Column By: HOLLY CAIN / NASCAR – SPEEDWAY, IN – Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson left Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday night with a new trophy and a major contribution to his NASCAR Cup Series championship legacy.
With his runner-up to Larson in the Brickyard 400, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick was buoyed by his own showing and the impact it has on his championship run.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney headed out of town frustrated at his trophy near-miss but surely feeling confident and motivated about his chances to defend his series championship. Hendrick’s Chase Elliott was still lamenting a sometimes-maddening outing that still resulted in a top-five finish. And Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, a contender all day, needed no further introspection, after being collected in a late-race accident.
After that thrilling 30th anniversary edition of the Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG– full of storylines, both big triumphs and headline-making disappointments – the NASCAR Cup Series heads into a two-week break during the Summer Olympics. Most drivers and team members have recently said they are eager to step away from competition focus briefly to vacation with family or take an overseas trip. Maybe seize the chance not to travel at all.
But make no mistake, Sunday’s race was a dramatic preview of the intensity level you can expect for the upcoming 10-race Playoff. These drivers take a schedule respite well aware that the season is at critical mass.
Larson heads into the break as the only four-time race winner on the season. With his victory at Indy, he overtook his teammate Elliott atop the regular season championship standings – a 10-point advantage with only four races remaining to set that 16-driver Playoff field. The regular season champ receives a hugely valuable 15 Playoff points.
Reddick is 15 points behind Larson and Hamlin – who at one point early in Sunday’s race was leading the standings – is now 43 points off Larson. Blaney is 73 back.
The reigning series champ, who was in position to vie for the win in the closing stages, was perhaps most vocal about his frustration Sunday. Blaney was lined up on the front row alongside race leader Brad Keselowski for the first overtime restart when Keselowski suddenly veered his No. 6 Ford to pit lane to avoid running out of gas in front of the field. It allowed Larson – the car behind Keselowski – to move forward and by the time they got to the re-start Larson passed Blaney and was out front.
Blaney, whose team owner Roger Penske owns the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, got another chance to try and take the lead on a second overtime restart. But Larson got the jump again. After coming so close to a historical win, Blaney was understandably devastated afterward.
“That’s a heartbreaker,’’ said Blaney, who’s won two of the last six races. “We did everything right today. I mean, was in prime position to win and just didn’t work out for us. Just got unlucky.
“Gosh, not going to sleep very good tonight.’’
His reaction is not just about his disappointment on a near-miss win at Indianapolis, but indicative of the time of the season – go-time. Earning a win sets up Playoff ranking and for others, salvaging a good points day could make all the difference in getting into the Playoff lineup.
That was certainly the case at the other end of the Playoff bubble, where Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain now finds himself with a slim seven-point edge over 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace for the points-transfer position. Roush Fenway Keselowski driver Chris Buescher is only 17 points up on Wallace and is the defending winner of the next race, the Aug. 11 Cook Out 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
“All-in-all, a good day – a good points day,” Wallace said.
So as these competitors take a break and a breath for the next two weeks, Sunday’s Brickyard 400 proved the intensity is picking up and the championship stakes are unmistakable.
