NASCAR at Indianapolis 2020: Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Drivers

Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the most decorated drivers in motorsports history. He's also had plenty of success at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning four times at the illustrious track.

On Sunday, the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 is set to take place at the Brickyard, and it was going to be Johnson's last time at the track before retiring from full-time racing at the end of the 2020 season. Instead, he won't feature.

It was announced Friday that Johnson has tested positive for COVID-19, so Justin Allgaier will fill in driving the No. 48 Chevrolet. Johnson won't return to action until he's symptom-free, has two negative tests and is cleared by his physician.

"Jimmie has handled this situation like the champion he is," Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said, according to NASCAR's website. "We're relieved he isn't showing symptoms and that [Johnson's wife, Chandra] 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."

Here's everything you need to know heading into Sunday's race at Indianapolis.

NASCAR at Indianapolis Information

Date: Sunday, July 5

Start Time: 4 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Starting Lineup

Odds

Kevin Harvick: +350 (bet $100 to win $350)

Kyle Busch: +400

Denny Hamlin: +500

Martin Truex Jr.: +800

Joey Logano: +800

Brad Keselowski: +1,000

Ryan Blaney: +1,200

Chase Elliott: +1,400

Kurt Busch: +2,000

Erik Jones: +2,500

Aric Almirola: +2,500

Clint Bowyer: +2,800

William Byron: +3,000

Alex Bowman: +3,000

Matt DiBenedetto: +3,000

Complete list of odds available at Caesars Palace.

Preview

Although Johnson won't be in Sunday's field, there's still plenty of success among those who will be on the track.

Kevin Harvick won last year's race at the Brickyard, and while it was his second career win at the track, it came 16 years after his first Indy victory, which came during his third Cup Series season. Last year's Brickyard 400 was the regular-season finale, and Harvick dominated, leading 118 of the 160 laps.

Harvick has momentum entering Sunday after a pair of strong showings during late June's doubleheader at Pocono. He won Saturday's race, his third victory of the 2020 season, and then finished second the day after. The No. 4 Ford has been consistent all year, as Harvick has eight top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes in 15 races.

This year, Harvick will be starting 11th at Indianapolis, but it may not take him long to work his way to the front of the pack. If he's triumphant Sunday, he will join Kyle Busch (2015 and 2016) and Johnson (2008 and 2009) as one of the only drivers to win at the Brickyard in consecutive years.

Brad Keselowski (2018), Busch and Ryan Newman (2013) join Harvick as the other former Brickyard winners who will be in Sunday's field.

While Denny Hamlin has never won at Indianapolis, he's the only driver who has been as hot as Harvick of late. He's won two of the past four races, claiming victories at Homestead-Miami and Sunday's race at Pocono. Hamlin has four wins this season, and he's finished in the top five eight times in the 11 races since the NASCAR Cup Series returned in mid-May following two months off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I would say specifically the last 10 to 11 [races] we've been exceptional, really since coming back from the break that we had," Hamlin said, according to Dustin Long of NBC Sports. "I thought we've been really good."

Hamlin has finished sixth or better in six of the past eight races at Indianapolis, but he's never finished higher than third. Perhaps this could be the year he finally breaks through at one of the most prestigious tracks in motorsports.

Combined, Harvick and Hamlin have won seven of the 15 Cup Series races in 2020, including four of the past six. That's why the former thinks they are the top championship contenders.

"We're winning races, doing the things we need to do right now, running up front," Harvick said, according to NASCAR.com's Chase Wilhelm. "I think obviously when you look at the win column, as long as you're winning races, that's what it takes to win championships."

It wouldn't be surprising to see either the No. 4 Ford or the No. 11 Toyota back in Victory Lane again Sunday.