Sunday is the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 and tradition is that the winner of the NASCAR race gets to kiss the yard long patch of bricks at the start-finish line of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
IMS is a unique track on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit. It is a “squared oval” superspeedway that measures 2.5-miles in length. The frontstretch and backstretch are 3.330 feet long with plenty of time to build up maximum speed and make passes if the car has the ability. However, the driver better have the car under control heading into the turns that have just nine degrees of banking to help navigate through.
IMS is steeped in racing tradition from Indy Car Racing (note that the name of racing is even named after the track, city and state) to NASCAR to pretty much every other form of racing. This is the only race of the year at the track for the NASCAR drivers and teams. Couple those two facts and it makes this race one of the crown jewels on the NASCAR circuit.
Let’s take a look at which active Monster Energy drivers have performed well in the Brickyard 400 over their careers.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Jimmie Johnson – 105.7
- Kyle Busch – 105.5
- Kyle Larson – 104.8
- Matt Kenseth – 98.3
- Kevin Harvick – 97.1
- Kasey Kahne – 95.0
- Denny Hamlin – 92.4
- Joey Logano – 90.1
- Brad Keselowski – 88.3
- Clint Bowyer – 82.4
NOTE: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2016 races (12 total) among active drivers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson has kissed the bricks more times than any other active drivers. Jimmie has earned the honor four times in his career.
Kyle Busch is the only other active driver to have won multiple Cup Series races at IMS. Kyle is the defending winner of the 2016 AND 2015 Brickyard 400.
Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman have all gotten to kiss the bricks a single time in their careers in NASCAR’s top division.
There is some extra added pressure for many drivers other than just getting their name added to the list of winners of one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races. There are only seven races (counting this weekend’s Brickyard 400) left before the start of The Chase, NASCAR’s playoffs.
There are 11 drivers who have won at least one race this season to all but secure their spot on the Chase Grid. Joey Logano’s win has been “encumbered” by NASCAR for a part rule violation in the race and therefore does not qualify him for the Chase.
With just six available spots open and seven races left, many drivers are in a must win situation to have a chance to race for the championship since they will not be able to make up enough points to get on the Chase Grid based on their point total. That will add some extra pressure to win this weekend on those drivers. Below is the current Chase Grid look heading to this weekend’s race at IMS.
This year another factor that has changed the way races unfold and the strategies the teams use is stage racing. It will definitely be interesting to see how that new factor affects the NASCAR racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This weekend will feature 50 lap segments for stages one and two and a third stage of 60 laps.
How will it all play out? Who will get to kiss the bricks? We will find out when the green flag waives to start 106 laps (400 miles) of NASCAR Cup Series racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, July 23rd in the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400.
By: Buck Stevens
