INDIANAPOLIS - When it comes to racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Rusty Wallace is the "bridesmaid."

The 1989 NASCAR champion has finished second three times in the 10-year history of the Brickyard 400 and twice has been fourth. In fact, he has been outside the top 10 only once.

"We've been so close to pulling it off - we've been the bridesmaid so many times that it makes you stop and ask if the racing gods are all working against you," Wallace said. "We keep on getting close and the wins are snatched away from us at the last moment.

"Somebody last year referred to us as 'Runner-up Rusty,' and we're out to change all of that this weekend."

Wallace was the leader late in the race each time he finished second. In 2002, he was in front with 10 laps to go, but Bill Elliott passed him for the victory.

The outcome left Wallace with mixed emotions.

"It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I was so happy for Bill Elliott winning the thing," Wallace said. "He and I go way back, and he's definitely paid his dues. I even went to Victory Lane to personally congratulate him on his big win. But at the end of the day, it was yet another one that got away."

In 2000, Wallace had a huge lead over Bobby Labonte but lost again. Wallace led 110 of the 160 laps before giving way to Labonte.

"It was another tear-jerker," Wallace said. "We had almost a half-straightaway lead pretty late into the thing before the 18 car got by us and went on to win."

Wallace hopes to change his luck Sunday and break through for a win on the storied track. But his Dodge was slow - 32nd on the speed chart - in Friday's only practice.

So he'll have to find more speed if he wants to be a contender in one of the most prestigious races of the year. For Wallace, it will be all about the race and the $400,000 payout to the winner.

But for several others drivers in the field, the big-picture scenario would be significantly served by victory.

"Winning this race could be a real springboard for somebody trying to get into the championship battle," said two-time Brickyard winner Dale Jarrett.

Under NASCAR's new format for the Nextel Cup series, only the top 10 drivers after the 26th of 36 races will be eligible to win the lucrative championship. Wallace is not among them. He stands 20th and is 270 points from the magical 10th spot with no hope of catching up with just six races remaining until the cut.

But Sunday's 400-mile event could play a key role in determining which drivers eventually get the shot at the big prize.

"Every race is crucial at this point," said Jeremy Mayfield, 11th in the standings and only 40 points behind 10th-place Kevin Harvick, the defending Brickyard champion. "You need to finish in the top 10 or the top five and you need to build momentum that can carry you into the last 10 races.

"That's why this race is so important. Nobody with a chance at the top 10 can afford to lose a lot of points right now."

Series leader Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the top six in the standings look to be all but guaranteed spots in the championship chase. But only 194 points separate sixth-place Kurt Busch from 15th-place Jamie McMurray.