Pennzoil 250 Presented by Take 5 Oil Change
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Course: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Format: 2.5 Rectangular Oval
Laps: 100
NASCAR O'Reilly Series Race Preview
After a weekend off, the O'Reilly Series returns to action at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier took home the win in Atlanta, ending a long run of dominance from Richard Childress Racing after both Jesse Love and Austin Hill were collected in late-race accidents. We also came close to seeing a unique winner with Brennan Poole and Nick Sanchez vying for the lead with one lap remaining before colliding. That led to Allgaier winning a chaotic race and clinching the top seed in the Chase, which will begin in early September.
Only three races remain in the regular season, and there has started to be some separation at the bottom of the playoff picture. Rajah Caruth and William Sawalich are on the outside looking on but still have a legitimate chance of making the playoff field, while Taylor Gray and Brent Crews are currently in the field but firmly on the bubble.
Key Stats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Number of Races: 10
- Winners from pole: 4
- Winners top-five starters: 8
- Winners from top-ten starters: 10
Previous 10 Indianapolis Winners
2025 – Connor Zilisch
2024 – Riley Herbst
2019 – Kyle Busch
2018 – Justin Allgaier
2017 – William Byron
2016 - Kyle Busch
2015 - Kyle Busch
2014 - Ty Dillon
2013 - Kyle Busch
2012 – Brad Keselowski
NASCAR is at Indianapolis for the third straight year after a lengthy absence, so a recent sample at the track is slowly growing. Qualifying is clearly important, with all but two of the winners starting from inside the top three.
Pocono is considered the most comparable track or those looking for additional data points. Pocono and Indianapolis share a few defining characteristics in that they are flat and are high-horsepower tracks.
RotoWire O'Reilly Series Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Pennzoil 250
Tier 1 Values
Justin Allgaier - $11,500
Chase Elliott- $11,000
Sam Mayer - $10,500
Tier 2 Values
Carson Kvapil - $9,500
Sheldon Creed - $9,100
Taylor Gray - $8,500
Brandon Jones - $8,300
Sammy Smith - $8,100
Tier 3 Values
Ryan Sieg - $7,700
Anthony Alfredo - $7,500
Rajah Caruth - $7,300
Tier 4 Values
Harrison Burton - $7,000
Jeb Burton - $6,700
Dean Thompson - $6,600
Optimal Lineup for the Pennzoil 250
Sam Mayer - $10,500
Taylor Gray - $8,500
Brandon Jones - $8,300
Sammy Smith - $8,100
Ryan Sieg - $7,700
Dean Thompson - $6,600
In many weeks, the optimal build is fairly apparent. That's not the case this week, as the top two tiers are littered with very strong options. Building through an elite driver is certainly possible, as both Allgaier and Elliott have strong track records at Pocono. Allgaier has dominated the series all season and remains a viable play nearly every week.
The problem with doing so is that there aren't many strong punt options this week, though Thompson is an exception. He finished 10th at Indianapolis last year after qualifying 16th, and he also has two top-20 finishes in as many races at Pocono. Harrison and Jeb Burton have had very comparable results at each track. For those who want to roster an elite option, it's likely necessary to roster two of the three Tier 4 drivers.
This is a big weekend for Mayer and Gray, and both are in a position to succeed. Mayer is priced aggressively, but he's qualified exceptionally well at Indianapolis, starting fourth and first in the two races at this track. Gray has a similar excellent qualifying resume at Indianapolis and Pocono, and he ran inside the top 10 for nearly the entire race at Indianapolis last season. Both drivers stand out as building blocks this weekend.
Similar to Tier 4, Tier 3 doesn't offer a lot of inspiring options. Alfredo has had an average finish of 11.5 in his last four races at Pocono, but he is priced aggressively. That removes some of the appeal of rostering him. Sieg is in nearly the identical situation, and he also has a lot of experience at Indianapolis – a potential benefit among a young/inexperienced group of drivers.
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