The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it is hallowed ground for racecar drivers. Home to the crowned jewel of American motorsports, the Indianapolis 500, it is one of the few tracks where NASCAR arguably comes second. But for one weekend a year, the stock car boys come first, and that weekend has finally come.
Here are your four to follow for NASCAR this weekend at IMS:
Spoiler Alert!
The big story coming into the Brickyard this weekend – the massive spoilers, they’re huge! While they may not be that legendary Richard Petty Dodge height from the 70’s, they are part of the high drag package to tighten up the racing at IMS. It will be interesting to see how a package that worked so well for passing at a track like Kentucky can be used at Indy, a track notorious for trouble with passing.
Repeat Kissers
Kissing the bricks is a deep tradition for the winner of the race at Indianapolis. But it is only a select few who have been able to kiss them. Will we see a repeat winner like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, or Tony Stewart on Sunday? Or will a new face meet the yard of bricks, like the Busch brothers or Danica Patrick?
Xfinity Foothold?
Meanwhile, while kissing the bricks has been around for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a number of years, the drivers in the Xfinity Series are relatively new to the circuit. And switching from the very popular Lucas Oil Raceway to the big track down the road, the followers have not come to the speedway. Can the series gain a foothold this year with more marquee drivers, or are the days of the series at IMS numbered?
Tires on Tires
A story a bit off the beaten path, but still important to acknowledge, is the Goodyear tires. Every NASCAR fan remembers tire-gate a number of years back at IMS, a race that was ranked with the 2005 United States Grand Prix for Formula One as among the biggest debacles in motorsports. While Goodyear has steadily improved each year, will the new aero package throw a wrench into their plan?
Be sure to tune in for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon on your local NBC station. Then come back for the Brickyard 400 on Sunday on NBCSN, to see which Cup driver kisses the bricks.
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