NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace happy to see the Indianapolis race return to the “real racetrack”

Kenny Wallace is thrilled that the NASCAR Cup Series is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. He praised the traditional track, contrasting it with the temporary road course used in recent years.

This event marks the series' comeback to the iconic oval track for the first time since 2020. Wallace expressed his excitement on his official X handle:

"Happy to see @NASCAR back ON the “real racetrack” at @IMS this weekend. What a crazy story to tell one day how we discredited the REAL TRACK for a make believe road course on the inside😂😂😂🥴🥴🥴🥴."

The host venue, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has a storied history dating back to 1909, with its inaugural race held in 1911. That first Indianapolis 500 set the stage—originally paved in bricks and later in asphalt—for Indy to become the racing capital of the world. From the First World War through the Second, from Vietnam to the Reagan Administration, the Indianapolis 500 has been considered the premier racing event globally.

In the late 20th century, NASCAR's popularity skyrocketed, leading to the creation of the Brickyard 400. This year, the race returns to the classic 2.5-mile oval after three years on track.

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Drivers with the Most Victories at Indianapolis

Over the course of 36 Cup races held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 15 different NASCAR drivers have claimed victory. Jeff Gordon leads the pack with five wins, making him the most successful driver at the track. Gordon first won in 1994, with his most recent victory on the track in 2014. Jimmie Johnson follows closely with four victories, while Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski have each enjoyed two wins.

As the NASCAR Cup Series makes its return to the track, all eyes are on Denny Hamlin, who despite being winless in 15 starts at the Indy oval, has consistently finished strong, placing in the top five in five of those races. During the last oval race in 2020, Hamlin was leading with just seven laps left when a blown tire sent him crashing into Turn 1.

Chase Elliott, currently leading in points, is another racer to watch. Despite a pit road speeding penalty last weekend at Pocono, which ended his 92-race streak without such infractions, Elliott managed a ninth-place finish. He has one top-10 finish in six Cup starts at the Indy Oval, with his best being ninth in 2019.

Brad Keselowski, who won the 2018 Brickyard 400, also boasts a runner-up finish from 2017 on the same track. In his recent races, he landed in the top 10 in five of the last nine races, including a seventh-place finish at Pocono last weekend.

Additionally, Rick Hendrick will grace the track in a special role, serving as the honorary pace car driver as NASCAR’s Cup Series makes its return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.