HLs: NASCAR Cup Series 2026 Brickyard 400
Watch extended race highlights of the NASCAR Cup Series at the 2026 Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Video Transcript
We are green in the Brickyard 400.
Always fun, watch them come down the back straightaway, fighting for position into turn three.
Yeah, there'll be a lot of late blocks, just like you see right there down into turn three.
Down into turn one.
Lot of clean air up front, but dirty air for everybody back here.
All these cars trying not to lose any momentum and presenting opportunities for others to pass.
See Cole Custer fighting on the outside here.
He's been on the outside for a couple of corners here.
Three wide with the 12 of Blaney.
Blaney hesitated.
Now he drives down there underneath the 43 of Erik Jones.
Chase Briscoe coming with him in the 19.
And you see how much the draft comes into play, even at a track where you have to get out of the gas in the corners.
Blaney kind of got stuck on the bottom with no help to push.
On board here with Chris Buescher looking ahead.
The 19 of Briscoe on the outside.
Oh.
Oh, Erik Jones in trouble, out of the gas.
Great move by Briscoe.
Now he's gonna come down and block Buescher.
Buescher's gonna push him- There you go with the- all the way down the back straightaway.
Trying to draft by that 43 of Jones.
77 is flying.
Yeah, a second faster.
His fast lap is one second faster than the next car on the racetrack.
This is, right at the very beginning of the race.
First couple of laps, the 23 and the 60.
Look at that.
Oh.
Preece going for a move.
I'm not sure if Bubba was trying to defend it.
Let's see here.
Yeah, a little bit of a la- you know, a little bit of a block and just Preece making contact.
Bubba's hands full there for a minute, and a little bit of a sign language- by the 60.
Mr. H joins us.
What a We have quite the cast.
Oh.
Look at this.
Speaking of Hendrick Motorsports, number 9 Chase Elliott and the 97 Shane van Gisbergen getting after it.
Yeah, I've been watching Chase the last couple of laps.
There's a huge gap to the next car in front of Chase Elliott, Josh Berry.
So that tells me the 9 car is not comfortable, not able to keep pace.
He's holding up all these cars behind him.
Top of the screen you saw the 77 come down pit road.
Leader of the race now pitting.
There's cars everywhere, access road, racetrack, pit road.
Here's the 7 of Suarez, the 45 of Reddick.
Reddick and Suarez battling.
Side Oh, that gets narrow on corner exit.
Look at this mess.
And Hamlin's there as well.
Get in line with you.
Get on the brake.
Throw a blanket over the top three.
And Byron's thinking, "I can unlap myself.
I've already got service.
I need to get by these three in front of me if something happens."
Oh, Hamlin squeezes three wide to the bottom.
This is outstanding coming to the corner.
Meanwhile, 77 in.
Hosar getting his stop, Marty.
Terrific racing on the track.
Meanwhile, I think Luke Lambert started to realize, Steve, what you guys were talking about.
We're losing way too much time in this traffic.
They brought Carson Hosar to pit road.
It was a flawless stage one to that point.
Got two free the longer he ran though.
Well, as you see on the right side- Oh Suarez, that's gonna be perhaps too fast.
But on the left, the 77.
He's on the access road.
If you look at the map, the 5 of Larson has already passed him.
Look at this up here, the 5 of Larson in front of the 77, I believe, already.
There is the Larson.
We're gonna have to go to the rear camera if we want to see the 77 leaving pit road.
There you go, that bright yellow 77.
So lead lost through the pit cycle by running those extra laps.
That's all great right now.
These positions are hard to come by on the racetrack under green flag, but he's got to pay that fuel tax eventually down the road.
Look at this right here.
We were out there.
You know, that's harder to see than you think.
It looks great because the camera's up, but when you get down to eye level- No penalty on the seven no penalty on the seven.
Great job getting up to speed there.
To your point, Dale, about all the cars that have pitted, they're 24th on the track.
There's this gigantic group of cars that are gonna do something different, Denny Hamlin being one of them.
He has yet to pit.
Steve, they will wait on fuel here for Denny Hamlin, but in their meetings this week, Denny Hamlin was very cr- clear with Chris Gale, "I don't care about points this weekend.
Just put me in a position to win this race."
So this is the strategy, running very long here in stage one, Danielle.
Oh, the 5 of Kyle Larson.
Oh.
Oh, man.
Unreal.
Larson was gonna cycle to the race lead- It looked- as Heim made his pit stop.
First caution of the day for Kyle Larson in the Brickyard 400.
Wow, what a turn of events.
Yeah.
Looks like a- Blew a left rear there left rear tire.
Oh.
Yeah.
We saw this last year.
Logano blew a left rear while leading.
Preece had a left rear in practice.
Cindric.
Cindric.
Cindric had a problem last year- Yeah when he was out front.
NASCAR's done a lot of work to take some of the, you know, some of the support and, and stiffness out of this body.
You see the car absorbed some of that crash energy.
Two, three years ago, that would've been such a tough wreck for him physically.
So we're thankful for the advances and, and changes made.
Gibbs, Hosar front row.
Heim on row two.
They had great fortune in the cycle.
We'll continue to go through all the strategies as we get the restart here, two and a half miles to the green and white checkered flag.
Gibbs jumps away.
Side by side for second.
Looks like Heim's gonna take that spot away.
Hosar wants to get in line, can't do it.
Michael McDowell, great execution through the green flag pit stops.
He's trying to get third from his teammate.
Side by side down the back straightaway.
Big run coming from behind him, Byron.
He's gonna go low here.
Looking for an opportunity to go three wide.
It's not there.
Hamlin grabbing a few spots back there, moving in behind Byron in sixth.
Here's the other thing to think about, stage points.
I mean, there's some guys up there that really need them right now.
Ty Gibbs has been great at getting them all season long, and he's gonna get 10 right here.
Opening stage of the Brickyard 400 goes to Ty Gibbs.
Heim second, McDowell, Hosar, Byron the top five.
Denny Hamlin sixth.
Suarez needed points, he gets them.
Evidently he left pit road early in the race.
To start the race he didn't have it in the right spot.
He's taking another shot at it here.
Gets it wrong.
He's messing with it and Oh, hello grass.
Yeah.
That can't be comfortable.
Got it all situated now.
It was well planned.
It was on the apron as he was trying to get up to speed, but I'm, I'm sure his heart rate went up a little bit.
McDowell's gonna get that second spot away from Heim.
I mean, McDowell's won here on the road course.
He's a Daytona 500 champion.
He said, "I want an oval win at Indy."
He's up to second on the restart.
And look at about the 10th row back, chaos back Oh, here we go.
We're gonna all pop out of line.
Oh boy!
Look out, hang on.
Look out, who was that?
Dancing back there for position.
Zane Smith, I believe.
Zane Smith almost mowed some grass.
Indeed.
Logano to the inside of the 12 with his teammate Blaney.
Well, Dale said on the restart the drivers are gonna be jerks, and the aggression level is up.
Bubba Wallace looking out of line.
He was down low, now back to the middle of the racetrack.
Oh, we have an issue with the nine.
Is this another flat tire?
Right rear looks flat to me.
His teammate Kyle Larson brought out the first caution of the day.
Oh, this is gonna be bad.
And the nine limping around.
See what happens.
47 to his outside.
Killed.
Nine comes up.
Oh.
Oh.
Just barely contact there, and he says it's killed.
Hit hard on the right rear.
Knocked the tire off the wheel.
He's 24th.
Driving 24th.
And he and Stenhouse had the run in back straightaway.
Oh, I just think he thought he was gonna clear the 47 easily off the corner.
Michael comes down.
That cycles Heim to second, Hosar now third.
The problem we have now is there is some Goodyear tire falloff.
Remember, that's how the five ended up with the lead.
So Oh, here we go.
I was wondering if this would force the leader to come to get those fresher Goodyear tires, which is a little bit different shift from last year where the tires didn't seem to matter a ton.
Confident his crew chief Luke Lambert will be on it, but here's the difference.
The 67 of Heim I believe will lap the 77 right here.
Now look, the 67 still has to pit, but the 77's a little uncomfortable right here where he'd like to get his lap back as soon as he can just in case we get an ill-timed yellow.
He did jump out in front of his teammate Michael McDowell.
Who does he land in front of?
I believe he beats the 77.
71.
Look at how Heim's blocking Hosar, not allowing him to pass through.
Denny's gonna go by both of these cars, the 71 and 77, during this exchange.
So basically he's gonna cycle to second.
Okay.
I mean, when everything began Denny Hamlin was fifth, but by jumping in front of this group and Heim having to pit, that will put Hamlin second behind his teammate Ty Gibbs.
He's got that money chip in there.
Right now he leads that battle after Blaney has made the stop.
And we'll see what Gilliland and his team do as we wrap the stage.
And here- Oh, looky there.
Oh, wow.
Yes.
The hurricane always delivers a story.
Yeah, with the bird out the, out the window.
Oh, man.
Outstanding.
Oh, Heim said, "I'm pitting."
And Hosar said, "I got your pit stop right here."
Oh.
I mean, unbelievable.
You gotta love the character.
It was Carson Hosar passing by, letting him know.
Hand out the window.
Yeah, that's the international signal for thank you, buddy.
Caution late stage one, caution late stage two.
78, Daniel Dye.
And with four to go, this might be late enough that this could potentially end the stage.
I'm not sure you can gather the field, open pit road, and restart the race.
We'll see what NASCAR has to say.
See what happens here.
He's already spun around.
Yeah, this looks like another left rear tire.
You see it's off the wheel.
Great call, yep.
Chastain wins the stage, Gilliland behind him.
Great points day for Ty Gibbs, who wins the opening stage third here.
Power move off a two for the 21.
They're all gonna block down here again.
Look at Josh Berry gets to the outside of them.
About runs into Blaney.
Yeah.
Briscoe's there.
You got Blaney, you got Byron.
We talk about Berry.
What a shuffle here.
If you're Blaney you wanna make sure, sure you take care of your car in traffic.
You've got the advantage right now when it comes to the end season challenge.
Three wide right here.
Oh, Herbst down into the corner.
Oh, the give and take.
How about Shane van Gisbergen getting with it?
He takes a free spot right there.
Oh, boy.
And the caution is out with Ty Gibbs leading.
Did you, did you hear all those pieces of paper get crumpled up and thrown away on top of the pit box?
There's the debris without a doubt.
Not blowing around.
It's something metal it looks like.
It looks like plastic on the edges.
Oh, you know what that looks like?
It looks like a hose cap.
Like on the three-inch hose sometimes there's a piece of carbon or aluminum that could easily cut a tire.
It's gonna be right sides for Hamlin, right sides for Corey Heim as well.
And a drag race between driver and owner off of pit road, and Corey Heim- Takes the lead here on pit road.
Heim wins the race off.
You got to go down outside the top five before you see Ryan Preece there, who does get four tires.
And right behind him it was Bowman.
Here's the race off the pit lane.
Heim in front of Hamlin.
That was a hell of a race off of pit road, but why does, why does, the 60 take the four tires?
There was their chance to basically take the lead of the race, Steve.
I agree.
Oh, man.
Crew member contact on the 23.
We talk about how narrow this pit road is, but I'm with you, Dale.
Man, that's scary situation.
I've been one of those guys before.
Both rows line up really well headed down at Oh, J- Logano's going to look low.
That's going to give Denny the chance.
Denny outside lane.
Big restart number 11.
He's on point at Indy.
Denny Hamlin will have to send a fruit basket to Joey Logano because as soon as he pulled left- Oh.
Reddick knocks the six of Keselowski way up the racetrack.
It's time.
Gloves are off back here.
I don't know if this will stay green.
Look at them.
Look at Hosar right down the middle.
He and Gibbs connected.
Gibbs trying to come back after that extended stop when they had to wait on fuel.
Oh.
Around they go.
Blaney.
Blaney into the wall.
Think about the end season challenge.
Oh my goodness.
Oh.
Stay up high.
Where's the Grillo man?
He's coming, Steve.
Todd Gilliland is not even sure what he's going to see if he sees that 12 car.
There, we're on board with him now.
What an upset we could have.
Gets down in the middle, in the middle of the sandwich there.
Turns the 12 around.
John Hunter Nemechek into the outside wall.
That's a move that John Hunter doesn't take two restarts ago, but this could be the last restart and John Hunter is trying to make up positions.
It's late, it's aggressive.
There's no doubt he dove it in there.
Blaney's not going to like it, as he shouldn't.
But if you're John Hunter, if you're Jimmie Johnson, I believe you need your driver at that level of aggression.
It's a pretty solid launch on the outside line.
They are not connected on the inside line.
A good push by the 22.
Heim.
Briscoe looked out of line.
Here comes Heim, outside lane.
Power move, 67 to the race lead.
Denny's trying to get back to the inside here.
Denny's trying to get back to the inside.
He's going to have to lift.
Big run coming from Heim.
What a restart for Corey Heim to jump to the race lead.
Bell looking outside.
Here they are.
Big run to turn three.
That couldn't have gone worse for Denny Hamlin.
Now he's spinning out the 22 of Logano to the inside.
Three wide to the corner.
Logano inside trying to get Hamlin.
And Hamlin- Hamlin's still there.
Yeah, if Hamlin's had a weakness all year, it's been restarts.
They have looked better lately, but that block from Heim killed the momentum from Hamlin and now he's all the way back in fourth, under attack from Briscoe for fifth.
Briscoe side drafting down the front straightaway.
Heim clearly into the lead.
I mean, you think about the history of North Wilkesboro and everything about that place, and to win there on a very historic night, and then come to Indy and not only win the Brickyard 400 your first, but deliver it to the boss man- Right here, William.
I'm going to put him up in the quarter, please the captain who owns the place.
Another lap.
Heim the slowest of the top three, 51.11.
51 flat for Bell.
50.95 for Logano.
These guys, man.
Sit here back in the back.
Yeah, this is for a million bucks right here.
The 12 has the speed.
Blaney to get around AJ.
It's a good run right here down the back straightaway.
AJ using the draft off of the, off of Gilliland there is not going to allow the 12 to make the run.
This has just been a great track for Todd Gilliland.
Sixth here in both of his starts in the Brickyard 400.
Got his first ever top five in a cup car on the road course here at Indianapolis in his rookie campaign, and today trying to top it off winning a million dollars.
Talk about Heim chasing his second career win in the first ever Brickyard 400.
Oh, he's a little high right here.
Missed exit right there for the 20.
He's got an opportunity.
Look at the 67, the movement in the race car.
He is driving the wheels off that car through turn two.
And that energized Bell.
He saw it.
He knows there's a chance.
Bell's there.
Inside of two tents, Christopher Bell knocking on the door.
The battle for the lead going to be two laps to go in the Brickyard 400.
Heim in front of Bell, Logano waiting in the wings.
Another slide out of the back of the 67.
It's a good run down the front straightaway for C. Bell.
Heim's going to have to block here.
Five miles to the checkered flag in Indianapolis.
One, trying to get a run.
C. Bell- Into turn one.
Clear, clear.
Traffic at bottom.
Ah, C. Bell couldn't turn and make the crossover.
The 22 of Logano's right there to pounce.
You said block.
Corey Heim with the defensive line into turn one worked.
Look at him.
Jeff Gordon got his second career victory here in 1994.
First ever Brickyard 400.
Heim trying to do the same today.
Here he is off of turn four.
It's Heim time in Indy.
Corey Heim going to win the Brickyard 400.
High five.
Get you some.
All right!
Yeah.
There it is.
Off of turn four, Todd Gilliland coming back to the checkered flag in front of Ryan Blaney.
$1 million for Gilliland.
Stay back.
Yeah, we'll keep fighting.
He's answering the bell.
He wins at Naval Base Coronado, and now he's got a Crown Jewel victory, burning it down in Indy after taking the checkers in the Brickyard 400.
