The Brickyard 400 race wasn’t what Denny Hamlin had hoped for himself. He missed out on an opportunity to kiss the bricks and finally win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, for the owner in him, there is good news. And it is not just Tyler Reddick finishing in P2. Reddick’s 23XI teammate, Bubba Wallace has finished his Brickyard run on a high note. Although Wallace’s winless season continues, he got the much-needed points.

Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace finish in the top 5

The current Brickyard race marked the 30th anniversary since its inaugural race was won by Jeff Gordon in 1994. The race returned to the oval after three years of running on the road course. In the 2024 edition of this crown jewel race, Kyle Larson got to kiss the bricks. However, another team must have celebrated louder, as the race proved to be extremely successful for Hamlin’s 23XI team.

However, Hamlin’s own dream to win the Brickyard 400 was left incomplete due to a multi-car crash that unfolded on the track. And it must hurt since he had the perfect stage set for himself. He started in P2 and won stage 1, his first in Indianapolis. Yet failed to capitalize. With just three laps to go, he was knocked out of the race. But, as we’ve established by now, it’s not all bad news for the #11 driver. Both drivers of his 23 XI team finished in the top 5, even Bubba Wallace!

And it is safe to say that Bubba needed those points more than his teammate or his team owner. Bubba’s winless season has just picked up pace. In his Pocono race, he finished in 10th position, gaining crucial points for his playoff chances. Now, he has bettered his performance by finishing 5th in the legendary Brickyard race and even winning stage 2. While he’s still not secured his spot in the playoffs, he sure is now in a better position to contend for the final spot. In a post-race interview, it was clear that Bubba is hungry for more and has no intentions of slowing down from this point onwards. He said, “We should have multiple wins by this point. We just haven’t executed to that level but. We are getting close and it’s all about trusting the process with this group of guys and everyone on the 23 team. 

Bubba’s winless season has continued since 2023. Where he qualified in the playoffs based on points, not winning a single race in the regular season. The crucial points gained today must have left Ross Chastain worried as Bubba has been closing in on him since Pocono. Chastain finished 15 and with the 23XI driver finishing 5th, their point difference is just 7. With the #23’s current consistency, Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher aren’t safe either without a win. Wallace ended up gaining 27 and 25 points on Buescher and Gibbs, respectively.

The Cup series is now going into a 2-week Olympic break. And Bubba is a little relieved; he said, “A 5th to end this part of the season into our two-week break is nice. I don’t know if there is much you can ask besides a win. But just gotta keep going. Can’t let up now.” 

The Indianapolis race was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Notably, veteran drivers like Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, and Kyle Busch struggled to make an impact. Brad Keselowski was also among those who fell short, suffering a cruel twist of fate when he ran out of fuel while leading the race.

Brad Keselowski milliliters away from his second kiss

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The 2024 Brickyard race seemed like a perfectly orchestrated one for Kyle Larson. Multiple favorites crashed during the race. Then, Brad Keselowski ran out of fuel just before the field took the green flag in overtime, forcing the race leader to give up his lead and possible winning chance. With Brad out of the picture, Larson took the lead and secured the win, while Keselowski had to settle for a 21st-place finish.

Where did the team falter? Keselowski’s crew chief, Matt McCall, shed some light; he said, “I mean it was still gonna be tight. I mean we’ll never know now. But better chance for sure without the caution, you know but I still think it would have been pretty tight. To make it all the way. It would have probably ran out before line.”

This could have been the #6 car’s second win of the season. The 2018 Brickyard winner has had a strong season, with one win under his belt, 10 top-10 finishes, and 7 top-5 finishes. He has come close to winning several times this season, just like at Indianapolis. Along the same lines, McCall said, “We have been pretty close at all of them this year. The 500 a couple laps away in the end. 600 it’s rains pretty good it rains out. Its encouraging when you have a legitimate chance each week to do that. I think the biggest thing is to try and build in the notebook to get ready for playoffs trying to make around for championship”

Like Keselowski, many drivers experienced near misses in the Brickyard race. However, how detrimental these missed opportunities will prove to be will be known at the end of the regular season. Let’s hope to see similar drama unfold at Richmond when we return. How much will you miss NASCAR over the next two weeks? Let us know in the comments below.