Fantasy Fastlane: Will Hamlin finally smooch the bricks at Indy? 

Welp, until Mother Nature hit Dover Motor Speedway with 14 laps remaining, my fantasy lineup swept the top five in the running order. Still managed a respectable day. Next up is Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has proven to be a wild event in recent oval races, with five of the last seven Brickyard 400s – dating back to 2015 – going into overtime. The powerhouse teams typically excel at the famed oval, and clean air will be king.

New to Fastlane this year is my weekly NASCAR 36 for 36 pick, where you can play along. It’s a season-long points battle introduced last year in which strategy is the primary emphasis. With 36 chartered cars and 36 races on the 2025 schedule, players can choose each car once for the duration of the season.

MUST START:

Denny Hamlin | View stats

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota

Odds: 5-1

After winning at Dover, Hamlin said he’s never wanted to win consecutive races so badly in his career. Kissing the hot, grimy bricks after winning a Brickyard 400 is one of the few missing moments on Hamlin’s eventual first-ballot Hall of Fame resume. He ranked as having the fastest car at both Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway, the most comparable tracks to Indy. Hamlin was passed for the win in two of the last four races on the hallowed grounds.

MUST START:

Kyle Larson | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet

Odds: 5-1

Would you look at that? Larson and the No. 5 bunch returned to their normal self at Dover after a two-month slump. Larson charged from the rear last year at Indy, making an extra pit stop for a loose wheel. Ultimately, it put him in the best position on fuel, and he used it to his advantage and vaulted to victory. Larson has four top 10s in seven Brickyard 400 attempts.

MUST START:

Chase Elliott | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet

Odds: 9-1

The 2020 champion is on a heater over the last five races, gaining 120 points on the regular-season championship battle and is now in sole possession of first place. Elliott had a career day going at Dover, leading 238 laps, until he lost the lead during a cycle of green-flag pit stops. His Brickyard 400 numbers aren’t ideal with two top-10 finishes in seven starts, but both have come in the last three attempts. A mid-race blend-line violation altered his finish last year.

MUST START:

Tyler Reddick | View stats

23XI Racing, No. 45 Toyota

Odds: 11-1

One of the biggest mysteries of 2025 remains the No. 45 team. Yet, with only eight top-10 finishes, Reddick still ranks fifth in the regular season standings, dropping one position to Hamlin after Dover. Reddick won the pole for this crown-jewel race last year, leading a race-high 40 laps. Ultimately, he finished second to Larson but was in the mix for the duration.

SLEEPER PICK:

Bubba Wallace | View stats

23XI Racing, No. 23 Toyota

Odds: 30-1

Wallace has been sneaky good at Indianapolis with three consecutive top-10 finishes (a pair of top fives), two of which came while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports. That’s good enough to be the longest active streak in the series. The No. 23 car led 26 laps last year and won Stage 2 before rounding out the top five.

SLEEPER PICK:

Brad Keselowski | View stats

RFK Racing, No. 6 Ford

Odds: 22-1

Time is running out for Keselowski to win his way into the 2025 postseason. The 2012 champion has been stout on the IMS oval in recent starts, earning three top-five finishes in the last five starts, including a 2018 victory. He led 35 laps last year but plummeted to 21st after running out of fuel coming to the green flag in overtime.

SLEEPER PICK:

Daniel Suárez | View stats

Trackhouse Racing, No. 99 Chevrolet

Odds: 90-1

With only three top 10s through 21 races, Suárez’s 21.6 average finish is on pace to be his worst in five seasons with Trackhouse. His Indy numbers could sway that slightly. An average finish of 12.8 is his best at any venue with multiple starts. He has never finished outside the top 20 in five starts.

STAY AWAY FROM:

William Byron | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet

Odds: 17-2

One of the most consistent drivers in the series is going through a brutal couple of months, piling up three DNFs in the last four races. With a late crash at Dover, he lost the regular-season championship lead for the first time since Kansas Speedway in early May. Statistically, IMS is his worst non-drafting oval with an average finish of 22nd.

STAY AWAY FROM:

Alex Bowman | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet

Odds: 35-1

Among the hottest drivers in the series is Bowman, tallying three top-five efforts in the last six events. He’s jumped to 63 points above the elimination line, a buffer he may need entering Indy. In six Cup starts at Indy, Bowman has a best finish of 21st (2019). In his four starts with HMS, Bowman has an average finish of 28.8.

STAY AWAY FROM:

Erik Jones | View stats

Legacy Motor Club, No. 43 Toyota

Odds: 100-1

One of the toughest tracks for Jones to figure out has been Indianapolis, with four finishes of 28th or worse in five Cup starts. His lone bright spot was finishing runner-up to Keselowski in 2018. Legacy has been on the rise, but this could be a frustrating weekend for the No. 43 team.

FEATURED MATCHUP:

Christopher Bell vs. Tyler Reddick

Both drivers have limited starts here, though Reddick has shined more than his quasi-Toyota teammate. Bell has never finished worse than 12th in two IMS oval starts, placing fourth last year. I’m taking Reddick in this matchup, though, as the No. 45 team needs to set the tone for the upcoming playoff push.

FEATURED MATCHUP:

Bubba Wallace vs. Ryan Blaney

An interesting matchup between close friends, as Wallace should get the advantage on paper. Meanwhile, Blaney drives for Roger Penske, and it can't be understated how much emphasis "The Captain" puts on the Brickyard. Both of Blaney's top 10s here have come in the last three tries and he was furious with how last year's race concluded. Give me Blaney here in redemption.

FEATURED MATCHUP:

Ty Gibbs vs. Ty Dillon

The glass slipper still fits. In the unlikeliest of finalists competing for the $1 million winner-takes-all prize for the In-Season Challenge, there’s a real chance that Cinderella wins. Indianapolis is Dillon’s best non-drafting oval, with an average finish of 17.2 in five attempts and he beat Kyle Busch here heads up in an Xfinity Series race in 2014. Gibbs will be a heavy favorite this weekend, though, and I’m not betting against those odds.

FEATURED MATCHUP:

Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Larson

With the exception of wrecking out early at EchoPark Speedway and a miserable Sonoma performance, Hamlin is white hot, scoring five top-five finishes in the last seven races. Sure, Larson is the defending winner and is the most recent Cup driver to compete at IMS via his second bid at the Indianapolis 500, but Hamlin has adamantly stated that winning the Brickyard is the biggest race he wants to win. He’s determined, which is scary for the competition.

MY LINEUP: Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell.

GARAGE: Ryan Blaney.

36 for 36: Elliott’s 48 points at Dover was nice. But at one point, it looked like it would result in at least a 50-point afternoon. That’s kind of a bummer. Strategy will be aplenty at Indianapolis, with some drivers getting in position for the race victory while others chase stage points. We’re burning through big-name drivers over here, so while I want to pick Wallace, I’m leaning toward Cinderella Dillon, who has four consecutive top-20 finishes, his longest streak since 2022. This is his best non-drafting oval, having never finished worse than 21st in five starts.