Pre-Race Predictions: Indianapolis Road Course

Dontre Graves/NASCAR Digital Media

     As we are coming to the NASCAR Cup Series Inaugural race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, this will mark the third race to go, before the regular-season championship.

In these last 3 races, there will be a rush of different drivers, looking to win their way into the playoffs. So if Denny Hamlin doesn't win the regular season championship, and we have 3 other drivers to win in the next three races, Hamlin will miss the playoffs.

A few drivers to watch for the win:

• Chase Elliott [No. 9 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - Elliott, with a win here, could make it a 3-for-3 new road course win streak this year. It is hard to think that Elliott wouldn't do well at the Indianapolis Road Course this weekend.
• Kyle Larson [No. 5 Chevrolet / Hendrick Motorsports] - Larson has been fairly consistent on a road course this year, as with any other track he has been on. Could Larson be a huge threat at the IMS Road Course layout?
• Martin Truex, Jr. [No. 19 Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing] - Truex definitely was a threat at most of the road course races this year, so it would be surprising if he doesn't  
• Ross Chastain [No. 1 Chevrolet / Chip Ganassi Racing] - Still looking for his first career win, and a very aggressive driver on any track layout, it would not shock me if Chastain slips by for the win.   

A couple of other drivers that you might want to keep an eye on:

• Tyler Reddick [No. 8 Chevrolet / Richard Childress Racing]
• Austin Cindric [No. 33 Ford / Team Penske]
• Chase Briscoe [No. 14 Ford / Stewart-Haas Racing]
• AJ Allmendinger [No. 16 Chevrolet / Kaulig Racing