NASCAR Preview: Indianapolis & IRP Race Weekend
- DIVEBOMB Motorsport
- Jul 25
- 7 min read
Written by Gabriel Tsui, Ashleigh McGregor & Krystal Diane
Following a calm affair in Dover, the Cup and Xfinity series travel to the revered Indianapolis Motor Speedway whilst the Truck Series travels to nearby Lucas Oil Speedway for an Indiana triple-header.
To any racing fan, Indianapolis needs no introduction. The rectangular, high-speed oval is 2.5 miles (4.023 kilometres) long with banking of 9.2 degrees in all four corners.
A lesser known but great track just down the road is Lucas Oil Raceway, otherwise known as Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP). IRP is a close-quarters short track, measuring out to 0.686 miles (1.104 kilometres) with banking of of 12 degrees in each of the four turns.
Below are the start times for each race plus lap count:
Trucks: Friday, 25 July, 20:00 local (01:00 UK) - 200 laps
Xfinity: Saturday, 26 July, 16:30 (21:30 UK) - 100 laps
Cup: Sunday, 27 July, 14:00 local (19:00 UK) - 160 laps
Below are the defending winners of each race:
Trucks: No. 98 - Ty Majeski (ThorSport Racing)
Xfinity: No. 98 - Riley Herbst (Stewart-Haas Racing)
Cup: No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)
Cup Series: Brickyard 400 Preview
Written by Gabriel Tsui
With the final countdown to the playoffs, NASCAR heads to Indianapolis for the final race of the in-season tournament. As Denny Hamlin took his fourth win of the season, the remaining playoff spots sat steadily at four. Will someone be able to snatch up one of the spots by being the first to cross the yard of bricks?
The drivers will be racing around the 2.5-mile(4.02-kilometre) race track for 160 laps, with 50 laps each in stages one and two and closing off the race with 60 laps in the final stage, totalling a distance run of 400 miles (643.7 kilometres).
The weather report indicates there will be a possibility of thunderstorms on the race weekend, with temperatures hovering around 29 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit). The race will commence on the Sunday of July 27th at 14:00 EST (11:00 PST, 19:00 UK).
Race Predictions
Indianapolis recently returned as an oval race in 2024, and Kyle Larson was the first to take a win at Indianapolis in a Gen-7 car. Though said race ended controversially – with race control not throwing the caution until the white flag in overtime – it was a statement win for the No. 5 regardless.
Although Larson is having one of his better seasons around the superspeedway, our pick for the race is not him, despite being a very compelling choice. Instead, we picked Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to win the race.
Stenhouse has been one of the better superspeedway racers, and he found a strong finish in the 2024 race. Despite being in an objectively poor racecar, Stenhouse has made the most of his opportunities and was at one point knocking on the doors of the playoff cutline.
However, time is running out for the No. 47, but with his skillset, Stenhouse could definitely find a way to chew out a win at the grueling oval of Indianapolis.
Three things to look out for
NASCAR’s mid-season rule change
NASCAR recently made a mid-season rule change, indicating that open entries are allowed automatic qualification on the basis of owner points standings. This rule change is mostly interpreted as a means to keep 23XI and FRM in the field without the threat of DNQ, in light of 23XI and FRM’s failed injunction to secure a restraining order against NASCAR to take away the charters.
A battle of Ty’s that won’t end in a tie
One of the biggest storylines of the race will be the final face off in the NASCAR’s in-season tournament, as Ty Dillon of Kaulig Racing and Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing will be facing off for the ultimate prize of $1 million USD. It will be an interesting watch as both drivers are exactly known for their prowess at the superspeedways, but Dillon’s Cinderella run all leads up to this moment, and Gibbs will have a lot to prove on the back of multiple top-ten finishes.
Six Sundays to the playoffs
The countdown to the playoffs is near its end, as it will be six Sundays before we find sixteen drivers competing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Currently, there are four spots remaining for the playoffs. Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace currently hold the spot, while drivers such as Ryan Preece and Kyle Busch will be ready to pounce when one of the aforementioned drivers make a mistake.
For the rest of the field below the line, a win will mostly be the only avenue where they can make the playoffs.
Xfinity Series: Pennzoil 250 Preview
Written by Ashleigh McGregor
The last Xfinity race was in Delaware, where Connor Zilisch took the victory via weather, making it back-to-back wins for him and earning the title of the youngest driver to ever do so. Zilisch now leads the drivers for most wins this season and matches Justin Allgaier with consecutive wins. He started the season with all the pressure of being the star rookie, and he is delivering on that. This week, we move to Indiana at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This race weekend marks a celebratory tenth anniversary of the Xfinity Series racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fans will be hoping it stays on the calendar consistently going forward.
Race Weekend Guide
Practice for the drivers is on Friday, July 25th at 12:05 EST (17:05 UK). Qualifying takes place on race day, Saturday the 26th, at 13:00 EST (18:00 UK). Drivers will line up at the grid to take the start at 16:30 EST (21:30 UK).
Drivers are racing an even 250 miles over 100 laps. Stages one and two are each 25 laps. The final stage will have the remaining 50 laps for drivers to battle it out.
The weather is forecasted to be a hot 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) on both Friday and Saturday. For the start of the race, there is a chance of rain but should not affect the weekend more than just bringing some clouds.
Playoff pressure
With only five playoff positions remaining, the pressure is amping up on drivers, specifically the cousins Harrison and Jeb Burton. Harrison Burton has been on the back foot of the family playoff. With only seven points separating the two cousins, Jeb Burton currently sits somewhat safely in the last spot of the playoffs.
Drivers to watch
Kyle Larson, full-time Cup driver, is expected to race in the Xfinity Series this weekend. Larson comes into this weekend with a point to prove, having made past comments about wanting to “embarrass” Xfinity drivers. Regardless of previous comments, he is a skilled driver who will take the challenge to everyone at Indianapolis.
Connor Zilisch is undoubtedly a driver to watch this weekend. His performances this year have been consistent; he's lightning on the track. Could he pull off a third consecutive win though?
Justin Allgaier is still leading the Regular Season standings, even though he hasn’t won a race since May. He had a dominant start to the season but it seems to have staggered off. Could this weekend see him back on the top step?
Truck Series: TSport 200 at IRP Preview
Written by Krystal Diane
It’s short track season again, and that means one thing: elbows out at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Friday night’s TSport 200 marks one of the final few regular-season chances for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series hopefuls to lock in a playoff spot. The 0.686-mile (1.104-kilometre) oval has a way of exposing weaknesses—whether it’s in equipment, discipline or patience—and with just a few races left, expect desperation to boil over.
Race Predictions
Corey Heim enters IRP looking nearly untouchable. After leading 94 of 100 laps at Lime Rock and sweeping both stages with zero drama, there’s little reason to bet against him. The No. 11 team is in complete control, and short tracks tend to reward exactly the traits Heim thrives on: patience, rhythm and surgical precision. Unless something goes wrong, he’s the one everyone else will be chasing.
But if there’s one name who might just have the ingredients to steal it, it’s Layne Riggs. His 13th-place finish last week doesn’t reflect the speed he carried through most of the race. He ran second in both stages, even took the lead briefly, and showed he’s not just surviving. He’s building something. Pocono proved he can win. Lime Rock proved he can keep showing up. IRP, with its tight corners and relentless rhythm, could be where it all clicks again.
Then there’s the wildcard no one’s quite sure how to rank: Connor Mosack. He didn’t finish in the spotlight at Lime Rock, but he ran top-five in both stages and showed more pace than his 16th-place result suggests. Still outside the playoff cut, he’s in the kind of no-pressure position where bold calls and late-race risks are the only way forward. IRP could be where he finally cashes one in.
Two storylines to watch out for
Penalty problems that didn’t show on paper
Not every mid-pack finish at Lime Rock came from a lack of speed. Several drivers saw their races quietly unravel thanks to penalties that flew under the radar. Matt Mills was sent to the tail for pitting before pit road opened before his late-race accident, and Dawson Sutton was flagged for speeding under yellow just two laps later. None of these drivers were expected contenders, but short tracks have a way of inviting chaos. At IRP, where track position flips fast and tempers run hot, don’t be surprised if one of these guys ends up in someone else’s story.
Gio Ruggiero’s second top-three came with an asterisk
Third place at Lime Rock broke a four-race stretch outside the top ten for Gio Ruggiero. It was clean, calculated and (for a team under pressure) badly needed. But was it a turning point or just a pause? Ruggiero didn’t lead laps, didn’t fight at the front and wasn’t a major factor until the results were printed. At IRP, that won’t be enough. With the playoffs looming, the No. 17 team still has something to prove, and one more quiet run could be all it takes to make the whispers loud again.
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