Lightning places Cup Series start at Indianapolis on hold

Posted on July 5, 2020July 5, 2020 by Staff Report

The start of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was placed on hold because of inclement weather.

RELATED: Lineup, leaderboard

A series of lightning strikes in the vicinity pushed back pre-race ceremonies for the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (NBC/NBC Sports App, IMS Radio, SiriusXM) at the historic 2.5-mile track. Each nearby strike sets the clock on a 30-minute delay until conditions can clear.

UPDATE: NASCAR gave the all-clear signal shortly before 5 p.m. ET, and a new green-flag time of 5:19 p.m. ET was posted.

When the race gets underway, Joey Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford will lead the 40-car field to the green flag. Logano gained the first starting spot by a Thursday draw for position among groups in the team owner points standings. Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, will start 11th.

Jimmie Johnson will miss this race after self reporting a positive COVID-19 test and Justin Allgaier will fill in on the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Kurt Busch will make his 700th Cup Series start when the green flag flies.

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Zack Albert

Even at just 22, William Byron still has a pull toward the history and aura surrounding Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s annual 400-mile race at Indy is older than Byron is, but the appreciation is still keen.

“When you drive in that place, it’s just a different atmosphere,” Byron says, noting the stadium-style feel and the larger-than-life character of one of the world’s greatest sporting venues.

For the third-year driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevrolet, carrying the car number that five-time Indy winner Jeff Gordon used as one of the Brickyard’s all-time best only adds to the magnitude.

“I think that any time you can run well with the 24 at Indianapolis, it’s a big deal,” said Byron, who will make his third Cup Series start there in Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (4 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “For me, Indy has a special place and it’s especially so nice with the win I have there in Xfinity Series. I enjoy it and kind of show up there with some added confidence, just knowing it’s a race track I enjoy and that it’s a place where we can really do well.”

RELATED: Indy weekend schedule | Latest odds

Byron finished a run-of-the-mill 19th in his Indianapolis debut, but rose with a fourth-place finish in last year’s regular-season finale. And his aforementioned Xfinity victory at the 2.5-mile track in 2017 was part of a summer surge on his way to the series championship.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Similar results would help steady what’s been something of an uneven campaign in a season full of stops and starts with the adjustment for COVID-19 protocols. Byron has netted three top-10 finishes in his last five starts, but a 15th-place spot in the Cup Series standings has been underwhelming for a driver who emerged as a trendy preseason pick to break out with multiple wins.

“I think we’ve kind of definitely underperformed from our expectations,” Byron said. “I think we expected to be better and had a number of opportunities to squash it in some instances just execution-wise and with some of the fast cars that we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of solid top-10 finishes recently, so we’ve had that to fall back on, which we didn’t have at the beginning of the year, but ultimately we’ve just got to right the ship and really find that little bit more to run in the top five and then top two or three in a race.”

That perch on the lower edge of the 16-driver playoff picture may not be cause for concern just yet. Sunday’s 400-miler will be the 16th Cup Series race this year, leaving a scheduled 10-race countdown to the playoffs’ cut line.

MORE: Cup Series standings | Playoff Watch

Byron holds a 31-point edge over fellow youngster Erik Jones, who currently clings to the last berth in the provisional playoff picture. But he says any possible number-crunching or periodic mirror-checks to keep track of the standings haven’t weighed on him yet.

“I think whenever you’ve run really well and you have the speed to win, you don’t really look at points at all,” Byron says. “Where points show up is when you don’t run as well and you kind of look and say, did we have a good day or a bad day with points and where did the other guys around us finish. That really only comes into your mind if you don’t have the speed to compete on that day. I think that’s really how we all are focused, and I feel like when we do have the speed, we’re capable of going and competing for a win. We don’t really worry about points.”

Byron & Co. began the year with improved aero features that bolstered their Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 racers. Hendrick Motorsports reaped benefits, flexing performance gains that resulted in early wins for teammates Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott, plus a series-best 11 stage victories among their four-driver roster.

In recent weeks, Ford and Toyota teams have made up some ground, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick leading the way. It’s just part of the sport’s cyclical nature, Byron says, noting that teams and manufacturers can’t afford to be stagnant with rivals at their heels.

“I think this thing goes in waves, and we had the car at the beginning of the year that obviously came out very strong with all the opportunities to come out and compete for wins at the very beginning,” Byron said. “I think we had a couple of those where it would have been nice to have won ourselves. Now we expect to make that rebound and make those improvements that we need to do. If you don’t, then you just have to come back stronger and learn. That’s kind of the way this deal works.”

Posted on July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by Zack Albert

Tasked with replacing a seven-time NASCAR champion on two days’ notice, Justin Allgaier sits in new and rarified territory.

Shortly before Jimmie Johnson’s Friday reveal of a positive COVID-19 test was made public, Allgaier had already gotten the call, learning that his driving duties — after weeks of dutifully waiting as a standby driver for Hendrick Motorsports — would be needed in Sunday’s Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

For a veteran who has proven himself in JR Motorsports’ Xfinity Series equipment but toiled for two-plus seasons in a substandard Cup Series ride years ago, Allgaier’s role as late-hour fill-in for a top-notch seat might present something of a showcase opportunity. Instead, the 34-year-old shoe is approaching the interim position with a level head.

“My standpoint is this: Opportunity or not does not supersede the need to go out there and to do the job at hand,” Allgaier said after a seventh-place finish in Saturday’s Xfinity prelude at the Brickyard. “A hundred percent is what I have to offer, that’s what I’m going to give them tomorrow. 101, 110, trying to be a hero? There’s no place for that. This isn’t what this role is about. For me, this isn’t what my plan is. My plan is to go out and give the 48 car the best opportunity that it can to run at its maximum potential.

“Now in my mind, I believe that that max potential is to go out and win the race tomorrow. So I’ve got to do a really good job because there’s plenty of drivers that feel that their program is really good and they have a great opportunity to go on and win this race. So for me, I need to make sure that I don’t put myself in a bad position, I don’t do things that Jimmie wouldn’t do, number one first and foremost, but number two, being somebody different in that car, everybody in the field’s going to know that. There’s going to be some that respect that, and there’s going to be some that are probably going to take advantage of that. You’re just going to have to know who you’re racing around and put yourself in the best position you can.”

The No. 48 team had drawn the fourth starting spot for Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (4 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), but Allgaier will drop to the rear of the field during pace laps because of the driver change. It will mark his first big-league start since a substitute drive for an ailing Michael Annett at Bristol in 2016. Though it’s been nearly four years since his last Cup Series appearance, Allgaier has been active with Chevrolet through working on the automaker’s simulator and driving a wheel-force car in Cup test sessions.

MORE: Memorable subs in Cup Series history

Cliff Daniels, No. 48 crew chief, said that Hendrick Motorsports has maintained a secondary roster of alternates for every at-track role — from driver to crew chief to road-crew personnel — since NASCAR’s return to racing in May after the initial spike of the coronavirus pandemic. So when Johnson’s positive test came Friday, the choice of Allgaier as an interim driver had been decided weeks before. The timing just so happened that Allgaier’s number was called at the site of one of his biggest wins in 2018.

“Obviously, Justin has a lot of history in Cup cars and at the Speedway, so we have a lot of confidence in him,” Daniels said. “And, our group has been building every week to make sure we can execute and perform at a high level. Even though it’s a very unfortunate circumstance for us all, we still have to do our part to make Ally proud and to make Hendrick Motorsports proud and to do honor to Jimmie and the No. 48 car just to have a good weekend. So, that’s our plan.”

Allgaier said he had exchanged texts with Johnson in the hours since his positive test. Though he said he could sense Johnson’s disappointment at missing what might have been his last Indy start — another hitch in what’s been a muddled, final Cup Series season — Allgaier said he was convinced of his ability to win races upon his return.

Johnson reciprocated the confidence in Allgaier’s talent during a Saturday morning teleconference with the media.

“I’ve been friends with Justin for a lot of years and raced against him,” Johnson said. “With him being at JRM and in the family, if you will, at Hendrick Motorsports, he’s been a great resource for me to get information from him on how a Saturday goes. He’s just been a friend and a resource for many years. I’m highly confident in his ability and excited for him to get in there and wheel that thing.”

Allgaier said that part of his preparation for standby duty each week has been to keep handy a set of ergonomic equipment — pedal fittings and seat moldings — so that he could easily step into any Hendrick ride in relief. Allgaier said that the No. 48 crew unloaded the car Friday to make sure his gear was inside; he’ll hop in Sunday morning to make sure everything fits comfortably before that afternoon’s 400-miler.

Whatever result emerges from one of the highest-profile substitute roles in recent NASCAR memory, Allgaier said it was an honor just to be considered for the part. Carrying a car number that one of stock-car racing’s greats made famous, he said, only adds to the prestige.

“I can’t even begin to describe it, to be honest with you,” Allgaier says. “Any of the cars at HMS, it doesn’t matter — any of the four cars are definitely an honor to drive and be a part of that program. But the 48 being the iconic number that it is, Jimmie winning seven championships, winning here four times, it’s just the guy that Jimmie is and the respect that Jimmie has in this sport, you top that all off with the fact that he’s the only driver at HMS that’s run the 48 at HMS since he started his career there. I remember his very first Cup Series start in the 48. I was there, I watched it, I cheered him on. I think that, for me, has been one of the biggest parts of that.”

Posted on July 4, 2020July 5, 2020 by Holly Cain

In the days and months leading up to Saturday’s inaugural Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, Indiana’s own, Chase Briscoe left no doubt how important a victory would be to him.

He sure had to earn this one.

After holding off an aggressive late race charge from the field, the 25-year old Hoosier took the checkered flag, maneuvered out of his No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford and joined team members to climb the frontstretch fencing just as his team owner, fellow Indiana native Tony Stewart had famously done after earning Indianapolis victories in the NASCAR Cup Series.

RELATED: Official results | Indy weekend schedule

It is Briscoe’s third win in the last four NASCAR Xfinity Series races and fifth of the season – a personal best and current series-best mark – and certainly a sentimental accomplishment as well.

“Everybody knows growing up my hero in racing was Tony Stewart and getting to drive for him and watch him win the Brickyard and that was always his signature thing and I just wanted to do it,” a smiling Briscoe told NBC Sports after climbing back down the fence. “Honestly, it’s not the same prestige as winning on the oval but you still won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it doesn’t matter if you’re racing on the oval, the road course, the dirt track or even the parking lot, it’s special winning here.

“Growing up and coming here all the time it’s unbelievable to think I just won here.

“I’m wore out, that fence climb will take a lot out of you,” he added. “I’ve dreamed of coming to this race track and just getting to race here so to win here is unbelievable. I can’t put it into words.”

Briscoe had to beat a pair of road racing’s best in AJ Allmendinger and Austin Cindric to earn the hometown win. An exciting, action-packed final 10 laps – featuring four lead changes – forced Briscoe to use every trick he had. Ultimately, he held off Justin Haley by 1.717-seconds for the victory as the lead pack cars aggressively traded positions in the last lap.

Noah Gragson finished third, followed by Allmendinger and Cindric, who put up the day’s best challenges for Briscoe. Ross Chastain, Justin Allgaier, Alex Labbe, Michael Annett and Preston Pardus completed the top 10. It was the Floridian Pardus’ first-ever top-10 finish.

Early in the event road racing ace Austin Cindric posed a valiant case for his first trophy of the season. After starting 10th he took the lead five laps into the race and held a commanding six-second lead before a caution that closed out the opening stage of racing. It was Cindric’s fourth stage win of the season and certainly confirmed the pre-race favorite was ready to win.

Cindric’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford came out of the pits second to Chase Briscoe’s SHR Ford, but Cindric was called for jumping the ensuing restart. Cindric told his team on the radio that he was hit from behind at the start and did not take off early. But NASCAR officials reviewed the footage and ruled that Cindric would have to serve the penalty. The green flag stop dropped him back to 31st running position but he worked his way back to seventh by the start of the final stage.

That position was right behind another of the sport’s strongest road course drivers, Allmendinger – who also had a mid-race NASCAR penalty after pitting too early during the race’s first caution.

Their race back through the field to challenge for the win was predictably compelling with Allmendinger coming up through the field and taking the lead for two laps – Laps 59-60. Briscoe took the lead going into Turn 1 with two laps remaining and contact among the next group of cars allowed Briscoe to drive off in the final two laps.

“The restarts, I was starting on the outside which I didn’t think was the best scenario,” Briscoe said. “It seemed like holes were opening up. I wasn’t very good when guys were right behind me because I needed the back of my corner to be really good. You can’t do that when they are right behind you, especially Allmendinger. He is so good in the braking zones.

“I did give it away in a sense over there. Cindric and him (Allmendinger) started racing pretty hard and that gave me a chance to get back in there and I threw a slide job into [turns] one and two and I think that was by far the hardest I have run in my life to get a win.”

The event marked the Xfinity Series’ ninth race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the previous eight were held on the 2.5-mile oval. Saturday’s race used the 14-turn, 2.439-mile configuration that combines portions of the oval and infield road course. This race was part of a Saturday doubleheader with the NTT IndyCar Series. The NASCAR Cup Series will race Sunday on the 2.5-mile oval.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ next race is scheduled Thursday (8 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Kentucky Speedway.

Note: No major issues arose from post-race technical inspection in the Xfinity Series garage. Cindric’s Team Penske No. 22 was found with one lug nut not safely secured in a post-race check, which should result in a midweek fine according to guidelines in the NASCAR Rule Book.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by PJ Walsh

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

The first-ever IndyCar and NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader takes place this weekend with Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, followed by the Cup Series’ Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, NBC, ISM Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Indianapolis is very unique, with Pocono Raceway its closest comp on the current Cup Series schedule.

While not perfect, I used data from last weekend’s Pocono doubleheader as well as last year’s results at Indy, which used the same aero package and tire combination that teams will employ on Sunday.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@PJWalsh24) for any additional bets I make leading up to Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400.

NASCAR at Indianapolis Odds, Picks

Odds as of Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET and via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.

Kevin Harvick (+400)

Harvick won at Pocono on Saturday and looked primed to pull off the sweep before a late two-tire call put Denny Hamlin into the lead and ultimately relegated the No. 4 Ford to a runner-up finish.

And somehow Harvick’s stats at Indy last year were even more impressive, a race he won in dominant fashion with the most laps led, most fast laps run and a perfect 150 driver rating.

Harvick is the favorite across the market, but there’s still enough value at +400 to take a driver capable of stomping the field while also leaving enough bankroll to add more potential winners.

Ryan Blaney (+1200)

Blaney’s finishes at Pocono last weekend were not representative of his speed — he ran the fifth-most fast laps across both events — which wasn’t ideal since I bet him to win both races, but it’s also a reason why we can now get him at 12-1 odds.

As mentioned above, nobody could touch Harvick in this race last year, but the No. 12 Team Penske Ford led the second-most laps, had the third-most fast laps and the second-best driver rating.

In terms of speed, Blaney projects to be a top-four car on Sunday, showing why there’s so much value in his current price.

Posted on July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by Zack Albert

Jimmie Johnson said with some measure of understatement Saturday morning that “2020’s been interesting.” Indeed, the seven-time champion entered his final full-time season with designs on an eighth, capping a triumphant final ride in the No. 48 Chevrolet, before the coronavirus outbreak made the campaign a disjointed one for the entire NASCAR industry.

Now those objectives come with a large amount of perspective. Johnson revealed a positive test for COVID-19 on Friday, a diagnosis that will keep him under isolation and away from the track for the near future. But the primary concerns for the rest of the year are now much deeper than competition-related goals: Parenting two virus-free daughters, ages 9 and 6, as he and his wife, Chandra, isolate from them with positive tests; maintaining personal health safeguards to contain the spread; and speaking out with a message of staying safe to help others.

“I can be down and out on my situation, but if I turn on the news and see how this virus has impacted so many others, I quickly feel thankful that I’m asymptomatic and I don’t have any major issues,” Johnson said Saturday morning from his Colorado home. “It’d be very easy right now to get bummed out and look at this the wrong way, but I’m healthy, my wife is healthy, my kids are. My prayers are that it stays that way. We’re hopeful that through our situation that maybe some others can learn from this as well.

“I mean, if it wasn’t for Chani’s diligence on trying to do the right thing at all times, we would be going on with life as normal, and who knows who we could have come in contact with and the repercussions that could have had. I know our country and the world right now is over quarantine and over these technicalities that we need to deal with, but as a family that’s been very safe and very cautious to end up testing positive just shows how diligent you truly need to be through all this.”

Johnson will miss Sunday’s 400-mile race (4 p.m. ET, NBC) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ending a streak of 663 consecutive Cup Series starts. Xfinity Series veteran Justin Allgaier will drive the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 in his place, and Johnson will not return to competition until receiving two negative test results at least 24 hours apart, plus clearance by a physician.

Johnson said his wife had exhibited allergy-like symptoms earlier in the week, which prompted her to visit a local hospital for testing. When those results came back positive around 9 a.m. Friday morning, Johnson said he and his children quickly followed suit for their own tests. Johnson said he and his wife tested positive; their children, negative — a divide that has made parenting an especially difficult challenge.

Johnson said the time period since receiving news of his positive test has been a whirlwind, trying to inform all those he had potentially come in contact with in the last several days. That list included Hendrick Motorsports personnel that were with him during last weekend’s events at Pocono Raceway, one of which has self-quarantined from at-track duties out of precaution.

MORE: Indianapolis weekend schedule

But the list also included those involved a proposed IndyCar test session that was scheduled for next week at the Indianapolis road-course layout. The 44-year-old driver had met with Chip Ganassi Racing officials in advance of the test and spent time Thursday at Indy chassis builder Dallara on its driving simulator.

“We’ve done everything that we think we can and have done everything that we could, so yesterday was extremely busy,” Johnson said. “In some respects, embarrassing to be in this position, and then you just fear that maybe you came in contact with someone that’s going to have a more difficult time than we have had. I feel terrible for Ganassi Racing and any stress I’ve put on their system, clearly Hendrick Motorsports.

“It’s been a wild range of emotions in the last 12 or 14 hours dealing with it all, but we’re doing everything we can on our side to make sure we notify anyone and everyone.”

Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports vice president of competition, said it’s possible Johnson could return to the track next weekend at Kentucky Speedway if he meets the medical criteria. NASCAR announced Friday that Johnson would receive a waiver for championship eligibility.

Johnson said the unusual circumstances of his final Cup Series season — a two-month break after the initial coronavirus spike, racing without fans in attendance, and an overhauled racing schedule — have not altered his plans beyond the 2020 campaign. He has stated that he still intends to drive on a part-time basis after this year, potentially exploring other forms of motorsports in semi-retirement.

But when asked if there was a bittersweet feel to missing out on several final milestones, including what could have been his last start at Indy, Johnson said there was disappointment mixed with uncertainty.

“Every time I think I know what normal is, something changes,” Johnson said. “Of course, I want to race at the Brickyard. Of course, I’m disappointed that I’m not going to have some of these lasts that I had hoped to have had, but I just don’t know where we’re going to be at the end of this year, let alone next year. I do know that I still want to compete and I’ve made that really clear.

“I’ve had to inform Hendrick Motorsports that I do plan to not be in the car full-time, so they have to plan and do what they need to for the future, but I’m hopeful that I can have the opportunity to come back and run a Hendrick Cup car in some races. Clearly, I have this interest in IndyCar, sports car and many other forms of racing, so I assume that’s helping me deal with this and not feel like I’m having some things taken away from me, but at the end of the day, just thankful that I’m healthy and not in the shape that some people are right now.”

Posted on July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by Staff Report

Jimmie Johnson’s prolific streak of consecutive starts in the NASCAR Cup Series will end this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the driver self-reported a positive COVID-19 test on Friday.

A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Johnson currently sits at 663 consecutive starts, a testament to his talent, craft and studious commitment to fitness. It’s the fifth highest number of consecutive starts in NASCAR history, behind Jeff Gordon (797), Ricky Rudd (788), Bobby Labonte (704) and Rusty Wallace (697).

Kevin Harvick, who drives the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, ranks sixth all-time with 655 consecutive starts and would move into the top five later this year, provided he does not miss a start.

Johnson’s 666 total career starts rank 25th in NASCAR history. It also ranks fourth among current active drivers — Kurt Busch ranks first in that category, and he will make his historic 700th career Cup Series start on Sunday.

MORE: Most consecutive starts among active drivers

Posted on July 3, 2020July 3, 2020 by Staff Report

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has reported a positive COVID-19 test, Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday evening.

The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet was set to compete for his series-best fifth win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Sunday’s race (4 p.m. ET, NBC), but he is no longer cleared to compete. Justin Allgaier will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet on Sunday as his replacement.

NASCAR outlined the steps for Johnson’s return in accordance with the CDC’s current guidelines: Johnson must be symptom free and have two negative COVID-19 test results, at least 24 hours apart. Additionally, NASCAR requires Johnson to be cleared by his physician before returning to racing.

RELATED: Full weekend schedule

“My first priority is the health and safety of my loved ones and my teammates,” Johnson said in a team release. “I’ve never missed a race in my Cup career, but I know it’s going to be very hard to watch from the sidelines when I’m supposed to be out there competing. Although this situation is extremely disappointing, I’m going to come back ready to win races and put ourselves in playoff contention.”

Johnson will not accrue points for races in which he does not compete, but he would be granted a playoff waiver should he qualify for the postseason. The 44-year-old driver, who has said 2020 will be his last year as a full-time driver, currently sits 12th in the points standings. He is 63 points above the playoff cutline.

According to a Hendrick Motorsports statement, Johnson has not experienced symptoms of COVID-19. He was tested upon learning Friday morning that his wife, Chandra, tested positive after experiencing allergy-like symptoms.

Johnson was in constant communication with Hendrick Motorsports before and after being tested for COVID-19. The team immediately informed NASCAR and has been coordinating with the sanctioning body. As a precaution, it has also identified one member of the No. 48 traveling crew to self-quarantine due to close contact with the driver.

“Jimmie has handled this situation like the champion he is,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “We’re relieved he isn’t showing symptoms and that Chani is doing great, and we know he’ll be back and ready to go very soon. It’s going to be difficult for him to be out of the car and away from his team, but it’s the right thing to do for Jimmie and everyone involved.”

NASCAR released this statement on Friday:

“Following the guidelines outlined in the Event Operations Protocols manual, Jimmie Johnson has alerted NASCAR that he has tested positive for COVID-19. NASCAR has outlined the steps for Johnson’s return, in accordance with the CDC’s current guidelines, which includes that Johnson is symptom-free and has two negative COVID-19 test results, at least 24 hours apart. NASCAR requires Johnson to be cleared by his physician before returning to racing. Jimmie is a true battle-tested champion, and we wish him well in his recovery. NASCAR has granted Jimmie a playoff waiver, and we look forward to his return as he races for an eighth NASCAR Cup Series championship.”

Allgaier has driven full time for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2016. He has eight wins during that stretch and has finished in the top four of the standings in three of the previous four seasons.

Allgaier tweeted a statement that read, in part, “I … believe we can make Jimmie and this #48 team proud until he’s ready to get back behind the wheel.”

Please read. pic.twitter.com/rrBdcQQm4N

— Justin Allgaier (@J_Allgaier) July 4, 2020

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series is set for its trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this season. Speedway, Indiana, will play host to Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered By Big Machine Records (4 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). This weekend marks the third crown-jewel event in 2020.

As has been the case with other events since the sport’s return after the COVID-19 outbreak, Sunday’s race will be held without practice or qualifying.

The event will tally the 16th NASCAR Cup Series races of the year; the 12th since the coronavirus pause. With plenty of variables in play for the Fourth of July weekend, here’s a primer with helpful information.

TRACK DETAILS

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, also known as the Brickyard, is a 2.5-mile rectangular oval. All four turns have a 9.2-degree bankings and are about 1,320-feet long. The straightaways are flat, with the long ones being 3,300 feet and the shorts one being 660 feet.

The track was built in 1909, making it the third oldest paved oval (Milwaukee Mile, 1903; Nashville Fairgrounds, 1904). Indianapolis hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series event on Aug. 6, 1994. Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Brickyard 400 in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He led a race-high 93 of 160 laps and beat Brett Bodine to the finish line by .53 seconds. Gordon, now a NASCAR Hall of Famer, holds the record for most all-time wins at Indianapolis with five.

The facility is also home to the NTT IndyCar Series, which will have its GMR Grand Prix on Saturday right before the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pennzoil 150 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Between the action Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be the first-ever time that NASCAR’s Cup and Xfinity Series and IndyCar races will be hosted by a single venue.

Sunday’s 400-miler will be the 27th race for NASCAR’s top division at Indianapolis.

STAGE LENGTHS

Stage 1 is set to end at Lap 50, Stage 2 at Lap 100, and the final stage is slated to conclude on Lap 160.

STARTING LINEUP

The NASCAR Cup Series race will be held without practice and qualifying as the sanctioning body tries to limit exposure for on-site personnel to control the spread of coronavirus. Sunday’s starting lineup was determined by a random draw among groups in the team owner standings:

Positions 1-12: Random draw from charter teams in those positions in owner points
Positions 13-24: Random draw from charter teams in those positions in owner points
Positions 25-36: Random draw from charter teams in those positions in owner points
Positions 37-40: Open teams in order of owners points

Pit-stall selection is based on the finishing order from last Sunday’s event at Pocono Raceway.

RULES PACKAGE

The 2020 NASCAR rules package for intermediate-sized tracks will be in effect with a tapered spacer used to set a target of 550 horsepower. The cars will use aero ducts in addition to other aerodynamic devices to increase downforce.

GOODYEAR TIRES

The downforce package the NASCAR Cup Series will run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend is hard on tires, with high loads generated down the long straightaways. Search for grip will be important. Teams will have nine sets of tires for Sunday’s race.

Set-up will feature the same right-side tire code as last season but a new left-side code with a construction update — all the same as last weekend at Pocono Raceway.

“Indy is a very tricky place to get right for a stock car,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “Last year’s race was run in unseasonably cool temperatures in the low 70s with overcast skies, so there was plenty of grip. This week’s forecast is for 90-degree temperatures and teams will be looking for grip on a hot, slick track and tires will be a key factor. With no practice, and the Xfinity cars running on the road course and not the oval this year, team will have to tread lightly going into this race.”

The NASCAR Xfinity Series, meanwhile, will run the same tire code on all four tire positions. It’ll be the same as the set-up ran last season at Road America and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Teams will have two sets of tires for Friday’s practices and five sets for Saturday’s race. They will also be allowed up to four sets of “wets” (two for practices, two for race) if NASCAR decides weather conditions warrant the switch.

STATS TO KNOW

— Nine drivers won the last 10 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch (2015-16) is the only repeat winner during that timespan.

— Ford has won the last two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after failing to win in the prior 18 events. Meanwhile, Chevrolet has won 13 of the last 17 races and only one of the wins was within the past five years.

— The final lead change came with two laps to go in three of the last five races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch passed Joey Logano (finished second) for the win in 2015, Kasey Kahne passed Brad Keselowski (finished second) for the win in 2017, and Keselowski passed Denny Hamlin (finished third) for the win in 2018.

— Hendrick Motorsports has 10 wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while the eight other organizations with wins there have 16 victories combined. HMS has never gone more than three years without winning at the Brickyard. It has been two years since its last win (Kasey Kahne, 2017).

— Jimmie Johnson’s four wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway rank second all time to Jeff Gordon (five), but Johnson also has 11 finishes of 14th or worse there, including five of the last six races.

— Kevin Harvick, who has won three races in 2020, has the longest active top-10 streak at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with six, spanning from 2014-19. Kyle Busch has the all-time longest streak with seven, but it ended in 2016.

Source: NASCAR statistics, Racing Insights

LIVE COVERAGE

Tune in to television coverage Sunday on NBC (4 p.m. ET) or on the NBC Sports App for both events. For full radio coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, listen in to IMS Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on-air.

RELATED: Ways to follow the races

For a more interactive experience, head over to NASCAR.com or the NASCAR app to check out an enhanced Race Center, live Lap-by-Lap coverage, the customizable live leaderboard with Scanner and the return of Drive (featuring in-car cameras).

Be sure to set your lineup in Fantasy Live and make your picks in the NASCAR Finish Line App!

2019 RACE WINNER

Kevin Harvick won the 2019 Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard, leading a race-high 118 of 160 laps. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford took the front spot from Ryan Blaney with 30 laps to go and kept it through the checkered flag. Blaney’s Team Penske teammate, Joey Logano, finished runner-up by 6.118 seconds. Richard Petty Motorsports’ Bubba Wallace came in third.

Last year, the NASCAR Cup Series’ visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway doubled as the regular-season finale. The race was on Sept. 8, 2019. It has since moved to the Fourth of July weekend for 2020.

ACTIVE INDIANAPOLIS WINNERS

Jimmie Johnson (four); Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch (two); Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman (one)

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Terrin Waack

Out of the six rookies in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series field, John Hunter Nemechek is the only one to have finished every race this season in a running car. That means he has also turned the highest percentage of laps through 15 events. He’s not at a 100% completion rate, but a strong 99.66% instead.

Forget the newcomers, that mark is actually good for third best among all his full-time, points-eligible competitors.

“It’s been one of those things where I want to run every lap that I can and gain the most valuable experience that I can when we go to the race track,” Nemechek told NASCAR.com. “I don’t want to put myself in bad spots where we may get wrecked or anything like that.”

Nemechek only trails Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick in laps completed. Hamlin is at 99.76% and has won a series-high four races. Harvick is two laps short of a perfect score at 99.95% with his three wins.

Rank	Driver	Laps completed	Total laps	Percentage
1	Kevin Harvick	4,157	4,159	99.95%
2	Denny Hamlin	4,149	4,159	99.76%
3	John Hunter Nemechek*	4,145	4,159	99.66%
18	Brennan Poole*	3,949	4,159	94.95%
20	Christopher Bell*	3,916	4,159	94.16%
25	Cole Custer*	3,841	4,159	92.35%
27	Tyler Reddick*	3,814	4,159	91.71%
31	Quin Houff*	3,561	4,159	85.62%

*NASCAR Cup Series rookie

The No. 38 Front Row Motorsport Ford hasn’t made it to Victory Lane, but it has placed in the top 10 twice. Nemechek is averaging a 19.3 finish — tied with Tyler Reddick for strongest average among rookies.

“There have been some races that we’ve had really good speed, but we haven’t had the finishes to show it,” Nemechek said. “Just have to get better at closing races and finishing more where we feel like we need to.”

In NASCAR’s first race back after the COVID-19 pause, Nemechek pulled off his first top-10 performance — ninth at Darlington Raceway. A couple days later, he ended up 35th at the same track. Big difference there, and he thought the first production was more reflective of the team’s capabilities.

None of the first-year drivers are within the top 16 when it comes to points right now, which means they are currently outside the NASCAR Playoffs picture just past the halfway mark of the regular season. Reddick is on the bubble in 18th — 26 points behind Erik Jones in the 16th and final transfer spot. Nemechek sits 22nd and trails by 72 points, with hopes of rising above the cutoff line.

“It’s going to be a difficult task to do, but it’s still not out of the question,” Nemechek said. “… Anything can happen, and we’re truly not that far back on points. So hopefully we can push forward, have some really good points day and have a shot to win at some of these short tracks or superspeedway races where I feel like our cars are on the strong side right now.”

Nemechek did register a season-best eighth at Talladega Superspeedway two weeks ago. He also had an 11th-place run in the opening Daytona 500 — his third-best showing this year. All that bodes well for his team considering Daytona International Speedway will host the regular-season finale on Aug. 29 — the final shot to make the postseason.

There are at least eight points-paying races on the schedule before then (not counting postponed races from the spring at Dover and Michigan that have yet to be made up), though, starting with Sunday’s Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered By Big Machine Records at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, IMS Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). A win and he’s in, but chipping away at his deficit is the goal for now.

“The biggest thing for us this weekend is to make the most out of the situation,” Nemechek said. “Be there and be present. Have a shot to contend for top 15, top 10, top five — whatever it may be. You don’t know how your car is going to run or what speed you’re going to have until you show up at the race track. Just try to get better as the race plays on.”