The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns from its two‑week break with one of the most revealing races of the regular season ahead. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a way of exposing every part of a race team, from preparation and engineering to a driver’s ability to manage pressure, and this year’s Pennzoil 250 Presented by Take 5 Oil Change comes at a point where every result matters.
The Brickyard’s 2.5‑mile layout has produced an average margin of victory of just 1.27 seconds over the last five O’Reilly races held at the track, and three of those finishes came down to last‑lap passes. It is not a track that forgives indecision. Saturday’s race will mark the 22nd points‑paying event of the 2026 season, leaving only five races before the postseason begins.
That timeline puts added pressure on drivers sitting near the playoff bubble, while those already positioned comfortably have an opportunity to build momentum before the championship fight tightens. Historically, Indianapolis has played a defining role in late‑season swings: in the last decade, eight drivers who finished inside the top five at IMS went on to advance at least one round deeper into the postseason.
The 38‑car entry list features a mix of established contenders, developing talent, and two NASCAR Cup Series regulars looking to make an impact at one of the sport’s most historic tracks. Indianapolis is not a place where drivers can simply overpower the field. The 2.5‑mile oval requires patience through the flat corners, confidence on long runs, and a car that remains balanced as the race progresses.
Over the last five O’Reilly events here, 78 percent of winners started inside the top eight, underscoring how qualifying and early track position often dictate the outcome. Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott headline the Cup Series additions. Ross Chastain returns to the No. 9 Chevrolet with JR Motorsports for his O’Reilly Series start since May and brings both experience from the Cup Series and a rich history of chasing any opportunity for a start.
His last three O’Reilly appearances have produced an average finish of 6.3, but Indianapolis has historically challenged his aggressive style. Chastain has only one top‑10 finish at IMS across all national series starts, making Saturday an opportunity to rewrite that trend. Elliott enters the No. 88 Chevrolet for his third O’Reilly start of the season and has already shown he can adapt quickly.
His previous two starts resulted in finishes of fourth and second, giving him one of the strongest statistical resumes among the part‑time drivers entering Indianapolis. Elliott’s average running position in those races was 5.8, and he completed 100 percent of available laps inside the top 15. While Elliott has the experience and race craft to contend, the challenge will be competing against full‑time drivers who have spent the entire season collecting data and adjusting to the current package.
JR Motorsports brings the largest group to the Brickyard with five entries, continuing its push as one of the deepest organizations in the series. The team has led 14.2 percent of all laps run this season and carries a combined average finish of 9.7 across its full‑time lineup. The organization’s strength has been consistency across multiple cars, giving it several opportunities to find Victory Lane.
The challenge comes with Indianapolis being a track where one mistake on pit road, one poor restart, or one setup issue can quickly remove a contender from the fight. Joe Gibbs Racing enters with four cars of its own, including William Sawalich, Brent Crews, Brandon Jones, and Taylor Gray. JGR is coming out swinging as they continue to develop competitive young drivers who have challenged the season, especially on larger tracks where horsepower and engineering go hand in hand.
Sawalich enters with a 12.1 average finish on tracks longer than two miles, while Crews has completed 96.4 percent of laps this season, the highest mark among drivers under 20. Indianapolis Speedway will test whether this group can turn consistency and the thirst for more into results with shrinking margin for error. The field also highlights the youth movement contenders throughout the O’Reilly Series.
Twelve drivers entered this weekend are under the age of 25, while Brent Crews becomes the youngest driver in the lineup at 18 years old. On the other end of the spectrum, J.J. Yeley enters as the oldest competitor at 49. That 31-year age gap reflects the unique balance and inclusion of the O’Reilly Series. Where veterans and the rising phenoms compete side by side every weekend. The average age of the field is 28.7, nearly identical to last year’s Indianapolis entry list.
Several drivers arrive at Indianapolis with numbers worth paying attention to. Sheldon Creed has been one of the more reliable performers on larger tracks, carrying an 11.4 average finish on tracks measuring two miles or longer. That consistency will become vital at the Brickyard, where making a mistake matters just as much as finding the right speed.
Carson Kvapil enters with one of the strongest stretches of his season, recording seven top‑10 finishes in his last nine starts. His average finish during that span is 7.8, and he has completed 99.1 percent of laps, a sign of both pace and discipline. Jesse Love has also been impressive in qualifying, averaging a 4.8 starting position over his last five races and consistently giving himself track position before the race even begins.
Love has led laps in four of the last six events, and his average first‑stage finish of 6.2 suggests he unloads well at most tracks. Rajah Caruth has been another driver trending in the right direction. His average finish has improved by 6.2 positions compared to last season, showing the progress he has made while competing against some of the strongest organizations in NASCAR’s development ladder.
History suggests qualifying and track position will play a major role Saturday. Over the last five O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Indianapolis, the average margin of victory has been just 1.27 seconds, with three events ending in last‑lap passes. At the same time, 78 percent of winners during that span started inside the top eight, showing how valuable it is to begin the race near the front.
The Brickyard’s long straightaways and flat corners reward discipline, and the teams that unload closest to the setup window often control the race from the start. The biggest storyline entering Indianapolis is not simply who has the fastest car. It is which drivers can execute when the pressure builds. The Brickyard has a long history of rewarding patience and punishing mistakes, and with the postseason approaching, the teams that adapt the quickest will leave with the biggest advantage.
Pennzoil 250 Presented by Take 5 Oil Change at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Full Entry List
(i) indicates any driver ineligible for earning season and/or playoff points
- 1. Sheldon Creed — No. 00 — Haas Factory Team
- 2. Garrett Smithley — No. 0 — SS GreenLight Racing
- 3. Carson Kvapil — No. 1 — JR Motorsports
- 4. Jesse Love — No. 2 — Richard Childress Racing
- 5. Ryan Ellis — No. 02 — Young’s Motorsports
- 6. Justin Allgaier — No. 7 — JR Motorsports
- 7. Josh Bilicki — No. 07 — SS GreenLight Racing
- 8. Sammy Smith — No. 8 — JR Motorsports
- 9. Ross Chastain (i) — No. 9 — JR Motorsports
- 10. Corey Day — No. 17— Hendrick Motorsports
- 11. William Sawalich — No. 18 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 12. Brent Crews — No. 19 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 13. Brandon Jones — No. 20 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 14. Austin Hill — No. 21 — Richard Childress Racing
- 15. Harrison Burton — No. 24 — Sam Hunt Racing
- 16. Dean Thompson — No. 26 — Sam Hunt Racing
- 17. Jeb Burton — No. 27 — Jordan Anderson Racing
- 18. Kyle Sieg — No. 28 — RSS Racing
- 19. Blaine Perkins — No. 31 — Jordan Anderson Racing
- 20. Rajah Caruth — No. 32 — Jordan Anderson Racing
- 21. J.J. Yeley — No. 38 — RSS Racing
- 22. Ryan Sieg — No. 39 — RSS Racing
- 23. Sam Mayer — No. 41 — Haas Factory Team
- 24. Nathan Byrd — No. 42 — Young’s Motorsports
- 25. Brennan Poole — No. 44 — Alpha Prime Racing
- 26. Lavar Scott — No. 45 — Alpha Prime Racing
- 27. TBD (i) — No. 47 — Mike Harmon Racing
- 28. Patrick Staropoli — No. 48 — Big Machine Racing
- 29. Jeremy Clements — No. 51 — Jeremy Clements Racing
- 30. Blake Lothian — No. 53 — Joey Gase Motorsports
- 31. Taylor Gray — No. 54 — Joe Gibbs Racing
- 32. Joey Gase — No. 55 — Joey Gase Motorsports
- 33. Nicholas Sanchez — No.87 — Peterson Racing Group
- 34. Chase Elliott (i) — No. 88 — JR Motorsports
- 35. TBD (i) — No. 91 — DGM Racing X JIM.
- 36. Preston Pardus — No. 92 — DGM Racing X JIM
- 37. Anthony Alfredo — No. 96 — Viking Motorsports
- 38. Parker Retzlaff — No. 99 — Viking Motorsports
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