What’s Happening?

For the first time since 2020, the NASCAR Cup Series prepares to take on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Here is everything you need to know as the stars of NASCAR get set to take on the “Racing Capital of the World.”

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• Built in 1909, the NASCAR Cup Series didn’t come to Indianapolis until 1994 with the first Brickyard 400. While the race quickly became a “Crown Jewel”, it fell off throughout the 2010s thanks to declining attendance and a lackluster racing product, all spurred on by a diastrous 2008 race due to tire issues. NASCAR moved the weekend to the infield road course from 2021 through 2023, but they are set to return to the oval for the 2024 season.
• The Xfinity Series joins the Cup Series on the oval this weekend. Meanwhile, the ARCA Menards Series and Craftsman Truck Series takes on the nearby Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park short track in Brownsburg.
• Fans have been anticipating this weekend since it was announced in the fall of 2023. It’s the return of a “Crown Jewel” event, and it’s the first time the “Next-Gen” cars will take on Indianapolis.

Weekend TV Schedule (All Times ET)

Friday, July 19th – ARCA/Truck Series RACE

• 1:05-1:55 PM – Xfinity Series Practice at IMS on NBC Sports App
• 1:30-3:30 PM – ARCA Menards Series Practice/Qualfying at IRP (NO TV)
• 2:35-3:25 PM – Cup Series Practice at IMS on NBC Sports App (Also Available on IMS Radio Network)
• 3:30-5:00 PM – Truck Series Practice/Qualifying at IRP on FS1
• 5:00-5:30 PM – NASCAR Race Hub Presents: Best of Radioactive, Truck Series on FS1
• 5:30 PM – ARCA Menards Series Circle City 200 at IRP on FS1
• ~7:30-8:30 PM – NASCAR Race Hub Presents: Best of Radioactive on FS1
• 8:30 PM – Truck Series TSport 200 at IRP on FS1

Saturday, July 20th – Xfinity Series RACE (All Activity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

• 12:00-1:00 PM – Xfinity Series Qualifying on USA
• 1:00-2:30 PM – Cup Series Qualifying on USA
• 2:30-3:00 PM – Cup Series Victory Lany Review on USA
• 3:00-3:30 PM – Xfinity Series Countdown to Green on USA
• 3:30 PM – Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 on USA

Sunday, July 21st – Cup Series RACE (All Activity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

• 2:00-2:30 PM – Cup Series Countdown to Green on NBC
• 2:30 PM – Cup Series Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG on NBC

Race Facts

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

• Year Built: 1961
• Length: 0.686 Miles
• Shape: Oval
• Banking: 12 Degrees in Turns; 2 Degrees on Straightaways
• Surface: Asphalt
• Lights?: Yes
• Rain Tires?: Yes

ARCA Menards Series

• Race Length: 200 Laps (137.2 Miles)
• 2023 Winner: Jesse Love
• Former IRP Winners in the Field: None

Truck Series

• Race Length: 200 Laps (137.2 Miles)
• Stages: 60 Laps (Stages 1 and 2), 80 Laps (Stage 3)
• Purse: $672,492
• 2023 Winner: Ty Majeski
• Former IRP Winners in the Field: Ty Majeski (2023) and Grant Enfinger (2022)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Year Built: 1909
• Length: 2.5 Miles
• Shape: Rectangle
• Banking: 9 Degrees in Turns; 0 Degrees on Straightaways
• Surface: Asphalt
• Lights?: No
• Rain Tires?: No

Xfinity Series

• Race Length: 100 Laps (250 Miles)
• Stages: 30 Laps (Stages 1 and 2), 40 Laps (Stage 3)
• Purse: $1,873,623
• Most Recent Winner: Kyle Busch (2019)
• Former IMS Oval Winners in the Field: Justin Allgaier (2018)

Cup Series

• Race Length: 160 Laps (400 Miles)
• Stages: 50 Laps (Stage 1 and 2), 60 Laps (Stage 3)
• Purse: $9,956,601
• Most Recent Brickyard 400 Winner: Kevin Harvick (2020)
• Former Brickyard 400 Winners in the Field: Kyle Busch (2 Wins) and Brad Keselowski (2018)

Entry Lists

ARCA Menards Series

A total of 31 cars are entered for the ARCA race at IRP this year, an uptick from 25 cars in 2023. Notable entrants include Marco Andretti (No. 17), William Sawalich (No. 18), Amber Balcaen (No. 22), Toni Breidinger (No. 25), Connor Zilisch (No. 28), and Dean Thompson (No. 55).

Truck Series

A total of 35 trucks are entered for 36 spots at IRP, meaning no drivers will go home. Notable entrants include Notables: Marco Andretti (No. 04), William Sawalich (No. 1), Sammy Smith (No. 7), Johnny Sauter (No. 16), Conor Daly (No. 44), Ross Chastain (No. 45), Thad Moffitt (No. 46), and Luke Fenhaus (No. 66).

Xfinity Series

The NASCAR Xfinity Series has 38 cars entered for 38 spots at Indianapolis, meaning no drivers will go home. Notable entrants include Greg Van Alst (No. 07), Daniel Dye (No. 10), B.J. McLeod (No. 13), David Starr (No. 14), Josh Berry (No. 15), Joe Graf Jr. (No. 19), Aric Almirola (No. 20), Conor Daly (No. 26), Garrett Smithley (No. 45), Carson Kvapil (No. 88), and Josh Bilicki (No. 92).

Cup Series

The NASCAR Cup Series has 39 cars entered for 40 spots at Indianapolis, meaning no cars will go home. “All-Star Car” entrants include Cody Ware (No. 15) and A.J. Allmendinger (No. 16). Open entrants are Ty Dillon (No. 33), B.J. McLeod (No. 66), and Jimmie Johnson (No. 84)

Qualifying Order

Truck Series

Xfinity Series

Cup Series

What To Watch For

ARCA Menards Series

The 2023 race at IRP was the Jesse Love show as he led 154 of 200 laps, but he had to stave off a charge by Luke Fenhaus, with Love making the final pass for the lead on a restart with nine laps to go. Being a short-track combination race, drivers from the ARCA Regional Touring Series, such as Connor Zilisch and William Sawalich, will be a factor throughout the night. Sawalich and Zilisch drivers have won all four short track ARCA National Series races contested this season, with Sawalich winning at Phoenix and Berlin and Zilisch at Dover and Iowa.

Truck Series

Ty Majeski ran away from the field and hid at IRP in 2023, leading 179 laps, including all of the final 161 laps. Last year, this race was in early August, making it the Playoff opener, but now, it’s the penultimate race of the regular season, with eight drivers within one race of the cutline (Tyler Ankrum +47, Taylor Gray +38, Ben Rhodes +34, Grant Enfinger +33, Tanner Gray +14, Daniel Dye -14, Stewart Friesen -17, and Matt Crafton -54). Christian Eckes and Corey Heim have dominated short track races this season, with Eckes winning at Bristol and Martinsville and Heim taking the win at North Wilkesboro.

Xfinity Series

The Xfinity Series returns to the Indianapolis Oval for the first time since September 2019 when Kyle Busch won. This weekend’s event features a superspeedway engine package with an intermediate engine package, similar to the rules package used in most recent races in the series at the Indianapolis Oval. Regarding track type, Pocono is the closest track to Indianapolis on the schedule. That race produced Ford’s first win with Cole Custer while Chevy drivers Justin Allgaier and William Byron combined to lead 46 of 90 laps.

Cup Series

This is the first Cup Series race at the IMS oval since Kevin Harvick’s third career Brickyard 400 win in 2020. Like the Xfinity Series, Pocono is probably the best gauge for what we’ll see this Sunday. The strategy race at Pocono saw Toyota sweep the stages, leading 66 of the first 97 laps, but, thanks to neat strategy, the Fords led the final 63 as Ryan Blaney took home the win. Watch for pit strategy to determine the race this weekend.

This article will be updated as the week progresses and more information as the season comes out.