2024 NASCAR Brickyard 400: Winners and Losers from Indianapolis Cup race

NASCAR returned to the historic Indianapolis Oval for the 28th edition of the Brickyard 400. The last Cup Series race at the oval was in 2020, when Kevin Harvick drove down victory lane. NASCAR scheduled its Cup Series race in Indianapolis at their road course between 2021-2023.

This year's return of the Brickyard 400 witnessed a massive surge in ticket sales, as clarified by the owner of IMS, Roger Penske. The race saw numerous cautions, a few multi-car wrecks and restarts, double overtime, and two coverage blackouts, in the beginning and at the end of the crown jewel event.

Hendrick Motorsports #5 driver Kyle Larson took the lead in the last seven laps. After a hard-fought battle with Ryan Blaney in overtime, Larson emerged victorious at the Brickyard 400. Pole-sitter Tyler Reddick finished in P2, and Ryan Blaney, who won in Pocono last Sunday, finished in P3.

Here's a look at Kyle Larson celebrating his win in Indianapolis:

The return to the Oval stirred a range of emotions among drivers. While some felt satisfied with their performance, others were left wanting more from themselves.

Here's a list of drivers who had a memorable return to the Brickyard 400 and those looking for a resurgence in the remainder of the NASCAR season.

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Winners and Losers from the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Winner: Kyle Larson

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson clinched his 4th NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2024 season. Not only did he claim the top spot in the driver standings, but also became one of the few Cup Series drivers to have won four or more races in a single season. Besides that, Larson is only a Daytona 500 win away from being a winner at all crown jewel events.

Loser: Kyle Busch

Despite a season full of struggles, Kyle Busch, RCR's #8 driver, looked strong throughout the Brickyard 400. Running in P6 with three laps to go, Busch faced Denny Hamlin attempting a pass. He turned into Hamlin's #11 car, spun off, and hit the wall. This incident sent the race into overtime, and the former Cup champion finished in P25.

Winner: Bubba Wallace

23XI Racing's #23 driver Bubba Wallace was victorious in Stage two of the Brickyard 400. He eventually made a top-five finish in the race, grabbing 20 points and bridging the gap between him and Ross Chastain, who holds the last playoff spot.

Loser: Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing Team's #1 driver made a P15 finish at the Indianapolis Oval. Chastain hasn't secured a top-ten finish since Sonoma this year, and Bubba Wallace's P5 finish adds to his troubles as it leaves a 7 point gap between the two drivers, with 4 regular season races left.

Winner: Ryan Blaney

Team Penske's #12 driver Ryan Blaney put in a strong performance and although he secured a P3 finish, he was a contender to win until the end. Blaney won The Great American Getaway 400 the weekend before and has finished in the top ten of the previous four races. His P3 finish at the Oval helped him climb two spots in the driver standings.

Loser: Chase Elliott

After violating the blend line regulations at the Brickyard 400, HMS driver Chase Elliott was handed a pass-through penalty. This is his second consecutive penalty in a Cup Race, as Elliot was penalized in Pocono as well. He finished the Brickyard 400 in P10, and went down a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series drivers' standings.