My Thoughts: 2014 Indianapolis

         Since 1911, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been the host of one of the most famous races in motorsports: the Indianapolis 500. The race is known worldwide and from 1911 until 1993, the only race on the track was the historic 500 mile event. All that changed when it was announced that NASCAR would head to the Brickyard in 1994. Some fans were appalled at the idea while some were excited for the race, but all that didn't matter as the green flag waved on the race in 1994. Jeff Gordon was the winner that day and since then, the Brickyard 400 has become a piece that adds to the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway every year. Just look at some of the best races there in the past few years.  In 2011, Paul Menard found himself in the lead in the last five laps at a track where he had grown up. He managed to save enough fuel and hold off Jeff Gordon to win his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Last year's race is another that pops into mind. Ryan Newman, who had just found out he wouldn't return to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, stole the pole from Jimmie Johnson in qualifying and Newman was able to take the win after a strategy call late. One key thing between both of those races: pit strategy. Fuel and tires will be key late in the event and all the drivers will be looking to get fuel and fresh rubber late in the event. But don't expect every driver to take four tires. Newman took two tires last year while Johnson took four and this propelled Newman to the win. Strategy will be interesting to follow in the event and it will provide us with a winner today. With that, I have a few topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a discussion of the recent week off for the top series, a discussion of last year's winner, a discussion of Kurt Busch, a discussion of Brad Keselowski, and, of course, my pick to win at the Brickyard. I am excited to write about these topics so let us go ahead and jump into them.

1. NASCAR Takes Week Off: Who Do This Help the Most?
         Like usual for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the week before the annual Brickyard 400 was one that the teams had off. Today will be two weeks since the drivers were racing at New Hampshire and this track poses a different battle. The track is two and a half miles long and it is one of the flattest on the schedule. Drivers and teams have been preparing for it for two weeks now and they have also received some nice down time. In fact, they won't have another week long break until the checkered flag waves in November at Homestead and they will have a whole offseason in front of them. This off weekend brings one single question to my mind. Who does this off weekend help the most? I think this off weekend helps the drivers the most. Listen, I have never driven a race car, but I know it is tough to race thirty eight weeks a year, let alone most of those weeks consecutively. They needed this week to refresh their minds and bodies and I think all will come back ready to race. Another thing about this week off is that we are now into Chase mode. There are only seven races remaining until we start the Chase. That means drivers can take that week off and use it as a push towards the Chase. It could very well mean one position gained on track and a chance to win a race before the final ten race stretch of the year. Now, the real race to the end of the season starts and all the drivers will be prepared thanks to this week off.

2. Ryan Newman: Can He Repeat at Indianapolis?
          The story of last year's Brickyard 400 turned out to be about Ryan Newman. Coming into the race, the stories were about him as well. Stewart-Haas Racing had recently announced that Newman would not be with the team in 2014 and a lot of media attention was brought to this story. Even in Indianapolis on pole day, the discussions were surrounding this move. Ryan Newman quickly silenced all the talk as he bested Jimmie Johnson to take the pole as the final driver out. Then, he used a little opposite strategy than Johnson to win his first Brickyard 400 in his home state. All this brings one question to my mind. Can Ryan Newman repeat at Indianapolis and jump into the Chase? I really think he has a chance to repeat today. The main reason is how fast he has been this weekend. He was top twenty in both practice sessions held at the track and he qualified in fourth position with great drivers behind him. That means Newman will be a contender and he will be in perfect position to jump into the lead early in the event. A final reason is just Newman's win last year. Usually, when a driver wins at a track, he easily becomes the favorite on the next trip to the speedway. To me, Newman looks like a favorite considering his run last year. Don't expect Newman to dominate the entire event, but if he gets a chance to run a different strategy, he could take that opportunity and grab a win for his Richard Childress Racing team.

3. Kurt Busch: Will His Indianapolis 500 Experience Help Him This Weekend?
         In May, the story of the Coca-Cola 600 was Kurt Busch attempting the Double for the afternoon. That means he would run the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. It would be quite the feat if Busch could do it and it started off well with a sixth place finish in the 500 in his first attempt at running the race. It seemed like his chances in the Coca-Cola 600 would be much better considering he had been in the race before, but engine trouble brought his night and his Double to an end. Still, Busch was fast at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is headed to the track today. I have one question for Busch this afternoon. Will his Indianapolis 500 experience from two months ago help him today? I, honestly, don't think it will. One thing it will help is his confidence at the track. Knowing he has raced on this track already this year means he will have an upper hand on some of his competitors. That could give him some advantage over his fellow drivers in the field and he could take the win. Still, the differences between an IndyCar and a stock car are numerous. Weight, nimbleness, tires, fuel mileage, aerodynamics, and so many other things are different, which means that there is really no comparison between the two types of cars. Still, Busch's confidence will be high heading into this event and his fast stock car could just hand him the win at the Brickyard.

4. Brad Keselowski: Will His Momentum Continue at the Brickyard?
         Brad Keselowski has been, arguably, one of the best drivers in the Cup Series over the last three weeks. He has won two races at Kentucky and New Hampshire with an okay finish at Daytona. In fact, he has been one of the hottest drivers since Dover on the first week of June. He has finished inside in the top 3 in every single race except for Daytona and Sonoma, which are both unpredictable tracks. That means Keselowski has been in championship form and he is certainly a contender for the title. I have one question for Keselowski. Will his momentum continue today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? I think his momentum will continue today. The main reason is the fact that he has a fast Team Penske Ford Fusion again. I believe Keselowski's fast Fords in recent weeks have been the reason why he has been a contender for the win at every single race. He was fast in qualifying yesterday with a third place starting spot and his car has seemingly been fast in all practice sessions. Another reason is just how well he has been performing recently. Keselowski doesn't have stellar numbers at the Brickyard, but that hasn't meant anything in the past few weeks with how dominant he has been. Keselowski is definitely going to be a contender today and his momentum this season should continue this afternoon at Indianapolis.

5. My Pick to Win
         The Brickyard 400 has been home to the typical winners like Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson, but it has also been home to some rather unexpected winners in the past few years. Look at Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman in the past few years. All of those drivers did not come into the Brickyard as the favorite or as possible winners of the event, but they walked out of Indianapolis with a trophy and they were able to kiss the bricks. I have discussed this already in this edition, but strategy will be a key part of this four hundred mile race this afternoon. The last pit stop for all the drivers will end up deciding who wins the race in the end. Plus, it will possibly steal a win from a dominant driver for the entire event. I have a good many picks for today's race. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and Tony Stewart are good picks for today's race at Indianapolis. Paul Menard, Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray, and Juan Pablo Montoya, yes Montoya, are underdog picks that could win this afternoon's event. I am excited for this year's Brickyard 400 and I am ready to write about it. I hope some great moments occur and we see a good race. Well, that is all for me today and until we meet again.




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