5/19/2026, 9:09:04 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Larry Phillips will soon be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
On Tuesday, members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met for an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate upon the 15 nominees. This Class of 2027 was determined by votes cast from the 50-member panel.
The panel includes current living members of the Hall of ...Keep reading
5/19/2026, 7:55:22 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. largely enjoyed the All Star Race on Sunday afternoon at Dover Motor Speedway but largely as a standard race and not as part of the lineage it represented.
To that end, the Hall of Famer and winner of the 2000 running of ‘The Winston’ has his own ideas with what to do with the event.
“We’re doing too much,” Earnhardt said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast on ...Keep reading
5/19/2026, 4:29:49 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR on Prime Video is back! As the Cup Series heads to streaming for the next five weeks, the popular trackside coverage that featured lengthy post-race shows is back.
Alongside Danielle Trotta and Corey LaJoie, who will be there every week, the panel will have a rotating cast of NASCAR legends for each of the five races the streaming platform will broadcast.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl ...Keep reading
5/18/2026, 5:02:29 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 2026 edition of the NASCAR All-Star Race featured big wrecks, fireballs, field inverts, and a calculator nearby.
The 350-lapper was the first time the event has gone to Dover, with the Monster Mile not hosting a points race for the first time since 1968. And while the format was completely different than your standard race, the same driver who won at Dover last year returned to Victory ...Keep reading
5/18/2026, 1:42:33 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After Denny Hamlin's big win in the Dover All-Star Race, NASCAR heads home to Charlotte, North Carolina, for one of its most prestigious races on the calendar -- the 67th running of the Coca-Cola 600.
In this guide, you can find all the information you need to be ready for 600 miles of racing in the heart of NASCAR:
Charlotte Motor Speedway Track Specs and Origins
Track Length: 1.5 ...Keep reading
#hamlin
5/17/2026, 10:59:16 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Sunday marked the 67th time that Denny Hamlin has won a race in the NASCAR Cup Series but not all of them have counted.
The official tally is still at 61, even after a career that includes four victories in The Clash/Shootout, and now his second in the All-Star Race, but he really resents this one not counting.
He’s counting!
“This one doesn't count,” Hamlin said with a laugh after ...Keep reading
#hamlin
5/17/2026, 9:20:24 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin now has two wins in NASCAR's All-Star Race, taking victory in a chaotic race at Dover's 'Monster Mile.' He will be awarded the $1 million prize. He started from pole position, and led 103 laps.
His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe finished second after leading 61 laps, and Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones completed a Toyota 1-2-3.
Austin Dillon finished fourth, Connor ...Keep reading
#hamlin
5/17/2026, 5:31:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On the second lap of the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover, a massive crash unfolded at the back of the field as drivers scrambled to make up ground.
Ryan Preece was on the outside of a three-wide situation, battling with Todd Gilliland and Kyle Larson. Preece and Gilliland touched, and all three cars got tangled together.
A multi-car crash ensued, and Preece backed into the Turn 1 wall at a ...Keep reading
5/16/2026, 4:53:17 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The animated conversation between Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell after the NASCAR Cup Series race last weekend at Watkins Glen generated a lot of headlines but apparently none of them had it right.
"You all had it figured out, but every single one of y'all motherfuckers were wrong," Wallace said with a laugh on Friday during a media availability at Dover International Speedway before ...Keep reading
5/16/2026, 3:28:01 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In what felt like a throwback to a bygone era, the NASCAR Cup Series conducted a 90-minute practice session on Friday in advance of Sunday’s All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway.
For drivers who were part of the sport prior to COVID-19, when the Sanctioning Body first started consolidating race weekends, Friday was a time capsule of sports. Chase Elliott was around back then and turned the ...Keep reading
5/16/2026, 2:37:08 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chase Elliott said it succinctly.
“This feels like a normal weekend,” said the 2020 Cup Series champion during media availabilities for the All-Star Race at Dover on Friday afternoon. “It feels like a normal weekend. I would say this feels the least like an All-Star weekend that we’ve ever had in my career.
“I don’t know if it’s just because I’m not used to having an ...Keep reading
5/15/2026, 8:48:54 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
As Dover hosts the All-Star Race for the very first time, NASCAR provided teams with an extended 90-minute practice session on Friday.
Defending NASCAR Cup series champion Kyle Larson topped the speed charts at 22.792s lap (157.95mph) around around the one-mile concrete oval.
All 36 entries are taking part in the 350-lap All-Star Race this weekend, but ten drivers will be dropped ahead of ...Keep reading
5/15/2026, 2:52:35 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Along with points-paying races for the NASCAR O'Reilly and Craftsman Truck Series, the Cup cars will be on the track at Dover this weekend for the 2026 edition of the All-Star Racing.
NASCAR is bringing its annual All-Star Race to the 'Monster Mile' for the very first time, and revamping the format as well.
Christopher Bell won last year's All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, while Denny ...Keep reading
5/14/2026, 4:50:52 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
There is no direct comparison since this was the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen to take place during the spring but the Go Bowling at The Glen on FS1 earned an average of 1.928 million viewers and a 1.06 rating according to Nielsen’s Big Panel + Data metric.
This is the lowest rated race of the season, won by Shane van Gisbergen, this race barely dropping below Bristol’s ...Keep reading
5/14/2026, 3:48:49 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The NASCAR All-Star Race changes formats ... often. The Sanctioning Body are not shy about using the race as an experiment, but this year marks quite a dramatic change.
First, the All-Star Race heads to Dover, Delaware for the very first time. The 'Monster Mile' will not host a points-paying race for the first time since 1968, but it will play host to the All-Star Race this weekend. NASCAR also ...Keep reading
5/13/2026, 4:01:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Attempting to complete 1,100 miles in a single day of racing is quite the challenge (unless you're an endurance racing driver), but it's even more daunting when you're doing it in two wildly different race cars and at two race tracks that are multiple states and over 500 miles apart.
That is what it means when a driver says they are attempting 'The Double.' Their day will begin at Indianapolis ...Keep reading
5/13/2026, 12:56:35 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Even Kurt Busch is surprised that NASCAR didn’t penalize his brother, two-time Cup Series champion, Kyle Busch.
The 2004 Cup Series champion, who won his title with Roush Racing, appeared on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast this week and was asked about the penalty to Ryan Preece due to the incident with Ty Gibbs two weeks ago at Texas but also the non-penalty for his brother’s contact with ...Keep reading
5/11/2026, 10:21:24 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Before recording his Actions Detrimental podcast each week, Denny Hamlin goes back and reviews the race broadcast for the stories of the week, and that means sharing a frustration with race fans from this past weekend at Watkins Glen International.
All the missed crashes and incidents.
Read Also:
NASCAR CupThe wild NASCAR Watkins Glen moments viewers never saw on ...Keep reading
#hamlin
5/11/2026, 8:44:50 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin was surprised that NASCAR issued a $50,000 fine and 25-point penalty to Ryan Preece, and believes it should be overturned or reduced on appeal, but also concedes from experience that the deck will be stacked against them.
Preece was issued the penalty because the Sanctioning Body believed there was intent based on what the driver said over the radio, supplemented by SMT data ...Keep reading
#appeal#hamlin
5/11/2026, 8:18:00 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Shane van Gisbergen is now the winningest driver in Trackhouse Racing history, surpassing Ross Chastain with his seventh career win -- all on road courses.
It's truly incredible to see just how unbeatable the three-time Supercars champion has been over the past two years, even with how close the field is in modern NASCAR. He has only last one of the last seven road/street course races, and ...Keep reading
5/11/2026, 3:31:07 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
There's no doubt that Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen was fairly calm, as only one driver failed to reach the checkered flag and 32 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.
There were only two natural cautions -- one for flying debris from the infield, and another for a tire carcass at the side of the track.
But there were several moments that the TV coverage either missed ...Keep reading
5/11/2026, 2:35:04 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Hyak Motorsports, keeping him as the driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet.
“Ricky has been a huge part of what we’re building at Hyak Motorsports, and we’re proud to continue this partnership for years to come,” said Gordon Smith, owner of Hyak Motorsports. “He brings experience, leadership ...Keep reading
5/11/2026, 12:35:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The Watkins Glen weekend was full of highs and lows for 19-year-old Connor Zilisch. After leading the most laps in Friday's Truck race, he lost out to Kaden Honeycutt in overtime. However, he won Saturday's NASCAR O'Reilly race with a dramatic pass on Jesse Love in the final corner of the final lap.
And then there's the Cup race. Zilisch entered the Glen outside the top 30 in points, and still ...Keep reading
5/11/2026, 12:31:27 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The deck was stacked against Shane Van Gisbergen and the Trackhouse No. 91 on Sunday at Watkins Glen but it simply didn’t matter.
A caution with 39 laps to go put ‘SVG’ and crew chief Stephen Doran into quite the predicament. If they stayed out, they faced long odds of making it to the finish line on fuel, especially if others came down and were chasing them down on fresher tires.
So ...Keep reading
5/10/2026, 10:23:19 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After 100 laps of NASCAR Cup racing at Watkins Glen, pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen walked away with the checkered flag. He made up 29 seconds in 18 laps during the final stint, and ultimately won the race by 7.2 seconds over Michael McDowell.
Ty Gibbs was leading the strategy for those who cut out a pit stop, finishing third. Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick filled out the rest of the top ...Keep reading
#reddick
5/10/2026, 10:05:32 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
There was no stopping Shane van Gisbergen at Watkins Glen on Sunday, as he collected his seventh career win and Trackhouse Racing's first of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season.
In 18 laps, he made up 29.2 seconds, passing Ty Gibbs for the race lead with seven laps to spare. And after that, he went on to win the race with a seven-second margin.
"Unbelievable to win with 97," said van Gisbergen ...Keep reading
5/10/2026, 1:35:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
At the end of a scheduled media availability on Saturday at Watkins Glen, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott interjected as the press conference was being wrapped up, and requested some time to speak about the NASCAR Hall of Fame voting that is set to take place later this month. It wasn't in response to a question, but a deliberate statement he wanted to make in front of the assembled ...Keep reading
5/9/2026, 7:10:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The grid is set for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International. Defending winner Shane van Gisbergen earned pole position -- his first at the Glen but fifth at the Cup level. The impressive qualifying effort also comes on the Kiwi's 37th birthday!
Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell will start from the outside of the front row, a full 0.259s off of SVG's fast lap of ...Keep reading
#front-row
5/9/2026, 4:04:40 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
“Honestly, a bit surprised.”
Ryan Preece was very measured on Saturday morning when discussing the penalty levied against him this week by NASCAR for the incident involving him and Ty Gibbs last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Gibbs crashed on Lap 101 and NASCAR deduced intent based on radio communication that indicated Preece could retaliate in some form for a previous incident ...Keep reading
#appeal
5/9/2026, 2:36:39 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
During Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International, two late-race leaders were penalized for going early and mashing the gas before reaching the restart zone.
The first was Ross Chastain, who led 19 laps before penalized with just ten laps to go. Two restarts later with five laps to go, it was Gio Ruggiero, who was even closer to the line and was getting pushed ...Keep reading
5/8/2026, 1:05:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Watkins Glen International hosts the 12th round of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season, and will feature all three national divisions and the ARCA Menards Series from Friday through Sunday. This is also the earliest the track has ever appeared on the NASCAR schedule.
Will Shane van Gisbergen go back-to-back, or will another driver capture the checkered flag at The Glen? Here's all some major storylines ...Keep reading
5/7/2026, 11:16:35 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR's decision to move Watkins Glen to the spring will not last, as the historic road course confirmed plans to move the Cup date to the fall in 2027.
WGI will be part of the Chase for the Championship, and unless there is a dramatic change to the schedule, it will likely be the only road course in the Chase. This year, there are no road courses in the ten-race Chase after the Charlotte ...Keep reading
5/7/2026, 9:30:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
RFK Racing has announced plans to appeal the penalties NASCAR issued against Ryan Preece this week.
The driver of the No. 60 Ford Mustang was involved in an incident with Texas Motor Speedway where he spun Ty Gibbs into the outside wall. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver suffered significant damage.
Radio chatter from before the incident seemed to indicate that he intended to turn the driver of ...Keep reading
#appeal
5/7/2026, 9:06:35 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR is back on a road course this weekend with the Cup, O'Reilly, Craftsman Truck, and ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen International. This is the earliest WGI has ever appeared on the schedule, and the weather looks iffy with some rain expected.
Shane van Gisbergen is the defending Cup winner at Watkins Glen, and he is hoping to secure his first win of the 2026 season this weekend ...Keep reading
5/6/2026, 8:58:14 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After hearing arguments from all parties during a telephonic hearing on Tuesday afternoon, the judge overseeing the Joe Gibbs Racing v Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports lawsuits has scheduled the trial to take place in January.
This is later than the November timeframe requested by the plaintiffs and earlier than the May timeline requested by the defendants.
From the order:
“The ...Keep reading
#lawsuit
5/6/2026, 7:13:33 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The racing at Watkins Glen International will look a bit different this weekend, as NASCAR introduces some new track limits.
No longer will we see the entire field driving off into the Turn 1 runoff on starts/restarts, as NASCAR has made some significant changes there and to the exit of the Carousel.
They're essentially building a new wall via tire packs to keep the racing line closer to the ...Keep reading
5/6/2026, 3:43:36 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will continue to drive the No. 12 Team Penske Ford after signing a multi-year contract extension. Menards will remain as a partner as part of the new agreement
“Ryan Blaney has developed into one of the elite drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the success he’s achieved speaks for itself,” said team owner Roger Penske. “I’m confident Ryan ...Keep reading
5/5/2026, 11:05:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR has taken action against Ryan Preece following the incident between him and Ty Gibbs on Sunday in the Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Preece, the driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, was issued a $50,000 fine and the deduction of 25 driver points under Sections 4.3 and 4.4.A in the NASCAR Rule Book, which detail ‘wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that ...Keep reading
5/4/2026, 2:42:38 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
This is the best that Chase Elliott, Alan Gustafson and the Hendrick Motorsports team have ever looked to start a NASAR Cup Series season and that makes them a very serious threat in the new Chase for the Championship.
Sure, Elliott has led the standings early in a season through his trademark consistency and penchant for finishing races and having good points day but now he’s won twice over ...Keep reading
5/4/2026, 1:19:16 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On the final restart at Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch was hoping to end a promising day on a high note. He had run inside the top ten for most of the day, and restarted 11th with two fresh right-side tires.
He didn't make any forward progress in the chaotic restart, and John Hunter Nemechek passed him as the field crossed the line with three laps to go. A lap later, Busch got back underneath ...Keep reading
5/3/2026, 11:45:57 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Tyler Reddick finished a strong fourth at Texas, but saw his incredible 110-point lead shrink ever-so-slightly to 109 points after Denny Hamlin's runner-up finish.
Chase Elliott's win vaulted him up to third in the standings, 117 points back of the lead.
The biggest mover in the standings was Erik Jones, who jumped four positions from 26th to 22nd. He won Stage 1 at Texas, and that points ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
5/3/2026, 11:17:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chase Elliott led 87 of 267 laps (more than any other driver) to win Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. He beat Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman in a four-lap sprint to the checkered flag.
11 different drivers led laps during the race, which featured several incidents as well. In the end, 20 cars finished on the lead lap and four drivers (Heim, Gibbs, Logano, Bell) recorded ...Keep reading
#hamlin
5/3/2026, 11:01:24 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Hendrick Motorsports now has two wins in the 2026 season, and both are courtesy of Chase Elliott. The driver of the No. 9 HMS Chevrolet now has 23 career wins, and his second Texas win in the last three years.
He finished just ahead of Denny Hamlin in second and Alex Bowman in third. Tyler Reddick, who was charging with two fresh right-side tires, finished fourth, with Chris Buescher ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
5/3/2026, 9:45:45 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Joey Logano went from feeling immense relief after a lucky escape to seeing his race end on the slowest part of the race track: pit road.
The defending Texas winner was running up inside the top 15 when William Byron went spinning in front of him. Byron got on the throttle, keeping his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet off the wall, but also bringing it back down the track in front of ...Keep reading
5/3/2026, 12:43:51 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Saturday morning at Texas Motor Speedway featured a regularly scheduled competition meeting between NASCAR and Cup Series drivers and much of the proceedings focused on superspeedways.
The Sanctioning Body wanted drivers to know that they are aware that work still needs to be done to improve the racing product after the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega last weekend.
This is welcomed news to ...Keep reading
5/2/2026, 11:06:35 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Right now, RFK Racing has three teams and drivers but only two charters secured for next season, leaving the appearance of musical chairs for the organization co-owned by driver Brad Keselowski.
In addition to Keselowski, the team also fields Ford Mustang Dark Horses for Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece but the latter has driven a No. 60 that utilized two different leased charters from Rick Ware ...Keep reading
#charter
5/2/2026, 7:16:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin said it was a 'knee jerk reaction' when he tweeted out a frustrated response on Thursday evening to Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson’s commentary about the ongoing lawsuit brought forth by Joe Gibbs Racing.
Even though it was an emotional response, Hamlin also concedes that he logically feels this way too, as it is a matter of business principle to him as a Joe ...Keep reading
#lawsuit#hamlin
5/2/2026, 6:50:15 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Last weekend, Carson Hocevar earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega. A few days later, he led a Spire 1-2 to win Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas. And now, he just earned pole position for the Texas Cup race in another Spire 1-2, beating teammate Daniel Suarez by just 0.003s.
This is the first time Spire Motorsports locked out the front row for a Cup Series ...Keep reading
#front-row
5/2/2026, 5:39:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Both Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon will start Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear of the field after some practice drama.
In Group A, Dillon only ran three laps before taking his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet back to the garage. He reported that the engine started making a strange noise, and he had no pace. His fastest lap was a 29.988s, a full 1.4s off the fastest time ...Keep reading
5/2/2026, 5:07:42 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kyle Busch said he is grateful for what Jim Pohlman brought to his Richard Childress Racing No. 8 team through the first 10 races of the season and that senior leadership ultimately made the decision to pair him with Andy Street instead.
After finishing second to Carson Hocevar in the Truck Series race on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway, Busch addressed the change in leadership atop the ...Keep reading
4/30/2026, 9:05:03 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Carson Hocevar enters Texas as NASCAR's newest winner, capturing his first career win at Talladega last weekend. Texas Motor Speedway will host all three national divisions this weekend, with the Cup, O'Reilly, and Craftsman Truck Series.
Tyler Reddick continues to hold a commanding lead in the championship, 110 points clear of Denny Hamlin.
Joey Logano is the defending winner at Texas -- ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
4/29/2026, 10:43:21 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kevin Harvick says he heard enough from the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway earlier in the month to know that Jim Pohlman and Kyle Busch was not going to work out.
And to wit, despite scoring the first top-10 of the season together at Talladega on Sunday, Richard Childress Racing made a crew chief swap for the two-time Cup Series champion this week with Andy Street returning ...Keep reading
4/29/2026, 10:04:21 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The NASCAR Cup Series television ratings for the race at Talladega Superspeedway were slightly down year-over-year.
The race, once again aired live on over-the-air FOX, earned an average of 3.967 million viewers on Sunday according to the Nielsen Big Data + Panel metric used since last year. This is down from the 4.041 average in 2025, which was also on FOX. The 2026 race was won by Carson ...Keep reading
4/28/2026, 4:50:56 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Prior to the weekend, Joe Gibbs Racing notified both Spire Motorsports and Chris Gabehart that it intended to amend and refile its lawsuit against them both.
As a result, their intended responses to the lawsuit due on Monday is no longer necessary. The below in italics is taken from the notice to the Western District of North Carolina.
“Defendants requested JGR provide a copy of the ...Keep reading
#lawsuit
4/27/2026, 8:02:11 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It was one of the most epic victory celebrations in the history of motorsports on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.
Carson Hocevar, who stands 6'4", sat on his door against the B-post and was able to work the clutch and throttle to be able to drive both ways around the track while personally waving to the attending fans following his win in the Jack Link’s 500.
In fact, someone even ...Keep reading
4/27/2026, 6:31:24 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The Jack Link's 500 at Talladega was another memorable superspeedway race with high-drama, big wrecks, a new winner, and some of the same frustrations we've come to expect in these events.
While Carson Hocevar became the 208th different winner in NASCAR Cup Series history, Chris Buescher just missed out on ending RFK's win drought.
Here's a look back at the biggest winners and losers from ...Keep reading
4/27/2026, 3:15:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Ten races into the 2026 NASCAR Cup season, Richard Childress Racing has just one top ten finish as an organization -- a tenth by Kyle Busch this past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
Jim Pohlman, who left behind a successful career as crew chief for Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series to take over crew chief duties for Busch, is now being moved off the pit box. Pohlman, who won ...Keep reading
4/27/2026, 3:56:53 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
They saved fuel for half the raceThey then tried to race and immediately crashed nearly the entire fieldThey were then stuck 2x2 and were unable to pass the front row
"You said it perfectly," said Ryan Blaney after the massive 26-car crash at the start of the final stage. “We’re either fuel saving or we’re running all over each other because that’s just what this car is and that’s how ...Keep reading
#front-row
4/27/2026, 2:45:27 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The NASCAR community is watching both Carson Hocevar and Spire Motorsports grow up together and that journey reached another benchmark on Sunday at Talladega with their first collective victory.
There is a caveat, of course.
Spire does have one previous Cup Series win, and that was the rain-shortened 2019 summer race at Daytona, but team co-owner Jeff Dickerson barely counts it. That was ...Keep reading
4/27/2026, 2:00:28 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Talladega Superspeedway is one of the most unpredictable races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, so it should be no surprise that a dozen different drivers have secured their first -- and in many cases only -- Cup win at the iconic track.
Carson Hocevar was one of 14 drivers racing in the 2026 Jack Link's 500 with a chance to become the 13th different driver to earn their first Cup win at the ...Keep reading
4/27/2026, 12:24:41 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Tyler Reddick managed to slightly extend his championship lead at Talladega, now 110 points clear of Denny Hamlin in the standings.
After earning his first Cup win, Carson Hocevar jumped from 12th to eighth in the standings. However, the biggest mover in the points was Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who jumped five positions from 30th to 25th.
The biggest losers were Michael McDowell, William ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
4/26/2026, 11:47:50 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Carson Hocevar became NASCAR's newest winner on Sunday, capturing the checkered flag after 500 miles of NASCAR Cup Series action at Talladega Superspeedway. Chris Buescher finished second and Alex Bowman third.
In the end, 21 cars finished on the lead lap, and several others failed to reach the finish after a Stage 2 melee that collected at least 25 cars.
Ryan Preece, who won Stage 1 ...Keep reading
4/26/2026, 11:30:19 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In his 91st start, Carson Hocevar captured the checkered flag for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. It was also Spire Motorsports' first win as a team since the 2019 season.
Chris Buescher finished second, Alex Bowman third, Chase Elliott fourth, and Zane Smith fifth. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson, and Kyle Busch filled out the remainder of the ...Keep reading
4/26/2026, 9:39:38 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
115 laps into the race and 15 laps into second stage at Talladega, complete chaos broke out at the front of the field.
Bubba Wallace was leading the race from the middle lane with Ross Chastain behind him. Chastain was surging forward as he, Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano were all connected.
Wallace got hit hard from behind, and slid up the track into Cole Custer, turning Wallace into the ...Keep reading
4/26/2026, 2:10:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Most of you reading this probably know the story of how NASCAR began. From bootleggers on dirt roads to amateur stock car racing organizations with a loose semblance of structure, and then a history-altering meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach.
36 men were in that fateful 1947 meeting and one of them was Bill France Sr. -- the founding father of the National Association for ...Keep reading
#france
4/26/2026, 1:40:33 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The promotions of Steve O'Donnell and Ben Kennedy are not an extension of the status quo, but instead, aim to be the start of something new for the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.
O’Donnell has taken over as Chief Executive Officer from Jim France, the youngest son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. Kennedy, the great-grandson of the elder France, is now serving as Chief ...Keep reading
#france
4/25/2026, 3:35:40 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
One of the most prominent and well-organized efforts to undermine auto racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway was affectively defeated, for now, due a self-inflicted clerical error … just not the one that was originally at the forefront.
Former racer Neil Chaffin sued Saul Solomon, a former Nashville Metro legal director and political strategist Mike Kopp, founders of the 'Restore ...Keep reading
4/24/2026, 7:55:48 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR boss Jim France is stepping down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) but he will remain as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and majority owner of NASCAR. The news was confirmed by the Sanctioning Body on Saturday morning at Talladega.
France, who turns 82 later this year, took over the position from nephew Brian France in August, 2018, after Brian France was arrested on suspicion of ...Keep reading
#france
4/24/2026, 6:51:47 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In simplest terms, the preliminary injunction ruling issued by Judge Susan C. Rodriguez in the Joe Gibbs Racing v. Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports lawsuit is fundamentally no different than the Temporary Restraining Order everyone has acted under over the past month.
As part of the ruling issued on late Thursday night:
Gabehart shall ‘immediately cease and desist’ from ...Keep reading
#lawsuit#injunction
4/22/2026, 8:54:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It wasn't the loudest point of contention, but some in the NASCAR community did try to suggest after the Advent Health 400 on Sunday that race control should not have thrown the caution for a Cody Ware spin that set-up overtime and figuratively turning the race upside down.
Denny Hamlin was the leader at the time, having led the most laps and just retaken the lead from eventual winner Tyler ...Keep reading
#hamlin
4/22/2026, 5:57:55 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes something was lost in translation in the back-and-forth between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
The two-time Cup Series champion took exception to comments Hamlin made about him last week on the Actions Detrimental podcast. Specifically, Hamlin pondered if this is the end for Busch as a contender at the highest levels and suggested that Busch needs to consistently ...Keep reading
#hamlin
4/21/2026, 1:38:18 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The outcome of the Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday was decided, in part, due to Cody Ware spinning with just over a lap to go and setting-up overtime in which Tyler Reddick outdueled Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell.
Hamlin led the most laps and had just retaken the lead from Reddick and was a quarter of a lap away from taking the white flag. Had the caution come ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
4/20/2026, 10:53:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In hindsight, Denny Hamlin wishes he would not have let Kyle Larson force him three-wide middle on the final restart on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Of course, if he could do it all over again, he also would likely have restarted on the outside as well.
That was the overall sentiment from Hamlin on Monday during the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, one in which he feels ...Keep reading
#hamlin
4/20/2026, 10:29:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
For the first time since the season-opening Daytona 500, NASCAR will have a full field for Talladega Superspeedway with one car being sent home after qualifying.
There are a total of 41 entries, with five uncharted cars competing over the final four spots on the grid.
Here's a look at the part-time drivers and teams aiming to take part in this Sunday's race at Talladega:
Jesse Love -- ...Keep reading
4/20/2026, 8:34:40 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The ninth round of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season was a surprising one, partly due to how clean it was. There were no incidents until a single-car spin on the penultimate lap completely changed the complexion of the finish.
And the finish itself was incredible, with Reddick once again prevailing after a last-lap pass on Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin losing out after dominating half the ...Keep reading
#hamlin#reddick
4/20/2026, 8:03:41 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The tenth round of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season takes place at Talladega Superspeedway -- the biggest oval on the NASCAR schedule. In this guide, you can find all the information you need to be ready for 500 miles of racing at the iconic Alabama track.
The History and Track Dimensions for Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway Billboard
Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty ...Keep reading
2/21/2026, 3:26:22 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Following NASCAR Cup Series inspection at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), the Sanctioning Body has revealed that two Chevrolet teams failed pre-qualifying inspection multiple times.
The first was Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Car chief Ryan Chism has been ejected and can take no further part in the race weekend from the track, and the team will lose pit stall ...Keep reading
2/20/2026, 10:36:30 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
One day after being sued by Joe Gibbs Racing over an alleged 'brazen scheme' to steal data from the organization while negotiating his employment separation and a job opportunity with Spire Motorsports, Chris Gaebhart responded with a statement that suggests he intends to challenge his longtime employer in court.
“Yesterday afternoon, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit claiming - falsely - that ...Keep reading
#lawsuit
2/19/2026, 10:45:34 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Until November 10, 2025, Defendant served as one of JGR’s most senior leaders with respect to all competitive aspects of the business. After his demands for additional authority were rebuffed by JGR’s owner, Defendant immediately embarked on a brazen scheme to steal JGR’s most sensitive information and use it for the benefit of a direct competitor in NASCAR—Spire Motorsports. In this ...Keep reading
2/19/2026, 9:43:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
At the beginning of December, it was reported that Chris Gabehart had left Joe Gibbs Racing in a surprising exit. He worked at JGR for 13 years, and won 22 Cup races as a crew chief for Denny Hamlin between 2019 and 2024. Most recently, he worked as the Director of Competition for the elite organization.
Since his departure, there has been no word regarding why Gabehart left, or where he ...Keep reading
#lawsuit#hamlin
2/19/2026, 6:51:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 68th Daytona 500 received 7.489 million viewers airing on FOX on Sunday afternoon according to data from the Nielsen Panel + Big Data, which has been used since September to measure ratings.
A reminder about Big Panel + Data: Before September, Nielsen used ‘people meters’ in household panels. The new model combines that with data from cable boxes and smart TVs approximately representing ...Keep reading
2/19/2026, 1:30:48 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In the immediate aftermath of Justin Allgaier blocking Denny Hamlin from the lead and triggering 'The Big One' in the 68th Daytona 500, the JR Motorsports driver took ‘100 percent’ of the blame but the Joe Gibbs Racing contender conceded his share a day later.
The crash took place approaching the end of the second stage and collected 20 cars on Lap 124. Allgaier left about enough space for ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/18/2026, 9:37:11 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Zane Smith came up just short of winning the Daytona 500 but a sixth-place finish combined with a victory in the first stage leaves his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team fourth in the early championship standings.
This is more an important result than at any point of the past decade because a good points day very much has value under the restored Chase for the Championship coming up in ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/18/2026, 6:26:26 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It appeared over the weekend that NASCAR implemented a new policy that made an extra effort to not reasonably throw a caution on the final lap of a superspeedway race.
It appeared that way because NASCAR evenly applied that stance in both the Truck and Cup race across two different race directors. But also, throughout the weekend, solo car spins without any additional contact that unevenly drew ...Keep reading
2/18/2026, 5:40:44 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Today marks 25 years since we lost Dale Earnhardt. Heading into the 2026 Daytona 500, Motorsport.com already put together a special feature in remembrance of that day and his impact on the sport, but today, we want to do something different.
In this simple story, we're going to focus on seven of Dale's most impressive and memorable NASCAR Cup Series wins, in honor of the seven-time ...Keep reading
2/18/2026, 4:36:38 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chase Briscoe ‘dipped my toes the bald community’ last month but it was a hoax, online fake news and AI rubbish.
With all the attention and focus on the new look three-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano has received since taking a trimmer and razor to his dome, Briscoe decided to respond to his well-documented follicle situation by shaving his own head.
However, it wasn’t real, and ...Keep reading
2/18/2026, 1:03:07 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
There have been 206 different winners in the history of NASCAR's top division, dating back to 1949. Richard Petty holds the record for most wins in Cup Series history at 200, while Kyle Busch leads active drivers at 63.
The 206th different driver joined this list early in 2025 when Josh Berry drove the Wood Brothers to Victory Lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which means that the last five ...Keep reading
2/16/2026, 8:07:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In 68 editions of the Daytona 500, NASCAR has seen plenty of surprise or unexpected winners. However, it wasn't until 2017 that the victor in stock car racing's crown jewel event only led the final lap of the 200-lap battle.
While it did not happen once between 1959 and 2016, the phenomenon has now occurred four times in the last decade. It showcases just how unpredictable modern superspeedway ...Keep reading
2/16/2026, 2:55:00 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It's far too early to start making championship predictions, but every point matters in this return to a more traditional NASCAR championship format. One year ago, we would have been saying 'Welcome to the Playoffs Tyler Reddick' because due to win and you're in, the greater points picture wouldn't have mattered that much.
But it matters now! One race down, 25 to go before the Chase returns for ...Keep reading
#reddick
2/16/2026, 2:35:04 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Once again, a general theme of the Daytona 500 and superspeedway racing with the NextGen car in general right now, is the amount of time drivers spend at half-throttle under green flag conditions.
The reason they do this is because it is incredibly difficult to pass with the current generation car on these tracks when everyone is racing at full throttle. The cars are too equal and there is so ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/16/2026, 2:08:42 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In sequential order, this is how Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500.
Michael McDowell leads the field back to green. Carson Hocevar takes the lead and holds it at the white. Hocevar gets turned into the wall, contact with Erik Jones and spins across the field, taking Jones and McDowell with him.
No caution.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the lead with Chase Elliott to his outside and Reddick ...Keep reading
#reddick
2/16/2026, 1:36:52 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Carson Hocevar is still searching for his first win as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, and he nearly got it in the sport's biggest race.
The 23-year-old was the only driver pulling triple duty in all three national divisions during Daytona Speedweek. Things started off well as he earned a runner-up finish in his Duel qualifying race, ensuring he would start the Daytona 500 from the sixth position ...Keep reading
2/16/2026, 12:42:56 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Entering the 2026 Daytona 500, there were concerns around if the 42-year-old Brad Keselowski could even run the full race. He showed up to the track with a walking cane, following a December fall that left him with a broken femur.
But Keselowski quickly returned to form, and was a contender throughout Sunday's 68th running of the Daytona 500 -- his 17th start in 'The Great American ...Keep reading
2/15/2026, 11:01:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It's hard to explain what happened on the final lap of the Daytona 500, but it was pure mayhem. Carson Hocevar was leading at the white flag, but he got turned from the lead. The race stayed green, and Chase Elliott surged ahead with a push from Zane Smith.
But then came Tyler Reddick with a helpful push from teammate Riley Herbst, passing Elliott at the exit of Turn 4. The field fanned out ...Keep reading
#reddick#jordan
2/15/2026, 10:11:07 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
With packed grandstands, a strong crosswind due to weather rolling in, NASCAR made an emotional full-throttle tribute to Dale Earnhardt in the opening laps of the 2026 Daytona 500.
On lap three, after the cars had gotten up to speed, most of the people inside the 2.5 mile superspeedway held three fingers up in reference to Earnhardt’s iconic No. 3. As the field flew past the main ...Keep reading
2/15/2026, 9:41:16 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 68th running of the Daytona 500 has had several accidents, but none as big as what happened on Lap 124.
Justin Allgaier, driving a car owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, took the race lead out of Turn 4. However, three-time 500 winner Denny Hamlin squeezed to his outside in aggressive move. Allgaier didn't realize Hamlin was there and came up in the middle of the ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/15/2026, 4:35:47 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Long before Larson vs. Hamlin or Earnhardt vs. Gordon, there was another clash of titans that divided the NASCAR world. And this battle was between the Silver Fox -- David Pearson, and The King -- Richard Petty.
These two drivers combine for ten championships and an astonishing 305 NASCAR Cup Series wins. On this day, February 15, 1975, they came together for one of their most memorable ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/15/2026, 3:28:56 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in Daytona 500 history with ten victories. William Byron, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet, won the event in both 2024 and 2025, and both races ended in dramatic crashes amongst the race leaders. He ended up eleven positions short of a historic three-peat in 2026, but he certainly had a shot at it.
This race has existed since 1959, and while five drivers ...Keep reading
2/15/2026, 2:05:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Here's all the major storylines you need to keep an eye on during the 68th running of the Daytona 500:
Brad Keselowski manages a leg injury
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing Ford
Photo by: Patrick McDermott via Getty Images
The 42-year-old broke his femur during the off-season, and arrived to Daytona with a walking cane. While there is still pain, he has every intention of ...Keep reading
2/15/2026, 5:05:47 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kyle Busch is 0-20 in NASCAR's biggest race, but he earned pole position on Wednesday for Richard Childress Racing. Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing will join him on the front row.
Joey Logano and Chase Elliott won the Duel qualifying races on Thursday, while Chandler Smith completed a heroic four-wide pass for the win to secure victory in the Truck Series season-opener on Friday. Austin Hill ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/14/2026, 9:11:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It is impossible to understate the impact Dale Earnhardt had on NASCAR, and the void left when he died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
At the time, he was holding back several cars while the two he owned -- the No. 15 of Michael Waltrip and the No. 8 of his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., drove off to a Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) 1-2 finish. But mere seconds from finishing third right ...Keep reading
2/14/2026, 9:03:26 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The third and final practice for the 68th running of the Daytona 500 was very calm, and there were no issues.
Of the 41 starters, only 18 actually chose to go out on track. There was some drafting, and the biggest pack formed early with RFK Racing and Team Penske Fords, but also a handful of Chevrolets that joined them.
Jimmie Johnson was the only Toyota driver to even go out on track, and ...Keep reading
2/14/2026, 5:16:23 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After historic snow postponed the Clash at Bowman Gray several days into the week, NASCAR has enjoyed optimal weather for Speedweek at Daytona. However, there is a real threat of thunderstorms on Sunday, and it's all about when -- not if -- the bad weather will arrive.
In a proactive move, NASCAR has moved up the start of the 68th running of the Daytona 500 a full hour to 1:30pm EST. The NASCAR ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 11:38:05 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The second practice session for the Daytona 500 is complete, and there were no issues during the hour-long session. Manufacturers stayed with their own, running carefully coordinated groups to minimize risk.
Chevrolet had the biggest group, so it's no surprise that bowties dominated the top ten on the speed. Austin Dillon led the way in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (195.63mph) ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 8:05:22 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On December 18th, 2025, a plane crashed in Statesville, North Carolina. There were seven lives lost in that accident -- Dennis Dutton and his son Jack, Craig Wadsworth, but also NASCAR legend Greg Biffle alongside his wife Cristina, their son Ryder, and his daughter Emma.
Biffle was a champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. He went on ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 5:11:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The last time Hendrick Motorsports had a tandem like Kyle Larson and Cliff Daniels, the driver (Jeff Gordon) was signed to a lifetime contract and the crew chief (Ray Evernham) left to form a factory team for Dodge.
Rick Hendrick was very adamant, with the two-time champions both on a contract year, to not lose his latest dynasty to any sort of free agency or market shift.
“Well, it was ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 1:05:03 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kyle Busch will lead the field to the green flag in this Sunday's Daytona 500, driving the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Chase Briscoe will join him on the front row for 'The Great American Race' after these two topped qualifying on Wednesday.
But after the Duel qualifying races on Thursday, which were won by Joey Logano and Chase Elliott, we now know the starting positions for the ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/13/2026, 6:20:32 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Just like everyone predicted, BJ McLeod Motorsports and Garage 66 made it into the Daytona 500 over cars fielded by RFK Racing, Front Row Motorsports and a Richard Childress Racing affiliate.
In the words of Casey Mears, driving the Garage66 for Carl Long, anything can happen at Daytona.
It’s the reason McLeod and Mears signed up to drive figurative knives to a figurative gunfight. When ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/13/2026, 5:00:44 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Anthony Alfredo's Daytona 500 dream has come to a bitter end. After racing his way into the 2026 season-opener, his No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet failed post-race inspection.
Alfredo finished 18th in Duel #2, besting both BJ McLeod and JJ Yeley to race his way into the 500. He failed to qualify for the race in 2025, and was extremely emotional over the prospect of competing in NASCAR's ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 3:17:08 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After a wildly chaotic Duel #1, things were far calmer in the second Duel qualifying race. Chase Elliott captured the checkered flag in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, followed by Carson Hocevar, Kyle Larson, Michael McDowell, and Christopher Bell.
The two Hendrick and Spire cars up front worked closely together to control the finish, and none of them made a move on each other until ...Keep reading
2/13/2026, 2:00:12 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The first Duel at Daytona ended in dramatic fashion. Joey Logano captured the checkered flag in a 1-2 finish for Team Penske, but all eyes were on the battle to make the Daytona 500.
The open battle: Casey Mears had spun in an earlier incident, and Chander Smith suffered damage in another wreck. That cleared the way for Corey LaJoie to make the race, but he got turned on the final lap in a ...Keep reading
2/12/2026, 4:15:50 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On Wednesday evening, Kyle Busch rocketed to the top of the speed charts in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, securing pole position for this weekend's Daytona 500. He will share the front row with the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Chase Briscoe, which means these two drivers will be the pole-sitters for their respective Duel races.
In Duel #1, it will be Busch and Ryan Preece ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/12/2026, 3:07:09 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kyle Busch will lead the field to the green flag for the 68th running of the Daytona, lapping the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 49.006s (183.651mph) to win pole position. He will share the front row with Chase Briscoe in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
This will be Busch's 21st start in the Daytona 500 -- a race he has never won before -- and this will be the two-time Cup champion's fist pole ...Keep reading
#front-row
2/12/2026, 1:52:02 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In every superspeedway race of the Next Gen era, NASCAR Cup drivers can be seen placing their hands against the opening between the A-pillar and window net in an effort to find every possible aero advantage. Drivers have gone as far as manipulating their gloves, including the infamous case where Joey Logano was penalized for illegal webbed racing gloves.
To avoid the situation entirely, NASCAR ...Keep reading
2/12/2026, 12:30:52 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Since returning to NASCAR in 2021 with Hendrick Motorsports (HMS), Kyle Larson has enjoyed immense success in the HendrickCars.com No. 5 Chevrolet. As a Hendrick driver, the 33-year-old has earned 26 Cup wins and two Cup Series championships in both 2021 and 2025.
Following that incredible run, it should come as no surprise that Hendrick Motorsports announced a five-year contract extension for ...Keep reading
2/11/2026, 11:59:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Driving down to the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway immediately after winning the Cookout Clash last week, Ryan Preece felt lighter.
It wasn’t a points-paying race but it was a victory at the highest level against his peers in the NASCAR Cup Series and it very much felt like a degree of validation for everything that came before.
“I don’t know how to explain it other ...Keep reading
2/11/2026, 10:36:43 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Since 1959, 13 drivers have won multiple Daytona 500s, and five of those have managed to do it in back-to-back years. That second group includes names like Petty, Yarborough, Hamlin, and Marlin -- but none were able to win NASCAR's biggest race in three consecutive years.
But that's exactly what William Byron will be attempting to do this weekend after avoiding wrecks at the front of the field ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/11/2026, 9:52:48 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
This is now the 21st year of trying for Kyle Busch at the Daytona 500 but there is a lot more at stake for the two-time Cup Series champion than just the elusive Harley J. Earl trophy as it feels like a turning point in his career altogether.
‘Rowdy’ will turn 41-years-old in May and hasn’t won at the highest level since Gateway in June 2023. That’s a 92-race winless streak for those ...Keep reading
2/11/2026, 8:30:24 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 23XI and Front Row Motorsports v NASCAR antitrust trial ended in a considerable victory for Denny Hamlin in the form of a settlement but now comes the real work of growing the discipline in the decades to come.
It was more than just a triumph for the team Hamlin co-owns with legendary sportsman Michael Jordan or the team owned by restaurant franchisee and NASCAR lifer Bob Jenkins too. The ...Keep reading
#23xi#front-row#antitrust#hamlin#jordan
2/11/2026, 7:52:41 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin says Joe Gibbs went above and beyond with his family over the last year and leading up to the tragic house fire that claimed the life of his father Dennis and briefly hospitalized mother Mary Lou.
The 60-race Cup Series winner was asked if business partner Michael Jordan has been available to him given that his own father was murdered in a 1993 robbery. Hamlin said Jordan has ...Keep reading
#hamlin#jordan
2/11/2026, 6:57:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
So, as people have noticed by now, Joey Logano is bald.
Completely.
After years of treating an autoimmune issue with hair growth treatments, one that he even turned into a sponsorship with HairClub for Men, the three-time Cup Series champion has finally embraced the chrome dome look.
He calls it ‘hair-o-dynamic,’ for what it’s worth. He was asked about his ‘hair journey’ on ...Keep reading
2/11/2026, 3:56:16 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR Cup cars got on track at Daytona for the first time on Wednesday, shaking down their cars in morning practice for the 68th running of the Daytona 500.
With qualifying following later in the day, most times were in qualifying trim and focusing on single-car runs. However, there was the occasional drafting and very small groups that formed, impacting the final speed charts. While some ...Keep reading
2/11/2026, 3:00:32 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In NASCAR, every car number has its own identity, statistics, and emotions around it. Some carry with them nearly 80 years of stock car racing history, evoking strong reactions from fans whenever it appears on the track. Others have yet to find their place in the pages of stock car racing greatness, but numerology has always been an interesting trend to follow in a sport where the car numbers are ...Keep reading
2/10/2026, 8:35:32 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The NASCAR Cup season officially gets underway this weekend with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on February 15.
Before that, NASCAR sent eighth-generation watermelon farmer and Trackhouse Racing star Ross Chastain to New York City for a very unique activation.
As part of the sport's new 'Hell Yeah' campaign, NASCAR fitted a mock 1:1 replica of a Chevrolet Cup engine to a billboard ...Keep reading
2/10/2026, 7:02:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
For some, their Daytona 500 dream will end on Thursday night at the end of the Daytona Duel races. Along with the 36 chartered entries that are guaranteed a spot in the race, nine open entries have also entered the Daytona 500 – bringing the entry list to 45 cars.
The problem is that there are only 41 spots available on the grid for NASCAR's biggest race. Through time trials on Wednesday and ...Keep reading
#charter
2/9/2026, 9:44:11 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion and RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski will be back behind the wheel of the No. 6 Ford Mustang for the 2026 Daytona 500.
The 41-year-old suffered a broken femur while on a Ski trip with his family, about a week before Christmas. He missed out on the Cook Out Clash exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium, where Corey LaJoie drove the No. 6 in his ...Keep reading
2/9/2026, 8:20:08 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In 2026, Ross Chastain will have a new crew chief atop the pit box for the No. 1 Chevrolet. This comes after five seasons with Phil Surgen, who led Chastain to each of his six wins as a NASCAR Cup Series driver.
The duo nearly won the 2022 Cup Series championship together, ending that season as the first runner-up in points. Their final race win together was the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, prevailing ...Keep reading
2/9/2026, 8:06:08 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Ultimately, Kevin Harvick believes the Cookout Clash on Wednesday was a messy affair not because of the winter weather or the tires used because of them but rather how drivers inevitably respond to being pushed around.
The comments were made on Thursday during the latest episode of his Happy Hour YouTube show in response to a question from co-host Kaitlyn Vincie about the well-documented ...Keep reading
2/7/2026, 8:19:26 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
When the Daytona 500 begins next Sunday, the entire field will immediately go into fuel conservation mode and it frustrates a portion of the fan base every year.
The reason drivers spend large portions of the race at half throttle or less in the Great American Race is that using less fuel will allow them to need less when they come down pit road.
Because the competition package with this car ...Keep reading
2/6/2026, 11:12:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book received a slew of preseason updates in advance of the final weekend before regular season racing begins next week at Daytona International Speedway.
One marginally altered the qualifying procedures for the Daytona 500 and the other banned the practice of drivers placing their hands against their window nets during qualifying in the pursuit of less drag.
The ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 9:08:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR’s senior competition leadership says there were ‘multiple layers’ to the decision to let teams refuel without penalty on Wednesday in the middle of a sleet-affected and caution-riddled Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
The decision drew the ire of several crew chiefs, those who filled their tank before the start of the race or those who took fuel at the expense of their track ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 8:02:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin returned from a tumultuous off-season by scoring an eventful top-5 in the Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Wednesday night.
Like much of the field, it wasn’t pretty, and Hamlin survived the chaos better than his peers more than anything else, but it was a top-5. He did it in his first race this season in which he will have to start nursing a re-injured surgically repaired ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/5/2026, 6:59:57 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Carson Hocevar isn't going anywhere, signing a long-term contract extension with Spire Motorsports that extends all the way into the 2030s.
The 23-year-old went full-time in the Cup Series in 2024 with Spire, and has helped elevate the team as one that can compete for race wins. While he is has yet to reach Victory Lane at the Cup level, Hocevar has three top fives and 15 top tens in 81 ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 6:06:26 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR is back, and the season got its unofficial start with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. The event was delayed several days due to historic snowfall, and ended up racing through rain and sleet as Mother Nature continued to throw curveballs at NASCAR.
But in the end, we saw something that's only ever happened twice before -- a driver won the Clash before actually winning a ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 8:49:15 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Just over a year ago, Brandon Wilkinson was still spotting Super Late Models full-time across the Southeast.
Now, and while it doesn’t officially count, he is a first-time Cup Series spotter alongside his driver Ryan Preece and crew chief Derrick Finley after dominating the second half of the Cookout Clash on Wednesday night.
It doesn’t count because the Cookout Clash is a preseason ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 8:00:03 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
For the first time ever, the NASCAR Cup Series got to experience a full episode of The Ryan Preece Show because Wednesday night in the Cookout Clash was exactly that.
It was also the unedited, unfiltered ‘fuck yeah’ version of the show, too.
This was Preece Lightning, the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour champion, and a racer who was the man to beat every time he unloaded across the eastern ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 4:27:22 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It was just a non-points exhibition race but the Cup Series garage did not feel like the Cookout Clash was the finest hour from race control to those on the ground directly communicating with teams.
Walking through the garage, there were several crew chiefs and veteran crew members who felt like the Sanctioning Body needed to do some work over the next week to mend some fences between ...Keep reading
2/5/2026, 3:46:56 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Shane van Gisbergen spent the first half of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray in the back half of the field. During that first time, he got into it with Austin Cindric and former Trackhouse teammate Daniel Suarez.
At one point, he spun Cindric out in frustration and radioed, "People just kept running into me and I got sick of it."
In regards to Suarez, he added: "It's the third time the ...Keep reading
2/4/2026, 10:20:55 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In a field of 18 desperate drivers, only the top two finishers + the points provisional (Alex Bowman) were going to transfer from the last-chance-qualifier (LCQ) into the main event for the Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Bowman was happy to take the points provisional on offer to him (as the highest driver from the 2025 championship not yet locked in) instead of racing for it and risking ...Keep reading
2/4/2026, 8:45:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After shaking down their cars in practice and cleaning up some ‘weepers’ of water caused by melting snow, qualifying got underway for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray.
In this format, the 20 fastest drivers advance directly into the main event, while positions 21-38 will transfer to the last-chance qualifier. Only the top two finishers from the LCQ will get to take part in the pre-season ...Keep reading
2/4/2026, 7:07:56 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
For the next week and a half, Corey Lajoie is what he has been for much of this decade, a NASCAR Cup Series driver.
With Brad Keselowski suffering from a broken right femur suffered in a fall on ice during a family skiing trip on December 18, Lajoie got the call to race in the Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in the famed RFK Racing No. 6. This is in addition to his previously scheduled ...Keep reading
2/4/2026, 6:32:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin is not 100 percent right now after an emotional rollercoaster of a winter and he may not get there until after the end of the 2026 season concludes.
That is because, in addition to the death of his father in a house fire that also hospitalized his mother, Hamlin also re-tore the right shoulder he got surgically repaired after the 2023 season. This happened during a fall while going ...Keep reading
#hamlin
2/4/2026, 3:32:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR isn’t typically known as a winter sport but they’ve decided to use their tools in order to help Team USA go faster at the Winter Olympics. The NASCAR research and development team is building virtual models of Olympic athletes and creating life size 3D printed versions of them in order to do wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) testing in order to find tweaks to help the ...Keep reading
2/4/2026, 3:01:03 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR will hold the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Wednesday, February 4th, after historic snwofall slammed the region. However, the threat of inclement weather remains. If it rains, NASCAR does have wet-weather tires and is willing to race in the rain at short tracks.
For those who may be unfamiliar with this event's purpose on the schedule, 'The Clash' is a pre-season exhibition ...Keep reading
2/3/2026, 9:45:54 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In hindsight, the Cook Out Clash could have been run on Tuesday but when the decision was made on Sunday to run the preseason exhibition on Wednesday, there were so many variables for numerous decision-makers to sort through.
It’s objectively true that the snowstorm that passed through North Carolina was one of the five most impactful in the history of the state. In Winston-Salem, where the ...Keep reading
2/3/2026, 9:13:19 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In a late move coming just weeks before the start of the 2026 season, NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway have decided to take the Charlotte Roval off the calendar, replacing the sixth race of The Chase with a traditional oval race.
Marcus Smith, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI), confirmed the news first reported by The Athletic in a Tuesday appearance on the Dale Jr. Download. He ...Keep reading
2/3/2026, 2:26:44 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR is returning to a version of a championship format it used from 2004 to 2013 but two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch ponders if this is really for the best.
“I thought we got away from it for a reason in the past,” said Kyle Busch during a Monday morning appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “So, I’m not real sure why we went back to it. The reasons why we sort of went away ...Keep reading
2/2/2026, 7:29:29 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Work continues to prepare Bowman Gray Stadium for racing on Wednesday (weather-permitting). The pre-season exhibition race known as the 'Cook Out Clash' has already been postponed several days due to historic snowfall throughout North Carolina.
The track itself has already been cleared of snow, but work continues in the grandstands and surrounding areas as temperatures finally punch above ...Keep reading
2/1/2026, 9:06:03 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, originally scheduled for this weekend, and then postponed to Monday is now scheduled to take place on Wednesday night.
A truly historic snowstorm affected the vast majority of North Carolina on Saturday and state resources are required for clean-up before anything can be devoted to the NASCAR Cup Series preseason exhibition event. While most of the ...Keep reading
2/1/2026, 7:35:15 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Historic snowfall in North Carolina has forced NASCAR to postpone its pre-season exhibition race yet again. Originally, the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium was supposed to take place over Saturday and Sunday.
With a bomb cyclone dropping nearly a foot of snow across the region, NASCAR has had to change their plans several times. The Clash was condensed down into one-day event on Sunday ...Keep reading
1/31/2026, 4:11:42 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NEW UPDATE: The race has been postponed yet again, with the new plan to go racing on Wednesday, February 4
Read Also:
NASCAR CupNASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray postponed once again after historic snowfall
The entire Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray will take place on Monday, February 2nd as the track is currently being hammered with a winter storm that is dropping several ...Keep reading
1/30/2026, 9:40:15 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
UPDATE: The Clash has been postponed to Wednesday, February 4, with a high temperature above 40 degrees (Fahrenheit) and a low of 25, with the temperature hovering around freezing at the green flag.
Read Also:
NASCAR CupNASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray postponed once again after historic snowfall
So how cold is too cold for NASCAR?
Well, on Sunday, February 25th, 1990 ...Keep reading
1/30/2026, 8:28:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary findings after a 43-day investigation into the aviation incident that killed NASCAR veteran Greg Biffle, his immediate family, two pilots and one other associated individual at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
A full report will still take 12 to 18 additional months to complete. NTSB preliminary reports do not ...Keep reading
1/29/2026, 9:22:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NEW UPDATE -- The entire Clash has been pushed to Wednesday, February 4. CLICK HERE for new event schedule.
Read Also:
NASCAR CupNASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray postponed once again after historic snowfall
NASCAR's pre-season exhibition race known as 'The Clash' continues to face a major obstacle in the form of winter weather. As crews clear the track and surrounding area ...Keep reading
1/28/2026, 7:20:05 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On one hand, the 2025 season was a success for Josh Berry, in that it produced his first Cup Series victory and for the Wood Brothers no less. On the other hand, there were also stretches where a lot was left on the table and left them wondering what could have been.
Specifically, the iconic No. 21 was amongst the fastest in the entire field in the first round of the playoffs, but Berry also ...Keep reading
1/27/2026, 8:45:33 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
LATEST UPDATE: The Clash will run as a one-day event on Wednesday due to the snowfall in Winstom, Salem NC
Read Also:
NASCAR CupNASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray postponed once again after historic snowfall
NASCAR's unofficial start to the 2026 season is in jeopardy due to winter weather. Winter Storm Fern left Bowman Gray Stadium covered in snow just days before the ...Keep reading
1/26/2026, 5:42:12 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
One of the greatest race car drivers in Ford Performance history, three-time champion Joey Logano has a deep appreciation for the history of the Blue Oval marque and it shows in the form of his 1924 Model T.
Logano has called it ‘my favorite car in my collection’ and ‘the most challenging car to drive,’ but loves it because ‘it is what made Ford, Ford,’ and thus a prize in his ...Keep reading
1/23/2026, 5:52:57 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Hendrick Motorsports says its all-new 35,000 square-foot training center rivals those seen in some of the top athletic colleges at professional sports team, and the pictures and videos released of the inside appear to support that claim. They scouted several complexes for inspiration, including Clemson, Auburn and Alabama, as well as the MLS' Charlotte FC and even Fort Bragg.
In partnership ...Keep reading
1/22/2026, 9:07:21 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
‘The Complaint here is filled with inflammatory and disingenuous rhetoric, but none of it shows any wrongful conduct by Pacific Life.’
This is the key component of the argument made by Pacific Life Insurance in a legal filing on Thursday morning that motioned Judge Matthew E. Orso of the Western District of North Carolina to dismiss the lawsuit brought forth against it and an independent ...Keep reading
#lawsuit
1/22/2026, 7:30:40 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chandler Smith will attempt to qualify for the 68th running of the Daytona 500 next month. He will pilot the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang. FRM also has three chartered cars with locked in spots -- the No. 4 of Noah Gragson, the No. 34 of Todd Gilliland, and the No. 38 of Zane Smith.
Smith also competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with FRM. He has made two ...Keep reading
#front-row#charter
1/20/2026, 7:29:38 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
RFK Racing will bring four cars to the 68th running of the Daytona 500 in February. Alongside the charted entries of Chris Buescher (No. 17), Ryan Preece (No. 60), and team co-owner Brad Keselowski (No. 6), the team will add an additional open entry.
Corey LaJoie will drive the No. 99 Ford Mustang and will attempt to qualify for NASCAR’s biggest race. While that car number was utilized by ...Keep reading
1/20/2026, 6:50:45 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Burt Myers will be back behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup car in the pre-season Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. He will again drive the No. 50 Chevrolet for Team Amerivet. In 2025, he failed to advance into the main event after a crash involving Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who was humorously part of the team's 2026 announcement video.
Myers made his official Cup debut in a points-paying race when ...Keep reading
1/20/2026, 2:49:25 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In 2025, we got accustomed to seeing the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in Victory Lane, courtesy of Connor Zilisch and his ten wins.
For this year, it was already announced that Rajah Caruth will pilot the car in 23 of 33 NOAPS races during the 2026 season.
However, we now know who will drive the car in the other ten events. With Hendrick Motorsports taking its No. 17 full-time with ...Keep reading
1/20/2026, 2:07:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Beard Motorsports will be among the open cars attempting to qualify for the 68th running of the Daytona 500 next month with its No. 62 Chevrolet. Anthony Alfredo will be the driver with DUDE Wipes as the primary sponsor.
Alfredo failed to make the 500 last year, but the same duo made the cut in 2024. Alfredo started 39th and finished 27th.
“There is nothing like being in Daytona Beach in ...Keep reading
1/19/2026, 6:41:27 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
There was minimal movement throughout the NASCAR Cup Series garage during the off-season, but still enough to talk about. Beyond driver moves, there were also a couple of manufacturer changes and a flurry of crew chief swaps that will be notable stories to follow during the year.
Here's a look at what's different for 2026:
Drivers on the move
Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing ...Keep reading
1/16/2026, 11:18:50 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
A massive NASCAR Rule Book update was posted on Friday and removes every instance of ‘the playoffs’ and ‘playoff points’ to reflect the return of the Chase for the Championship format this season.
Essentially, this codifies the new regulations with NASCAR also making several adjacent adjustments alongside other items that needed addressing after consideration over the ...Keep reading
1/16/2026, 4:32:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of those present for NASCAR's announcement earlier in the month, revealing the return of The Chase and more emphasis put on points-racing.
He was a big fan of the changes, which those within the sport say adds legitimacy to the championship, even if the NASCAR Hall of Famer still prefers a full, 36-race format. He confirmed that in a recent episode of the Dale Jr ...Keep reading
1/14/2026, 7:46:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, their son Ryder and his daughter Emma were among seven killed in a tragic plane crash on December 18th in Statesville, North Carolina. Dennis Dutton, son Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth were also killed in the the accident, which remains under investigation from the NTSB.
Weeks later, WCNC Charlotte and other local outlets report that the ...Keep reading
1/13/2026, 6:05:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR has a new championship format for 2026, and the overwhelming reaction has been positive. But what exactly has changed with this latest iteration and why is it such a good thing? Let's take a look:
Looking over the format, it is much better in regards to rewarding the best driver during each particular season. The eliminations and multiple rounds/resets are completely gone, replaced by a ...Keep reading
1/13/2026, 5:10:37 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Garett Mitchell, better known as the popular YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, began his stock car racing career last year in the ARCA Menard's Series. He did so under the guidance of NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, who became close friends with Mitchell over the past 1.5 years.
However, Biffle was among seven who lost their lives in December plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina. They were planning ...Keep reading
1/13/2026, 1:30:56 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The return of The Chase for the Championship has immediately been pitched to NASCAR fans as a return to civility.
This of course doesn’t mean a loss of intensity or consequence but those who were part of the announcement on Monday at NASCAR Productions believe that points racing will result in a product that is a little more professional.
And in the process, everyone involved ultimately ...Keep reading
1/12/2026, 9:56:16 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR's championship format has just undergone its latest change, but it's far from the first time the Sanctioning Body has tweaked the way it crowns a champion.
Red Byron winning the inaugural season in 1949, The King earning his first crown in 1971, Dale Earnhardt winning his seventh in 1994, Jimmie Johnson's historic run of five in-a-row in 2010, and Kyle Larson's latest triumph in 2025 -- ...Keep reading
1/12/2026, 9:01:45 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Starting in 2026, NASCAR will revert to a variation of the Chase for the Championship format it used to crown its champions from 2004-to-2013.
In other words, no more win and you’re in and no more multiple elimination rounds. Most importantly, the sample size to determine the champion is no longer a single race but a 10-race points race.
However, unlike NASCAR’s first version of a ...Keep reading
1/9/2026, 3:49:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On Friday, Front Row Motorsports announced some personnel changes to its organization. Of note, Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team will have a new crew chief this year.
Grant Hutchens will sit atop the pit box for Gragson this year, replacing Drew Blickensderfer, who moves into the role of Competition Director. Hutchens has worked as a Cup crew chief before, but only in a handful of races between ...Keep reading
#front-row
1/8/2026, 10:09:30 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
While Brad Keselowski continues his recovery, he will opt out of the pre-season exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Keselowski suffered a broken leg while skiing with his family on December 18th, and underwent successful surgery soon after. The 68th running of the Daytona 500 follows takes place on February 15th, but The Clash is a full two weeks earlier.
While the 41-year-old ...Keep reading
1/7/2026, 7:36:43 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Taking advantage of the Open Exemption Provisional, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will have a guaranteed spot in the 68th running of the Daytona 500.
The Open Exemption Provisional, which was created one year ago, can be utilized by a non-chartered team with a world-class driver to ensure them spot on the grid for any race where the field eclipses the maximum number of ...Keep reading
#charter
1/7/2026, 4:42:44 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Last month, NASCAR legend Greg Biffle was among seven killed in a tragic plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina. The veteran driver spent the majority of his career with RFK Racing, and in remembrance of him, they have put together new display at the team museum in honor of Biffle.
The new display includes the car Biffle won his 19th and final Cup race with at Michigan in 2013, which was ...Keep reading
1/7/2026, 12:05:15 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Longtime NASCAR executive, and formerly Daytona International Speedway president, Chip Wile is taking over as Drivers’ Advisory Council executive director.
Wile assumes the position previously held by Cup Series veteran Jeff Burton, who is remaining with the group as an advisor. From the press release announcing the organizational structure for 2026, ‘the move is part of a broader effort ...Keep reading
1/6/2026, 2:49:06 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Steve Phelps became NASCAR's first Commissioner in March of 2025 after previously working as the president of NASCAR since 2018.
However, he will leave that position at the end of January, and NASCAR does not plan to replace the role of Commissioner for the time being. Instead, his duties will be shared by other existing executives. As for why there won't be someone else appointed to the role ...Keep reading
1/5/2026, 6:35:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Legacy Motor Club has made some personnel changes ahead of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season. They have named Justin Alexander as the new crew chief for Erik Jones and the No. 43 LMC Toyota Camry XSE, replacing Ben Beshore in the role.
Alexander has plenty of experience atop the pit box, winning five races with Austin Dillon at Richard Childress Racing, including the 2017 Coca Cola 600 and the 2018 ...Keep reading
1/1/2026, 12:54:03 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On the whole, the 2025 NASCAR season was a memorable one for a lot of reasons.
There was pretty good competition on the big tracks during the summer months, continued progress on short tracks with the fourth year NextGen and the culmination of a 15-month legal process that made it all the way to trial.
Kyle Larson emerged the champion for the second time in his career, while the entire ...Keep reading
12/30/2025, 5:16:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin's father, Dennis Hamlin, has died after injuries sustained in a house fire in Stanley, North Carolina, on Sunday. Hamlin's mother, Mary Lou, 69, is currently being treated at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center and is listed in critical condition.
The fire's cause is still under investigation. Still reeling from a tragic December 18th plane crash that claimed the life ...Keep reading
#hamlin
12/29/2025, 3:23:04 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Dennis Hamlin, the father to NASCAR Cup Series veteran Denny Hamlin, died on Sunday evening when the house he shared with wife MaryLou in Stanley, North Carolina.
The elder Hamlin was 75-years-old.
Both Dennis and MaryLou were outside of their still burning home when the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department and other safety crews arrived to extinguish the flames. At this point, roughly 45 percent ...Keep reading
#hamlin
12/23/2025, 6:05:32 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On Thursday of last week, 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion and RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski suffered a broken leg while on a skiing trip with his family.
Keselowski underwent successful surgery and after a few days in the hospital, he has been released. He promised to "work relentlessly" in order to be ready to compete at the highest level of stock car racing in 2026.
"Rolling out of ...Keep reading
12/22/2025, 4:48:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Garrett Mitchell, a popular YouTuber more commonly referred to as Cleetus McFarland, had only known Greg Biffle for about 1.5 years, but they had quickly become close friends, and they were planning to spend the day together when the fatal plane crash occurred.
Biffle, his wife Cristinia, their son Ryder, and his son Emma were among seven killed in a tragic plane crash last week. The accident ...Keep reading
12/20/2025, 8:54:39 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
A Saturday press conference offered just a brief update from the National Transportation Safety Board concerning the aviation incident on Thursday morning that claimed the lives of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his family, and three others.
By Friday, the NTSB had formally begun its investigation into the incident that took place at the Statesville Regional Airport but had scant details as ...Keep reading
12/19/2025, 10:04:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
While noting the news is 'untimely' as RFK Racing and the NASCAR community are still coming to terms with the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Greg Biffle and six others, the team has confirmed that Brad Keselowski suffered a broken leg on Thursday.
Keselowski, who drives the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford and is a co-owner at the race team, was skiing with his family when the accident took ...Keep reading
12/19/2025, 9:14:00 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The National Transportation Safety Board has started its investigation into the aviation incident that killed Greg Biffle, his family and three others on Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport.
While a preliminary report will be released within 30 days, a full investigation will take 12 to 18 months before the publishing of a final report.
NTSB Member Michael Graham conducted a ...Keep reading
12/18/2025, 9:28:14 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Greg Biffle was just days away from his 56th birthday when he died in a tragic plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina, which occurred on Thursday morning. Among the passengers were Biffle's wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder, as well Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton, and his son Jack Dutton.
‘The Biff’ is being remembered by the NASCAR community in an outpouring of tributes, but ...Keep reading
12/18/2025, 9:06:02 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Unfortunately, NASCAR has been rattled by another tragedy involving aircraft. On Thursday morning, Greg Biffle and his family were among those killed in an accident at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
A champion in both the Craftsman Truck and O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, achieving double-digit victories at all three national levels of the sport, Biffle was a true legend of ...Keep reading
12/18/2025, 7:14:05 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Retired NASCAR star Greg Biffle alongside wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, daughter Emma, son Ryder and three others were killed in an aviation crash on Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport north of Charlotte, North Carolina.
First Sergeant Chris Knox of the North Carolina Highway Patrol first confirmed the death of the Biffle family and added it was 'one of the worst crashes' he had ...Keep reading
12/16/2025, 4:19:47 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
19-year-old Connor Zilisch will be racing at Daytona next year a few weeks before his Daytona 500 debut. The Trackhouse star will take part in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona for the third time in his young career,
Zilisch will drive the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R as a co-drier to Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti.
The teenager won in his very first Rolex 24 ...Keep reading
12/10/2025, 11:06:19 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Lionel Racing has revealed the ten best-selling diecasts from the 2025 NASCAR season, counting them down throughout the day on Wednesday.
In 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reminded everyone just how popular he is when his Budweiser-backed Late Model car beat all other diecasts from the year. In 2023, Kevin Harvick's return to the No. 29 for the All-Star Race with a recreation of his 2001 scheme on ...Keep reading
12/8/2025, 1:26:22 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On Monday, Rick Ware Racing (RWR) confirmed that they will change manufacturers, moving from Ford to Chevrolet ahead of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season.
One of the few one-car teams remaining with a charter, RWR will also form a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing and ECR engines. It is reportedly a multi-year partnership.
Ware's team finished last in points among charters teams this ...Keep reading
#charter
12/7/2025, 1:10:53 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Racing deep into the night in Pensacola, Florida, 13-year-old Keelan Harvick became the youngest winner in the history of the Snowflake 125. He won the prestigious Pro Lade Model race in his first-ever attempt as well.
The event didn't go green until around 1:30am local time, with Luke Baldwin starting the race from pole position. Keelan, the son of 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin ...Keep reading
12/6/2025, 12:36:06 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Michael Annett, who turned 39 years old this year, has tragically passed away. Annett competed at all three national levels of the sport, and was a winner in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) Series. No details have been provided regarding the nature of Annett's passing at this time.
Annett was a full-time Cup driver from 2014 through 2016 as well, starting 106 races and ...Keep reading
12/3/2025, 9:34:30 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After days of rumors swirling around the NASCAR world, the Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press was able to confirm that Chris Gabehart has left Joe Gibbs Racing on Wednesday.
Joe Gibbs Racing has made no statement regarding Gabehart's departure as of the writing of this story, nor has Gabehart spoken publicly on it. He is likely to continue working in the sport for another organization in ...Keep reading
12/3/2025, 5:18:56 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR's Most Popular Driver will have an updated look for 2026 with some changes made the NAPA Auto Parts paint scheme on his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
The NAPA No. 9 will continue with its blue/white color combination, but the big changes come along the door. After going almost fully blue in 2025, the car will bring back some white along the door while including a blue stripe with ...Keep reading
12/3/2025, 4:50:43 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chevrolet is updating the Camaro that they race in the NASCAR Cup Series for 2026 and bringing the most drastic changes to the body since the launch of the Next Gen car. While it may appear similar to the outgoing car at first glance, the Camaro ZL1 Cup car sees updates to every available body panel that NASCAR allows and is poised to be faster at short tracks and intermediates along with ...Keep reading
11/24/2025, 1:48:26 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 2025 season marks a decade in which the NASCAR Cup Series has functionally operated under the ‘charter agreement,’ but it’s also the first year of the second document and first extension to an agreement first crafted in advance of the 2016 season.
It’s also the first season that began with a lawsuit with two teams alleging federal antitrust violations against the sanctioning body ...Keep reading
#charter#lawsuit#antitrust
11/20/2025, 4:45:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The nominees have been announced for the 38th edition of the Autosport Awards, and you can be part of it by participating in The Fan Vote. NASCAR has a presence across the list of nominees, which we will highlight below:
Rookie of the Year
Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images
Two NASCAR drivers were nominated for the 'Rookie of ...Keep reading
11/18/2025, 11:17:59 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
JR Motorsports is running it back in the Daytona 500 in 2026 with Justin Allgaier after a successful Cup Series debut in which they scored a top 10 in the No. 40 car with Traveller Whiskey.
It was a meaningful race for co-owners Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt-Miller, whom aren’t sure if racing full-time in the Cup Series will ever come to fruition, so having made at least one ...Keep reading
11/18/2025, 7:41:07 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Even before the NASCAR Cup Series began utilizing the single source supplied NextGen car, Chase Elliott was waving a red flag urging the community to consider the perils of spec racing.
He said that passing in the previous generation car became an increasingly more challenging proposition because the tighter rule book kept teams in a tighter box. In short, the more cars are the same, the closer ...Keep reading
11/18/2025, 6:49:23 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chase Elliott basically says his 2025 season was good but not great.
Two wins 11 top-5s19 top-5s
While Elliott finished eighth in the current championship format, he did score the fourth most points overall from Daytona in February to Phoenix in November, a testament to the season-long consistency the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team is known for over the course of the past three ...Keep reading
11/17/2025, 10:16:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Hendrick Automotive Group inked a $2.25 million contract with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August.
The story was first reported by The Washington Post with a follow-up report this week by Charlotte, North Carolina television station WBTV. According to the contract, the agreement was for the sale of 25 Chevrolet Tahoes.
Hendrick Automotive Group is owned by NASCAR ...Keep reading
11/17/2025, 9:03:48 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Carson Hocevar simply wants to be the kind of driver he grew up watching while NASCAR itself is working diligently to create content that spotlights these kinds of personalities.
This is the kind of process that led to the creation of RISING, a documentary series releasing on YouTube with a new episode at 7 ET every night this week, that spotlights young guns Hocevar, Jesse Love and Rajah ...Keep reading
11/15/2025, 9:03:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Will Denny Hamlin race in the NASCAR Cup Series next season after yet another championship heartbreak?
The answer is ‘yes.’
However, had Hamlin closed out on that elusive championship earlier in the month at Phoenix Raceway, he would have 'begged' team owner Joe Gibbs to let him drop the figurative mic and set sail into retirement. It wouldn't have mattered that he still had two more ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/15/2025, 12:19:30 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
JR Motorsports (JRM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, is going Cup racing again next year.
The highly successful NASCAR Xfinity Series team (soon to be rebranded as the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series) made its Cup debut in the 67th running of the Daytona 500, earlier this year.
Justin Allgaier, who won the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series ...Keep reading
11/14/2025, 2:40:22 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Update: Judge Kenneth D. Bell is ordering Hendrick to find time for deposition.
"The Court will not require Plaintiffs to depose Mr. Hendrick after the trial begins but will not exclude his testimony at this time. The Parties and witness are directed to work cooperatively to find a time prior to trial for a 2.5-hour deposition of Mr. Hendrick. So Ordered."
--
After a court decision forced ...Keep reading
#23xi#front-row
11/14/2025, 2:34:43 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chevrolet has unveiled its new body for the 2026 NASCAR Cup season. They have been utilizing the Camaro ZL1 since 2018, which succeeded the Chevy SS, and will continue to do so with an updated design for next season.
In a release, Chevrolet explained that they wanted to align it with their recently released Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package accessories kit. The changes include a larger hood ...Keep reading
11/12/2025, 8:34:36 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR has revealed the official start times for the 2026 NASCAR Cup, O'Reilly Auto Parts, and Craftsman Truck Series seasons.
The complete schedule was officially in August, and details on the 2026 changes can be found HERE. But on Wednesday, NASCAR finally announced when these races will air and which networks will broadcast them (all times EST).
The Cup season will feature nine ...Keep reading
11/11/2025, 10:03:07 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season begins now in a manner of speaking.
There will be two days of tire testing on Wednesday and Thursday for Goodyear to continue refining its tire combinations for the high-speed half-mile following drastic racing product swings that range from traditional racing to extreme tire wear.
The swing is largely believed to be a byproduct of temperatures, with cooler ...Keep reading
11/11/2025, 1:41:55 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On one hand, Michael McDowell didn’t win a race this season, in his first season with Spire Motorsports so that was a mission unaccomplished but there is also a privilege in that pressure that motivates him.
For example, at 40-years-old, some in NASCAR would start pondering what comes after driving and that is especially true for a devout family man that has a wife and five children at ...Keep reading
11/7/2025, 4:50:31 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Trackhouse Racing put together a video announcing the car number for each its of 2026 Cup Series drivers. The team is putting aside its original number, the No. 99, which Daniel Suarez drove for five seasons before parting ways with the organization at the end of this year.
Unsurprisingly, Ross Chastain will continue to pilot the No. 1 he has driven to all six of Cup victories, including the ...Keep reading
11/6/2025, 1:49:33 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Overall, year-to-year, the NASCAR Cup Series experienced a 14 percent drop in television ratings for the 2025 season.
To wrap up this season, the Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway drew 2.77 million viewers on NBC, down from the 2.9 million it drew last year. Last year, overall, the NASCAR Cup Series drew 2.892 million, which was a one percent increase from the 2023 season, while ...Keep reading
11/5/2025, 9:56:25 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
On the weekend of June 19-21, NASCAR's three national divisions will compete at a brand new course at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego -- the first-ever NASCAR event to be run on an active military base.
That historic event will include an entry by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and California native Jimmie Johnson. The co-owner at Legacy Motor Club will drive the No. 84 Toyota Camry ...Keep reading
11/5/2025, 6:51:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Is it too early to think about the 2026 NASCAR Cup title? Yes, but that's not stopping sports bettors like BeT MGM. We still don't know if 2026 will feature a elimination-style format with an extended final round, a ten-season playoffs, or a return to a season-long points system.
Regardless of the final format, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin are likely early favorites, and BetMGM agrees. Both the ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/5/2025, 6:10:55 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin has been racing in the NASCAR Cup Series for 20 years, ending the year inside the top five in the championship standings ten times.
That impressive career includes 60 career wins (tied for tenth on the all-time wins list), three Daytona 500 trophies, three Southern 500 triumphs, and a Coca-Cola 600. He's even won the All-Star Race. And while Hamlin has never won a NASCAR Cup ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/5/2025, 1:24:46 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Chase Elliott was first voted NASCAR Cup's Most Popular Driver in 2018, and he has held that title ever since. He now won the National Motorsports Press Association award for the eighth consecutive year. His father Bill won the award 16 times between 1984 and 2002.
This is also the 35th consecutive year a member of the Earnhardt or Elliott family has won the fan-chosen award. Prior to the ...Keep reading
11/5/2025, 12:04:32 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The most unfortunate part of how everything went down on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race is that the bitter defeat of Denny Hamlin superseded any kind of celebration for Kyle Larson.
Hamlin led 208 laps of a race that was scheduled for go 312 but was extended to 318 due to overtime as a result of William Byron crashing after suffering a tire failure. Larson ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/4/2025, 4:47:19 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After a tearful loss in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship race, plans to place Connor Zilisch in the upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) rookie test at Bahrain International Circuit have been tabled.
By finishing second in the championship in the one-race finale, Zilisch does not possess the ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee for the United States) license points needed to ...Keep reading
11/4/2025, 3:57:15 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Looking at the NASCAR Cup Series grid, there are eleven multi-car teams with sizes ranging from two to four cars. But which driver from each can claim to be the best?
Motorsport.com considered race wins, average finish, head-to-head weekly battles, and the final championship result of each of the team's full-time drivers in deciding who was the 'No. 1 driver' within each organization. Part-time ...Keep reading
11/3/2025, 7:23:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Kyle Larson is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Denny Hamlin is left to face the toughest loss of his entire career, and tire issues wreak havoc on championship Sunday. Phoenix certainly delivered a show, and yet, there was simply sadness and disbelief from many fans after the checkered flag.
The 2025 season is officially over, inspection is clear, and now we are left to pick apart 319 ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/3/2025, 7:05:54 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The emotions and tensions after the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race could be cut with a figurative knife.
The four championship finalists, their respective fanbases, and everyone in the industry had been taken on a whirlwind journey on Sunday afternoon. There were various points throughout the race where everyone thought their chances of winning were ruined.
Chase Briscoe had a flat ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/3/2025, 3:25:48 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Goodyear brought a softer compound to Phoenix for the NASCAR Cup title-decider, and tire issues began during Friday's practice session. However, no one was sounding the alarm to tire supplier Goodyear. Several crew chiefs admitted to pushing the limit with lower air pressures in order to gain a speed advantage, and there was a similar sentiment after Sunday's wild finale at Phoenix.
Goodyear ...Keep reading
11/3/2025, 2:47:44 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Last weekend, Ryan Blaney was in position to win his way into the the Championship 4, but he had to settle for second and playoff elimination after getting muscled out of the way by William Byron.
One week later, he went out and won the season finale at Phoenix with a last-lap pass on Brad Keselowski. You might think being so close to a title will haunt the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske ...Keep reading
11/3/2025, 1:59:50 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
As Kyle Larson claimed an unexpected title without leading a single lap, Denny Hamlin was forced to settle for second in the championship standings.
Ryan Blaney claimed the checkered flag with a pass on Brad Keselowski in the final corner, while newly crowned two-time Cup Series champion Larson finished third.
This year, 60 different drivers started NASCAR Cup races, but only 43 were ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/3/2025, 1:13:24 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
With just a few laps to go in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series title race, Denny Hamlin appeared set to win it all, with William Byron ending the season as the championship runner-up. But before Hamlin could reach the white flag, the caution flew for yet another tire failure.
This time, it was Byron, who slammed the wall in Turns 3 and 4. His title hopes were over, and Hamlin was put in an impossible ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/3/2025, 12:13:34 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
A dramatic NASCAR Cup finale at Phoenix Raceway ended in a wild overtime restart. Denny Hamlin had dominated the event, but he was deep in the pack after a four-tire call on the final pit stop.
Title rival Kyle Larson opted for two, and the track position difference was enough for the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, who captured his second his second NASCAR Cup title ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/2/2025, 4:38:32 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Later today, four drivers will battle it out for 312 laps around Phoenix Raceway for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin chases an elusive crown after two decades while Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe attempts to win it in his first Championship 4 appearance. Hendrick Motorsports seeks to add to their incredible legacy with a 15th title with former champion ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/1/2025, 11:21:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin was the straw that stirs the drink in the final Final Four press conference prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
First, Hamlin was much looser than he was on Friday following a mechanical scare, aided by the fact that he scored pole position on Saturday afternoon. During the NextGen era, the finalist that qualified the best of the four ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/1/2025, 10:09:17 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin 's 20-year quest to become a NASCAR Cup Series champion just got one step closer after securing pole position for the title-decider in Phoenix on Saturday.
Hamlin flew to pole position with a confident-looking 28.914s lap, collecting his 48th career pole and his fifth of the 2025 season.
"We're trying," smiled Hamlin after securing the top spot on the grid. "We're doing ...Keep reading
#hamlin
11/1/2025, 8:42:20 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) was established as All-Star Racing in 1984, while Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) joined NASCAR for the first time in 1992.
Since then, HMS has won 320 races and JGR has won 227, making them the two of the three winningest teams in Cup Series history.
They've also combined to win 19 of the last 30 Cup titles, with Hendrick collecting 14 championships and Gibbs five ...Keep reading
11/1/2025, 8:28:43 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
During the hour-long practice session in Phoenix, the issues began when championship contender Chase Briscoe lost a left rear within five minutes of the start of the session. It was the first of many, and those failures are likely not an anomaly but a result of teams being aggressive with suspension adjustments and tire pressures.
Phoenix Raceway is a unique type of oval because it is ...Keep reading
10/31/2025, 11:34:10 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The final NASCAR Cup Series practice session of the year, for the championship race at Phoenix Raceway, contained no shortage of drama and intrigue.
Overall, there were numerous left side tire failures, and that included a championship finalist.
The first was Chase Briscoe and then two straight left side failures by AJ Allmendinger, the second of which caused a crash that will send him to a ...Keep reading
10/31/2025, 11:27:45 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
During the hour-long practice session in Phoenix, the issues began when championship contender Chase Briscoe lost a left rear within five minutes of the start of the session. It was the first of many, and those failures are likely not an anomaly but a result of teams being aggressive with suspension adjustments and tire pressures.
Phoenix Raceway is a unique type of oval because it is ...Keep reading
10/31/2025, 10:58:47 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The lone practice session for the NASCAR Cup Series title-decider at Phoenix Raceway began with a flurry of tire issues.
It didn't take long for the drama to unfold. As Hamlin pulled out of line and slowed to avoid all the traffic, trouble found his title rival and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe.
The No. 19 slowed down the backstretch with a cut left-rear tire, dragging the ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/31/2025, 7:21:06 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
NASCAR is in a season of change.
Some of it is the result of self-reflection and the changing tides of sport and entertainment, and some of it will eventually be the results of the lawsuit brought against the Sanctioning Body, but things are changing in the Cup Series and around it.
That is a broad summary of the annual state of the sport press conference held every year before championship ...Keep reading
#lawsuit
10/31/2025, 5:15:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Daniel Suarez is about to move to Spire Motorsports, which will be his fifth team since joining the NASCAR Cup Series. However, the majority of his Cup career and both of his wins all came with Trackhouse, who he has raced for since 2021.
This weekend, that era of his career will come to an end, with the team honoring him through a special video message and a unique paint scheme.
But before ...Keep reading
10/31/2025, 4:17:45 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
For three of the four drivers racing for the NASCAR Cup Series championship this weekend, braggadocio is not inherent to their personalities.
Kyle LarsonWilliam ByronChase Briscoe
Sure, Larson is good for what those within the industry call #BluntLarson zingers every now and then but he doesn’t go out of his way to give other teams bulletin board material. Briscoe and Byron are generally ...Keep reading
10/31/2025, 12:40:29 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It’s still a longshot but Denny Hamlin might not be able to say he ‘beat your favorite driver,’ much longer because in a twist of irony, he’s now becoming one of them.
For the first time in his career, the polarizing veteran cracked the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Awards finals, meaning the 44-year-old is one of the five highest vote getters as of this ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/30/2025, 9:46:36 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In a newly released deposition featuring Bob Jenkins, the owner of Front Row Motorsports, he reveals why he chose not to sign the 2025 NASCAR Charter Agreement. Jenkins is the owner of several fast food and restaurant franchises, but he has also been operating a Cup team since 2005.
While being questioned in a June 27th deposition, he was asked directly if 23XI actively tried to convince him to ...Keep reading
#23xi#front-row#charter
10/30/2025, 4:25:09 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Daniel Suarez has been with several teams throughout his NASCAR Cup career, but none as long as Trackhouse Racing. He was a founding member of the organization, and its first driver in 2021.
The team's first top five, top ten, and laps led all came with Suarez. The Mexican-born driver went on to win two Cup races with Trackhouse in both 2022 at Sonoma and at Atlanta in 2024, where he won in the ...Keep reading
10/30/2025, 11:05:02 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
12 drivers enter this weekend's season finale at Phoenix Raceway with hopes of becoming a NASCAR Cup Series champion, but only three will leave with the hardware.
In the Cup Series, the legendary Joe Gibbs Racing team will have Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe facing the might of Hendrick Motorsports and their drivers, Kyle Larson and William Byron.
In Xfinity, Justin Allgaier will seek to ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/29/2025, 6:49:28 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Mixing up brake pads on a race car can seem counterintuitive at first glance but NASCAR Cup teams often do it on purpose in order to work around the rules and anyone wanting to be competitive at Phoenix this weekend will be trying it.
The NASCAR Next Gen car is mostly assembled with single source parts so teams can’t build custom suspension or brake components but brake pad compounds are not ...Keep reading
10/28/2025, 9:37:26 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
As Taylor Gray earned his first career win at Martinsville and the Championship 4 was set, tempers exploded in the middle of the field.
Jeb Burton, who promised to retaliate against Sam Mayer for an earlier run-in, pushed him out of the way in the final corner. Burton finished sixth, and Mayer only lost one spot to finish seventh.
However, Mayer let the emotions overwhelm him after ...Keep reading
10/27/2025, 11:13:46 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Denny Hamlin has suffered mechanical misfortunes throughout the entire playoffs.
As he pointed out on Monday during the latest episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin has either won to advance or suffered an issue that thwarted an otherwise competitive car.
On Saturday, he needed to be pushed off pit road to qualify because his car wouldn’t start without the manual shove. And ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/27/2025, 6:47:36 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It appears that the engine issues suffered on Sunday by Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe were the result of a bad batch of valve springs but there is much larger quality control issue at play regarding Joe Gibbs Racing right now.
First and foremost, Coach Joe Gibbs confirmed ‘valve springs’ on Monday during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“I think it always concerns you anytime ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/27/2025, 4:17:41 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
After 500 laps of racing at Martinsville, William Byron bested Ryan Blaney and claimed victory in a close battle for the win. Byron won his way into the final four, ousting Christopher Bell and joining Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.
Byron led 304 of 500 laps en route to his third win of the year, which was also the 16th of his career. The victory also puts an end to Team Penske's ...Keep reading
10/27/2025, 3:42:01 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
The Carolina Cowboys, owned by Richard Childress with grandson Austin Dillon serving as general manager, won the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) Team's Championship over the weekend in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena.
Dillon, a winner of both the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in NASCAR, celebrated the big win with the following post on Instagram:
The Carolina Cowboys ended the regular ...Keep reading
10/27/2025, 12:39:27 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
"This is anyone's race now."
Jeff Gordon said itKyle Larson said it
We all know it.
With William Byron outdueling Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano ultimately being a non-factor in the finish on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, there is not a single Team Penske driver in the Cup Series Final Four.
And given that they have swept the championships in the NextGen era, and in pretty commanding ...Keep reading
10/26/2025, 10:32:56 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
It will be a battle of the titans at Phoenix Raceway, as two Hendrick Motorsports drivers and two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers advanced into the Championship 4.
Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe were already locked in via wins at Las Vegas and Talladega, leaving two spots up for grabs at Martinsville. Christopher Bell entered the race with a large margin over the cutline, but only one point between ...Keep reading
#hamlin
10/26/2025, 10:14:11 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Sunday at Martinsville was pure domination for William Byron, who led 304 of 500 laps on his way to capturing the checkered flag. He had to deal with Ryan Blaney, who had won the previous two fall races at Martinsville. He elbowed him out of the way, taking the lead with 44 laps to go and never looking back.
"Damn, I got a lot to say (smiling)," said Byron, who now has 16 career wins. "Things ...Keep reading
10/26/2025, 12:51:25 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
In all likelihood, William Byron has to win at Martinsville Speedway to reach the NASCAR Cup Series final four next week at Phoenix and will lead the field to green on Sunday at Martinsville.
While the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 driver is pleased with the pole, he isn’t points racing on Sunday and feels like it was just more important to have a race winning car and taking care of it ...Keep reading
10/25/2025, 10:58:50 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Facing a must-win situation, William Byron earned a critical pole position at Martinsville Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver lapped the half-mile short track in 19.286s, beating Ty Gibbs by just fractions — 0.002s — for pole.
This is Byron's 16th career pole and his third of the 2025 season, but the two-time Martinsville winner has never started on the front row for this ...Keep reading
#front-row
10/24/2025, 7:46:18 PMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Maybe it’s ‘hell yeah,’ and maybe it’s something else but Tim Clark is working tirelessly to reintroduce the Sanctioning Body and simultaneously remind the world what its sporting values are in an ever-changing landscape.
That was part of a conversation held last week in New York City as part of the Autosport Business Exchange that invited leaders of various global motorsports entities ...Keep reading
10/24/2025, 11:30:03 AMMotorsport.com — NASCAR Cup (News)
Two drivers are guaranteed a spot in the Championship 4 via wins, and they are the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates of Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe.
That leaves six drivers to fight for the remaining two spots at Martinsville this weekend. Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson have a large margin over the elimination zone, but there is just one point between the two of them.
A win by Joey Logano ...Keep reading
#hamlin