Kyle Larson checked off a third crown jewel race Sunday afternoon.
Larson won a second overtime shootout under caution in the 28th Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series’ return to the legendary oval in Speedway, Ind.
As the first Cup race on the IMS oval since July 5, 2020 neared its finish, sixth-place Kyle Busch wrecked with three laps left to create the shootout scenario with leader Brad Keselowski.
However, Keselowski pulled off before the green flag due to a lack of fuel, and a big melee soon occurred just outside the top 10.
In the second two-lap shootout after a red-flag period, leader Larson pulled his No. 5 away from Ryan Blaney, who slowed dramatically. Larson beat polesitter Tyler Reddick before the 10th caution came out for Ryan Preece’s spin to freeze the field and end the race.
Larson’s series-leading fourth win was the 27th of his career and first at the 2.5-mile speedway.
It was Hendrick Motorsports’ 11th career victory at IMS, a track record.
Larson has scored wins at the Brickyard 400, Darlington’s Southern 500 and Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600, three of the four crown jewel races, with only the Daytona 500 missing on his racing resume.
“It’s for sure up there,” said Larson, who led eight laps, before kissing the bricks. “It’s just such a prestigious place and such hallowed ground. Pretty neat to just get to race here on the oval again.”
Running in second as the first overtime was about to go green, Blaney watched leader Keselowski run out of gas then saw third-place Larson slide up to the inside line, the preferred groove at the flat track, as Keselowski hit pit road.
“Call it off and re-choose,” Blaney said of what he felt NASCAR should have done. “You promote the third-place guy before the second-place guy. It’s not right. It’s just dumb luck (considering) where Brad ran out. … I’m just upset. That’s a heartbreaker.”
Rounding out the top-five finishers were Blaney, Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace.
In his 700th career Cup start, Busch brought his No. 8 Chevrolet home in 25th.
Reddick and his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota were quickest in Friday’s practice and matched that on Saturday with his eighth career pole over team co-owner Denny Hamlin.
When the green came out Sunday, Reddick created a healthy gap on his boss and the rest of the field by leading them all before pitting on Lap 37 in the first of the two 50-lap stages.
Hamlin gained the lead for the first time when 2018 Brickyard winner Keselowski pitted with eight laps to go as the final driver who had not received pit service.
The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver kept a strong pace and beat Larson and Blaney at Lap 50, giving Hamlin his sixth stage win this season and first ever at IMS.
William Byron, one of four three-time winners in 2024 to start the race, had a hard hit when his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet crashed into the inside wall on Lap 74 after contact in the back of the pack.
In his first segment win since 2022, Wallace received the full bonus points by beating Elliott and Hamlin to close Stage 2.
–Field Level Media