NASCAR Brickyard 400 Power Rankings: 5 drivers to watch out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NASCAR makes its highly anticipated return to the 2.5-mile oval at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, bringing the crown jewel Brickyard 400 back to life. The Cup Series race is scheduled for this Sunday, July 21, at 2:30 pm ET.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is unlike any other NASCAR oval. The rectangular 2.5-mile oval features two long straights, each 1000 meters (5/8 mile) in length, with the shorter straights of the oval measuring 200 meters (1/8 mile). The straights have no banking, while the four turns are banked at 9.2 degrees.

NASCAR last visited the track during the 2020 season when Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag. Stewart-Haas Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have all found success on the track. However, this weekend marks the debut of the next-gen car at the 2.5-mile oval.

The lack of data for next-gen cars does open up the possibility for a wild race and a surprise winner, however, the veteran drivers will have the upper hand. Let us look at five drivers who could capture crown jewel victory at the famed oval in Indianapolis.

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Top 5 NASCAR drivers to watch out at the Brickyard 400

#5 Joey Logano

Two-time NASCAR Cup champion, Joey Logano, revived his championship prospects with a victory at Nashville Superspeedway. His victory coincides with Team Penske's upturn in performance in the last month.

Logano has the best average finishing position among active drivers at the Brickyard (10.8), with four top-5 results in 12 starts. Logano and his crew chief Paul Wolfe have been a formidable combination on new tracks and could steal their second win at the track owned by Roger Penske.

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#4 Ryan Blaney

Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Ryan Blaney has returned to top form as the playoffs approach. Blaney has won two races in the past five weeks and is heading to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, aiming for a crown jewel victory.

With a single top-10 finish in six starts, Blaney's results at the Brickyard Oval are not impressive. However, these performances came during his time with Wood Brothers Racing and his early years with Team Penske. Blaney is expected to be in the mix to win the race at Penske's home ground.

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#3 Brad Keselowski

RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski has been leading the team on and off the track. After snapping his winless streak, Keselowski has continued to show a front-running pace.

Keselowski has a 12.9 average finishing position at the track, with three top-five finishes. He won the 2018 edition of the race, driving the #2 Penske Ford.

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#2 Kyle Larson

2021 NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson will be making his second trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year, following his Indy 500 debut earlier in May. He was classified P18 in his maiden attempt at the prestigious race.

Larson had earmarked the Brickyard 400 before the season began and is eager to win the crown jewel race. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver will undoubtedly be a contender to win the race this weekend.

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#1 Denny Hamlin

#11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has won all the crown jewel races, except for the Brickyard 400, which has eluded him for the last decade. In his 15 starts at the 2.5-mile oval, he has finished inside the top 5 on five occasions.

Like Larson, Hamlin has also expressed his desire to win the Brickyard 400 and complete his crown jewel quartet. Coming off a second-place finish at Pocono, Hamlin is aiming for his fourth win of the season.