The Brickyard 400 is now within the rearview, and NASCAR groups have one ultimate off-weekend earlier than 14 consecutive races to finish the season. The stress is on for groups across the cut-line, whereas the favorites attempt to higher place themselves for the Chase reset in simply over a month.
However regardless of all that, it was a part-timer kissing the bricks as Corey Heim earned his second win of the 12 months in simply his eighth begin of the 2026 season. With a useful push, Heim cleared his boss on the ultimate restart, denying Denny Hamlin the one crown jewel win he has but to assert.
23XI Racing has now gained back-to-back Brickyard 400s, and Heim continues to stun the NASCAR world regardless of his lack of Cup expertise.
Now, this is the most important winners and losers from the Brickyard 400:
WINNER: Group No. 67 because it’s Heim Time on the Yard of Bricks
Watch: Heim hangs on to win Indy: ‘That was a rattling handful!’
Corey Heim has achieved it once more. In simply 15 profession begins, he managed to win the inaugural operating of the San Diego road course race on an energetic navy base, and picked up a crown jewel win by way of the Brickyard 400. He handed his veteran teammate Tyler Reddick for the primary win, and his 23XI boss Denny Hamlin for the second. Heim is a really distinctive expertise, and if he was accumulating factors, he could be forward of two full-time drivers regardless of solely operating eight of twenty-two races this 12 months. He’s considered one of simply six drivers with a multi-win season, and is the primary part-time driver to take action since Tim Richmond and Davey Allison in 1987. However he is not the one winner right here, after all. Everybody on that No. 67 automobile deserves some reward, particularly crew chief Bootie Barker, who has been atop the pit field for over 600 races earlier than successful his first crown jewel race.
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LOSER: Denny Hamlin lets one other Indy win slip by means of his fingers
Watch: Blended feelings for Hamlin after Indy P5 end
18 makes an attempt, and nonetheless zero wins as a driver. Hamlin was main on the ultimate restart at IMS, however as soon as once more, the Brickyard 400 slipped by means of his fingertips. It is the lacking jewel in an in any other case spectacular NASCAR profession, and if Hamlin retains to his plan to exit the game after 2027, he has only one extra probability to win the Brickyard 400. Whereas he needed to carry for Heim after an aggressive block, Hamlin blamed the loss on the restart moments prior. Regardless of having three Joe Gibbs Racing vehicles lined up on the underside, all of them grew to become disconnected, permitting the highest to surge ahead.
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WINNER: Todd Gilliland with the underdog win within the In-Season Problem
Watch: Gilliland proud to win 2026 In-Season Problem: ‘We made probably the most of it’
Gilly has gained the Milly! Two Spire drivers, two Hendrick drivers, and a Penske star all fell as Gilliland made his unlikely march to the In-Season Problem crown. He and Entrance Row Motorsports have gained the $1 million prize, and he was after all thrilled about it after the checkered flag flew. In truth, a number of drivers congratulated him on the cool-down lap as if he had gained the race itself! It was an superior ‘win’ for an underdog staff and the No. 25 seed within the 32-driver event. As soon as once more, this enjoyable competitors did an important job shining a highlight on drivers who usually would not be getting a lot consideration, and Gilliland definitely earned it. In the long run, he beat Ryan Blaney by simply two positions, claiming the large prize.
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LOSER: Kyle Larson merely cannot catch a break, and is shedding invaluable factors
Okay, perhaps he’s cursed? Ever for the reason that notorious Indy 500/Coke 600 Double try in 2025, which ended with a double DNF, Larson has not visited Victory Lane within the Cup Sequence. He even gained a championship between then and now, however no race wins. At Indianapolis, he began tenth, however an early pit cease helped to vault him up the operating order and he was in place to win Stage 1. Nonetheless, 5 laps earlier than the stage finish, a left-rear tire blew and Larson slammed the wall. As an alternative of contending for the win, Larson completed lifeless final, and it is simply surprising to see what number of issues have gone incorrect for him since his final Cup win 14 months in the past. They’re aggressive and but, too many race wins have handed them by. The No. 5 staff merely can’t catch a break, and now, he’s shedding invaluable factors as he drops two positions within the standings to eighth. Why is that essential? When the Chase reset occurs, a driver’s rating within the high 16 would be the sole consider what number of factors they begin with within the the ten-race battle for the championship.
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WINNER: Josh Berry has one thing to smile about regardless of unsure future
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wooden Brothers Ford
Picture by: Michael Allio Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
Berry is with out a journey for the 2027 season, and the 2026 season has not been variety to him. Up to now 14 races earlier than Indy, he completed twenty fifth or worse in 13 of them. It has been brutal. However Sunday on the Brickyard was Berry’s greatest end of your complete 12 months, putting seventh within the Wooden Brothers No. 21 machine. We do not know the place Berry will find yourself subsequent 12 months, however finishes like that may go a protracted technique to getting him a brand new journey.
LOSER: Cup aero bundle as passing for the lead stays practically not possible at IMS
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Picture by: Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Whereas Indianapolis produced some nice story traces, the racing itself left lots to be desired. Now, this isn’t a brand new matter for the Brickyard 400, because the race has by no means been the very best when it got here to passing. However as of late, it simply feels not possible as soon as the sector will get single-file after restarts. I do not imagine there was a single green-flag go for the lead within the Brickyard 400 that wasn’t due to restarts or pit stops. In distinction, we watched Carson Kvapil run down and go Ross Chastain for the NASCAR O’Reilly IMS win on Saturday, however it simply didn’t appear attainable within the Cup race. Even deep within the pack, drivers struggled to make any strikes as soon as everybody received in line. It is a drained argument at at this level and it isn’t only a drawback at Indy, however Indianapolis actually uncovered how tough it’s. Bell and Logano had been clearly sooner than Heim within the closing laps, however they’d no probability of passing him except he made a mistake. That is problematic, and wishes wanting into by far smarter technical minds.
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