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INDIANAPOLIS - The road to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs enters a critical stretch this weekend as the Brickyard 400 returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway with just five races remaining before the postseason begins. Denny Hamlin arrives at NASCAR’s most historic oval holding a 68-point advantage over Tyler Reddick and looking to strengthen his grip on the regular-season championship.
Hamlin has been one of the sport’s hottest drivers, winning four races and leading a series-best 863 laps through the first 21 events of the season. He has gained 197 points on Reddick over the last nine races and now owns a 90% probability of securing the regular-season title.
While Hamlin seeks another signature victory, Ryan Blaney enters Indianapolis with momentum. The defending Brickyard winner has finished 11th or better in 11 consecutive races and is making his 400th Cup Series start. Blaney cut deeply into Hamlin’s points lead over the last month and sits third in the standings.
The Brickyard also could represent a turning point for several championship contenders. Reddick, a five-time winner earlier this season, has not visited Victory Lane since May and has averaged just 17.5 points per race during the last six events. Christopher Bell remains winless despite five runner-up finishes and enters one of his best tracks statistically, owning an 8.0 average finish at Indianapolis.
Among the favorites are recent Brickyard winners Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson. Wallace won last year’s race and has finished in the top 10 in each of his last four Indianapolis starts, while Larson won in 2024 and finished second in 2025. Bell is another driver to watch, having finished 12th or better in all three of his Brickyard starts.
The race also carries playoff implications for drivers near the cut line. Joey Logano’s victory last week at North Wilkesboro vaulted him into playoff position, while Erik Jones, Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski remain on the outside looking in.
History suggests Sunday’s race could come down to the closing laps. The final lead change came within the last eight laps in five of the last eight Brickyard 400s, and six of the last eight editions have gone into overtime.
