Track position doesn’t just matter on the racetrack at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It matters on pit road, too.
Following Saturday’s qualifying session, NASCAR released the official pit stall assignments for Sunday’s Brickyard 400, giving teams one final strategic advantage before the green flag.
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With passing often at a premium at Indianapolis, a clean pit stop can be just as important as outright speed. A stall with an opening in front or behind can help drivers enter and exit pit road more efficiently, while crowded locations can cost valuable seconds during green-flag stops.
Carson Hocevar Earns the First Choice
After winning the pole Saturday, Carson Hocevar earned the first choice in the pit-stall selection process and will occupy Stall No. 1 near the exit of pit road.
Daniel Suárez, who qualified second, will pit from Stall No. 6. Third-place qualifier Tyler Reddick received Stall No. 10.
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Denny Hamlin will be positioned in Stall No. 2, directly behind Hocevar’s box, while Ryan Blaney will use Stall No. 8. Kyle Larson landed Stall No. 11, William Byron will pit from Stall No. 24 and Chase Elliott will be much farther toward the Turn 4 end of pit road in Stall No. 30.
The location of each box could become especially important during tightly packed stops under caution. Teams with open space around their stalls may have an easier path into or out of their boxes, while drivers surrounded by other competitors face a greater chance of being blocked.
Why Pit Stall Selection Matters at Indianapolis
Indianapolis has one of the longest pit roads on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, making every second critical.
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Drivers often spend more than 40 seconds traveling pit road under green-flag conditions, and a slow exit or blocked stall can erase the advantage of a fast race car.
Teams typically prioritize stalls with an opening either in front of or behind their box, reducing the risk of being trapped by neighboring cars during pit stops.
That makes Saturday’s pit stall draft one of the final strategic decisions before Sunday’s 400-mile race.
Fans can view NASCAR’s complete pit stall assignment chart on the sanctioning body’s official race weekend page before the Brickyard 400 begins Sunday afternoon.
