INDIANAPOLIS — The Brickyard 400 is back. On Thursday afternoon, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASCAR announced that in the move to the oval is returning.

The last three years, NASCAR has come to the 2.439-mile IMS road course. However, fans have been begging for a return to the oval. Now, they’ll get their wish.

On July 21 of next year, on the 30th anniversary of the inaugural race, the Brickyard 400 will contest. It will be a twin-bill with the NASCAR Xfinity Series the day before.

“While it’s been exciting to watch the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series drivers tackle the IMS road course over the last three years, being back on the oval for the 30th anniversary is a much-anticipated homecoming for drivers and fans alike,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Whether you’ve been with us all 30 years or are a new fan, the celebration as we ‘come back around’ will be can’t-miss and truly unforgettable.”

“After three strong years on the IMS road course, it is momentous to return to the historic oval,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president, Racing Development and Strategy. “The history of motorsports permeates throughout IMS, so we look forward to celebrating the 30th anniversary of NASCAR at the Brickyard with the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024.”

This news comes on the heels of several drivers having made mention that the new Next Gen race car would improve the racing on the 2.5-mile famed oval. A lot were very vocal about this topic the last few years.

“I love the shared weekend. Look race car drivers like being around race car drivers. I like watching other divisions race I just don’t like racing on a road course,” said 3-time Brickyard 400 champion, Kevin Harvick. “I feel like it’s a parking lot track but doesn’t flow very well. It’s not a very it’s just not a very good course. I mean, it’s not Road America and it’s not Sonoma and it’s not Watkins Glen and it’s, you know, it’s just just not a good track.

“Running on the oval is embarrassing for our series.”

He would know. He won the last two Brickyard 400’s here.

As far as why he’s so outspoken about it?

“What are they gonna find out? I think that’s the best way to do it. Easiest way to do it. I don’t have to. I don’t have to figure out what I said that I didn’t believe.”

What do others feel?

Christopher Bell put it bluntly. He likes the oval. It’s the history and prestige of it. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. says it doesn’t feel as much like a special event anymore.

“I mean, it doesn’t feel like it near as much as the oval does,” he says. “You know, I mean, it’s run on the ovals. I mean, just super historic. Right. And, you know, it’s the brickyard 400. So yeah, I mean, it’s it’s like Bristol, right like you want to win at Bristol, whether it’s dirt concrete and you want to win here at Indy whether it’s real course or oval, but the feel of it is not as is not the same.

“So yeah, I still enjoy it though. It’s still cool being here. At the same time you still get to kiss some bricks, right?”

Even race winning owner from the Verizon 200, Richard Childress, misses the oval and wants it back over his road course win.

“When you drive through the gates, go through the tunnel and you drive through here, just the history, tradition of Indianapolis gives you cold chills the first time I came — well, the first time I jumped the fence but we won’t talk about that,” he says.

“It gives you cold chills when you think about Indianapolis and the history. So yes, I love it. I wish we were back on the oval for sure.”

AJ Allmendinger is great here on the road course and said that even being the inaugural road course winner here in 2021, it was still special. Was it a Jeff Gordon or Ray Harroun moment? That’s up for debate but he also feels like if you want to run the oval again, fans need to show out.

You can’t come back and no one comes. The crowd was more of an embarrassment for the series on the oval than running on the road course. For a race that used to pack the place, the empty grandstands weren’t appealing.

NASCAR made it clear that they’re going to go to where they’re wanted. If fans don’t show, they won’t come. It has to look visually appealing as a big event.

The massive facility ate up the estimated 50k crowds in the final years of the oval. A similar crowd on the road course doesn’t look as bad and keeps Indy as a date on the NASCAR calendar.

Which is why there’s a possibility that the road course’s days aren’t over. You could rotate the oval and road course to spice up the oval crowd. If you don’t show, you won’t see it for a few more years….

“It’s always an honor to race at IMS, but it’s no secret that I’m excited for NASCAR’s return to the oval,” 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson said. “The Brickyard 400 is one of the crown jewels of the sport’s season. To win on the oval, especially during NASCAR’s 30th anniversary at the track, is to add your name to the history books. The competition will be fierce, but with strong support from Hendrick Motorsports and HendrickCars.com, I hope to bring the No. 5 Chevy to victory lane and kiss the bricks.”

Fans will notice the 2024 Brickyard 400 presented by PPG logo contains elements from the inaugural 1994 race logo, including the iconic purple, black and gold color scheme. This is the first of many anniversary celebrations fans can expect at the Brickyard.

Presenting sponsor PPG is no stranger to the Brickyard 400. The first seven winners of the Brickyard 400 had their names inscribed on the coveted PPG Trophy.

“PPG is proud to return to the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at IMS for its 30th anniversary as the primary entitlement sponsor,” PPG Chief Communications Officer Bryan Iams said. “We are excited to see how our paints, coatings and specialty materials continue to transform the world of racing.”