INDIANAPOLIS — Practice and qualifying are in the books for IMSA’s first visit back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in nearly a decade. Here’s what’s at stake for Sunday’s TireRace.com Battle of the Bricks.

• The 1st winner back – While Sunday’s winners won’t go down in the history books here with Ray Harroun, Jeff Gordon or Michael Schumacher, it still is nice to be the first winner back in a while though. With 5 classes competing on Sunday, being P1 in each respective class is not only an Indy win, but something that hasn’t been done since 2014 either.
• Points – Just 139 points separates 1st through 7th in GTP points. Indy is the penultimate race of the IMSA season. Also, each of the four GTP manufacturers, Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche, have all won at least one race this season. They also sit 1-2-3-4 in points with Acura (WTR Andretti), Whelen Engineering (Cadillac), BMW (RLL) and Porsche (Penske) taking those four spots. 98 points separates them. This isn’t the only class worth noting either.
  • In LMP2, Paul-Loup Chatin and Ben Keating hold the points lead. But, we’ve also seen five different winners in all five races run this season including the top three in points winning the last three. They just won in Elkhart Lake. Can they extend their lead on Sunday?
  • For LMP3, can Gar Robinson stay undefeated? While he didn’t win the season opener at Daytona, that also wasn’t a points paying event either. Every other race since (Sebring, Watkins Glen, Mosport, Road America) he’s reached victory lane. Can he win on Sunday?
  • What about GTD Pro? Jimmy Vasser knows a thing or two about racing here. Now, can he take his sports car team to victory lane on Sunday? KVSH won the 2013 Indy 500. A decade later, they’re eyeing an IMSA win in GTD Pro. Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth in the No. 14 entry give them the best shot. They hold a 144 point lead in the standings on the heels of two wins in 9 races. While they’ve not won since June (Watkins Glen), they do have three straight runner-up finishes and 7 top 2 results in the last 8 races.
  • Then you have the GTD Championship for which the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 entry can clinch the championship already. This ride has been en fuego this season. Both Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow have a record setting 5 trips to victory lane including two straight. With a 375 point lead in points, if they leave Indy 385 points up or more on the field, then they’d clinch the title a race early.
• MSR’s Future – The Daytona incident could have lasting impacts on this team moving forward. It seems like Acura may be tossing them aside due to that tire pressure scandal, especially since WTR Andretti is bringing out a second car in 2024. However, MSR has since battled back and rejoined the mix for the championship again. “If we’re in contention when we leave this place in a month, might as well come (to Road Atlanta, season finale) because it’s going to be a Martinsville short track race,” Shank said here last month.
  • We’re reached that place. Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun have put together a hell of a run with three straight podiums including a win in Mosport and a runner-up in Road America. Can they continue this string through Sunday? There’s a lot riding on the final two races for MSR and one of which could be their sports car future. Ironically enough, MSR shares an alliance in INDYCAR with Andretti and it appears at least for today, Andretti is taking their IMSA car.
• WTR Andretti – It’s been an abysmal last couple of Month of May’s for the Andretti group. But, with Wayne Taylor Racing’s expertise in sports car racing, can this group pick up the Indy win on Sunday? They’re the current points leader but haven’t won a race all season. Ironically enough, they’ve won 7 times in the last 2 years (3 in 2021, 4 in 2022) but was P2 in points in each season. Can they pick up their first win of 2023 at Indy of all places?
• Penske Perfect – The 7 car has been quickest in both practice sessions this weekend. They also start on the pole. However, no one has won 2 straight races this season. They won the last time out in Road America. Does that fact open the door for their teammate? The 6 car was P2 in practice an qualifying on Saturday to give Penske a front row lockout on Sunday. Can they give Penske an Indy 500 and IMSA win on the hometrack?
• IMSA On Main Stage – Its been since 2014 that IMSA has ran here. But in those years it was a companion race. Now, they have the stage all to themselves on Sunday. Plus, with INDYCAR’s season done and NASCAR racing on Sunday night, IMSA has the showcase to themselves with being on network NBC without any racing rivaling them for airspace.