NASCAR Indianapolis predictions 2026, expert picks for Brickyard 400 Cup race

The NASCAR Cup Series season moves to a crown jewel event, the Brickyard 400 on July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.The in-season challenge final also takes place at IMS, with Ryan Blaney against Todd Gilliland. Blaney has shown good speed at IMS since the series' return to the 2.5-mile track, but Gilliland has finished sixth in back-to-back Indy races.Bubba Wallace is the defending race winner.Here are The Tennessean's expert picks for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Sp