By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
Indianapolis, Indiana
With drivers elated to be racing in what they consider a crown jewel NASCAR, their first since 2020, all 37 competitors want to win the Brickyard 400. This is the 30th edition of the race and many veterans and NASCAR playoff champions are the favorites. Vets as favorites was not lost on RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski. “It’s a return of a crown jewel race, which is great. I don’t think anyone really considered the road course a crown jewel race, so it kind of returns back to that status. I think that’s huge for our sport and it means a lot to me as a driver and I’m assuming it does for the other drivers as well.” BK would know something about it as one of only two active drivers to have won this race on the oval.
Checkered Flag
Kyle Larson won his third race of the season and it was a marathon. Multiple overtimes, a mysterious placement to the front and a race where Larson ran up front all day. Larson revisited a track where he raced less than two months ago in a NTT Indy Car. For the season, Larson has eight top five finishes and another two in the top ten. Larson is second in the series where he has won eight stages. He sits in second place in the NASCAR playoff chase, three points behind Chase Elliott with a race in hand. Larson was looking for redemption after a disappointing Indianapolis 500 race. Does this make up for the month of May when you left disappointed? “It does.. I guess a little bit. I wish we could have got to do both and run the 600. We had a phenomenal car for that race, too. I think everything just comes full circle. Everything is meant to be. Today definitely was meant to be for us. With the way the strategy was working out, Brad (Keselowski) running out of fuel and me inheriting the front row; a lot had to fall into place. Thankfully it did.”
Winners -1 Ryan Blaney
Blaney is now in 7th place in playoff standings after his third place finish at the Brickyard. Blaney led twice for 19 laps but was passed by Tyler Reddick on the restart. Blaney has won twice this season and his playoff berth is secured. He is still fighting for every point. “It was hard fought. I thought we had a really good shot to win today. I appreciate Menards and Atlas and Ford and the 12 group for putting us in position. Our car was fast and I thought we had really good strategy. We were the front guy of having to save a little bit of gas but I thought we put ourselves in a great spot. I knew the 6 was probably going to run out if it went green. We came to the restart and I couldn’t believe they stayed out. Ther was no way they were going to make it. So I obviously chose the top because he might run out in the restart zone. And he winds up coming to the green so he gets to go to pit road and the 5 gets promoted. Luck of the day right there I guess. I don’t even know what to get mad about. I am mad about losing this race because I thought we were in the perfect position.”
Who Lost – 1 William Byron
William Byron has won three times this. He is also fourth in points and sewed up a trip to the playoffs months ago. Still, it feels like Byron is not peaking at the right time. He crashed out of the Brickyard 400 and finished 38th. Byron would like to find some success after the three week Olympic break and Michigan might be the place to do it. Byron on his accident. “William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 – Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in Stage Two. “We got back there in traffic. It seemed like the pit stop sequence didn’t go our way there. The No. 14 (Chase Briscoe) was just being a squirrel back in the pack. He drove up in front of me. I had to lift way off the corner and I got run over. Hate it for our team. We had an amazing No. 24 Valvoline Chevy. We were running there on the right strategy in the top two or three; got back there in the pack and got wrecked.”
Who Lost – 2
Brad Keselowski had not pitted for 60 laps from lap 100 until the first overtime. This was ten laps more than anyone could expect he could drive the No.6. He was leading entering overtime but if the race went for any extra laps past regulation, he was a goner. It all played out as he entered the pits as drivers took the green flag on lap 162. When drivers roll the dice, they win, finish in the top five or get a very poor finish for a very good race. Keselowski finished 21st at the Brickyard. his playoff berth is secure. He has a win and ten top ten’s on the 2024 season.
They Said It
Joey Logano, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse
WHAT HAPPENED? “It seems like they were three wide a couple of rows behind me and the wreck caught me, unfortunately. It looks like Hocevar sent it down the center and just kind of stuffed it in there late. That seems like something he has done a lot recently. Unfortunately it caught up to me. He right reared Jimmie into my left rear and nosed our Shell Pennzoil Mustang into the wall. It is a bummer. You come here to Indy once a year and all you dream of is kissing the bricks. We could have a shorter stop than them and that is when we were going to cycle back up to the front, hopefully, but we never got to see it through.”
He Said It- Josh Berry Experiences the Brickyard
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE LIKE RUNNING THE OVAL HERE? “It was a lot of fun and honestly I had a good experience today. We passed cars and had a good balance throughout the race. I was happy with it. We needed something strategy wise to go our way to get up front. All in all the guys did a great job. I put us in a hole qualifying but the car was pretty solid today. We have some things to clean up but we will go get ‘em next time.”
AJ Allmendinger
Allmendinger on the accident that ended his day early at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
“I just saw everyone start checking up. I actually saw the No. 21 (Harrison Burton) on the bottom, so I went to go to the middle. Right as I went to the middle, the No. 24 (William Byron) was coming across. It’s just kind of the story of the year.. wrong place, wrong time.”
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net