This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG
Location: Speedway, Ind.
Course: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Format: 2.5-mile oval
Laps: 160
NASCAR Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG Race Preview
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 2.5-mile oval in this week's Brickyard 400. The race, originally introduced in 1994, was one of the biggest prizes in its time, but racing shifted to the infield road course after 2020 in an effort to spice up the on-track product. Racing returns to the oval this time in the hopes that the new generation of car can open up more than a single-file procession, bringing back the prestige of winning on Indy's famed oval. Kevin Harvick was the last winner of this race and the only previous winners in the field this week will be Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Busch. Last week's race at Pocono should be a good measuring stick for what to expect this week, too. The Pocono triangle is another large 2.5-mile oval and its second turn is modeled after Indy's four corners. Ryan Blaney had the legs on the competition that afternoon, using strategy and a quick work on pit road to set up the victory. The Brickyard 400 will also be the last chance drivers have to book a spot in the playoffs with a win before a lengthy break halts on-track action until Richmond in August.
Key Stats at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 27
- Winners from pole: 5
- Winners from top-5 starters: 13
- Winners from top-10 starters: 17
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 3
- Fastest race: 155.912 mph
Previous 10 Brickyard Winners
2020 - Kevin Harvick
2019 - Kevin Harvick
2018 - Brad Keselowski
2017 - Kasey Kahne
2016 - Kyle Busch
2015 - Kyle Busch
2014 - Jeff Gordon
2013 - Ryan Newman
2012 - Jimmie Johnson
2011 - Paul Menard
Indianapolis, like Pocono, is a 2.5-mile oval. The track features four 90-degree turns with shallow banking. While the turns appear identical on paper, the reality is that each is quite unique and changes depending on the conditions. The track is a challenging one to get right and it also has a tendency to pick worthy victors. The long lap distance makes for another wide-open day for strategy, too. Running in traffic can often be slower than being in clean air, and teams may opt to pit off cycle to find clean air on the return. That undercut could pay off with positive track position once stops cycle through the field. Restarts are also likely to be key. With the single-file racing this track has produced in the past, the best opportunity for drivers to make up ground will be when the pack is bunched together. Aggressive restarts will also likely cause more cautions. Teams and drivers alike will have to avoid mistakes, too. Contact on a restart or a penalty on pit road will be detrimental to chances of winning.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $10,500
Kyle Larson - $10,300
Ryan Blaney - $10,000
Chase Elliott - $9,700
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Christopher Bell - $9,500
Brad Keselowski - $9,300
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,200
William Byron - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Tyler Reddick - $8,800
Joey Logano - $8,600
Ty Gibbs - $8,300
Alex Bowman - $8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Kyle Busch - $8,000
Bubba Wallace - $7,800
Chase Briscoe - $6,900
Todd Gilliland - $6,500
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Denny Hamlin - $10,500
Joey Logano - $9,600
Alex Bowman - $8,200
Bubba Wallace - $7,800
Daniel Suarez - $7,400
Todd Gilliland - $6,500
After winning the first stage a week ago at Pocono and finishing that race in second position, Denny Hamlin (DK $10,500, FD $14,000) continues his march toward another race win. The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 machine is one of the most competitive in the field at the moment, and Hamlin has his first Brickyard win in his sights. From 15 prior starts on this oval, Hamlin amassed a trio of third-place finishes. Joey Logano (DK $9,600, FD $9,500) is also sending a warning through the field with his Pocono performance. The Team Penske driver scored his fourth top-five finish of the season in that race and now has three finishes of sixth or better from the last five races. He has 12 prior Brickyard starts with a pair of runner-up finishes. He started from pole and finished 10th in the last series race on the oval. Like Logano, Alex Bowman (DK $8,200, FD $8,000) is also on a hot streak. He scored two top-fives and three top-10s in the last five races with his third-place finish a week ago at Pocono. Given that track's similarities to the Brickyard, Bowman should be poised for another top finish this week, too. He doesn't have a great record at the speedway from his five prior tries, but he did start third there in 2020 before crashing out of the race.
Bubba Wallace (DK $7,800, FD $7,800) is on the outside of the playoffs looking in. His 10th-place finish a week ago at Pocono helps his cause, though. He is just 27 points behind Ross Chastain in 16th, and may have an opportunity to make up that ground this week at Indy. Wallace performed well at Pocono and also has a good record at the Brickyard. His three prior starts produced a top-five and a top-10 despite not starting inside the top 10. Daniel Suarez (DK $7,400, FD $6,500) may also be worthy of consideration this week. He has four prior Brickyard starts with a best finish of seventh and an average result of 14.0. Suarez doesn't have the weight of making the playoffs on his shoulders and can focus on going for a top finish without the pressure. He has three finishes of 16th or better from the last five races, too. Todd Gilliland (DK $6,500, FD $5,000) will be looking for a quick rebound this week. He crashed out at Pocono a week ago, which ended a 10-race string of predominantly top-15 finishes. This will be his first attempt at the Brickyard, but Gilliland's recent consistency makes him one to watch regardless of the lack of track experience.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Christopher Bell - $9,500
William Byron - $9,000
Tyler Reddick - $8,800
Kyle Busch - $8,000
Austin Cindric - $7,600
Michael McDowell - $7,100
Christopher Bell (DK $9,500, FD $10,000) has been in a slow patch of races leading to the Brickyard. He hasn't been lacking speed, but the finishes haven't been representative of his capabilities. Bell has one prior start at Indianapolis, and it was a pretty good one. He started deep in the field in 35th position and worked his way forward to finish 12th. Can Bell end his rough patch this week? William Byron (DK $9,000, FD $11,000) may have something to say about that. Byron overcame his own rough patch to finish eighth in Chicago and fourth at Pocono. That Pocono top-five is a great indicator that he may be in for some success this week at Indy, too. The championship contender has three prior Brickyard starts with a best finish of fourth in 2019. Tyler Reddick (DK $8,800, FD $11,500) could also be a contender this week. He also has one other Brickyard start and that ended with an eighth-place finish. More telling, Reddick has finished sixth or better in the last four races. He is on one of his best runs of the season right now.
Not on a streak of positive momentum is Kyle Busch (DK $8,000, FD $7,500). Yet again, the former series champion was unceremoniously taken out of yet another race, finishing 32nd and outside of the top 25 for the fourth time in the last five races. Busch is a two-time Brickyard victor, though. If there is a venue he could turn around his bad luck, this place would be it. He has 12 top-10 finishes from his 16 starts and was sixth in 2020. Another driver looking to squeeze in a good result is Austin Cindric (DK $7,600, FD $6,800). The Team Penske driver is safely in the playoffs with a race win, but he could use some positive momentum leading into the championship races. This will be Cindric's first attempt at the Indy oval, but his results on tracks like this have been pretty reliable. He finished 18th last week at Pocono and and has consistently finishing inside the top 20 since winning at Gateway. Finally, Michael McDowell (DK $7,100, FD $6,200) should be a consideration as well. His best chances for a race win will likely come on the superspeedways or remaining road courses, but Indianapolis may be an opportunity for him. He has 11 prior starts at the speedway, and his trends show he was improving before the racing moved to the road course. His best result there came in 2020 with a seventh-place finish and that was his fourth consecutive top-20 at the track.
