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Aug 21, 2023

NASCAR drivers to watch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course

NASCAR Cup returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the third time for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard. Tyler Reddick won last year's race, and he won on the Circuit of the Americas

NASCAR Cup returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the third time for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard. Tyler Reddick won last year's race, and he won on the Circuit of the Americas road course in 2023.

This is the fourth Cup race on a road or street course in 2023. Earlier races were held at COTA (March 26), Sonoma Raceway in California (June 11) and the series' debut downtown street race in Chicago (July 2), won by Australian Supercars driver Shane Van Gisbergen in his first NASCAR start. He makes his second at IMS.

Here are 14 drivers who have fared well on the 2023 road courses and/or the IMS 14-turn, 2.439-mile venue.

Back to the oval?:NASCAR to hold two-day tire test at IMS after road-course race

Allmendinger, an Indianapolis 500 veteran, won the inaugural Cup race on the IMS road course in 2021. He backed that up with a 7th-place finish in 2022.

2023 road course results, including track and finish: COTA, 34th / Sonoma, 6th / Chicago, 17th

Buescher is a consistent top-10 driver on road courses, finishing as high as 4th this year. He has finishes of 12th and 10th at IMS and is on a two-race winning streak heading to the Speedway.

2023 road results: COTA, 8 / Somona, 4 / Chicago, 10

Though the two-time Brickyard 400 champion (2015, '16) hasn't been there at the finish on the IMS road course yet, he has been Cup's most consistent road-course performer in 2023, with an average finish of 3rd.

2023 road results: COTA, 2 / Sonoma, 2 / Chicago, 5

He has two top-10s on the road in 2023.

2023 road results: COTA, 4 / Sonoma, 10 / Chicago, 22

The son of Team Penske president Tim Cindric, who calls strategy for Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden, Austin has knocked on the door at the IMS road course with finishes of 9th and 2nd.

2023 road results: COTA, 6 / Sonoma, 25 / Chicago, 6

Elliott missed the first road race this season due to injury, but he's a definitely a contender. He finished 4th at IMS in 2021.

2023 road results: COTA, did not race / Sonoma, 5 / Chicago, 3

He has two top-10s on the road in 2023.

2023 road results: COTA, 9 / Sonoma, 18 / Chicago, 9

The 24-year-old from Winamac, Indiana, earned a runner-up finish on the streets of Chicago.

2023 road results: COTA, 19 / Sonoma, 21 / Chicago, 2

He has two victories in 2023 and a 3rd-place finish on the IMS road course in 2021.

2023 road results: COTA, 14 / Sonoma, 8 / Chicago, 4

Logano has one race win this season and two top-10s on road courses.

2023 road results: COTA, 28 / Sonoma, 3 / Chicago, 8

He has two top-10s on road courses in 2023.

2023 road results: COTA, 12 / Sonoma, 7 / Chicago, 7

It seems to be feast or famine on the road courses for Reddick. He has finishes of 21st and 1st at IMS.

2023 road results: COTA, 1 / Sonoma, 33 / Chicago, 28

The Cup points leader has three wins in 2023, including Sonoma.

2023 road results: COTA, 17 / Sonoma, 1 / Chicago, 32

Van Gisbergen will be busy this weekend. He will drive in the Truck Series on the Lucas Oil Raceway oval on Friday night and make his second Cup start on Sunday.

William Byron (4 races), Kyle Busch (3), Martin Truex Jr. (3), Chris Buescher (2), Denny Hamlin (2), Kyle Larson (2), Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Shane Van Gisbergen

16 drivers make the playoffs following the Aug. 26 race at Daytona Beach, Fla.

Driver / points / wins

Martin Truex Jr. / 799 / 3

Dennis Hamlin / 742 / 2

William Byron / 703 / 4

Christopher Bell / 677 / 1

Kevin Harvick / 663 / 0

Kyle Larson / 662 / 2

Ross Chastain / 656 / 1

Brad Keselowski / 651 / 0

Kyle Busch / 649 / 3

Ryan Blaney / 642 / 1

Chris Buescher / 639 / 2

Joey Logano / 636 / 1

Tyler Reddick / 609 / 1

Bubba Wallace / 541 / 0

Ricky Stenhouse / 530 / 1

Ty Gibbs / 486 / 0

Drivers behind 16th: Michael McDowell (483), Daniel Suarez (481), A.J. Allmendinger (462), Alex Bowman (442), Austin Cindric (43), Chase Elliott (431).