Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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Lore & Background

The history of this series at Indianapolis began in 2012 when NASCAR announced their second-tier series would run a race at IMS, originally titled the Indiana 250. From 2014 to 2018, fans knew it as the Lilly Diabetes 250. A significant turning point occurred in 2016; as part of the Xfinity 'Dash 4 Cash' format, the race structure changed to include two 20-lap heat races similar to the Can-Am Duel, preceding a 60-lap main event that was later extended due to NASCAR overtime. That same year, the race was postponed from Saturday to Monday in 2018 due to rain. A major shift happened on January 15, 2020, after new track owner Roger Penske purchased the facility in late-2019. He announced the Xfinity race would move from the oval to the infield road course, renaming it the Pennzoil 150 under a Shell plc sponsorship. This created an IndyCar/NASCAR double-header on July 4, 2020, when the GMR Grand Prix was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Cup Series race remained on the oval that year before moving to the road course in 2021. The return to tradition arrived on September 28, 2023, with an announcement that both series would return to the oval in 2024, reviving the Pennzoil 250 name.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of racing at Indianapolis shifted dramatically between 2019 and 2024. For years, the second-tier series ran on the historic high-banked oval, but the landscape changed when Roger Penske took ownership in late-2019. On January 15, 2020, the decision was made to move the Xfinity race to the infield road course. This created a unique weekend dynamic where the Pennzoil 150 shared the spotlight with the IndyCar Series' GMR Grand Prix. The double-header on July 4, 2020, marked a distinct era of road-course racing for the series at this venue. During this road course chapter, which lasted from 2020 to 2023, the race was held on the Saturday before the Cup Series event. In 2020, it preceded the Brickyard 400, and from 2021 to 2023, it ran before the Verizon 200. Despite the switch to the road course for Xfinity, the Cup race stayed on the oval in 2020, only moving to the road course the following season. The story concluded its current chapter on September 28, 2023, when officials confirmed a full return to the oval for 2024, bringing back the Pennzoil 250 and ending the four-year run of the road course format.

Reader's Guide

Visitors to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for NASCAR events should note that the track configuration has changed over time. From 2012 through 2019, the Xfinity Series raced on the traditional oval. Starting in 2020, the series moved to the infield road course for four years until 2023. The race was known as the Pennzoil 150 during this period and served as a prelude to the Cup Series event held later that day or the following year depending on the schedule. In 2024, the series returned to the oval layout, reviving the Pennzoil 250 name. Fans attending now will see the cars navigate the same high-banked turns used by the Cup Series for decades, rather than the tight infield roads of the previous years. The race has seen various formats, including the unique heat races introduced in 2016 under the 'Dash 4 Cash' program. Whether on the oval or road course, the event remains a key stop in Speedway, Indiana, with specific scheduling details varying by year based on pandemic adjustments and series alignments.

Did You Know?

• The race was originally called the Indiana 250 when it began in 2012 before becoming the Lilly Diabetes 250 from 2014 to 2018.
• In 2016, the format included two 20-lap heat races prior to a 60-lap main event as part of the 'Dash 4 Cash' program.
• The race moved to the infield road course in 2020 and ran as the Pennzoil 150 until 2023, creating an IndyCar/NASCAR double-header on July 4, 2020.
• On September 28, 2023, it was announced that the Xfinity race would return to the oval in 2024, reviving the Pennzoil 250 name.