021-23.

SEE: Brickyard Weekend Ticket Information

But this year, in the 30th anniversary of the annual NASCAR crown jewel event, both series will return to the asphalt where legends were made, such as Jeff Gordon winning the inaugural in 1994 en route to a record five Brickyard victories, and burnished, such as Dale Earnhardt’s memorable win in 1995, Tony Stewart’s two emotional home state victories in 2005 and 2007, and Jimmie Johnson’s four wins.

The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG for the Cup Series is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday, while the Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts is set for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

This weekend marks more than just a change of circuit for the NASCAR Cup Series at IMS. It’s also the oval debut at IMS of the Next Gen car, which was introduced in 2022. The car is more nimble than previous versions of NASCAR’s top stock car but also has less downforce, which should lead to more passing and side-by-side racing on the oval.

That could lead to more uncertainty when trying to predict a winner. But if the form chart from the previous 27 races on the oval hold form, there’s a good chance a Cup Series champion will hold the winner’s trophy aloft on the Victory Podium on Sunday afternoon at IMS.

Winners of 22 of the 27 previous Brickyard 400 races on the oval were Cup Series champions. That list includes legends Gordon, Earnhardt, Stewart, Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Bill Elliott and Bobby Labonte.

Five drivers who have won Cup titles enter Sunday’s 160-lap race seeking their first Brickyard 400 victory – reigning season champion Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr.

Hendrick Motorsports has won a record 10 Brickyard 400s, twice as many as any other team. Larson, Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman will attempt to extend that legacy of success at IMS for team owner Rick Hendrick, who is leading the field to the green flag Sunday as the honorary Pace Car driver.

Winners of Cup Series events on the road course didn’t have that same championship pedigree. AJ Allmendinger (2021), Tyler Reddick (2022) and Michael McDowell (2023) have never won a Cup season title, and they have 11 Cup Series wins between them.

But those road course wins did give Allmendinger, Reddick and McDowell a chance at a unique distinction Sunday – the first Cup Series driver to win on the IMS road course and oval.

Another interesting angle to this weekend is the return of Larson to the oval for the second time this year. He was named Rookie of the Year in the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after qualifying fifth and finishing 18th in an Arrow McLaren-Hendrick Motorsports entry.

While the return to the oval is a major storyline this weekend at IMS, the race to earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs also is at full boil at the Racing Capital of the World. Sixteen drivers comprise NASCAR’s postseason, with race winners and the reigning series champion earning spots and any remaining spots filled based on positions in points.

Ross Chastain clings to the 16th and final spot in the standings, with Bubba Wallace in 17th, 27 points back. Indiana native Chase Briscoe is 18th driving for Stewart-Haas Racing – co-owned by two-time Brickyard winner Stewart – and could gain ground on a playoff spot with a strong performance Sunday.

Larson won’t be the only Indianapolis 500 driver from May to compete in stock cars this weekend at IMS.

Eleven-time Indy 500 starter and Indianapolis-area native Conor Daly will race in the Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts for Sam Hunt Racing. It will be Daly’s third career Xfinity Series start and his first at his hometown track.

Ty Gibbs won the Xfinity Series race last year on the road course but only is racing in the Brickyard 400 this year. Allmendinger won the Xfinity Series road race in 2022 at IMS and is entered this year, trying to become the first Xfinity driver to win on the oval and road course at the Racing Capital of the World.

Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information about Brickyard Weekend.

BRICKYARD WEEKEND ON-TRACK SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)

Friday, July 19

Saturday, July 20

Sunday, July 21