Indianapolis Schedule of Events
Historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway plays host to both the NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series this weekend.
Sunday’s Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard is the final race of the Cup Series regular season. When the checkered flag flies the 16 drivers eligible for the playoffs will be determined.
Alex Bowman holds a 68-point advantage over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the final playoff berth meaning the only way someone outside the cut line can make the playoffs is by winning Sunday’s regular-season finale. Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, Daniel Suarez, Jamie McMurray, Bubba Wallace and William Byron are among the names on that “must win” list.
“I think we got a little lucky last year by finishing third,” said Newman, a former Indianapolis winner. “We had a whole bunch of damage. We just want to go out there and do our best. It sounds simple to say but everybody has to do their job. It is the last race of the regular season. We need a win to make the Playoffs and we need to win to have a chance at the championship.”
Indianapolis Race Winners | Brickyard 400 Entry List
On the other end of the spectrum is the race to win the regular season championship and the fifteen-playoff points that come with the accomplishment. Kyle Busch leads Kevin Harvick by 39 points in that battle and feels comfortable coming into the Brickyard.
“I think I figured a little bit of something out, but I also think that me figuring something out has helped us be able to develop our car better, too,” said Busch, a two-time Indianapolis winner with back-to-back victories in 2015 and 2016. “Like setup-wise, I know what I need within the car now that makes you faster at Indy than at what I had been running in the past.”
On Saturday the Xfinity Series takes center staged at the famed 2.5-mile track for the Lilly Diabetes 250. There are two races remaining in the series regular season with Justin Allgaier leading Christopher Bell by 16 points and Elliott Sadler only 17 behind.
The series will utilize the aerodynamic and engine package that was in play last year and produced one of the most competitive races held since NASCAR’s number two division first competed at Indy.
“Last year at Indy with the new package, it definitely put on a good race for the fans, but it also changed the way that you attacked the track,” Allgaier explained.
“I’m looking forward to getting back there now that we know what to expect and have raced this package a few more times. We have two more races left in the regular season and it’d be great to finish those out strong and grab that championship before we head into the playoffs.”
