After a three-year hiatus, NASCAR will finally return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Cup and Xfinity Series. Considered to be one of the most iconic racetracks in the world, excitement is at an all-time high as fans return to the third-oldest permanent automobile racetrack in the world. However, with a lack of NASCAR action at the venue in recent years, there is uncertainty about the kind of racing that fans can expect at the oval.

Highlighting the possible roadblocks teams could face at Indianapolis, Denny Hamlin gave a comprehensive view of what fans can expect at the 2.5-mile-long rectangular oval during the pre-race press conference at Pocono Raceway.

Denny Hamlin identifies key factors ahead of Brickyard 400

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has retained its essence since construction was completed in 1909. With dimensions nearly the same as its original layout, the track features 1,000 m straightaways and four geometrically identical 400 m turns connected by two 200m short straightaways. Taking these factors into account, racing at Indianapolis will be far from straightforward, making it tricky for teams to devise their race strategy for the weekend.

Sharing his expectations for the race, Denny Hamlin highlighted the potential roadblocks that could make it difficult for teams to devise a sound race strategy. Speaking in the pre-race press conference at Pocono Raceway, Denny Hamlin said, “There are many different ways you can win in NASCAR right? It doesn’t always have to be through, you know, this the normal competition that always happens, we’ve seen it, you know, fuel mileage be a part of the last few winners and things like that. So Indy will be no different, it will be an execution-type race.

“You’re going to need to qualify well, but you just never know what can happen. Strategy is a big deal there. I do hope that these cars have enough drag down the straightaway to create slingshot-type passes like we see on the Indy Cars at that track. The only thing that we limit, I think our corner speeds are maybe just a hair too fast for the second-place guy to stay close enough to make that work. So it’ll be tough.”

From a race strategy standpoint, teams will need to focus on the details to get a result at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Finishing in a strong position during qualifying can make all the difference on the racetrack, as side-by-side racing looks unlikely in the oval configuration. Moreover, having a good track position combined with a great pit strategy will greatly increase a team’s chances of getting a result on the track. Fans can also expect teams to capitalize on restarts to gain track positions, which will provide tremendous entertainment value.

It’ll be the first time in history that NASCAR’s Next Gen cars will race on the same track as the open-wheeled IndyCars, and it will be interesting to see the difference in performance between the two. The oval race configuration is making a comeback for the first time since it was dropped in 2020, with NASCAR competing on the track’s road format in the last three years. However, Denny Hamlin, who did a tire test on the oval recently, is not too optimistic about the quality of racing fans will witness.

Hamlin shares doubts about race quality at Indianapolis

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Having recently participated in a tire test ahead of the Brickyard 400, Denny Hamlin has doubts about how good the racing will be at Indianapolis’ famed oval. The track has always been narrow, which will undoubtedly limit overtaking opportunities, and with multiple grooves, the Next Gen car will be susceptible to getting hung up in dirty air. Moreover, NASCAR and Goodyear will be bringing a softer right-side tire, and they are experimenting with the gauge of the left-side tires, which could also make a significant difference.

Speaking about his concerns about the track, Denny Hamlin said, “My fear is, we’re just going to be the second place car or third place car whatever it’s going to be is going to be in such a big wake that they’re not going to be able to make up that distance down the straightaway. So, certainly, I think it will be a track position type race, just because the corner speeds were on the edge of not having enough grip there.” When asked how Indianapolis compares to other intermediates, Hamlin replied, “No way, it’s not going to be a Kansas or anything like that. We’ve said it a million times, the wider the track the better the racing is, and that is the narrowest of narrow tracks.”

The last time Denny Hamlin raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s oval track, he finished 28th. After disappointing races on the Indy road course in the last three years, expectations are high for the Brickyard 400. Even if the race doesn’t meet fans’ expectations, it will provide NASCAR with some valuable data, so that changes can be made to its next iteration. With the oval making its long-awaited return, NASCAR fans will hope that it was worth the wait.

What are your thoughts about the upcoming races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Let us know in the comments!