There are only three former winners in the field of the crown jewel event.
With only three active winners in the field, Indianapolis Motor Speedway stands a good chance of featuring a new face in victory lane of the 29th Brickyard 400.
Among the favorites to kiss the bricks for the first time is Denny Hamlin, who is coming off his series-high fourth victory this season at Dover Motor Speedway.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver leads the Cup Series with seven wins in crown jewel races (Daytona 500, Southern 500, Brickyard 400, Coca-Cola 600) and would become the fifth driver to complete the grand slam with a win at Indy.
Joey Logano also is seeking his first win on the 2.5-mile oval with Team Penske, which has a record 20 victories in the Indy 500.
William Byron, whose average finish of 25.33 over the past six races ranks 31st in Cup, will seek to snap his slump by becoming the first since Jamie McMurray (2010) to win the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same season.
Defending race winner, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski are the former Brickyard 400 winners who will race Sunday.
Among other notables in the 39-driver field, Katherine Legge will become the 21st driver to start the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400.
In the finale to the inaugural In Season Challenge, 32nd-seeded Ty Dillon will face No. 6 seed Ty Gibbs. The highest finisher will earn $1 million.
Details for Sunday’s Brickyard 400 Cup race at Indianapolis
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given at 2:08 p.m. ... The green flag is scheduled to wave at 2:20 p.m.
PRERACE: The Cup garage will open at 11 a.m. ... Driver introductions are at 1:25 p.m. ... The national anthem will be performed at 2:01 p.m. by Sergeant First Class Ronald Walker, Indiana National Guard.
DISTANCE: The race is 160 laps (400 miles) on the 2.5-mile oval in Indianapolis, Indiana.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 50. Stage 2 ends at Lap 100.
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 39 cars entered at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
TV/RADIO: TNT will broadcast the race starting at 1 p.m. ... SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage.
FORECAST: WeatherUnderground — Partly cloudy with a high of 89 degrees and winds from the south to southwest at 5 to 10 mph and a 50% chance of rain. It's expected to be 87 degrees with an 18% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.
LAST TIME: Kyle Larson led the final seven laps to win the July 21, 2024 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, less than two months after his Indy 500 debut.
Category: General Sports
