Champion Tire & Wheel has announced Cesar Villanueva Jr., tire specialist for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro driven by Kyle Larson, as the recipient of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series “Consistently Smooth” award.
The award recognizes Villanueva’s skill and dedication in overseeing the No. 5 team’s tire and wheel program. A tire specialist’s craft is essential to a championship effort, requiring the management of more than 2,500 tires and wheels throughout the racing season. When the call for a pit stop comes, the right combination of tires, wheels, and air pressure is critical to the race car’s performance.
The lead crystal trophy will be presented to Villanueva, Larson, and crew chief Cliff Daniels at the team’s shop in Concord, North Carolina.
Champion Tire & Wheel will also present Championship Tire Specialist awards to Josh Lewis in the O’Reilly’s Series and Brandon Hastings in the Craftsman Truck Series. Lewis is the tire specialist for the No. 7 JR Motorsports entry driven by Justin Allgaier. Hastings is the tire specialist for the No. 11 Tricon Garage entry driven by Kaden Honeycutt.