What was long known as the Brickyard 400 is now a race called the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400, which sounds like it belongs at Nashville Fairgrounds. But regardless of the official race name, and a lot of folks still just call it the Brickyard 400, Indianapolis Motor Speedway — with its flat surface and tight corners — is a nightmare for low-downforce stock cars. It is also a place where those without a championship rarely win.

That’s a fact bettors should consider when wagering on Sunday’s event, given that Cup Series champions have won 21 of 26 races at Indianapolis, including five of the past six. Defending race winner Kevin Harvick is the NASCAR betting favorite at +400 on the 2.5-mile oval. IMS is the hardest track NASCAR’s top circuit competes on, requiring a degree of car control that most mid- to lower-level drivers just don’t have.

Outside of a fuel-mileage finish (hello, Paul Menard in 2011), don’t expect a surprise. So grab a St. Elmo’s shrimp cocktail and an Upland wheat ale, and place your bets on one of the biggest NASCAR races of the year.

Brickyard 400 2020 Odds & Bets To Back

Note: Odds current as of publication. Compare the latest NASCAR odds here.

Kevin Harvick to Win

The logical choice, given the drivers who win at Indianapolis and Harvick’s status as defending Brickyard champion. His average finish of 8.9 is better than that of any other active driver. He hasn’t finished worse than eighth there since 2013. A first and second in two races at Pocono bodes good things for Indy, given the similarities (flat straights and tight corners) between the tracks. If you want to hunt value, do it at Kentucky next week. Bet on Harvick to win at +400 with DraftKings .

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Brad Keselowski Top 3

Brad Keselowski is another former champion who has been solid recently at Indianapolis, with a victory and a runner-up appearance in two of his past three starts. After a blistering restart to the season that included two wins and seven straight top-10s, Keselowski has cooled somewhat. But even his mediocre finishes are just outside the top 10, and the speed the No. 2 car has shown most of this season should translate well to Indy’s ridiculously long straights. Bet on Keselowski for a top-3 finish at +200 with Unibet.

Joey Logano Top 5

What has happened to Logano? The best driver of the pre-coronavirus period, with two victories before NASCAR went on hiatus, has been mostly a non-factor since the series resumed. His best finish in his past four starts has been 17th, as Logano continues to look like a driver who’s really missing practice. But only Harvick has a better average finish at Indy, where Logano has placed worse than eighth just once since 2012. Bet on Logano for a top-5 at +125 with 888sport.

Ford Winning Manufacturer

Few unrestricted tracks demand more of engines than Indianapolis, where cars can exceed 200 mph on the backstretch. That means horsepower, which Ford has been better at producing this season than any other manufacturer. Ford won this year at horsepower-heavy Las Vegas and Atlanta, then took half of the Pocono doubleheader. In addition to Harvick, Keselowski and Logano, a Ford wager also covers capable candidates like Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer in case a fuel-mileage finish unfolds. Bet on Ford to win at +125 with DraftKings .

Stewart-Haas Racing Winning Team

This bet provides good value on the team that employs the best active driver at Indianapolis and the ideal spot to double up on Harvick. Joe Gibbs Racing is the odds favorite at +150, but Kyle Busch has been erratic at the Brickyard since his back-to-back victories in 2015-16. Denny Hamlin doesn’t yet sport the championship resume that Indy typically demands of its winners and Indy is statistically one of the worst tracks for Martin Truex Jr. Bet on Stewart-Haas to win at +300 with Unibet.

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Denny Hamlin Top Toyota

Denny Hamlin has yet to win a Cup championship or a race at Indianapolis. But he’s easily the preferred wager among Toyota drivers at the Brickyard, where he has finished worse than sixth just once since 2013. He’s also on a great run this season, with four wins and four straight top-four finishes. Taking Hamlin here also provides better value than wagering on him to place in the top five (-106). Bet on Hamlin as top Toyota at +140 with 888sport.

Aric Almirola Top 5

Break up the No. 10 team, which has recorded four straight finishes of fifth or better and is finally harnessing the type of speed the elite Fords have shown all season. Teams often carry much of their Pocono setups over to Indy; transferring that knowledge will be crucial this week with no practice. So a third and fifth at Pocono over the bodes well for Almirola, whose value and recent results justify a wager here. Bet on Almirola for a top-5 at +550 with Unibet.