Corey Heim led 58 laps, cleared Denny Hamlin on the final restart and held off Christopher Bell by 0.287 seconds to win the Brickyard 400.
Race Summary
Corey Heim arrived at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 14 Cup Series starts and left with one of NASCAR's most recognizable trophies. Heim led a race-high 58 laps, won the final restart and held off Christopher Bell by 0.287 seconds to claim the Brickyard 400.
The final turning point came on Lap 127. Denny Hamlin chose the inside of the front row, leaving Heim in the outside lane with Joey Logano behind him. Logano gave Heim the push he needed into Turn 1. Heim cleared Hamlin, Bell moved into pursuit, and Hamlin fell to fifth.
Bell stayed close enough to pressure Heim through traffic but never reached his bumper. Heim kept the No. 67 Chevrolet positioned to take away Bell's preferred air, and Bell crossed the line less than three-tenths of a second behind. Logano finished third, Chase Briscoe fourth and Hamlin fifth.
Brad Keselowski, Josh Berry, Ryan Preece, Carson Hocevar and Tyler Reddick completed the top 10. Berry advanced 19 positions from 26th, while Preece gained 26 spots from 34th. Their drives through the field became two of the most valuable performances on the FantasyJolt slate.
Ty Gibbs controlled the first stage, leading 46 laps and collecting the Stage 1 win. Kyle Larson's right-front tire failed on Lap 45 and sent the No. 5 Chevrolet into the outside wall, ending his race after 43 laps. Ross Chastain won Stage 2 under caution after Daniel Dye crashed.
A nine-car crash on Lap 120 reshaped both the race and the In-Season Challenge final. Ryan Blaney was eliminated and finished 26th. Todd Gilliland continued to the finish in 24th, two positions ahead of Blaney, to secure the challenge victory.
The 160-lap race featured five cautions for 27 laps, 15 lead changes among 11 drivers and an average speed of 127.422 mph. Heim's winning time was 3 hours, 8 minutes and 21 seconds.
Final Top 10
| Pos | Car | Driver | Start | Laps Led | FJ Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 67 | Corey Heim | 7 | 58 | 66.8 |
| 2 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 23 | 0 | 41.0 |
| 3 | 22 | Joey Logano | 19 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 4 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 11 | 1 | 42.1 |
| 5 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 5 | 14 | 51.4 |
| 6 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 16 | 0 | 36.0 |
| 7 | 21 | Josh Berry | 26 | 1 | 35.1 |
| 8 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 34 | 1 | 38.1 |
| 9 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | 1 | 31 | 48.1 |
| 10 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 3 | 1 | 33.1 |
Key Takeaways
Heim delivered when the race narrowed to one restart
Heim had already shown enough speed to lead more laps than anyone else, but Indianapolis still demanded a clean final launch. The outside lane and Logano's push gave him the opening. Heim converted it without overdriving Turn 1, then managed Bell's pressure for the final 34 laps.
Bell recovered from deep in the field
Bell started 23rd and did not score in either stage, yet he reached second when the race was decided. He gained 21 positions and stayed within striking distance of Heim to the finish. Logano made a similar charge from 19th to third.
Gibbs and Hocevar banked points before losing track position
Gibbs won Stage 1, finished third in Stage 2 and led 46 laps before finishing 12th. Hocevar started from the pole, led 31 laps and scored in both stages before finishing ninth. Their stage and dominator production kept both drivers near the top of the FantasyJolt scoring board.
Preece and Berry supplied the place-differential value
Preece advanced from 34th to eighth and scored seventh in Stage 2. Berry moved from 26th to seventh and led one lap. Their salaries and finishing gains made both essential to the perfect FantasyJolt construction.
Fantasy Recap
Heim produced 66.8 FantasyJolt points at an $11 salary. The win, 58 laps led, points in both stages and the verified fastest-lap bonus made him the slate's top scorer. In Group A, his score doubled to 133.6 points.
Gibbs scored 51.6 points despite finishing 12th because he won Stage 1, placed third in Stage 2 and led 46 laps. Hocevar added 48.1 points through a ninth-place finish, two stage results and 31 laps led.
Preece scored 38.1 points at $8 after gaining 26 positions and finishing seventh in Stage 2. Berry returned 35.1 points at $7 after advancing 19 positions. Together, those two lower-salary drives made it possible to fit the three strongest stage and dominator scores under the $50 cap.
Heim recorded the verified fastest green-flag lap at 49.554 seconds on Lap 128, immediately after taking control on the final restart.
The saved projection lineup scored 240.1 points, capturing 63.4% of the 378.78-point perfect score. Its Group A anchor, Blaney, was caught in the Lap 120 crash and finished 26th, while Heim had been projected 26th in the field before becoming the race's highest scorer.
FantasyJolt Perfect Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary | Base Points | Multiplied Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Corey Heim | $11 | 66.8 | 133.60 |
| B | Ty Gibbs | $12 | 51.6 | 90.30 |
| C | Carson Hocevar | $12 | 48.1 | 72.15 |
| D | Ryan Preece | $8 | 38.1 | 47.63 |
| E | Josh Berry | $7 | 35.1 | 35.10 |
The lineup used the full $50 cap and scored 378.78 points.
By the Numbers
- 58 laps led: Heim's race-high total.
- 0.287 seconds: The winning margin over Bell.
- 34 laps: The final green-flag run after Heim cleared Hamlin.
- 15 lead changes: Shared among 11 drivers.
- Five cautions: Covering 27 laps.
- 49.554 seconds: Heim's verified fastest green-flag lap on Lap 128.
- 66.8 FantasyJolt points: Heim's race-leading base score.