History a good indicator of how Indy race could unfold

This Sunday afternoon, Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the most prestigious race of NASCAR outside of the Daytona 500. The Brickyard has come to be known by motorsports fans all over the world as one of the most historic and awe-inspiring tracks ever built. Outside of winning the Daytona 500, the drivers of NASCAR would tell you that they'd cherish a win at Indy more than any other on the circuit.

When you combine the pageantry of Indianapolis with NASCAR's brand of racing, you get a made-for-television sports epic the likes of the Super Bowl or the World Series. When placed in its proper perspective, you can see why the stars of NASCAR will be racing with the utmost urgency this weekend so that they may kiss the bricks at the end of the day.

Two drivers have more than dominated the last four races at IMS. Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson have each won two of the last four Brickyard 400s. Considering how well this duo is racing entering this weekend, the status quo seems to be in order. The No. 14 Chevrolet and the No. 48 Chevrolet will be dueling again on Sunday afternoon to decide yet another Indianapolis champion. The following is our weekly power ranking for the Allstate Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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1. Tony Stewart
The two-time Indianapolis winner enters this event in very good shape. Stewart is currently leading the championship standings and confidence in the No. 14 camp is very high. He is one of only two drivers (Jeff Gordon) to crack the top five in three of the last five races at the Brickyard.

2. Jimmie Johnson
Johnson will likely be battling with Tony Stewart at the front of the pack on Sunday. Both of these drivers have won each of the last four races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When Johnson hasn't been visiting Victory Lane at IMS, he's struggled in recent seasons, but the upside is too great not to consider the No. 48 team this weekend.

3. Jeff Gordon
While Gordon's chances of winning this Sunday's Allstate 400 are slim compared to Jimmie Johnson's and Tony Stewart's, the Hendrick Motorsports veteran will post a solid finish with little fantasy racing risk. Gordon is the only driver other than Stewart to crack the top 10 in four of the last five races at the Brickyard. That consistency should show up again for the No. 24 team on Sunday.

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4. Mark Martin
Despite the off week, Martin is still riding the momentum of his big win at Chicago a couple of weeks ago. The veteran driver knows that a good finish at Indianapolis will only consolidate his stance in the Chase for the Cup field. Martin has visited the top 10 in three of his last five IMS outings.

5. Denny Hamlin
Hamlin's flat-track resume speaks for itself. He always runs up front when the series visits Phoenix, Pocono and New Hampshire. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is no exception for the Joe Gibbs Racing star. Hamlin has only three career starts at the Brickyard, but he's managed one top-five and two top-10s at the historic track. He led 26 laps and finished third in this event one year ago.

6. Carl Edwards
Edwards represents car owner Jack Roush's best chance to end his 15-year winless streak at Indianapolis. While it's not likely that the driver of the No. 99 Ford will win the 400-mile battle on Sunday, Edwards stands a good chance at cracking the top five with the way his team is currently performing. He's finished in the top 10 twice in his four career starts at IMS, including a brilliant runner-up finish in last season's Allstate 400.

7. Kasey Kahne
Since changing to the new Dodge engine, the No. 9 team has performed very well. Kahne is thick in the hunt for making this season's Chase field. He has always run well at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kahne has the loop stats and finishing stats to back that statement up. In his last five visits to Indy, he has a pair of top-fives and three top-10 finishes.

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8. Juan Montoya
Another Chase contender is Montoya. His third full season in Sprint Cup racing has been very successful, and barring a complete collapse he should make his first Chase appearance later this year. Montoya has raced flat tracks well this season, and his past experience at IMS is a bonus. His first career stock-car race at Indianapolis in 2007 yielded a runner-up finish.

9. Matt Kenseth
Kenseth hopes to rebound from a poor effort at Chicago last week with a good finish in the Allstate 400 this Sunday. While that bad run in the Windy City does raise some doubts about the team's current performance, Kenseth's Brickyard stats are just too good to ignore. Three of his last four visits have yielded a pair of top-five finishes and three top-10s.

10. Kyle Busch
This is a major downgrade for Busch and the No. 18 team. Their current top-10 slump is very concerning entering this race. However, it's Busch's home run potential and recent record at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that keep him in the top 10 of the power ranking. His record at flat tracks this season has not been good so proceed at your own fantasy racing risk with this selection.