Much of Jimmie Johnson’s playoff insurance depends upon Sunday’s Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Of course if the four-time Indy winner scores yet another trophy, it’s very simple. He’s in. A solid finish is imperative for sure, as the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup champion navigates a playoff berth in one of the more challenging seasons he’s had in a historic 16–year Cup career.
The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is looking for his first win since summer of last season. He has two top-five and eight top-10 finishes through the opening 25 races. As the series prepares for its regular season finale on Sunday, Johnson is ranked 15th in the playoff standings with a 19-point cushion on his teammate Alex Bowman in 16th. Sixteen drivers advance to the playoffs, which begin in Las Vegas next week.
Indy has typically been a bright spot on the race calendar for Johnson, who won in 2006, back-to-back in 2008-09 and then again in 2012. He won the 2008 race from the pole position. Twice more he’s finished among the top three, including a runner-up effort in 2013 when he led a race-best 73 laps.
His 302 laps out front is most in this weekend’s field. He and Kyle Busch (2015-16) are the only two drivers to ever win consecutive races at Indy. And Johnson is ranked first or second in three key statistical categories – Driver Rating, Fastest Laps and Laps Led.
He’s had two top fives in the five years since his last win and was going for the late-race lead when he crashed out in 2017.
“Last year’s race at the Brickyard was pretty exciting – a final lap, three-wide battle for the win,’’ said Johnson, who was among the three drivers vying for the spot, but part of a collision during it.
“It was a good show for the fans. This race is a big one to win.
“Our cars have had a lot of speed lately even though the results haven’t been there, Johnson acknowledged. “But there really is no quit in me, or this team and I think our cars are capable of running in the top five every week. We just need to focus on minimizing mistakes.”
Source: Holly Cain | NASCAR Wire Service
