NASCAR at Brickyard 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream Info and Drivers to Watch
Indianapolis Motor Speedway steps into the spotlight Sunday for NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, where Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and other major names tackle the Brickyard 400.
While the world continues to focus on Kyle Busch and his push for 30th on the leaderboard to qualify for the Chase, there are plenty of other worthwhile things to consider at the famous IMS.
This includes, but isn't limited to, Gordon's farewell tour, Johnson's hunt for another win, Martin Truex Jr.'s hunt for form and outliers like Tony Stewart who tout the talent to turn the leaderboard on its head.
So yes, IMS is set to host another doozy in the heat of summer.
Viewing Details
Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
When: Sunday, July 26, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Watch: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBC Live Extra
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 734 |
| 2 | Joey Logano | 665 |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 655 |
| 4 | Jimmie Johnson | 646 |
| 5 | Martin Truex Jr. | 628 |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | 603 |
| 7 | Matt Kenseth | 578 |
| 8 | Kurt Busch | 576 |
| 9 | Jamie McMurray | 574 |
| 10 | Jeff Gordon | 573 |
Drivers to Watch
Jimmie Johnson
The world hasn't seen Johnson take home a checkered flag since May, when he bested the field at Dover by leading 23 laps.
Things look good for Johnson once total wins get calculated into things at the end of the season, but it sure wouldn't hurt to toss another on the resume for good measure.
In the past, Johnson has been all over the place at the Brickyard with five finishes in the top two and four outside the top 20. He, like most, seems to love the challenge the track presents, though, even if it isn't restrictor-plate racing:
This time last year, everyone knew Johnson was going into a battle with Gordon for the right to Brickyard 400 win No. 5. Gordon won the battle, but the two could be on the path to an epic standoff once again.
While fourth in points isn't anything to sniff at right now, Johnson wouldn't mind breaking past a pair of No. 4s Sunday, nor would he mind moving past a 22nd-place finish in New Hampshire last weekend. He's one to watch.
Tony Stewart
Busch's comeback story is nothing short of amazing, especially after his missing so much time with a serious injury.
Lost, though, is the potential for an epic story from Stewart, who sits just inside of the top 30 entering Sunday. The Stewart-Haas Racing superstar hasn't won yet this year, but he seems due for a bounce-back performance sooner rather than later.
After all, the man is a two-time Brickyard 400 winner. Also, he performed well in qualifying and sounded like a fan favorite in the process, per ESPN's Bob Pockrass:
Stewart hasn't finished better than 12th over the course of his last four races, but he sounds happy with how he's started so far this weekend.
Jared Turner of FoxSports.com captured his thoughts on the matter: "Well, I mean, it could go and be a natural disaster tomorrow. It could all be for nothing, but it's the way you want to start the weekend for sure—have two good runs in qualifying and have a decent starting spot. That's definitely what we were looking for today."
Should Stewart's momentum translate, one of the more interesting comeback stories of the season could begin in earnest.
Kevin Harvick
Last week in New Hampshire, Kevin Harvick put on a show, leading 59 laps en route to a third-place finish, almost grabbing win No. 3 to put a serious chokehold on the top of the leaderboard.
There is still work to do for Harvick, who needs a win or two to keep Johnson out of the first-place picture once wins get factored into the equation.
This means precision driving from the Series leader in Indianapolis. ESPN.com's Ricky Craven explained what drivers must do at the track before going on to pick Harvick as the winner.
"Indy rewards drivers with exceptional feel in their race cars, where the driver and car become one," he wrote. "This equation is required at all tracks but is magnified at Indy because the track surface is smooth as silk, hardly a wave, extinct of any legitimate bumps."
Harvick has all this and then some, hence the prediction. He's the owner of four consecutive top-10 finishes and 11 in his last 12 for good reason.
Sunday, look for the Series leader to be in strong form for the above reasons, as well as strong showings in practice. So long as he's ready for the unique feel of IMS, Harvick will be in contention until the end.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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