NASCAR will return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval again next season

NASCAR recently announced the much-anticipated return of the Brickyard 400. The iconic oval layout at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is set to make a return in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series calendar.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and NASCAR together announced the return of the crown jewel event to the next year's schedule following its three-year hiatus. The 2.5-mile oval will host the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series races over the July 20-21 weekend.

The Brickyard 400 has made it to the Cup Series schedule in time for its 30th year anniversary next year. The 400-mile event will take place on Sunday, July 21, preceded by the Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 on Saturday, July 20.

NASCAR ditched the oval race following the 2020 season, in favor of the road course layout at IMS. While the road course race provided plenty of action, there was a growing voice to return to the oval following the introduction of the next-gen cars last season.

Following a Goodyear tire test at the 2.5-mile oval in August, it was decided to bring back the crown jewel event. The last time the Cup Series raced on the IMS oval, Kevin Harvick emerged as the winner, finishing ahead of Matt Kenseth and Aric Almirola.

Jeff Gordon won the inaugural event in 1994 and went on to add four more victories to his tally, with his last victory at the track coming two decades later in 2014. He still remains the most successful Cup Series driver at the IMS oval.

Along with the return of the Brickyard 400, the Cup Series also confirmed that the North Wilkesboro Speedway will be hosting the All-Star race next season. The entire 2024 schedule is yet to be announced.

---

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion is all in for rule changes to spice up the action

Team Penske driver Joey Logano reckons NASCAR should modify the rules and regulations to spice up the on-track action.

Logano argued that with the Cup Series being a spec racing series, every driver has similar equipment, which leads to a lack of on-track battles.

"When you have a spec car, everyone's got the same stuff, so they're gonna be close," he said on SiriusXM radio.

The #22 Penske driver gave a radical solution to this problem, as he suggested the removal of diffusers, which massively affects the aero setup.

"So what you do to change it up some? I think change the rules. Take a bunch of downforce off of it. Get rid of diffuser. That will be a massive change as far as car setups, and the field would be more spread out. And that creates better racing."

The governing body has pondered removing the diffusers for short ovals but found no conclusive evidence that it would improve racing.