JRM Weekend Preview: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

July 22, 2026

July 26, 2025: NASCAR races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. (HHP/Andrew Coppley)

TRACK – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile rectangular-oval)
NOAPS RACE – Pennzoil 250 Presented by Take 5 Oil Change (100 laps / 250 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 4:00 p.m. (ET)

  • Carson Kvapil will return to “The Brickyard” for his third career start at the famed oval in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend.
  • On tracks greater than 2 miles, the JR Motorsports driver has 12 starts, recording two top-fives and seven top-10s.
  • Accompanying Kvapil, crew chief Rodney Childers has made 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts atop the box at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In those starts, Childers has accumulated two wins, five top-fives and nine top-10s.
  • After finishing second at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kvapil climbed to fifth in the series points standings.
  • The new WILDE Crackers will be showcased on Kvapil’s No. 1 Chevrolet this weekend.
  • Justin Allgaier heads into this weekend’s race at Indianapolis having already clinched the NOAPS Regular Season Championship. Allgaier secured the regular season title by virtue of his victory at Atlanta on July 11.
  • Allgaier is a former NOAPS winner at the infamous Indiana Speedway, taking the checkered flag in this event in 2018.
  • Overall, in eight career starts on the hallowed oval in Indianapolis, Allgaier has earned three top-fives and four top-10s to accompany the 2018 triumph.
  • Allgaier currently leads all full-time NOAPS drivers in wins (six), top-fives (13), top-10s (16), laps led (472) and average finish (9.2) through 21 events thus far this season.
  • Sammy Smith will make his third NOAPS start at Indianapolis this Saturday afternoon. In two previous starts, Smith has a best finish of seventh at the 2.5-mile oval.
  • Smith has 25 NOAPS career starts on speedways measuring over 2-miles in length with one win (Talladega, 2024), five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
  • With three races remaining before the top-12 in points compete in the Chase, Smith sits eighth, just 20 points shy of seventh.
  • The No. 8 will have a brand-new scheme at Indianapolis as Communication Data Link, an Iowa-based company has come onboard. Communication Data Link is a dependable, full-service utility construction company with over 20 years of experience who understands the vision and masters the execution.
  • Ross Chastain returns to the No. 9 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet this weekend at Indianapolis, marking the second of two 2026 races with Roto-Rooter aboard Chastain’s JRM entry.
  • In eight NOAPS starts this season, Chastain has earned one win, two top-fives and five top-10s while leading 118 laps.
  • Chastain has made four career NOAPS starts on the Indianapolis oval, recording a best finish of 12th in 2018.
  • Chastain’s most recent start in JRM’s No. 9 Chevrolet came at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he and crew chief Phillip Bell went to Victory Lane after leading 28 laps.
  • Chase Elliott returns to the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet this weekend for his second and final start of the 2026 season.
  • In his first start with the No. 88 at Chicagoland Speedway, Elliott won Stage Two, led 78 laps, and finished second after contending for the victory throughout the evening.
  • In three NASCAR O’Reilly Series starts at Indianapolis, Elliott has earned one top-five finish and two top-10s while leading 13 laps.
  • Crew chief Mardy Lindley returns to Indianapolis looking to defend last year’s victory after leading Connor Zilisch and the No. 88 team to JRM’s 100th win in the 2025 Pennzoil 250.

Carson Kvapil: “Indianapolis is such an iconic and special place to get to race at. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and this entire No. 1 WILDE team have brought strong cars to the track this entire season and I am confident that will be case again when we unload on Friday. We want to keep building on the momentum we have right now and put this WILDE Cracker Chevrolet in Victory Lane on Saturday.”

Justin Allgaier: “Indianapolis is such a special track. With the history that comes with being here, it’s always been a place that we circle on the calendar. We came close here last year, and there’s nothing I would love more than another opportunity to kiss the bricks come Saturday afternoon. I know that Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and all the guys in this group have been working really hard through the off weekend and that we are going to have a really strong BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet when we unload on Friday.”

Sammy Smith: “I’m looking forward to getting back to the track this weekend. This No. 8 car had great speed last week in Atlanta, and it felt great being up there contending for the win with my teammates. We carried the momentum through this off week and put in the work and hope to get Communication Data Link in Victory Lane.”

Ross Chastain: “Indianapolis is a place that means a lot to everyone in racing, so I’m excited to get there with JR Motorsports and Roto-Rooter. The last time I was in the No. 9 Chevrolet with Phillip Bell and this group, we were able to win at Charlotte, but Indy is its own challenge. You have to be patient, execute all day, and put yourself in position at the end. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do this weekend.”

Chase Elliott:“I had a lot of fun getting back behind the wheel of the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet at Chicagoland a couple weeks ago, and I’m really looking forward to working with Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the team again this weekend. Indianapolis is one of the biggest weekends on the schedule, so it’s always exciting to have the opportunity to compete there. We had a really fast Chevy in Chicagoland, and hopefully we can build on that momentum, execute all day, and put ourselves in position to compete for the win.”

JRM Team Updates

  • JR Motorsports at Indianapolis Motor Speedway: JR Motorsports has made 34 starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NOAPS since 2012. In those starts on the famed 2.5-mile oval, the organization has recorded three wins, eleven top-fives, and nineteen top-10s. The average finish is 14.1.
  • Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, and Rajah Caruth will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / HMS WB + AB souvenir rig on Saturday, July 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET.