The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Sunday’s race on the road course (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
Tyler Reddick won there last season. This year’s lineup will feature guest drivers in Jenson Button, Kamui Kobayashi, Shane van Gisbergen, Mike Rockenfeller, Andy Lally and Brodie Kostecki.
Three races remain until the Cup playoffs begin. Here is a look at the drivers to keep an eye on Sunday afternoon:
FRONTRUNNERS
Tyler Reddick
Points position: 13th
Best finish this season: 1st (Circuit of the Americas)
Past at Indianapolis: He has made two Cup starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. He finished 21st in the inaugural race and won last season. Both starts were with Richard Childress Racing. Reddick returns to Indy driving for 23XI Racing as he tries to rebound from a pit road issue at Michigan.
AJ Allmendinger
Points position: 19th
Best finish this season: 3rd (Atlanta II)
Past at Indianapolis: He won the inaugural Cup race at the Indy road course in 2021. He finished seventh in last season’s race. Indy and Watkins Glen could be his best two opportunities to win his way into the playoffs.
Shane van Gisbergen
Points position: Not contending for points
Best finish this season: 1st (Chicago)
Past at Indianapolis: Van Gisbergen has no previous Cup starts at Indy. His only Cup start was at Chicago, but he won after passing Justin Haley late. He will return to Trackhouse Racing, a team that has previous success at road courses, and he will try to win for the second time as he prepares for a move to NASCAR next season.
Ross Chastain
Points position: 7th
Best finish this season: 1st (Nashville)
Past at Indianapolis: Finished 27th last season after receiving a penalty for cutting the Turn 1 corner on the final restart. This took him out of contention for the win and disrupted an afternoon when he had run inside of the top 10. Finished 29th in 2021 while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Has one previous road course win – Circuit of the Americas in 2022.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
Bubba Wallace
Points position: 15th
Best finish this season: 4th (Las Vegas I, Kansas I, Charlotte)
Past at Indianapolis: Finished fifth in last season’s race in what was a career-best road course finish. Was 13th in the inaugural Cup race at Indy. Road courses have not been Wallace’s strong suit, but he has continued to work on them. Indy and Watkins Glen will be pivotal races as he tries to keep his 58-point advantage over the first driver outside a playoff spot.
Austin Cindric
Points position: 21st
Best finish this season: 6th (Las Vegas I, Circuit of the Americas, Chicago)
Past at Indianapolis: Cindric competed in the inaugural Cup race on the Indy road course in 2021 while running a part-time schedule. He finished ninth. He finished second in last season’s race as a rookie. This weekend’s race provides an opportunity to turn around a 2023 season that has featured only three top-10 finishes.
Chase Elliott
Points position: 22nd
Best finish this season: 2nd (Auto Club Speedway)
Past at Indianapolis: Finished fourth in 2021 after leading 14 laps. Finished 16th last season. Sits in a must-win situation entering Indy weekend after finishing 36th at Michigan. The No. 9 team’s strategy will be a prominent storyline throughout the race now that points no longer matter.
Daniel Suarez
Points position: 18th
Best finish this season: 2nd (Atlanta II)
Past at Indianapolis: Finished 37th in the inaugural Cup race at Indy after being involved in a nine-car incident on Lap 77. Finished 28th last season. Has a previous road course win — Sonoma last season. Suarez is only five points out of a playoff spot as he prepares for back-to-back road course races.