NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis: Starting lineup, TV schedule for Sunday's race
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.
Whether oval or road course, IMS's place in the schedule makes it a valuable race for those drivers trying to make the playoffs.
The wild card race is somehow tighter heading into Indy. Ty Gibbs starts the weekend in 16th but with a 3-point advantage over Michael McDowell and five points ahead of Daniel Suarez. AJ Allmendinger, a former IMS road course Cup winner, is looming at 24 points behind with two road courses on the schedule.
Chase Elliott's DNF last week at Michigan pushed him 55 points off a wild card spot with three races left. For NASCAR's most popular driver, a win is almost certainly necessary to make the playoffs.
Here's what you need to know about Sunday's race:
LAST WEEK: Chris Buescher outduels Martin Truex Jr. at Michigan for second straight NASCAR Cup win
NEWS THIS WEEK: Suspended NASCAR Cup driver Noah Gragson asks for release from Legacy Motor Club
NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis road course schedule
Green Flag Time: 1:30 p.m. CT Sunday, August 13
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2.439 mile road course) in Speedway, Indiana
Qualifying: 11:30 a.m. CT qualifying on Saturday (on NBC Sports app)
Length: 82 laps, 200 miles
Stages: 15 laps, 20 laps, 47 laps
TV coverage: NBC
Radio: IMS Radio Network (102.5 FM in Nashville)
Streaming: NBC Sports app (subscription required); MRN.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
Xfinity Series this week: Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard (62 laps, 151.2 miles) at the IMS road course, 4:30 p.m. CT Saturday on USA Network
Verizon 200 at the Brickyard starting lineup
Row 1
1. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
2. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 2
3. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
4. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Row 3
5. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
6. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 4
7. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
8. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Row 5
9. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
10. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 6
11. Brodie Kostecki, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
12. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 7
13. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
14. Corey Lajoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 8
15. Justin Haley, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
16. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Row 9
17. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
18. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Row 10
19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
20. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Row 11
21. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
22. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Row 12
23. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
24. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Row 13
25. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
26. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Row 14
27. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
28. Kamui Kobayashi, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 15
29. Andy Lally, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
30. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 16
31. Jenson Button, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
32. Josh Bilicki, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 17
33. Aric Almirola, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Row 18
35. Ty Dillon, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
36. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Row 19
37. Mike Rockenfeller, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
38. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 20
39. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
NASCAR Cup Series points standings and playoff picture
Before Indianapolis; 3 regular season races remaining; a win clinches a playoff berth
Clinched playoff berth
1: William Byron (4 wins)
2. Martin Truex Jr. (3 wins; regular season points leader)
3. Kyle Busch (3 wins)
4. Denny Hamlin (2 wins)
5. Kyle Larson (2 wins)
6. Chris Buescher, (2 wins)
7. Ross Chastain (1 win)
8. Christopher Bell (1 win)
9. Ryan Blaney (1 win)
10. Joey Logano (1 win)
11. Tyler Reddick (1 win)
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1 win)
Wild card picture
Currently in on points
13. Kevin Harvick, +180 points ahead of 17th place
14. Brad Keselowski, +168
15. Bubba Wallace, +58
16. Ty Gibbs, +3
Outside looking in
17. Michael McDowell, -3 points behind 16th place
18. Daniel Suarez, -5
19. AJ Allmendinger, -24
20. Alex Bowman, -44
21. Austin Cindric, -53
22. Chase Elliott, -55
23. Justin Haley, -72
24. Aric Almirola, -81
25. Ryan Preece, -89
26. Corey Lajoie, -107
27. Todd Gilliland, - 108
28. Erik Jones, -121
29. Austin Dillon, -145
30. Harrison Burton, -163
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Indianapolis: Starting lineup, TV schedule for Sunday's Cup Series race
