NASCAR: Significant rule change in effect at Indianapolis

For just the fourth time in NASCAR Cup Series history, a race featuring stage racing is set to be run without any stage breaks.

The NASCAR Cup Series is set for its third ever race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this coming Sunday afternoon, amid speculation that the true Brickyard 400 might return at the oval at some point in the near future.

The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is the third of five road course races — fourth of six if you include the first ever Cup Series street course race on the streets of Chicago last month — on this year’s schedule.

Since stage racing was introduced in 2017, each race, whether it be an oval race or a road course race, has featured three (or four, the case of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway) stages.

The top 10 drivers in the first two (or three) stages of each race score points, starting at 10 points for the winner down to one point for the 10th place finisher. The winner also scores one playoff point.

Historically, the end of each stage has also coincided with a planned caution flag period.

However, NASCAR debuted a slight modification to stage racing this season, but only for the road and street course races.

Before the seventh season of stage racing began, NASCAR eliminated the stage cautions/stage breaks in the road and street course races. The change was first implemented at Circuit of the Americas in March, and it was utilized again at Sonoma Raceway in June. It was also utilized in the inaugural race at the Chicago Street Course.

Beyond Sunday’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, there are only two road course races remaining on the 2023 Cup Series schedule.

Those two races are the Go Bowling at The Glen, which is scheduled to take place at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 20, and the Bank of America Roval 400, which is scheduled to take place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, October 8.

DraftKings Sportsbook, which is offering fans an instant $150 for placing a single $5 bet, lists Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. as the +400 favorite to win this Sunday afternoon’s race.

Odds and availability are always subject to change. Lock in your $150 today!

Tune in to NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, August 13 for the live broadcast of the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss it!