The 2026 Brickyard 400 presented by PPG returns the NASCAR Cup Series to the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval on Sunday, with the green flag set for 2 p.m. ET. Carson Hocevar starts on the pole after leading a Spire Motorsports front-row sweep in qualifying, yet the betting board points elsewhere.
Denny Hamlin opens as the favorite at +350, riding the hottest stretch of his career. There is more than a trophy at stake, too. The race doubles as the finale of the $1 million In-Season Challenge. Below are our picks for the Brickyard 400, starting with the driver we like most to reach victory lane and the longer-priced play that offers the best value. For the full market, see our 2026 Brickyard 400 odds preview.
Last Updated: Sunday, July 26, 2026
2026 Brickyard 400 — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, IN |
| When | Sunday, July 26 – 2:00 PM ET |
| TV | TNT Sports |
2026 NASCAR Brickyard 400 Pre-Race Preview Report
Carson Hocevar claimed the Busch Light Pole Award with a lap of 186.598 mph in 48.232 seconds, edging Spire Motorsports teammate Daniel Suarez for an all-Spire front row. It marks Hocevar’s second pole of 2026 and the third of his Cup career. Chevrolet pace ran through the session, and Spire placed a third car up front with Michael McDowell sixth.
Tyler Reddick qualified third at 186.077 mph, with Ty Gibbs fourth and a red-hot Denny Hamlin fifth. Corey Heim starts seventh, followed by Alex Bowman, A.J. Allmendinger and 2024 Brickyard winner Kyle Larson, who rolls off 10th. Track position matters at Indianapolis, where clean air and clean restarts often outweigh raw speed. That makes the front two rows meaningful, even with several stronger race-day cars starting further back.
The grid stands as qualified, with no major penalties reported heading into race morning. Reddick carries the championship points lead into the weekend, while Hamlin arrives on a three-race win streak. Both storylines shape how Sunday’s 160 laps could unfold.
2026 Brickyard 400 — Top Odds to Win
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | +350 |
| Kyle Larson | +500 |
| Tyler Reddick | +650 |
| Carson Hocevar | +1000 |
| Christopher Bell | +1000 |
| Ty Gibbs | +1000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +1200 |
| William Byron | +1400 |
| Ryan Blaney | +1600 |
| Bubba Wallace | +2000 |
Odds accurate as of Sunday, July 26, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NASCAR Odds – Props
Top Pick to Win — Denny Hamlin
Best Bet: Denny Hamlin to win (+350)
Hamlin arrives at Indianapolis in the best form of his career. He has won three consecutive races at Nashville, Michigan and Pocono, and he has posted four top-three finishes in his last five starts. Joe Gibbs Racing sits atop the winning-team market, and Hamlin heads the Top Toyota list, both signs the market respects his equipment. He also ran third in this race a year ago, so the venue is not a weakness.
The case against is mostly the price. At +350, Hamlin carries an implied probability near 22 percent, which is a steep ask in a 39-car field on a flat, aero-sensitive oval. He starts fifth rather than on the pole, so he will need to clear traffic early. Indianapolis also tends to reward strategy and track position over outright speed. One mistimed caution or a poor restart can bury even the fastest car deep in the running order.
Still, momentum and equipment carry weight in a race decided by execution. Hamlin has been the series’ most reliable closer for two months. The pick backs that trend while acknowledging the short number leaves little margin for a rough afternoon.
Value Play — Carson Hocevar
The Value Play: Carson Hocevar to win (+1000)
Hocevar earns the value nod at a longer price than the favorites, and he has the one thing that travels best at Indianapolis: track position. He starts on the pole and can control clean air from the drop of the green. The 23-year-old already owns a win this season, taking Talladega in April, and his Spire Chevrolet showed front-running pace all weekend. At +1000, he offers real upside relative to the top of the board.
The counterpoint is experience. Hocevar has not yet closed out a points race from the front at this level, and the Brickyard rewards patience across long green-flag runs and restarts. Pit strategy and late-race traffic can erase an early advantage in a hurry. The upside is that starting first buys him margin the deeper contenders do not have.
Race Day Outlook — Picks and Final Thoughts
For bettors who want a safer angle than an outright, the manufacturer market offers one. Kyle Larson to finish as the Top Chevrolet (+145) leans on the strongest Indianapolis résumé in the field. Larson won the 2024 Brickyard 400 and is the only driver to win this race in the Next Gen car. The risk is his 10th-place starting spot and a deep Chevrolet group that includes pole-sitter Hocevar and William Byron, so this is far from a formality.
In the head-to-head market, Bubba Wallace over Chase Elliott (-120) has appeal. Wallace is the defending Brickyard 400 winner and clearly runs well at this track. The caution is that his 2025 victory came after rain ended the race early, and Elliott is one of the steadier drivers in the series. Even so, Wallace’s comfort at Indianapolis makes the matchup a reasonable lean.
Sunday also settles the $1 million In-Season Challenge. Ryan Blaney faces No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland in the final, and whoever finishes better takes the prize. Blaney is the stronger driver on paper, but Gilliland has already upset several higher seeds to get here. That side bet, plus late-race strategy and restarts, is worth watching during the broadcast.
To recap our Brickyard 400 picks: Denny Hamlin to win (+350) as the top play, Carson Hocevar to win (+1000) as the value, Kyle Larson as Top Chevrolet (+145), and Bubba Wallace over Chase Elliott (-120) in the head-to-head market. Each carries risk, and none is a sure thing on a track where strategy can flip the result late.
2026 NASCAR Brickyard 400 FAQ
Who is the favorite to win the 2026 Brickyard 400?
Denny Hamlin is the betting favorite at +350. He enters Indianapolis on a three-race win streak and heads the Top Toyota market as well.
When is the 2026 Brickyard 400?
The 2026 Brickyard 400 is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, 2026, with the green flag set for 2 p.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
What channel is the 2026 Brickyard 400 on?
The 2026 Brickyard 400 will be broadcast on TNT Sports, with streaming available on HBO Max.
Who is on the pole for the 2026 Brickyard 400?
Carson Hocevar won the pole with a lap of 186.598 mph. Spire Motorsports teammate Daniel Suarez qualified second to complete a front-row sweep.
Who won the Brickyard 400 last year?
Bubba Wallace won the 2025 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, holding off Kyle Larson in a race shortened by rain.
How many laps is the Brickyard 400?
The Brickyard 400 runs 160 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, a total of 400 miles.