“Frankie Muniz was involved in an incident while practicing for today’s Proud to Honor event at Daytona International Speedway,” the statement read. “He was taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation and is awake and alert. We’ll share updates as they become available. Thank you for your support and for respecting Frankie’s privacy at this time.”

— NASCAR.com —

Ford‘s newest NASCAR contender is based on the production Mustang Dark Horse SC, which is the most advanced and powerful Dark Horse ever with its supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine providing up to 795 horsepower and 660-lb.-ft. of torque.

“When we introduced the Mustang Dark Horse SC in January and announced it was coming to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, we had no time to waste,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Racing. “Racing makes our road cars better, and our road cars make our race cars better. We put that philosophy to work here, incorporating key elements from the Dark Horse SC into the new Mustang race car to help make it even more competitive every week.”

Chief among that is an aggressive-looking nose that has been designed to optimize aerodynamics. In the road car, that comes in the form of increased cooling while in the race car it creates more downforce.

“Our team of race engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford designers to create a car that not only holds true to Mustang‘s unique appearance but lives up to its heritage as a car that was born to race,” said Rushbrook. “We believe this car will put us in a position to win a lot of races and championships in the years ahead.”

Mustang debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2019 and since then has won three championships with drivers Joey Logano (2022 and 2024) and Ryan Blaney (2023). In addition, it has won 80 races, including major events like the Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Brickyard 400 two times apiece.

“I‘ve said this ever since Ford brought Mustang into the Cup Series and nothing since then has changed my mind. We have the best-looking car on the track, hands down, and Ford Racing has worked to make it one of the fastest too,” said Logano, who has won three championships with Ford. “Mustang is an American icon and no one is more proud to drive it each and every week than me. I can‘t wait to get behind the wheel of this new Mustang at Daytona.”

Blaney, who drove the production car and was part of the NASCAR announcement at Season Launch, is also looking forward to his new ride.

“All of us want to be the first one to win a race in this new Mustang and I‘m no different,” he said. “I‘ve been pretty fortunate that throughout my Cup career the only car I‘ve ever driven is a Ford and I‘m proud of that. Ford does a great job of designing race cars that give us the best chance to win, and I can‘t think of a better way to get started than by winning the Daytona 500.”

The Ford Mustang will make its competitive debut during Daytona Speedweeks, culminating with the 69th annual running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.

The unveiling of the new Cup car marked the first event of a day that is being highlighted by the inaugural Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway. A total of 12 Ford Racing drivers will be competing on the road course in Ford Mustang Dark Horse Rs with all six military branches being divided into teams of two. Proceeds from the event will go to support military members, veterans and their families.

The event can be seen live on USA Network, 8-10 p.m. ET.

— Ford Racing —

Ratings highlights for the 2026 season include:

• Averaged 1,044,000 total viewers for all 33 races, per Nielsen Panel + Big Data.
• Second consecutive year of viewership growth and the strongest season since 2021.
• Double-digit increase in the Adults 18-49 demo, up +13% over last season.
• 22 races throughout the year averaged more than one million viewers, the largest number of races with more than one million viewers during a single season in nine years.
• For the year, all NASCAR programming on The CW reached nearly 38 million total viewers.

Highlights of this season‘s championship race from Homestead-Miami Speedway include:

• 1,181,000 total viewers saw Justin Allgaier win his second NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series championship.  Viewership peaked at 1,638,000 total viewers from 7:30-7:45 pm ET.
• Strongest championship race since 2019, with total viewers up +16% compared to last season‘s championship race from Phoenix.
• Most-watched Homestead-Miami race since 2021 and the highest fall Homestead-Miami race since 2019.

In addition, CW Sports reached 12.3 million total viewers over the weekend across NASCAR, ACC and Pac-12 football, PBR bull riding championship, and college basketball. The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will return to The CW next year with the 2027 season beginning on Saturday, February 20, 2027, from the legendary Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

— The CW —

23XI Racing announced today that John Klausmeier, a veteran NASCAR crew chief and engineer, will join the team as its first technical director starting with the 2027 season. Klausmeier recently served in a similar role at Richard Childress Racing.

Following another strong season for the organization, which included two Crown Jewel wins, eight overall wins, and 23 top-five and 45 top-10 finishes, the addition of Klausmeier provides increased depth and experience to the competition department. Klausmeier will work with Dave Rogers, Sr. Director of Competition, as well as the team‘s crew chiefs and engineers. John will oversee the team‘s technical direction and continued growth in the engineering space.

“We‘re excited to welcome John to 23XI and look forward to the impact he will have on the organization,” said Dave Rogers, Sr. Director of Competition. “Each year our organization has focused on steady growth and improvement, and the addition of John as technical director to the competition group will strengthen 23XI and continue to ensure our team maintains a high level of execution. The organization has done a fantastic job of fielding competitive cars each weekend, and this move will help us build on the strong foundation that has been built at Airspeed.”

…

Allgaier, meanwhile, claimed his seventh Most Popular Driver Award in the O‘Reilly Series and fourth consecutive honor, continuing an extraordinary run of fan support.

The 40-year-old JR Motorsports veteran capped his six-win 2026 campaign by securing his second series championship in three seasons at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday. A longtime fixture in the division, Allgaier recently announced a multiyear extension to continue driving the No. 7 Chevrolet after initially considering retirement.

Riggs earned his first Most Popular Driver Award following a career-best seven-win season in the Craftsman Truck Series.

The 24-year-old Front Row Motorsports driver emerged as one of the division‘s most formidable competitors in 2026, earning the No. 1 Chase seed before finishing runner-up to Kaden Honeycutt in the championship standings.

— NASCAR.com —

Busch‘s wife Samantha accepted the award on his behalf — receiving a standing ovation — during the NASCAR Cup Series Awards Banquet at the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center in Miami Beach Tuesday evening.

The NMPA Most Popular Driver Award It is the only major award of the evening decided solely by race fans. Busch, the 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion earned 261,612 votes and also received massive vocal support from the entire industry following his sudden passing in May of this year.

Busch, 41, is the winningest driver in the history of NASCAR‘s three premier series, amassing 231 wins among the three divisions including 63 in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“Oh, I want to cry thinking about it, he wanted that award for so many years,‘‘ Busch said told reporters before the evening. “And I‘m so thrilled he got it. Maybe the coolest thing is how the other drivers came together in order to really rally their fans behind him.

“I think a lot of people see them as competitors or think they don‘t like each other, but at the end of the day NASCAR Is a big family and just seeing Chase [Elliott] and [Kyle] Larson, being like, ‘no give this to Kyle, give this to Kyle.

“I know he‘s up there going, ‘I finally got it.‘ We all know Kyle. Also for the kids it‘s really special. When I told Brexton he was like, ‘no way, no way‘ He was really pumped and it was exciting for them.‘‘

“He was such a big part of this sport and so wonderful to hear the last couple months what an impact he had.‘‘

Newly crowned, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Hendrick Motorsports‘ Kyle Larson and Spire Motorsports‘ driver Carson Hocevar finished second and third in the voting.

Two-time and recently crowned 2026 champion, JR Motorsports‘ Justin Allgaier received the Most Popular Driver honor for the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series. His JRM teammate Rajah Caruth and 2025 series champion, Richard Childress Racing‘s Jesse Love received the next highest vote total.

And Front Row Motorsports driver, this year‘s championship runner-up Layne Riggs was voted Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Kaulig Racing‘s Brenden Queen and the 2026 series champion, TRICON Garage driver Kaden Honeycutt rounded out the top-three in voting.

Busch‘s recognition this season comes after a historic run of titles from Hendrick Motorsports driver, 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Chase Elliott, who claimed the Most Popular Driver Award from 2018 to 2025 and, in support of Busch, asked to have his name removed from the 2026 ballot.

Previous winners of this stories 44-year old award include Elliott‘s father, the 1988 Cup Series Champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who holds the record with 16 Most Popular Driver Award designations. Fellow NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award 15 times.

— National Motorsports Press Association —

Top drivers, manufacturers, executives, and race teams from all three of NASCAR‘s national series were honored in the chic downtown theater — the first time the NASCAR Cup Series awards ceremony has ever taken place in the Sunshine State.

The evening started with reminders about the true strengths of this sport. The racing in 2026 has been compelling, the storylines plentiful, but NASCAR CEO Steve O‘Donnell reminded it all really comes back to one thing: the people. And there was plenty of praise and gratitude to offer so many.

“Tonight isn‘t just about what happened on the racetrack,” O‘Donnell said. “It‘s about the people who make this sport so special. The men and women in our race shops. The crews at the track. The countless people behind the scenes. And the families who make sacrifices throughout the year so we can all do what we love.

“Tonight is about all of you. This year also reminded us just how much we mean to one another.”

The three national series champions — NASCAR Cup Series‘ Kyle Larson, the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Justin Allgaier and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Kaden Honeycutt – were formally recognized. All thanked their teams and spoke of what their titles will mean in perpetuity and absolutely cognizant of how tough the competition was to achieve the “champion” status.

Beyond the championships celebrated throughout the night — other significant awards went to people who have impacted the sport off the track.

NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy spoke about the amazing and continued impact on children around this country that his grandmother Betty Jane France‘s NASCAR Foundation has maintained. It‘s celebrating its 20th year and has raised and bestowed more than $50 million.

Matt Lederer, Comcast Vice President of Brand Partnerships and Engagements, took the stage to announce the winners of the Comcast Community Champion of the Year and with all the great nominees, it ultimately was shared by two. The late Kyle Busch and the late Greg Biffle were honored for their impactful work in the community.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch, who died of a sudden illness in May, and his wife Samantha were honored for their work with the Bundle of Joy Fund, created to help families with costly fertility treatments. Their work has resulted in more than $2.5 million in grants going to nearly 200 families that welcomed 114 babies.

A former NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series champion, Biffle and his family perished in a plane accident last December. The Biffle Family Legacy Fund has continued to donate resources and time to communities all around the North Carolina area. After Hurricane Helene, he flew his own helicopter up into the mountains every day for weeks to bring supplies and help to people whose lives and livelihoods were destroyed by the storm.

“Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle showed us that being a champion is also defined by how you show up for others,” Lederer said.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the evening came when Samantha Busch accepted the National Motorsports Press Association‘s Most Popular Driver Award on behalf of her husband Kyle. The capacity crowd in the theater stood up to show respect and appreciation for the Busch family.

“There has been so much love for Kyle from this sport over the past several months, and I wish more than anything that he could be here to see it,” an emotional Samantha Busch said, tears in her eyes.

“He gave so much of his life to racing, and I know it would mean the world to him to see the impact he had on NASCAR and the people who love it.

“Whether you cheered for him or booed him, he gave you something to make noise about. And he loved that. To Kyle, that passion was what made this sport so special.

“Seeing that same passion bring everyone together to honor him has been incredible. I especially want to thank [former Most Popular Driver winner] Chase Elliott and the drivers who encouraged their fans to vote for him. That respect from the guys he raced against means so much.

“And to the fans,” she concluded, “I wish you knew just how much you meant to him. He loved packed grandstands, meeting families, and seeing kids light up when he signed an autograph. He knew you spent your hard-earned money and time watching him race, and he never took that for granted. He loved racing, and he loved that you did too.”

The evening finished by recognizing the 16 NASCAR Cup Series drivers who qualified for this year‘s new-championship Chase format. Ultimately, Larson claimed his third title and became the first driver since NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson to win consecutive championships. He is only the 11th driver in the sport‘s history to win three titles or more.

The 34-year-old Californian was appropriately seated front row and center with his wife Katelyn, son Owen, 11, daughter Audrey, 8 and son Cooper, 3.

After taking the stage to loud applause, Larson offered an immediate reflection on his work.

“Before I get going, I have to acknowledge my toughest critic, my daughter Audrey,” Larson said smiling down at his children. “A while back you told me I sucked at NASCAR and I want you to know I took that personally. So, I went out and won the championship.

“I’m still waiting on that apology by the way.”

Larson thanked his NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Rick Hendrick, the team‘s executive — another NASCAR Hall of Famer, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, his crew chief Cliff Daniels, team executive Chad Knaus and the team members who supported, propelled and believed through a 51-race winless streak snapped early in the Chase.

He answered with another two wins, claimed his first ever speedway victory at Talladega, Ala. and amassed enough of a points cushion heading into Homestead-Miami that he officially clinched the title with a fourth-place finish in the opening stage.

“Rick [Hendrick] has always said this business is about people, and he doesn’t just say it, he lives it,” Larson said. “He makes every person in that building feel like they matter. And he’s always preached that nobody can tear us down from the outside. The only way that happens is from inside our own walls. When things got hard, nobody turned on each other. We pulled closer.”

He bookended his speech with words to his children.

“Owen, Audrey, and Cooper, this year you got to see how hard racing really is,” Larson said of overcoming a slow start to ultimately hoist the big trophy.

“There were plenty of weekends where nothing your dad did seemed to work, and I know Audrey had a few things to say about that. But I hope you also saw how rewarding it can be when you put in the time and dedicate yourself to your craft. Whatever you decide to chase, chase it like that. And always listen to your driver coach [wife Katelyn]. Trust me, she’s always right.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Robert Noaker, a member of the Ford Racing Driver Development Team and a two-time IMSA Mustang Challenge North America champion, will replace Ryan Blaney in tomorrow‘s inaugural Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway.

Blaney announced earlier today he would have to miss the event after suffering a fall Monday night.

Noaker, 22, is a native of Duncannon, PA, and won the inaugural Mustang Challenge championship in 2024 and then dominated the following season as he was statistically perfect, winning every points-paying race, pole position and fastest lap in 2025.

Noaker spent this season piloting the Mustang GT4 full-time for McCumbee McAleer Racing in 2026 and emerged as a frontrunner in the GS class. He captured multiple podium finishes—including WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen International and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport)—to finish top-three in the competitive GS championship standings.

Noaker will join Formula Drift driver Ben Hobson in one of two Ford Mustang Dark Horse Rs that will carry the colors of the United States Marines.

The Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic will be televised on USA Network from 8-10 p.m. ET and take place on the road course.

The driver lineup and military affiliation follows below:

Army: Brad Keselowski and Joey Hand
Navy: Ryan Preece and Logan Sargeant
Air Force: Austin Cindric and Frankie Muniz
Marines: Ben Hobson and Robert Noaker
Coast Guard: Joey Logano and Ty Majeski
Space Force: Noah Gragson and Layne Riggs

“I was out at dinner last night with my family and some friends and I accidentally took a fall that required medical attention. I am doing okay and am resting and recovering. I‘m disappointed to miss celebrating Kyle Larson and the NASCAR Championship today and Ford‘s “Proud to Honor race” tomorrow at Daytona. While I won‘t be there, I‘ll be supporting my teammates and fellow Ford drivers as they honor each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on Veterans Day.”

— Ryan Blaney Instagram —

 

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MIAMI, Fla. — It took Kyle Larson 3 hours, 7 minutes, 54 seconds to win a 500-mile race at Talladega Superspeedway during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase presented by Mobil 1.

That race proved pivotal in his run for a third championship.

The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet likely will spend more time than that covering 26 miles, 385 yards when he runs his first marathon on Dec. 6.

“What brought it about… I‘ve never been into running, and running frustrated me, but I had a couple of friends getting into it and just tried to commit myself to it,” said Larson, who will compete in the California International Marathon from Folsom to Sacramento.

“Once your body stops hurting all the time, and you learn to enjoy it and enjoy the process when you‘re training, you want to go compete in a race. For me, getting to compete in Sacramento, where I was born and raised, is special, and to get to do it with my friends is going to be fun.”

The longest training run Larson has done so far measures 16 miles.

“On that training day, it was 12 miles of an easy pace for me in good weather,” Larson said on the morning of the end-of-season NASCAR Awards at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. “It was about a nine-minute (per mile) pace, so your heart rate‘s low. And then the final four miles, you crank it up to marathon pace.

So, for me, that‘s probably—like I said, in good weather—around like a 7:30 to 7:40 pace. So, yeah, it wasn‘t too bad, but doing that pace for three-and-a-half hours is going to be challenging.”

Larson, whose previous off seasons have featured a plentiful dose of dirt racing in sprint cars and midgets, said he hopes to complete the marathon under 3 hours, 30 minutes.

And, of course, he‘ll continue to race cars during the winter months, with plans to drive in both the Tulsa Shootout in late December and Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in January.

Carson Hocevar finally found a line he couldn‘t cross

Repeatedly brake-checking Austin Cindric during the NASCAR Cup season‘s penultimate race at Martinsville Speedway earned Carson Hocevar a team-imposed one-race suspension and a $100,000 fine and points penalty from NASCAR.

When the green-flag waved to start the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hocevar was watching from the sidelines while Justin Haley drove his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

Don‘t think, though, that the punishment will have a profound effect on Hocevar‘s aggressive driving style in 2027.

“Sometimes you can‘t get too creative,” Hocevar said. “There‘ s a line to be drawn on creatively and aggression. We‘re working through that…

“I didn‘t die. I didn‘t lose my ride. I lost my car keys. My team still loves me. I think I‘m in a good spot. I‘m excited that we get to get working for Daytona and next year… It‘s just one week. Obviously, it sucks, but it‘s not bigger than it is.”

The suspension gave Hocevar plenty of time to interact with his fan base, which is legion. In 2026, Hocevar arguably provided more autographs than any other driver.

To Hocevar, the most unusual item he signed was a car.

“Somebody bought a brand-new car and wanted me to sign it,” he said. “I thought that was weird. So, I signed their dash in their brand-new car a couple of weeks ago. I thought that was really funny.

“It was his wife‘s car, too, and he‘s like ‘My wife really wants this.‘ And I was like, ‘Is she here?‘ And he was like, ‘No.‘ I was like, ‘OK, are you sure?‘ and I asked three times, and then ‘All right. Whatever. You‘ve got to go home to her—not me.‘”

Joey Logano learns the perils of “van life” the hard way

Joey Logano is well-known for his charitable endeavors and for his willingness to expand his family through adoption.

Sometimes, however, the best intentions can turn to… well, you get the idea.

In October, Logano and wife Brittany finalized the adoption of two foster children who had been under their care since the spring, bringing their total number of children to five.

Traveling with the entire contingent requires large vehicles in what Logano calls “van life,” but there can be hazards involved, as Logano found out the hard way on the way to Bristol this fall.

“This happened, and it‘s only funny now, ‘cause it wasn‘t in the moment,” Logano said on the morning of the NASCAR Awards at the Adrienne Arsht Center. “We‘ve got this portable potty, because the driver of the van (Logano) doesn‘t like to make pit stops very often.

“Driving to Bristol, there‘s a lot of curvy roads, because it‘s 10 minutes faster, 15 minutes faster to go through Morganton (N.C.) and up that way. And the potty started sliding, and the potty flipped.

“Made the corner a little too fast. That was disgusting. It was horrible, but that happened. .. I should have had that thing figured out back there. The driver was doing his job to get there. I was on the road. It was sliding back and forth. I heard it slide to the left, and in the next corner it slid back the other way, and then you hear all the kids, ‘Oh, no.‘ They were all screaming.”

It‘s a fair guess that Logano‘s first offseason project will be finding a way to anchor the portable potty.

Mic drop moment didn‘t enter Justin Allgaier‘s mind after second title

Justin Allgaier had no regrets about agreeing to an extension with JR Motorsports after winning a second NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship.

However, he did reflect on what the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway might have meant had he not agreed to continuing driving after the 2026 season.

“A lot of reflection, because I was quitting, and a lot of question marks as to what that looked like,” said Allgaier, who in November agreed to keep driving for JRM in a multiyear deal.

“Standing on the stage (for driver introductions) and speaking with my fellow competitors, and being present in the moment, I told a couple of them, ‘You know, this was going to be my last race ever, and I don‘t know how I would have felt,‘ had I been standing on the stage knowing that—with the emotion of the championship on the line—with all the things that could and will happen.

“I think I‘m glad I made the choice that I made in that moment. There‘s going to be a time where you‘re not going to have the success, the lights aren‘t going to be as bright, and it‘s going to be a lot easier to walk away in that moment. But I think I made the right decision, and I‘m happy with that.”

The extension gives Allgaier the opportunity to do something no other driver in the series has ever done—win a third championship.

“I saw that stat after the championship was over, and I think about all the people I‘ve grown up idolizing in this series,” Allgaier said. “That‘s a crazy stat. It really is.

“I‘d love to win three. I would love to. I‘ve seen Kyle (Larson) with the three (NASCAR Cup) trophies. It was cool to watch. But I said in the media center before the race, when I started my NASCAR journey, I wanted to win a race—just one—and to do what we‘ve done and accomplish what we‘ve accomplished is far exceeding any expectation I‘ve ever had.”

After memorable rookie season, Brenden Queen turns his sights to 2027

To run the full NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series next season, 2026 Rookie of the Year Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will need something he‘s never had—a passport.

“I‘ve never been out of the country,” Queen said Tuesday morning at the Adrienne Arsht Center, site of the end-of-season NASCAR Awards.

On Sept. 5, the series will race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. That‘s one of three tracks on the 2027 schedule that will be new to Queen. The others are Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Pocono Raceway.

“I haven‘t ever been to Bowman Gray, surprisingly,” said Queen, who comes from a late model stock car background. “I‘ve wanted to go just to watch a normal Saturday modified race…

“It‘s probably going to be crazy, but to be a part of the first time the trucks are going there, to be a part of history there… Being a part of the Ram return is history and now being a part of that is going to be something cool, and I‘m sure there‘s going to be a lot of tore-up front bumpers there.”

Queen ended the 2026 season 13th in the Truck Series standings, the highest finisher among five entries from Kaulig Racing, which shepherded the return of the Ram brand to the series this year and will field Dodge Chargers in that brand‘s return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Spire countersued JGR on June 25 in part over a disagreement regarding how Smith ended up on the No. 54 car with driver Ty Gibbs in the first place.

In its claims, Spire said that it agreed to release Smith from his contract in April of 2025 in exchange for an equal level JGR employee or the payment of $100,000. In response to JGR filing a lawsuit against Spire and Chris Gabehart, Spire sued on allegations that it never facilitated its part of the agreement.

Since then, JGR has sued Gabehart, who left for Spire, on claims that he misappropriated trade secrets upon his departure and took them to his new employer — which both defendants deny.

— Motorsport.com —

And if there are comparisons to be made to luminaries of the distant and recent past, Larson will leave that to others.

“I’ve heard comparisons my whole life and career,” Larson said Sunday night after clinching the title with a 12th-place finish the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. “I would really give the same answer. I just have always tried to block it out, not think about it, because I want to just—I don’t know—not reflect because I want to accomplish more.

“Obviously, I’m very appreciative of any comparison that I ever get, if it’s a good comparison. But yeah, I don’t know, I’m so focused on just racing and driving and our team that I don’t spend much time kind of listening to other stuff, good or bad.”

Where Larson is reticent, others are more than willing to fill the gap. Before the title race, Mario Andretti recorded a message to Larson that expressed a kinship between two of the most versatile drivers ever to race on asphalt or dirt.

“Best of luck to him,” Andretti concluded. “I hope the wind is at his back, ‘cause I‘ll be on his shoulder.”

Andretti is the only driver to win the most impressive motorsports trifecta: the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and the Formula 1 driving championship.

For his part, Larson is a three-time champion of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and a four-time winner of the Knoxville Nationals for 410 winged sprint cars.

Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon, himself a four-time Cup Series champion, believes Larson‘s third title only adds to a stature in motorsports that already has become an established fact.

“In our eyes, he’s there, right?” Gordon said. “We see what he accomplishes in everything he gets in. It’s hard to pick the most impressive thing that he does, because he gets in an IndyCar, he goes fast. Sprint car, he’ll fly overnight, get in the car, go win Knoxville, then come back and win the Brickyard…

“That’s rare air. Very rare. So few guys that are capable of doing that, or even get the opportunity to do that. Whatever stats he needs to accumulate, OK, if that’s what it takes. I think he’s already there.”

From Larson‘s point of view, the 2026 season turned on a dime with a strong performance in the first Chase race at Darlington Raceway, where he finished fifth and noted, “Wow, OK, I feel like we‘re the 5 team again.”

A week later, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, he ended a 51-race winless streak and began to take control of the Chase.

Larson‘s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, pointed to an earlier event that galvanized the team—Larson‘s victory on the half-mile dirt track at Knoxville and the circumstances that surrounded it.

It was an unlikely and serendipitous win. On Saturday, Aug. 15, the day of the Knoxville finals, Larson was driving the Cup car at Richmond Raceway, where he fashioned a hard-fought sixth-place finish.

Larson was resigned to missing the Nationals until a rainstorm postposed the start of the feature for more than four hours. After a police escort to the airport and a two-hour flight, Larson arrived at Knoxville in time to start the race.

“He showed up, got on the ground within 30 minutes of race time, wins that race,” Daniels said. “He came back the next couple weeks with the core belief and acknowledgement from everyone at Hendrick that we cared about him more than just on the Cup side.

“Because in a season that isn’t going very well, it could have been easy for any of us to be like, ‘Man, we’re not going to prioritize dirt racing, not a big deal.‘ But it was a big deal to him, so it was a big deal to us.”

Daniels was the race engineer on Jimmie Johnson‘s team when Johnson won his record-tying seventh Cup championship in 2016. Asked whether tying Johnson was part of his long-term vision, Larson demurred.

“Seven is a big number,” Larson said. “These championships are extremely hard to come by. I mean, now that we’re back to the Chase format, I think championships could be a little bit more realistic, because it’s not down to one race.

“I don’t know. Right now, I’m not thinking—definitely not thinking—about seven. I’m happy to have three. If I could get one more, I would be even happier. If you end up getting four, then the next is five.”

That statement reflects Larson‘s attitude toward racing in general. He focuses on the next event to the exclusion of what might come later.

Whatever that next race is—whether on asphalt or dirt, whether in a stock car or sprint car—chances are Larson will have a chance to win it.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Doran returns to Spire Motorsports from Trackhouse Racing after collecting five poles and seven wins with driver Shane van Gisbergen over the last two seasons. The Butler, Pa., native spent the 2024 season as an integral part of Spire Motorsports‘ operation after previously serving in the Crew Chief role for the No. 71 machine. In addition to his race-winning resume, he brings a keen eye for leadership to the team‘s three-car Cup Series operation where he will serve in a highly collaborative role alongside fellow crew chiefs Ryan Sparks and Luke Lambert.

“Our 2027 season starts today so we‘re eager to bring Stephen back to Spire Motorsports,” said Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson. “He‘s an exceptionally talented individual, a winning crew chief and someone who fits in with our group, seamlessly. Spire had a great 2026 season, so we have a lot to be proud of. Adding Stephen to the mix with Matt McCall and reuniting him with Ryan (Sparks), Luke (Lambert) and Dax (Garringer) gives me a lot of confidence that our best days as an organization are still in front of us.”

Spire Motorsports has offered Travis Peterson a leading engineering role to leverage his skills across the entirety of the team‘s Cup Series operation. Peterson was responsible for guiding McDowell to a pair of pole positions, six top fives, including a runner-up effort in May at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, and 14 top-10 finishes over the last two seasons.

Doran‘s impact at Trackhouse Racing was felt early in his tenure when van Gisbergen collected the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series inaugural visit to Mexico City at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The potent duo went on to win five of six road course events in 2025, including victories at the Chicago Street Race, Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Watkins Glen and the ROVAL configuration at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The veteran Crew Chief also van Gisbergen to a career-best 12th-place finish in the season-ending Cup Series Championship point standings.

This year, the Doran/van Gisbergen pairing notched victories at Watkins Glen and Sonoma while collecting two pole positions, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.

Doran‘s re-arrival to Spire Motorsports comes on the heels of the team‘s most successful season to date — a year that saw Carson Hocevar and Daniel Suárez win points-paying races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, respectively. Meanwhile, both the Nos. 7 and 77 teams earned berths in The Chase — NASCAR‘s championship playoff format.

“I’m incredibly thankful to Justin (Marks) for giving me the opportunity to be a crew chief at Trackhouse. I’m equally grateful for the opportunity to work alongside SVG. He’s a world-class driver on the track and an even better person away from it. I’ll truly miss the people and relationships I’ve built within the Trackhouse family.

“The timing felt right to return to Spire Motorsports. Coming back to the No. 71 team is something I’ve thought about since leaving at the end of 2024. What Jeff, Dan (Towriss), and the entire organization have built in such a short time is impressive, and I’m excited to be part of what’s ahead. I can’t wait to get to work with Michael and the entire team as we push to become a consistent race-winning organization for years to come.”

— Spire Motorsports —

Veteran crew chief Blake Harris joins Trackhouse Racing to lead the No. 97 team and Shane van Gisbergen. pic.twitter.com/v3PvcmxXmT

— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) November 9, 2026

ORIGINAL POST 11-6-2026: Shane van Gisbergen will be paired with Blake Harris as the crew chief for his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet next season in the NASCAR Cup Series, multiple people familiar with the situation confirmed to RACER.

Harris will make the move from Hendrick Motorsports, where he has been paired with Alex Bowman on the No. 48 Chevrolet for four seasons. As their tenure winds down this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the duo is looking for a second and final win together. They earned their lone win in 2024 on the streets of Chicago.

…

As for who will step in at Hendrick Motorsports to work with Bowman, and presumably Connor Zilisch in 2028, it remains unconfirmed, as multiple names have been heard around the garage. One of those is Adam Wall, who has been with the organization‘s No. 17 O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series effort with Corey Day. But it would mean splitting the duo, who have won four races and go into Saturday night‘s finale with a shot at the series championship.

— RACER —

Mears reached No. 500 with the green flag in Sunday‘s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, piloting Beard Motorsports‘ No. 62 Chevrolet. He was short by 12 starts after his full-time Cup career concluded after the 2016 campaign, but a pair of part-time efforts allowed him to become the 50th driver in history to check that box.

…

Mears‘ first start in NASCAR came 25 years ago at Homestead-Miami in what‘s now the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the Jeff Welliver-owned No. 66 to a 28th-place finish. He said that he‘s not sure if Sunday‘s race will bring full-circle closure to his career, leaving the door open for Cup Series start No. 501 or opportunities in other series.

“I don‘t know what next year looks like yet,” Mears said. “Right now, I just really wanted to reach this goal, but I never stopped the love of driving race cars. You know, that never went away for me. It‘s just, the opportunities did. So if there‘s an opportunity to do something, I wouldn‘t mind running in the Truck Series or in the O‘Reilly Series a little bit. I mean, I‘ve had a really fun time coming back and being in a race car, so I would be open to doing something else, too.”

— NASCAR.com —

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Season Finale 400

Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:52 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:18 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 206
Minutes of race broadcast: 18
Minutes of traditional commercials: 20
Minutes of side-by-side commercials: 34

Total number of commercials: 129
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 59
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 50
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 26
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 79
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 48
Number of times NBC utilized ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast: 13

Companies seen the most in commercials during this broadcast: NBC (20 times); WPXI (8 times); Sonic (6 times); Xfinity (6 times); Toyota (5 times)

— CawsNJaws —

There were no issues for #12-Ryan Blaney. He is officially the winner of the race.

#5-Kyle Larson is officially the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

No cars going to the NASCAR R&D Center.

The Cup Series returns to action on February 13, 2027 for the Clash at Daytona.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Denny Hamlin entered Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway believing 2027 would be his next best shot at finally capturing a NASCAR Cup Series championship. Christopher Bell, meanwhile, knew the uphill battle he faced in trying to overtake Kyle Larson for the 2026 Bill France Cup.

By the end of the opening stage, the championship picture was settled. Larson had scored enough stage points to clinch his third career title, while neither Hamlin nor Bell could do enough to keep their championship hopes alive.

“He earned it. I think if you ask anyone in the crowd, anyone in the industry who the champion should have been, it‘s him,” Bell said following a fourth-place effort at Homestead. “I love how [The Chase] went. I‘m obviously disappointed in myself, but I thought The Chase was amazing. It delivered high-intensity moments throughout the entire 10 races — not just in the big shebang at the end.”

Hamlin gave Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team full credit for elevating their performance throughout The Chase. He likened their championship run to Jimmie Johnson‘s historic stretch, when the famed No. 48 team became the last to win consecutive titles as part of an unprecedented five-year championship reign that began 20 years ago.

“I mean just an exceptional talent,” Hamlin said of his friendly rival. “I went through this generation‘s Jimmie, I think that‘s the only way you can describe it. When it comes to playoff time, they perform their best. That‘s something that Jimmie used to do. Jimmie was a guy that could get tons of speed out of the car. Kyle is the same, you could argue even more speed. There‘s a little more variance in the results because of how hard he pushes it, but he reaps the benefit because he gets lots of wins. That‘s something where he‘s going to be winning championships and races long after I‘m gone.”

Hamlin put together a strong performance, leading a race-high 87 laps and capturing the Stage 2 victory. But Larson‘s advantage in Stage 1 proved decisive. The four-time winner in 2026 quickly recognized the writing was on the wall, realizing his first Cup Series championship was officially out of reach.

Hamlin added: “I could do simple math and realize pretty quickly that if [he finished] in front of me in one stage that was going to be all she wrote.”

Hamlin was stoic, as he had days, if not weeks, to process that the season-long title was slipping away from the No. 1 seed. A miscue at Darlington Raceway, self-spinning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a flat tire at Phoenix Raceway all proved costly while the No. 5 team rattled off one of the best postseason runs of all time with an average finish of 7.3.

“I wish I could say it was something,” Hamlin said of his emotion. “I can put my hand on the Bible and say I felt absolutely nothing.”

Bell felt similarly to Hamlin. Instead of being upset, he praised the No. 5 team for its showing.

“Kyle did a great job — he did exactly what he needed to do,” Bell noted. “He clinched it in Stage 1 whenever he got fourth-place points. They were the best team throughout the 10 weeks. I will always say that this is way better than what we had, for sure. The 5 car earned their buffer for what they had today and they executed the race exactly like they needed to.”

Joe Gibbs Racing combined to win 10 races among its four drivers to lead all organizations in 2026. However, the powerhouse company fell short of the ultimate prize for a seventh straight season, dating back to Kyle Busch‘s second championship in 2019.

With the championship out of reach, the Nos. 11 and 20 teams shifted their focus to securing second place in the standings. A restart with eight laps remaining bunched the field, setting up a late battle among Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Ryan Blaney. Hamlin drove deep into the corner and brushed the wall amid the fight, ultimately slipping to sixth at the checkered flag as Bell charged forward to claim fourth.

Bell secured runner-up honors in the final standings, 49 points behind Larson, while Hamlin settled for third, 56 markers off the championship pace.

“I would have been really disappointed if we didn‘t hold second, for sure,” Bell said. “I knew it was going to be a battle; we knew [Hamlin] was going to be fast. I don‘t feel proud that I won second. I guess I feel like we should have maintained second — and we did that. We checked the box and didn‘t lose it.”

Hamlin acknowledged that he needs a week away to recharge before turning his attention toward the 2027 campaign. The upcoming season is expected to be his final year competing full time in the Cup Series.

“I need a break,” Hamlin concluded. “I‘m really physically and mentally exhausted from this season. I‘ve been that way for quite a few weeks now. I need to have Monday through Friday with no plans, do whatever I want to do.”

Joe Gibbs Racing capped the season with all four of its entries ranked inside the top eight in the final Cup Series standings, underscoring the organization’s depth across the 2026 campaign.

When Kyle Larson was told on the radio by his Hendrick Motorsports team that he had officially clinched the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship early in Sunday‘s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 34-year-old Californian calmly responded, “Okay, that‘s cool. Good job guys.”

“Cool,” and also history-making. Larson becomes only the 11th driver in all NASCAR history to win at least three titles — matching his work in 2021 and 2025. And he is the first since NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson (2006-10) to claim back-to-back championships in the premier level of stock car racing.

So, after a fittingly championship-caliber burnout following a title-winning 12th-place finish — Larson left no doubt as to the joy and satisfaction the South Florida night meant. His whole extended family – wife Kaitlyn, son Owen, 11, daughter Audrey, 8, and youngest, son Cooper, 3, his in-laws, sister and his mom and dad – who have so faithfully documented, supported and celebrated this once-a-generation success story – joined him on the track for the hard-earned, well-earned celebration.

The kiddos stood on the roof of his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet — Owen waving the flag, Audrey ringing a winner‘s bell and Cooper jumping up and down, playing in all the confetti. It was one happy night for the Larson family.

The biggest challenge that Larson seemed to face on the night was hoisting the heavy, three-feet tall silver Bill France Cup championship trophy, but Larson smiled and lifted it above his head. Success. It‘s something he knows about.

“I‘ve been in the gym so I could make sure I could lift it this year,” Larson said grinning.

Despite his famously easygoing nature, Larson knows how to mash the gas, out-maneuver and out-smart his competition in nearly anything with a motor and wheels. He is one of the most decorated race car drivers of his generation blessed with the kind of massive natural talent that has positioned him as a standard-bearer in his sport.

He’s won in or been competitive in such a wide variety of racing cars — with a 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car win, multiple titles driving a sprint car in the Knoxville Nationals and a midget in the Chili Bowl. He competed in the Indianapolis 500 twice and was crowned Rookie of the Race there in 2024.

And Larson answered his 2025 Cup Series title in a convincing, workmanlike way that could serve as a lesson in perseverance and belief in yourself. He snapped a nagging 51-race winless streak by claiming three victories in this season‘s 10 Chase races — having gone into the title run, ranked seventh among the 16 drivers that settled the trophy.

One of his chief rivals on-track, veteran Denny Hamlin, offered Larson a huge compliment declaring after the race that Larson is “this generation‘s Jimmie Johnson” — a nod to the former Hendrick Motorsports driver and record-tying seven-time champion.

Team Penske‘s Ryan Blaney, the 2023 series champ who won Sunday‘s Homestead race, was equally as effusive about Larson‘s talent.

“I think he‘s really good at finding the edge and he used to step over it a lot in his early days,” Blaney said. “He‘d always be at the edge and sometimes take himself out of contention. But as he‘s gotten older and more experienced and things like that, he‘s really refined that skill. He‘s still on the edge but doesn‘t go over it a lot and,” he added with a smile, “that‘s really dangerous for the rest of us.

“Obviously, he‘s incredibly talented, his natural God-given talent is off the charts,” Blaney continued. “He is very deserving, I think, to win his third championship. That group makes it hard on everyone in the garage, for sure. They are a very good team and everyone has their work cut out for them to try and contending with that group and specifically that pairing of Kyle and Cliff.”

Hendrick Motorsports‘ executive — a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champ and also a NASCAR Hall of Famer — Jeff Gordon went so far as to compare Larson with some of the most epic and versatile racers of all-time — legends such as A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti.

“It‘s hard to pick the most impressive thing that he does because he gets in an IndyCar and goes fast and in a sprint car he‘ll fly overnight and go win Knoxville and come back and win the Brickyard, that‘s rare air, just so few guys that are capable of that,” Gordon said.

NASCAR Hall of Famer, team owner Rick Hendrick agreed.

“I think when you look at how versatile he is, and he‘s fast and wins in anything he gets in,” Hendrick said. “You can‘t run against A.J. and Mario in the same time so hard to determine that but in my eyes, a guy that can get in anything and win, show up with no practice in a sprint car or even when he went to Indy, I think he has to be looked at as one of the all-time greats.”

A couple hours after Sunday night‘s checkered flag, Larson — and his family — was still smiling. Fans waited long after the victory burnouts cheering him on through media interviews, the traditional “hat dances” in Victory Lane, congratulatory hugs and high-fives and photos upon photos.

“What a year,” a grinning Larson said, in marvelous understatement.

And indeed, it has been.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Blaney passed Reddick on Lap 266 of 267 in the final race of the reconstituted NASCAR Cup Series Chase presented by Mobil 1 and powered his No. 12 Team Penske Ford across the finish line 0.314 seconds ahead of the Reddick‘s 23XI Racing Toyota.

Long before Blaney secured his fourth victory of the season and 21st of his career, Larson had clinched his second straight championship and third overall with a fourth-place finish in the first stage.

After multiple brushes with the outside wall, Larson eventually rolled home in 12th in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, becoming the first Cup Series driver to win back-to back titles since Hendrick legend Jimmie Johnson claimed five straight from 2006 through 2010.

“I got word that we clinched it, and I started driving like an idiot,” Larson said with a laugh.

Larson became the 11th driver to win three or more championships in NASCAR‘s top division. As broadcaster Jeff Burton pointed out earlier in the weekend, more humans have walked on the moon (12) than have won three Cup titles.

Larson joined an elite group of three-time champions that includes NASCAR Hall of Famers Lee Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Tony Stewart and current Team Penske driver Joey Logano.

The championship was the 16th for team owner Rick Hendrick, extending Hendrick Motorsports‘ series record.

“I’m just so proud of my team, first and foremost,” said Larson, who finished 49 points ahead of second-place Christopher Bell and 56 in front of third-place Denny Hamlin. “Hendrick Motorsports, this was statistically probably one of our worst years. To still come away with the championship shows how resilient everybody at the race shop is, everybody on my 5 team, all my teammates, 24 (William Byron), the 9 (Chase Elliott), the 48 (Alex Bowman). GM (General Motors), too, Chevrolet, all the key partners there.

“We absolutely could not have done what we did in the Chase without the teamwork that it took. That’s what this championship is, makes it so meaningful, just the teamwork. This one more than any of them took teamwork.”

Larson‘s third championship was official when pole winner Chase Briscoe‘s engine blew on Lap 78, ending the first stage. Larson was running fourth at the time, one position behind Bell, with Hamlin in sixth.

By scoring seven stage points to Bell‘s eight and Hamlin‘s five, Larson put the title mathematically out of the reach of his Joe Gibbs Racing pursuers. Hamlin and Bell were left to battle for second place in the final standings.

“They‘ve declared it—we‘ve got it,” crew chief Cliff Daniels radioed to Larson during the caution. With his third championship—all with Larson—Daniels is tied for fourth all-time among Cup Series crew chiefs.

“Like it‘s done—over?” asked Larson, just making sure. “That was a little anticlimactic, but that‘s cool. Good job, guys!”

Hendrick radioed his delight to the 34-year-old driver from Elk Grove, California.

“Congratulations,” Hendrick said. “Now you can run the wall.”

That‘s exactly what Larson did, but the freedom came with a price. On Lap 119, Larson steered the No. 5 Camaro to pit road with a cut right rear tire—the result of contact with the outside wall.

Larson‘s trip to the pits started a green-flag cycle, with Bell following from the race lead eight laps later and Reddick right behind him. But it was Hamlin, who pitted three laps earlier than Bell, who grabbed the lead and held on to win the second stage, as Larson faded to 17th on well-worn rubber.

Blaney‘s journey to the checkered flag was convoluted, to say the least. During the first stage break, he returned to pit road to remedy a loose wheel and restarted at the back of the field. By the end of Stage 2, he had climbed to fifth in the running order.

In the final stage, Blaney ran long and pitted on Lap 220 and was running down Byron and Reddick from five seconds back when a caution bunched the field and set up a restart with eight laps left.

Blaney restarted fourth, passed Bell on lap 263, slipped past Byron a lap later and made the winning pass of Reddick on Lap 266 of 267.

“Pretty cool night battling back from coming down pit road,” said Blaney, who avenged a haunting last-lap loss to Reddick at 1.5-mile Homestead in 2024. “Car was really, really fast. I appreciate everybody for sticking with it.

“Even though we weren’t part of the championship fight, our goal was to try to win the race, end on a high note, get the most points we can.”

The victory elevated Blaney three positions to fourth in the final standings, 94 points behind Larson.

Byron, who was leading by just over one second when Noah Gragson spun Daniel Suarez in Turn 1 to cause the third and final caution with 14 laps left, finished third in front of Bell and Bubba Wallace.

Hamlin came home sixth, followed by Austin Cindric, Suarez, Gragson, and Michael McDowell.

Bell and Hamlin were the only two drivers still mathematically alive for the title entering Sunday‘s race, but winning would have required a perfect night from one of the two JGR drivers along with calamity for Larson.

Neither happened.

“This year consistently we were in the mix,” Bell said. “We were in there for contention of race wins. Obviously disappointed we didn’t win more. Yeah, just happy and thrilled and thankful that I’m in position.

“Something to build on. Hopefully, we can execute a little bit better and get that grand prize at the end.”

A four-time winner this season, Hamlin echoed Bell‘s sentiments.

“We had a great year,” he said. “Every way you can measure the year, it’s been really, really good. Congrats to the 5 team. They deserve everything, the spoils of victory. They performed absolutely incredible during these last 10 races.

“We are extremely happy with the 36 races that we put together. It’s really tough to do in this sport. Certainly felt good to be competitive from the first race to the last.”

Notes: Hamlin led a race-high 87 laps, followed by Reddick with 53, Bell with 46 and Byron with 38. Blaney led seven laps… J.J. Yeley finished 36th in his 400th Cup start, one spot ahead of Casey Mears, who achieved his personal goal of 500 Cup starts… Justin Haley ran 21st, subbing for suspended Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar.

— NASCAR News Wire —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Infraction Report.

For complete race information, check out the Homestead race page.

Larson is the 11th driver in history to earn the honors as a three-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, while also becoming the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Jimmie Johnson‘s run of five-straight from 2006 to 2010.

“Congratulations to Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels and the entire No. 5 Chevrolet team on their third NASCAR Cup Series championship,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors. “Championships are earned through preparation, trust and execution, and this team demonstrated all three throughout the 2026 season. They stayed focused through adversity, and performed the best when it mattered most.”

Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team built their championship charge with a standout postseason, combining race-winning speed with sustained execution throughout the 10-race Chase. After entering the postseason as the seventh seed, Larson finished sixth or better in each of the opening six races, including victories at World Wide Technology Raceway and Kansas Speedway. His 2.83 average finish across that stretch ranked as the best six-race run in the series‘ postseason history since the format was introduced in 2004. Following a setback performance at Phoenix Raceway, the team rebounded with a dramatic victory at Talladega Superspeedway, where Larson rallied from 11th on the final lap to earn his first drafting-track win. With a hard-fought ninth place finish at Martinsville Speedway, the Chevrolet driver took a 67-point lead to South Florida, setting the stage to mathematically clinch the title at the end of Stage One of the championship-deciding race.

Hendrick Motorsports‘ 2026 championship extends its NASCAR Cup Series record to 16 driver titles, all earned under the Chevrolet banner. The organization captured its first championship with Jeff Gordon in 1995, launching a legacy that includes titles with five different drivers: Jimmie Johnson (seven), Jeff Gordon (four), Kyle Larson (three), Terry Labonte (one) and Chase Elliott (one).

“We also congratulate Rick and Linda Hendrick, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Andrews, Chad Knaus and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports on the organization‘s 16th NASCAR Cup Series championship,” added Reuss. “This achievement reflects the leadership and teamwork that are hallmarks of Hendrick Motorsports. We‘re proud of our partnership and honored to celebrate another championship together.”

The NASCAR Cup Series will return to the track at Daytona International Speedway with the Wheatley Vodka Clash on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027.

— Team Chevy —

“We want to make sure we maintain his legacy out there and make sure we are working very closely with (Busch‘s widow) Samantha and the team over there to see what that looks like for next year, so that he is still available and visible to the fans,” White told SBJ.

According to people familiar with the matter, Busch ranks fourth in trackside merchandise sales as the 2026 concludes after drivers like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson.

— Sports Business Journal —

“There’s an energy at Daytona on DAYTONA 500 Sunday that’s difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it,” said Frank Kelleher, President of Daytona International Speedway. “The anticipation builds throughout the day, and by the time the engines fire, there’s nothing quite like it in sports. Thomas Rhett brings tremendous energy to the stage, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him help build that momentum as we get ready for the 69th running of The Great American Race.”

Thomas Rhett‘s list of accolades in the country music scene is nothing short of spectacular. He‘s garnered 22 billion streams and a plethora of awards — eight ACM Awards including 2020 “Entertainer of the Year,” two CMA Awards, five GRAMMY® Awards nominations, plus trophies from the CMT Music Awards, Billboard Awards and iHeartRadio Awards. In addition, Thomas Rhett also has five CMA Triple Play awards for penning three No. One songs within a 12-month period.

Thomas Rhett is entering his next era of music with new single “Be There In A Minute,” released on Friday (11/6). The track follows his latest album ABOUT A WOMAN (Deluxe), the expanded version of his “best work yet” (Country Living), now comprised of 25 songs including collaborations with Lanie Gardner, Blake Shelton, Teddy Swims, Tucker Wetmore and 25th No. 1 single “Ain‘t A Bad Life (ft. Jordan Davis)”. Thomas Rhett was busy this summer with THE SOUNDTRACK TO LIFE tour visiting over 20 cities and bringing his good-time energy to the stage.

The action begins on Saturday, February 13, with the Wheatley Vodka Clash At DAYTONA and continues Wednesday, Feb. 17, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light, setting the field for the Duel At DAYTONA, which occurs the following night on Thursday, Feb. 18, where drivers will battle it out for a spot in the coveted Great American Race.

The season-opening races for all three NASCAR national series, as well as the ARCA Menards Series, kick off on Friday, Feb. 19, with the NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250. Saturday, Feb. 20, will feature an action-packed double-header with the ARCA Menards Series race followed by the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series United Rentals 300.

Then Sunday, Feb. 21, Thomas Rhett will get the party started for fans and drivers before the NASCAR Cup Series takes on the high banks in the 69th running of the DAYTONA 500.

For more information regarding the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, please visit www.DAYTONA500.com.

— Daytona International Speedway —

Original Post (11-7-2026): Post-race inspection in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series garage is complete. There were no issues. The engine teardown will be held on Sunday morning.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Just behind all the admirable work out front, JR Motorsports Justin Allgaier claimed his own hardware — his seventh-place finish in the No. 7 JRM Chevrolet good enough to earn the 2026 series championship trophy; his second title in the last three years which makes him the first driver in the storied JRM history to claim multiple championships.

Five drivers came into the night mathematically eligible to decide the title and Allgaier‘s four closest contenders certainly kept him honest. All but one of those drivers (Hendrick Motorsports‘ Corey Day) led laps. Haas Factory Team‘s Sheldon Creed led a race best 99 of the 200 laps, the most laps he‘s ever been in front in a single race.

But the 40-year-old Allgaier did exactly what he needed to, if not pacing the field at least keeping the leaders in sight. A career best six-win season and just enough of a points advantage at the drop of the green flag kept him tops at the wave of the checkered flag too.

“Means more than you’ll ever know,” Allgaier said. “It’s obviously not the finish we wanted tonight. Wanted to be in Victory Lane. But this team never quits.”

Not only did the championship contenders deliver a suspenseful action-packed night at the 1.5-mile South Florida track, but the 29-year-old Jones — also a Chase driver – reminded that he expects to be part of that title mix going forward too. The win — by 3.937-seconds over JR Motorsports‘ Carson Kvapil – marked his second of the year (also at Chicago) and ninth of his career putting the driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota eighth in the championship points standings.

“There were so many cool positives to come out of today, first of all knocking Toyota‘s 700th win out of the park, and it‘s so cool to be a part of these big moments for this company,” Jones said.

“I would say we weren‘t really the best car to begin this race,” he continued. “We were capable of running inside the top-five and top-10 and we consistently made better gains on the car all night long. Our long run pace was really our strong suit tonight, but this track can produce these long runs like we saw tonight. … luckily it played out for us tonight.

“Just an incredible way to cap the year off.” Jones said. “Looking forward to having a couple months off, couldn‘t ask for a better way to end the year.”

JGR‘s Brent Crews, 19, finished third with championship contender, Richard Childress Racing‘s Jesse Love finishing fourth and Viking Motorsports‘ Parker Retzlaff rounding out the top-five.

Despite his massive time out front of the field, Creed finished sixth, followed by Allgaier, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer and William Sawalich.

“There’s a thousand different things that could have gone differently to gain us those 15 points,” the RCR driver and reigning series champ Love said of the margin he trailed Allgaier coming into the race. “I feel that at the end of the day obviously it stings, right? It’s a painful thing to go through, losing and it being close.

“I was obviously upset getting out of the car. When I get to be around our group of guys on the 2 car, a lot more happiness and gratefulness kind of overwhelms me than the sting of the loss,” added Love, who ultimately came 14 points shy of becoming a back-to-back champ before moving to the Wood Brothers Racing team next year to campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“This closes out a big chapter in my life over the last three years that I’m going to miss tremendously, but I’ll always be grateful for it.”

Allgaier was similarly emotional. He claimed his first title only two seasons ago, but conceded this one gives off decidedly different vibes. At 40 years old, he is the second oldest series champion since Tommy Ellis hoisted the big trophy as a 41-year-old back in 1988. And the Illinois-native and hugely popular personality in the garage had openly discussed retiring from fulltime competition as recently as this pre-season.

Instead, he stayed on the grid with his beloved parents, wife and two daughters trackside to witness Saturday‘s cherished title victory.

“The first one was for me and the first one I really enjoyed,” Allgaier said of the 2024 championship. “But this one is for all these men and women standing back here. They have worked their tail off.

“These two, my wife, my parents, everybody you mentioned, it means so much. … Congrats to all the guys in the Chase this year. It was super fun. Really proud of our whole team. Everybody knows [longtime sponsor] Brandt and our culture at Chevrolet. Andrew Overstreet, first championship as a crew chief. That’s really cool for him.”

Allgaier‘s NASCAR Hall of Fame team co-owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was understandably proud. Not only did Allgaier take the title, but his 23-year-old teammate Kvapil finished third in the championship, 28 points behind. Creed was fourth in the standings, 33 points back and the 20-year-old Day, who crashed only seven laps into the race, was an impressive fifth claiming four wins in his first full season.

Chevrolet earned the series’ manufacturer’s title.

“Obviously we‘re thrilled with the way this season went, [crew chief Andrew] Overstreet did a great job, the pit crew did a great job, Hendrick engines did an awesome job,” a smiling Earnhardt Jr. said. “Been a really strong season for all of our cars and looking forward to next season, let‘s go win some more. But we‘re going to celebrate this one.

“This is a special night.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Chevrolet‘s 28th Bill France Performance Cup extends its manufacturer championship streak to 10 consecutive seasons. The latest crown follows a record-setting start to the season when Chevrolet won the opening seven races — the longest season-opening win streak by a single manufacturer in series history. The Bowtie brand‘s championship effort featured points-earning contributions from 13 drivers representing five different Chevrolet organizations, 12 of which added to the manufacturer‘s record-setting 29 wins this season.

“Winning the Bill France Performance Cup for the 10th consecutive season is an incredible achievement for Chevrolet,” said Eric Warren, vice president, Global Motorsports Competition for General Motors. “With 29 wins and 13 different drivers contributing points towards this title, it‘s a true testament to the hard work and dedication by Team Chevy‘s engineers, drivers and teams throughout the entire season. We are proud of the team effort put forth by everyone involved in this program to produce our winningest season in NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series history.”

The title caps a career-best season for the Team Chevy veteran driver. Allgaier established his championship credentials early in 2026, winning at Phoenix Raceway before adding victories at Darlington Raceway and Martinsville Speedway during the opening seven races. He continued that momentum through the summer stretch, earning his career-high sixth victory of the season at EchoPark Speedway in July — a performance that led to the regular season championship and the top seed of The Chase.

The road to the championship also tested Allgaier‘s resilience. Finishes outside the top-10 in the first two Chase races at Darlington and World Wide Technology Raceway, followed by a crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, put the No. 7 team on the comeback trail. Allgaier responded with four consecutive top-five finishes leading into Homestead, overcoming a 31-point deficit during October to reclaim control of the championship. Allgaier put a bow on his title-earning run with a seventh-place finish in the season finale race.

“Congratulations to Justin Allgaier, Andrew Overstreet and the No. 7 Chevrolet team on winning the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship,” said Warren. “The team leveraged their consistency throughout the season to set themselves up for the opportunity to race for the title. Justin exudes the qualities of a true champion both on and off the racetrack, and we‘re proud that one of Chevrolet‘s longest-tenured drivers has earned another deserving championship.”

Allgaier has become a cornerstone of JR Motorsports‘ success, earning 31 of his 34 career series victories under their banner to earn his spot as the organization‘s winningest driver. The title is the fifth all-time NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series championship for JR Motorsports‘ co-owners Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who are also celebrating a season that saw the organization make 17 trips to victory lane.

“We‘re incredibly happy for Kelley Earnhardt Miller, LW Miller, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the entire JR Motorsports organization on achieving their fifth O‘Reilly Series Championship,” added Warren. “Our partnership with JR Motorsports has been an important part of Chevrolet‘s history in the O‘Reilly Series, and this championship adds to the success we‘re proud to celebrate together.”

Allgaier is among a group of 18 different drivers that have earned a NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series championship under the Chevrolet banner: Justin Allgaier (2026, ‘24), Jesse Love (2025), Tyler Reddick (2018, ‘19), William Byron (2017), Chase Elliott (2014), Austin Dillon (2013), Clint Bowyer (2008), Martin Truex, Jr. (2004, ‘05), Brian Vickers (2003), Kevin Harvick (2001, ‘06), Jeff Green (2000), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (1998, ‘99), Randy LaJoie (1996, ‘97), Johnny Benson (1995), David Green (1994), Steve Grissom (1993), Joe Nemechek (1992) and Larry Pearson (1987).

Chevrolet‘s title-defending campaign in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will get underway in the series‘ season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027.

— Chevrolet —

“I need to know, if we had won that, would we have won the championship?” Kvapil asked.

Kvapil was tantalizingly close to both the race win and the title, but a victory in Saturday‘s NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race still would have left him a few points short of the championship.

Instead, the race win went to Brandon Jones, and the O‘Reilly Series title went to Kvapil‘s JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier, who secured the second championship of a storied career with a seventh-place finish.

Kvapil crossed the finish line 3.937 seconds behind Jones, and the runner-up finish left him third in the final Chase standings, 28 points behind Allgaier and 14 points back of second-place Jesse Love, who ran fourth as defending series champion on Saturday.

What Kvapil accomplished in 2026 nevertheless was remarkable. Splitting time between three different cars, with two different car owners (JR Motorsports and Mario Gosselin) and three different crew chiefs (Childers, Gosselin and Phillip Bell), Kvapil made a serious bid for his first title.

It wasn‘t until the 21st race of the season that Kvapil was paired with Childers in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet for the duration of the campaign.

Kvapil responded with consecutive victories at Indianapolis and Iowa in the regular season and a win at Martinsville in the Chase. He ran second at Talladega a week earlier after giving up the lead on the final lap.

“It’s tough,” said Kvapil, the son of 2003 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil. “Like you said, jumping around from the 9, the 1, the 91, 11 weeks in a row being in a different car. It makes it hard.

“I was able to learn honestly quite a bit throughout the year, get a lot of experience. I kind of only had one crew chief this whole time I’ve done this NASCAR thing. To have three different teams, some crazy, weird circumstances going on, I was able to learn from it.”

Nevertheless, Kvapil could recite a laundry list of circumstances that left him short of the championship.

“Came into the Chase second, gained points on the 7 (Allgaier) in the first half,” said the 23-year-old from Mooresville, North Carolina. “Never really had any stellar runs of winning races in the Chase until Martinsville.

“Just had a lot of days where we were leading Bristol and we lose a right rear wheel, lose a truck arm at Charlotte. A lot of points left on the table. That’s not even counting the one or two times we finished second over who won the race.”

Next year, Kvapil will return to JR Motorsports full-time in the No. 8 Chevrolet with Childers as his crew chief.

“Overall, it was a really fun year,” Kvapil said. “When we teamed up with Rodney and the whole No. 1 team, it was game-on from there. We finished second in our first two races, won the third and fourth.

“It’s been a good year. I’m excited to get to next year with these guys. Being full-time, every week together from week one, is going to be really big for us… Can‘t wait to kick it back off at Daytona.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

“The success we have seen in our over two decades in the sport is all about the people,” said Tyler Gibbs, president, TRD (Toyota Racing Development). “From the talented drivers to the incredible owners and leaders of our race teams, the hard-working engineers and technical teams at TRD, this milestone is due to their efforts each day. We are proud of this achievement, but the work is not done. Everyone at Toyota and TRD continues to focus on maintaining this level of success for the rest of the year and into the future.”

Travis Kvapil earned the first victory for Toyota in NASCAR — claiming the win in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway in July of 2004. Jason Leffler got the winning started for Toyota in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park in July of 2007, while Kyle Busch won the first NASCAR Cup Series race for the manufacturer at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) in March of 2008.

Joe Gibbs Racing is Toyota‘s winningest organization, owning 395 race victories in NASCAR Cup Series (179) and NASCAR O‘Reilly Series (216) competition since partnering together in 2008.

Eighty-nine (89) drivers in total have won in a Toyota, led by multi-time Toyota champion Kyle Busch with 203 victories. Denny Hamlin (76 wins), Christopher Bell (41 wins), Martin Truex Jr. (33 wins), Corey Heim (28 wins), Todd Bodine (22 wins), Joey Logano (20 wins), Erik Jones (18 wins), Matt Kenseth (18 wins), John Hunter Nemechek (17 wins), Johnny Benson (14 wins), Ty Gibbs (14 wins), Matt Crafton (12 wins), Mike Skinner (12 wins), Tyler Reddick (11 wins) and Timothy Peters (10 wins) and all have taken home 10 or more national-series wins behind the wheel of a Toyota.

— Toyota Racing —

Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Chase Briscoe ultimately proved himself coolest among the competitors and conditions, claiming the top starting spot with a lap of 166.687 mph in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota — the second pole position of the season — and second in just the last three weeks (also at Talladega, Ala.) – for the 31-year-old Indiana-native.

“I feel confident we can contend, but I wouldn‘t say I was the dominant car,” Briscoe said. “I definitely feel really really good about it [the race]. I think we‘ll be in the mix tomorrow and if we execute, definitely up there.”

Briscoe, a three-race winner this year, edged his JGR teammate Denny Hamlin by only .017-second to claim his 11th career pole. Importantly, however, Hamlin‘s front row start in the No. 11 JGR Toyota leads the three drivers still championship eligible heading into Sunday‘s season finale.

The championship leader, Hendrick Motorsports‘ Kyle Larson will roll off the 40-car grid from fourth position in the No. 5 Chevrolet. The final driver still vying for the season trophy, JGR‘s Christopher Bell, was sixth quickest in the No. 20 JGR Toyota.

Larson holds a commanding 67-point advantage on Bell and a 70-point edge on Hamlin, a three-time Homestead winner. The two JGR teammates both acknowledged all week the long odds of taking the season trophy away from Larson, who is looking to earn a third series title and could become the first driver to win consecutive championships since another Hendrick Motorsports driver, Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006-2010.

Larson, who won in the series‘ last race here in March, 2025, said he wasn‘t entirely satisfied with his qualifying work – his Chevrolet better than he showed on the lap around the South Florida 1.5-miler. But he likes his chances on Sunday and the forward position he‘ll start from.

“We qualified well and it‘s a long race,” Larson said. “I‘m happy to qualify in the front two rows. … we‘ll see. There‘s going to be fast guys coming from behind too so just hoping we can stay in the top-10 all day.”

The 33-year-old Californian Larson need only finish eighth or better to earn his third title and on Saturday characterized his team‘s approach to the weekend as “extremely loose” and “pretty relaxed” — revealing crew members were debating Saturday if a hot dog is a sandwich and if cereal is a soup. Larson, smiling and saying “no” to both.

23XI Racing‘s Tyler Reddick was third quickest in the session, giving Toyota a top-three sweep at the front of the Homestead grid for the third time in the last four races here.

Behind Larson is Team Penske‘s Austin Cindric with Bell, Hendrick teammates Chase Elliott and last week‘s Martinsville (Va.) Speedway winner William Byron, Penske‘s Ryan Blaney and Spire Motorsports Daniel Suarez rounding out the top-10 starting positions.

Of note, the 2012 series champion Brad Keselowski hit the wall exciting Turn 4 on his qualifying lap, spinning his No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford Mustang down into the inside wall. He was okay but will make his final full-time start for the team from last place on the 40-car grid.

“I was trying to run the bottom lane in (turns) three and four because the track was so slick, and wanted to see if I could find something down there,” Keselowski said, “and I found something, just wasn’t what I was looking for.”

Although Hamlin just missed out on the pole position Saturday, he was honored for his series best six on the season — the largest single season haul of his career.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See the complete qualifying results and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Starting Lineup.

For complete race information, check out the Homestead race page.

“Will brings experience, talent, speed, and focus that are undeniable to Big Machine Racing,” says owner Scott Borchetta. “His character and work ethic align perfectly with us. We have tremendous confidence in his future and believe he is the right driver to lead this team into its next chapter.”

“I‘m thrilled to be joining Big Machine Racing full-time in 2027,” says Rodgers. “It‘s been a long time coming and a tremendous amount of work to develop the opportunity to run a full season in the O‘Reilly Series, and I can‘t thank Scott Borchetta and Patrick Donahue enough for trusting me to represent the #48 car.”

“This, of course, wouldn‘t be possible without an amazing group of people behind me, including my team at the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation and our core partners, Boehringer Ingelheim and Echosens,” continues Will. “I‘m looking forward to representing BMR, the #48 car and our campaign, Driving Good Health.”

Driving Good Health is a liver-health education and awareness program created by the Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim. The initiative aims to increase awareness of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), improve access to education and help connect people with appropriate health resources. MASLD happens when excess fat builds up in the liver; its more serious form, MASH, adds inflammation and damage. MASLD affects about 24% of U.S. adults.

Through fan experiences and community activations, Driving Good Health encourages people to learn about their liver health and understand their risk factors for liver disease. Learn more here: Home — Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation.

— Big Machine Racing —

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Denny Hamlin raised the issue during his media availability on Friday, indicating that Toyota teams will spend the offseason examining data in an effort to determine why NASCAR Cup Series drivers‘ championships have been so elusive.

Since the manufacturer‘s debut in NASCAR‘s top division in 2007, Toyota drivers have won three Cup championships, with Kyle Busch in 2015 and 2019 and Martin Truex Jr. in 2017.

Though both Christopher Bell and Hamlin are mathematically alive in the race for the 2026 title—trailing Kyle Larson by 67 and 70 points, respectively, entering Sunday‘s Championship Race—their hopes are roughly equivalent to winning the lottery, as Hamlin put it.

Hamlin has contributed four of Toyota‘s 18 victories this season, but he and his team have not executed at the same level during the Chase presented by Mobil 1.

“I think it needs to be looked at personally, internally with Toyota and JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) and LEGACY (Motor Club) and 23XI (Racing),” Hamlin said. “I think we have to figure out that the win ratio to the championship ratio has just not been as good as it needs to be.

“So, I think that that needs to be a deep dive and honestly figure out what needs to be changed. I don’t think we should just rinse and repeat and let’s just do this all again next year.

“I think we really should think about what it’s going to take to win the big prize at the end, because our cars are too fast for there to be just a few, I think, two, and Martin (Truex Jr) is in there. It’s three championships in 20 years. We‘ve got to fix that.”

Toyota Racing Development president Tyler Gibbs responded to Hamlin‘s comments on Friday night, after Kaden Honeycutt won the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship in a Toyota Tundra at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“The car changes to the Next Gen car (in 2022),” Gibbs said. “We see some challenges there, candidly. You look at last year, we won 14 races. This year we won 18 races. It feels like we are getting back to a little bit of where we were in ’17, ’18, ’19. Not that we were far off.

“But this is a really tough garage. They’re going to take advantage of every single weakness, whether it’s a mistake you make or whether it’s them just excelling in the given moment, as we saw a number of times in the championship race itself (under the elimination format).

“I don’t think there’s a fundamental flaw, if you will.”

Gibbs also pointed out that, with its 18 victories, Toyota claimed the Cup Series manufacturers‘ title this season.

“For us, the manufacturers‘ championship is a big deal,” he said. “We recognize that the drivers‘ championship gets more exposure, and it should. We want that in our sport.

“So, to have won 18 and not won the drivers‘ is disappointing. We still have a shot. We’ve got two shots. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re going to need some help.

“But anything’s possible. We’re going to give it all we’ve got on Sunday.”

Ross Chastain explodes mythology of Hendrick phone call

Ever since team owner Rick Hendrick and driver Ross Chastain talked on the phone after the Darlington race in May of 2023, conventional wisdom has become accepted truth—that a tongue-lashing from Hendrick somehow neutered Chastain‘s aggressive driving style.

Make no mistake. Hendrick was incensed that Chastain wrecked one of his drivers—Kyle Larson—at the Lady in Black.

“I don‘t care if he‘s driving a Chevy,” Hendrick said after the race. “I don‘t care. I‘ve told Chevrolet that. If you wreck us, you‘re going to get it back.”

The assumption has always been that the phone call between Hendrick and Chastain took the same tenor, but Chastain said that simply isn‘t true.

“There’s a lot that’s always, ever since then, that’s been made about Hendrick, like Rick Hendrick, and the phone call we had,” Chastain said. “I laughed because there was only two people on that phone call. And the way it went was so inspiring to me, because he could have said anything.

“But the fact that he encouraged me to race, and, like, we had a meaningful conversation that, honestly, it was in the morning, and I remember walking outside, and it was right after Darlington, and I was like, ‘Wow, I can run through a brick wall right now.‘”

Adding credence to the conventional wisdom, Chastain‘s Trackhouse Racing cars have sustained a dip in performance since then. In 2026, Chastain has suffered through a winless season he‘d prefer to forget.

“It’s just so unfortunate that the timing lined up that way, because people, they truly believe,” Chastain said. “I have people come up to me all the time and believe that I purposely am driving in a way to drive slower and to drive cautiously.

“And I’m like, I don’t know how you think that’s possible in the Cup Series. I mean, I am driving into the corner, through the center of the corner, off the corner as fast as I can.”

John Hunter Nemechek brings valuable intangibles to Haas Factory Team

When Joe Custer had the opportunity to hire John Hunter Nemechek for the Haas Factory Team, he saw the 29-year-old as more than just a talented driver to fill an empty seat in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.

“John Hunter—I‘ve challenged him with being our leader,” said the Hass Factory Team president. “And what does that mean? It‘s more than ‘Rah, rah.‘ It‘s actually helping us make sure that, when we work on development on different things in the car, we directionally correct.

“Is the tire model right in the simulator? What about our affiliates? How are we communicating and helping their program? So, it takes a little bit more, and I think he‘s at a point in his career—and I told him this—this experience with us can make him a better overall driver if he embraces it, and I think he is and will.”

Nemechek has been driving for LEGACY Motor Club in the NASCAR Cup Series this season but lost his ride for 2027 suddenly and unexpectedly when Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry became available.

For its part, Haas Factory Team is experiencing total turnover on the O‘Reilly Series side with Sheldon Creed departing for Sam Hunt Racing and Sam Mayer returning to JR Motorsports.

Nemechek will join new teammate Dean Thompson, who already has been announced as an HFT hire for next season.

Nemechek acknowledged he had discussions with Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing in the wake of co-owner/driver Brad Keselowski‘s announced departure at the end of the season. Keselowski‘s exit leaves a Cup Series seat open under uncertain circumstances.

“We did have a few discussions over there,” Nemechek said. “It‘s debatable how many races they‘re going to run. At the time of the discussions, no one really knew if it was going to be part-time, full-time or what that situation was going to be.

“But for me, I wanted to go win races. I wanted to go have fun and be in contending, winning equipment every single week and know that I can show up and make a difference internally and also make a difference on the race track. We felt like this was the right fit.”

Short Strokes…

Casey Mears is making his 500th NASCAR Cup Series start in Sunday‘s Championship Race (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)… For J.J. Yeley, the Cup start will be his 400th, adding the Arizona driver to an exclusive club. Yeley also has 404 starts in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series. Morgan Shepherd and Joe Nemechek are the only other drivers to have 400 or more starts to their credit in each series.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Keselowski said he has several opportunities to continue driving in 2027, but is also considering team ownership and television work. He said the driving opportunities are most appealing, but he has not ruled out combining part-time racing with broadcasting.

Keselowski said he hopes to narrow his options over the next few weeks but needs time to evaluate which direction he wants to take.

“I have to do a little soul searching,” Keselowski said.

Brad Keselowski said he has good options as far as what he could do in 2027 from driving to ownership to broadcasting. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/hWDig9O3bA

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 7, 2026

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — After seeing video of Carson Hocevar‘s attempt to slam on the brakes in front of Austin Cindric on four occasions following last weekend‘s Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Josh Berry knew he was in trouble.

On Lap 252, Ryan Blaney got into the rear of Berry through Turns 3 and 4. On corner exit, Berry, a short-track stud, brake-checked the No. 12 Ford, busting Blaney‘s radiator, putting him behind the wall for 57 laps. That 35th-place finish officially eliminated Blaney from championship contention at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCAR fined Berry, driver of the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, $50,000 on Tuesday for his actions, docking him 25 driver points.

“The contact rubbed me the wrong way, I got upset and made a bad decision in that moment that I regret,” Berry said on Saturday at Homestead. “Obviously, wish I would have made a better decision there. Can‘t change anything about it now.”

Blaney was stunned by the sudden stoppage of the No. 21 Ford, particularly given Wood Brothers Racing is a Team Penske affiliate. He thought his bump in the corner was typical short-track racing — and then the retaliation occurred.

“It was very surprising. Especially the circumstances that it was an incidental contact that he and I had there in the middle of the corner,” Blaney stated. “It was pretty light. That surprised me, but he made that decision and that is what it is. But yeah, being an affiliate teammate and he and I had a good relationship, I was pretty surprised at that.”

While making the two-hour trip home on Sunday evening, Berry had a list of calls to make. He chatted with Blaney and team owner Roger Penske to inform them that he was remorseful of his decision. He left a voicemail for Jonathan Hassler, crew chief of the No. 12 ride, before Hassler returned his call on Monday.

Blaney admitted that his relationship with Berry will be altered moving forward.

“Yeah, I think it changes a little bit,” Blaney stated. “It‘s not on fire, but it‘s not rainbows and sunshine.”

Berry isn‘t expecting to bury the hatchet in the interim, but doesn‘t believe the duo will have lingering effects in the future from their Martinsville collision.

“I don‘t really expect him to forgive me overnight,” Berry noted. “It will take time to get better. I felt like I‘ve had a good relationship with all those guys over the last two years. If it takes time to heal these things, that‘s fine. But I don‘t see it going any further than it did on Sunday.”

He was asked about rumors that he could move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2027 rather than waiting until 2028.

Ever since your announcement that you’re going to Hendrick Motorsports in 2028, it seems that people are trying to find a way for you to get there in 2027. Has that just been noise, or has there been any discussions or anything about you trying to get over to Hendrick Motorsports or a Hendrick Motorsports affiliate team?

“Yeah, it’s been a lot of noise. Alex (Bowman) has a commitment to run one more year. I have sponsors to fulfill obligations for another season. I’m excited about that. I think it’d be great to go race for Hendrick Motorsports next year and get that opportunity quicker, but at the same time, I’m happy in the spot I’m in. I get to learn in a lower-pressure situation with less eyeballs on me. I feel like I can just go out and focus on myself. I’m focused on results right now, but I feel like in that position, it would be a lot more stressful each weekend. I feel like it’s good for me to be able to learn in this situation and get to race with Trackhouse Racing for one more year and finish what we started. I would not want to leave Trackhouse after a season like this. I want to end on a good note. I want to be able to leave saying that we achieved all we could and gave it our best effort, which we have. Hopefully next year can go better; we can take something away from it and have a good last season together.”

— Team Chevy —

The race-winning engine will be torn down Saturday morning.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Homestead race page.

·     Layne Riggs led the way with seven while Chandler Smith had three and Jake Garcia one.

·     All six full-time Ford drivers representing Front Row Motorsports and ThorSport Racing scored manufacturer points by being the top finisher in at least one race.

·     Here‘s a breakdown of Ford‘s top finisher by race:

·     Layne Riggs (11): St. Petersburg, Darlington, Rockingham, Charlotte 1, Nashville, Michigan, San Diego, Indianapolis, Loudon, Charlotte 2, Phoenix

·     Chandler Smith (5): Daytona, Bristol, Watkins Glen, North Wilkesboro, Martinsville

·     Ben Rhodes (3): Atlanta, Texas, Kansas

·     Ty Majeski (3): Dover, Talladega, Homestead

·     Jake Garcia (2): Richmond, Bristol

·     Cole Butcher (1): Lime Rock

·     This marks the third manufacturers‘ title for Ford and the first since 2000.

·     Ford‘s other championship came in 1999 after posting a season-high 12 wins.

·     F-150 has been the only truck to compete in the series for Ford and has won 140 all-time races.

QUOTING MARK RUSHBROOK, GLOBAL DIRECTOR, FORD RACING:

“Our Ford Racing engineers have worked hard with our race teams throughout this year and it‘s great to see all of that pay off with this manufacturers‘ championship. This was truly a team effort and something we‘ll celebrate with our global Ford employees, especially those who build the F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant. Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is important to us because we know a lot of the fans who are in the grandstands every weekend get there in an F-Series truck, so to be able and share something like this with them feels good.”

Ford Finishing Results:
4th — Ty Majeski
7th — Chandler Smith
8th — Jake Garcia
13th — Ben Rhodes
17th — Timmy Hill
22nd — Cole Butcher
25th — Matt Crafton
28th — Frankie Muniz
31st — Clayton Green
32nd — Layne Riggs

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Fleetguard Ford F-150 — WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT AFTER SEEING THAT HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE RACE? “I‘m thinking about how great of a season we had all year long. I don‘t really know what happened there at the beginning. I felt like it kind of happened out of nowhere. I thought I was all good, but the next thing I knew I‘m sideways and in the 77. I have no clue exactly what happened, but I had plenty of time riding around about 10 laps down to think about my day today, my year leading up to it. Of course, I‘m disappointed about this one race, but, at the same time, I‘m just so proud that I was even in a position to walk out on the stage before the race and had the potential at a championship. We knew we were gonna have to execute an almost perfect race and I think it was like lap two or three and, all of a sudden, that was out the window. I‘m just proud of everybody on the team and the year that we had. We were there all the way to the end. We had speed all year long, but we just didn‘t have the consistency that we needed to be champions.”

IS IT MORE DISAPPOINTING THAT ONCE THE TIRE ISSUE HAPPENED YOU DIDN‘T HAVE A CHANCE TO BATTLE TO THE END? “I just know that when I had the tire issue, it was going down that entire run and I was losing spots and I just knew that no matter what I wasn‘t ever gonna have a chance to know what we were gonna have or even if we were gonna have a shot.”

HOW DOES THIS SITUATION COMPARE TO DIFFERENT POINTS IN YOUR CAREER? “I think that racing is a hole. You have a lot more disappointing days than you have exciting days. Today just wasn‘t that exciting day for us and, like I said before, I knew that it was gonna be a Hail Mary to get the job done. The pressures weren‘t even up on the tires yet and we were already out of contention and never knew what the balance was gonna be, never knew how fast our truck was gonna be. I look at it as we blew up on lap two or three just from a notes standpoint. We don‘t really know what we were gonna have, so that‘s what is more disappointing for me.”

YOU AND KADEN WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER SHOT AT IT? “Every year that you get to race and you have a shot to be competitive or a shot to win a championship that‘s just where you want to be as a race car driver. When you‘re running in the back it‘s very difficult, but when you‘re up front and you‘re winning races, you‘re competitive, you‘re on TV, I have a media scrum with 15 of you people here. You just have to look at the positives and know that I‘m very fortunate to be in the spot that I‘m in.”

WHAT HAPPENED ON LAP TWO? “I don‘t really know. I need to watch the replay. I was under the 77. I thought that I had some gap off of him and the next thing I knew I was getting sucked around sideways and into him, so no clue from my end.”

YOU JUST RUN IT OUT FROM THERE EVEN IF YOU THINK THE TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW? “Yeah. I mean, you‘re just riding around at that point.”

–Ford Racing —

“I say we pit, put ‘em on and go for it,” Honeycutt radioed to crew chief Scott Zipadelli.

That‘s exactly what Honeycutt did. Gaining the lead after a restart on Lap 121 of 134, he pulled away from runner-up Christian Eckes to win not only the race but his first series championship.

Knowing the title was his—and screaming with raw emotion—Honeycutt powered his No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota across the finish line 1.038 seconds ahead of Eckes to score his fifth victory of the season, his first at 1.5-mile Homestead and the fifth of his career.

“Man, this is amazing,” Honeycutt exulted. “I’ve worked so damn hard to be here. Thank you to every owner, thank you everybody that’s let me drive the race car for them, whether it was dirt, asphalt, road course, doesn’t matter.

“That is because of you guys I’m sitting right here with this group behind me as champions. I’m so out of breath, I wish I could talk harder. Thank you, fans, for showing up. We just won Homestead and the damn championship.”

Honeycutt‘s decision to abandon the conservative approach he had adopted early in the race paid enormous dividends.

“The first half of the race I did not want to push it too hard,” he said. “It fell in our hands. I put my nuts on the dash and wanted to win the race.”

The drivers‘ championship was the 11th in the series for Toyota, achieved in the same No. 11 Toyota Corey Heim drove to a single-season-record 12 victories and the championship last year.

Billed as a shootout between Honeycutt and Layne Riggs, the head-to-head battle never materialized. After side-to-side contact with the No. 77 Chevrolet of pole winner Nick Sanchez on Lap 2, Riggs No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford was never the same.

The contact cut Riggs‘ right rear tire, forcing him to pit road on Lap 17. At the end of Stage 1, Riggs stayed on the track to take a wave-around, but on Lap 46, he pitted again with a shredded right rear.

A pass-through penalty for too many crew members over the wall on his stop left him seven laps down. Ultimately, Riggs finished 32nd and ended the season second in the series standings, 83 points behind Honeycutt.

“After that initial contact, I don’t know what happened to the 77 (Sanchez),” Riggs said of the run-in that cost him a shot at the title. “I thought I was good. They said we were close together. I got super free up under him. Next thing I knew, we got a tire down.”

Then the second flat tire cost Riggs any hope he might have had.

“Obviously, we weren’t able to put the consistency together to be champions tonight,” Riggs said. “We knew we were going to have to run an almost perfect race. That’s hard to do anytime, any series, any level and division.

“But I’m just proud of the entire team that we were even in the mix, we even had a chance to become champion. It was disappointing to know I didn’t even know what my truck was going to be.”

Daniel Hemric, Eckes‘ teammate at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, finished third, followed by Ty Majeski and Stewart Friesen. Heim was sixth in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota after winning the first and second stages.

Despite competing in only nine of the 25 Truck Series races, Heim scored three victories this season and finished 17th in the points.

Chandler Smith, Jake Garcia, Grant Enfinger and Corey LaJoie completed the top 10. Smith finished third in the final standings behind Riggs, his teammate.

Zipadelli claimed his second straight championship as a crew chief, having guided Heim to the title last season. Honeycutt gave Zipadelli enormous credit for his steady-handed encouragement.

“Scott Zipadelli is the best damn crew chief on that pit road,” Honeycutt asserted. “He’s the best man out there. He’s not just a Hall of Fame crew chief, he’s a Hall of Fame man. He’s done nothing but mentor me and make me better every single week.”

Obviously, the guidance bore fruit on Friday night.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Homestead race page.

Homestead, Fla. — Layne Riggs stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kaden Honeycutt on the Homestead-Miami Speedway driver introduction stage, posing alongside the Craftsman Truck Series championship trophy. It was the closest he would come to hoisting it as the 2026 champion.

By the end of Lap 2, Riggs knew he was in for a long 200 miles. Contact with polesitter Nick Sanchez left the No. 34 with a right-rear tire rub, and the tire finally gave way on Lap 16.

“We were going to have to execute almost a perfect race and Lap 2 or 3 that was out the window,” a frustrated Riggs said after finishing six laps down in 32nd position.

After repairing the right-rear quarter panel, Riggs fell two laps off the pace. He took the wave-around at the end of Stage 1 to get back within one lap of the leaders, but his championship hopes officially went flat on Lap 45. Another right-rear tire failure sent the No. 34 Ford seven laps down, effectively ending his shot for the title.

“I just know that when I had the tire issue, it was going down that entire run and I was losing spots,” Riggs added. “I knew that no matter what, we weren‘t going to know what exactly we were going to have, or even if we had a shot.”

Riggs entered Championship Weekend 20 points behind Honeycutt, knowing he needed a flawless performance to keep the No. 11 within reach by the checkered flag of the 134-lap event. Instead, execution once again eluded the No. 34 team at Homestead, continuing a trend that plagued much of its Chase presented by Mobil 1 campaign.

“I had plenty of time riding about 10 laps down to think about my day today, my year leading up to it,” Riggs stated. “Of course, I‘m disappointed about this one race, but at the same time, I‘m so proud of being in a position to walk out on the stage before the race, have the potential at a championship.

“We were there all the way until the end. We had speed all year long, we just didn‘t have the consistency that we needed to be champions.”

Riggs closes the season with a series-best seven checkered flags and 988 laps led, 396 more than Honeycutt, who ranked second among drivers to compete in a 2026 Truck Series race. He’ll leave South Florida disappointed, but with the reassurance of returning to Front Row Motorsports in 2027. Riggs will look to turn that success into a championship run next season and once again emerge as one of Honeycutt’s biggest challengers.

“Racing as a whole, you have a lot more disappointing days then you have exciting days, right?” Riggs added. “Today, just wasn‘t that exciting day for us. I knew it was going to be a Hail Mary to get the job done. Heck, the pressures weren‘t even up on the tires yet and we were already out of contention and never knew what the balance was going to be or how fast our truck was going to be. I look at it as we blew up on Lap 2 or 3 just from a notes standpoint. We don‘t even know what we were going to have. That‘s what is more disappointing for me.”

Riggs ends the season 83 points shy of Honeycutt.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — The vibe for Kyle Larson‘s closest NASCAR Cup Series championship chasers, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, is predictably and markedly different than the points leader heading into Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Bell and Hamlin trail Larson by 67 and 70, points respectively, giving them mathematical chances to catch the reigning series champ should absolutely everything go their way — essentially from pole position to stage wins to laps led and a race trophy. And Larson — the defending Homestead-Miami race winner – suffer some tough luck early. He only needs to earn nine points on the day.

Although they concede the title trail is tough, both would at least like to end the season on a positive note.

Bell had trailed Larson by only a mere five-points heading into the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway race two weeks ago, only to have a poor result (35th place) while Larson went on to claim his first career win at a drafting track.

The 45-year-old Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner who is still chasing his first NASCAR Cup Series championship, entered the Chase as the No. 1 seed but has endured a Chase not indicative of his early season work. His best finish in the Chase was third at Kansas Speedway, but that and a fifth place at Charlotte two weeks later are his only top-fives in the crunch run to the big trophy. A 28th-place finish at Phoenix, just before Talladega really set him back.

Hamlin leads all drivers with three Homestead wins and six pole positions. Larson has two victories here — including last March – and Bell has one (2023).

“Certainly, not ideal,” Bell said of his longshot championship chance. “We had the car performance, had the speed and just execution or lack of it is why we‘re not in a better spot than we are, I don‘t know what to say.”

On the upside, Bell extended his winning and pole positions streaks to six consecutive seasons and he‘s already equaled his career-best top-five total (15) with a race to go. His 795 laps led in the No. 20 JGR Toyota heading into the finale is second only to the 1,145 laps he led in 2024. And most importantly, the 31-year-old Oklahoman extended his streak of top-five championship finishes to five seasons.

“I was very confident it was going to be a Toyota driver that won the championship,” Bell said of the start of the 10-race Chase. “And ultimately when we got into the Chase, the 5-car [Larson] had a pick-up in performance, but I still think by the numbers there have been guys in Toyota cars that were faster than him [Larson].

“But we all shot ourselves in the foot one way or another. All of us – myself, Chase [Briscoe] and Denny all had unique circumstances that got us to where we are today and the five-team [Larson] just had the cleanest nine races and put themselves in the right spot.”

Hamlin, a huge sentimental favorite among fans, has announced that 2027 will be his final fulltime season. And the Virginian certainly competed with the kind of urgency fans have expected from him.

His 16 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes through the 35 races to date is his best effort since 2021. His four wins marks the eighth consecutive season he‘s won multiple races and 14th time in his 21-year fulltime career. His six pole positions is a career best. And this season marks the seventh time he‘s led at least 1,000 laps.

“I don‘t have any optimism [about winning title], I‘m here to win the race,” Hamlin said of the slim chance he could still emerge with the season title, adding with a slight smile, “There‘s a chance you can win the Lottery too.”

“I think probably both just going to really focus on trying to qualify as good as we can, race as good as we can and try to win the race,” Hamlin said of the weekend outlook.

Carson Hocevar addresses team suspension at Homestead

Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar addressed his team-mandated one-race suspension Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 23-year-old driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet earned the first NASCAR Cup Series trophy of his young career at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

But in addition to his success, Hocevar‘s style of competition has also been a regular topic of concern among more experienced drivers who question his brash, often full-contact racing techniques.

At Martinsville (Va.) Speedway last week, for example, he brake-checked Team Penske driver Austin Cindric multiple times damaging both their cars. And there have been incidents and warning about his rough driving in the preceding weeks.

NASCAR fined Hocevar $100,000 following the Martinsville race and his Spire team executives made the unusual move to bench him this week for the season-finale. Justin Haley will instead drive the No. 77.

“There’s certainly some challenges, right? But I like what he brings to the fan base in terms of going out, meeting with fans, talking,” NASCAR CEO Steve O‘Donnell said Friday when asked about Hocevar.

“Does he have some things to work on on track? Absolutely. We’ve talked about that, and we all know where that stands today.”

Since he isn‘t under a NASCAR suspension, Hocevar is trackside this week in South Florida and maintained his media appearance commitment despite the situation. He issued a lengthy apology statement on social media Thursday evening as well and answered questions from reporters for nearly a half hour Friday.

“For sure,” Hocevar told the Homestead media of possibly adjusting or finetuning his style of racing going forward.

“There‘s obviously things I can work on to change, so Martinsville won‘t happen again. But, at the same time we still want to keep the Bristols [Motor Speedway] because that‘s still part of racing. We can‘t lose the aggression side. We just can‘t get that creative and flagrant foul-ish.‘‘

“The line in the sand is probably the sportsmanship and integrity” part of it,” Hocevar said acknowledging, “I‘m well past that. … I made a flagrant, unsportsmanlike foul.”

Connor Zilisch wins the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year

Connor Zilisch will formally wrap up the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors this weekend in what‘s been an important season for the 20-year-old, both on and off track. The driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet earned only two top-10s — seventh place at both the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway road course this summer and at the World Wide Technology Raceway in September.

He’s led a total of nine laps – eight at the San Diego street course and another at Kansas. And he had six top-10 qualifying efforts including a best start of third place only two weeks ago at the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. He heads into Sunday‘s season finale ranked 33rd in the series points standings.

More big news out of his rookie campaign was an announcement this Fall that he will move to the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 in 2028 following immediately in the footsteps of Alex Bowman and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson before that.

“I‘d be lying if I said it was the season I‘d hoped for,” Zilisch conceded. “It certainly hasn‘t been a picture-perfect year by any means, but I’m just glad the last few months we’ve started to show some growth, and I feel like I’ve gotten better as the year has gone on. It’s certainly taken time.

“There’s been some rough patches for me, for sure, and that’s been both mentally and inside the racecar. It’s definitely taken a toll on me, but these last few months, I feel like we’ve been qualifying better, running better, and at least in the game, staying on the lead lap and just doing the basics.

“Hopefully, we can continue that going into next year. But yeah, certainly not the year I hoped for or wanted, but I’m proud of myself for sticking through it and getting some results on the back end.”

Zilisch said the big gains he‘ll take forward were more mental.

“For me, I didn’t realize how hard it is,” Zilisch said of not running up front for really the first time in young career. “My entire life racing, I’ve raced for wins. I’ve been the guy to beat. I’ve showed up to the track and expected to win. This year, I haven’t had that.

“I think trying to find motivation when you’re not racing for the win every weekend is something that I’ve never experienced in my life. I’ve never dealt with that kind of adversity. I had to find a way to keep myself motivated and my team motivated through races where you’re not contending for wins every week. I’d say that’s been the biggest thing that I’ve learned is just trying to find goals that are achievable and just focus on those and block out the outside noise because it’s really easy to focus on the results sheet Sunday night and see where you finish.”

Kaulig Racing taps Allmendinger and Dillon to drive Dodges in 2027

Kaulig Racing followed up on its major announcement this week that it will field Dodges in the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. Team owner Matt Kaulig and executives Chris Rice — along with drivers A.J. Allmendinger and Ty Dillon – fielded questions from the press at Homestead Friday afternoon.

“Huge deal is an understatement,” Allmendinger said of the new opportunity, conceding it will initially, at least, be a big year of learning with the new manufacturer.

“It‘s not going to be easy, but I‘m all in and we‘ll do everything possible to make this learning curve as short as possible.”

This marks the return of Dodge to NASCAR‘s premier series, the first time its been on the grid since Brad Keselowski won the 2012 championship driving for the make.

The team expects to debut the car on Dec. 4, and Rice said the organization “would love to add a third car” for the Daytona 500, but didn‘t reveal any specific details.

Hocevar said Friday that he accepted the penalties, both from his team and NASCAR. “I forced their decision,” he said. “It‘s not anybody else that‘s doing this to me. I did this.”

Asked how he would balance his aggressive nature without pushing the boundaries of what‘s acceptable, Hocevar was blunt.

“I think it‘s very simple,” Hocevar said. “You know, they put it in the highlight and commercial reels with the front bumper. They‘re not going to put it with the rear bumper, and badasses make moves going forward, not backwards.”

— NASCAR.com —

ORIGINAL POST 11-6-2026: Carson Hocevar posted a video on YouTube Thursday discussing his suspension from this weekend’s Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hocevar acknowledged intentionally brake-checking Austin Cindric multiple times during Sunday’s race at Martinsville  and said he supports Spire Motorsports’ decision to suspend him.

“I brake-checked the 2 car, Austin Cindric, and I think it was three or four times,” Hocevar said. He apologized to Cindric, Team Penske and Spire Motorsports, and acknowledged that his actions went beyond aggressive racing. “It’s embarrassing and it’s just disrespectful.”

Hocevar said Spire Motorsports was not pressured by NASCAR to suspend him and defended the team’s decision. “I’m the bad guy. I made the mistake. I forced their decision,” he said.

He was also fined $100,000 and docked 25 driver points by NASCAR for behavioral code of conduct violations.

While admitting that he needs to show more respect for his other drivers, Hocevar said he does not intend to stop his aggressive driving style. He hopes to reduce the number of on-track incidents next season but said that what happened at Martinsville was different from ordinary racing contact.

Hocevar said he hopes the suspension will help him become a better driver and teammate.

Race For The Seat is expected to return for a second season to determine who will drive the No. 14 RAM 1500 in the NASCAR Truck Series, again, for 2027, while the Free Agent Program is confirmed to be returning next season, as well.

— JosephSrigley.com—

Mini Tyrrell had a one-year deal and won’t return to Kaulig Racing next year, Chris Rice confirms. … (me saying …. Obviously if they have, as expected, another Race For The Seat show, that seat is open for that winner).

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 6, 2026

The Hamlin-Progressive sponsorship has been extremely successful on and off the track since debuting in March 2025. In its first season, Hamlin piloted the No. 11 Progressive Toyota to three wins in 2025 on the way to a runner-up finish in the final standings. This season, Hamlin has carried the Progressive colors to a pair of wins in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway and at Nashville Superspeedway.

Off the track in 2026, Progressive featured Hamlin in a pair of commercial spots — Story Time and Victory Celebration. Hamlin also participated in Progressive‘s first ever Reddit AMA this summer. Additionally, Hamlin visited with Progressive agents in Cleveland in May and other agents at the company‘s New to Blue event in Boston in September. Recently, Hamlin and Progressive teamed up to fulfill a teacher‘s Amazon Wish List and to donate $10,000 to Lanier Elementary School in Gainesville, Georgia, as the NASCAR superstar surprised students with an in-class visit.

“Progressive is an incredible sponsor, and we are excited to have them with us for so many races in 2027,” said Hamlin. “It has truly been a perfect pairing on and off the racetrack, and I have enjoyed getting to know and interact with so many members of the Progressive team. Plus, the blue car with the huge Progressive P on the hood is a staple of NASCAR races now, and I am proud to be the one behind the wheel representing them.”

Beyond the DAYTONA 500, Hamlin‘s No. 11 Toyota will feature the Progressive livery for regular season races at EchoPark Speedway (February 28), Circuit of the Americas (March 7), Phoenix Raceway (March 14), Bristol Motor Speedway (April 11), Talladega Superspeedway (April 25), Dover Motor Speedway (May 16), the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 23), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 30), Nashville Superspeedway (June 6), Michigan International Speedway (June 20), Chicagoland Speedway (June 27), Iowa Speedway (July 4), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 25), World Wide Technology Raceway (August 22), and Daytona International Speedway (August 28).

Progressive will be on board the No. 11 Toyota for eight of the 10 Chase races at Watkins Glen International (September 19), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (September 26), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (October 17), Phoenix Raceway (October 24), Talladega Superspeedway (October 31), Martinsville Speedway (November 7), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (November 14).

“There are partnerships that look good on paper, and then there are partnerships that genuinely click,” said Mari Pumarejo, CMO of Progressive. “From seeing Denny behind the wheel in Progressive blue to the relationships we‘ve built with him and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing team, this one is special. We‘ve found so much common ground between our brands, our culture, our values, and really become part of each other‘s teams. As we head into our third year together, Denny doesn‘t just represent Progressive on race day, he‘s part of the Progressive family, and we look forward to what 2027 will bring.”

Hamlin is currently ranked third in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings entering the season finale this Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Next year will be his 22nd full-time season in the Cup Series. The Virginia native is ninth on the all-time wins list with 64 victories, including four so far this season. His resume also includes three DAYTONA 500 wins and additional crown jewel victories in the Southern 500 (2010, 2017, 2021) and the Coca-Cola 600 (2022).

“It is a thrill for us to have Progressive continue their partnership with us next season,” said Joe Gibbs, Owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Their team has done a great job finding creative ways to activate and grow their program each year. From their commercials and billboards to hosting community events and at-track experiences, I know our team really enjoys working alongside them to meet their goals. It is going to be exciting to have them back with our 11 team again.”

— Joe Gibbs Racing —

“We just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kaulig Racing, and I have never been more confident and excited about our future,” said Matt Kaulig, founder and owner of Kaulig Racing. “This is a landmark moment for our organization, our partners and the Dodge brand. From our humble beginnings to being named the anchor team for the fifth-largest automaker in the world is an incredible honor and a challenge our team is ready to face.”

“Bringing Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is a massive responsibility and one we don‘t take lightly,” said Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice. “We knew we needed to put proven veterans behind the wheel to build this program, and no one knows Kaulig Racing better than AJ and Ty. We are introducing a lot of new parts, pieces and variables into our program, so being able to keep some consistency behind the wheel was important for our inaugural season with Dodge. I look at 2027 like we are pouring the foundation for our future.”

Allmendinger, 44, returns to the driver‘s seat of the No. 16 entry. A veteran across multiple discipline platforms — including victories in IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR — Allmendinger has served as the cornerstone of Kaulig Racing‘s Cup and O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series programs since joining the team in 2019. Across his Cup Series career, the Los Gatos, California, native has secured multiple victories, highlighted by emotional Cup Series triumphs for Kaulig Racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in 2021 and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in 2023.

“Kaulig Racing has been my home for years, and the belief Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have placed in me means everything,” Allmendinger said. “To be chosen to help bring Dodge back to the NASCAR Cup Series is special for me. I‘ve been fortunate throughout my career to drive a lot of different race cars, but being on the front lines of building a new OEM program with a brand as iconic as Dodge is a unique challenge. We‘re building something special here, and I can’t wait to get to work in 2027.”

Dillon, 34, will continue behind the wheel of the No. 10 entry. A native of Lewisville, North Carolina, Dillon brings deep stock car roots and extensive Cup Series experience to the organization. A former champion in the ARCA Menards Series and a multi-time winner in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, Dillon has established a reputation as a disciplined setup communicator and steady veteran operator across more than 300 career Cup Series starts.

“Opportunities like this don’t come around often in a driver’s career,” Dillon said. “To extend my time with Kaulig Racing and be part of Dodge’s return to the Cup Series is a dream scenario. Matt and Chris have built a world-class culture here, and the commitment everyone is putting into this transition is unmatched. Dodge has a rich winning history in stock car racing, and our entire organization is focused on honoring that heritage when we hit the track in 2027.”

The addition of Kaulig Racing to the Dodge family restores a storied manufacturer legacy in NASCAR. Dodge first entered NASCAR competition in the early 1950s, earning legendary status throughout the 1960s and 1970s with iconic drivers such as Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Isaac, along with groundbreaking aerodynamic innovations like the Charger Daytona. After stepping away in 1977, Dodge made a high-profile return to Cup Series racing in 2001, accumulating 50 plus victories over the next decade. The manufacturer reached the summit of the sport in 2012 by capturing the NASCAR Cup Series drivers championship before departing competition at the conclusion of that season.

Dodge will reveal the race car that will wear the brand’s 2027 livery Dec. 4 at the 59th annual Snowball Derby via livestream on FloRacing and on the NASCAR Channel. That night, Dodge will also hold The Dodge Sno-Brawl. Celebrity drivers will take to the track in a head-to-head challenge in equally prepared Dodge Charger late-model stock cars for some friendly competition.

Since its founding in 2016, Kaulig Racing has emerged as one of stock car racing’s most rapid growth stories. Beginning as a single-car O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series entry, the Welcome, North Carolina-based team quickly established itself as a championship contender, earning 27 O‘Reilly Series victories and two regular-season championships. Kaulig Racing expanded full-time into the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, earning two Cup Series victories, two pole positions and playoff appearances while growing into a multi-car operation.

In 2026, Kaulig Racing fielded five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries as part of Ram‘s return to NASCAR competition following a 13-year absence. The multi-truck effort combined established veterans and rising talent — headlined by drivers like Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen and “Race for the Seat” winner Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell, along with a rotating “Free Agent” entry for featured guest drivers including NASCAR legends Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Jamie McMurray, Dillon, Allmendinger and others.

— Kaulig Racing —

O‘Donnell took to the dais at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the announcement of car maker Dodge‘s return to the NASCAR Cup Series less than a week old.

The return to Homestead for the season finale also coincided with the adoption of a multi-race Chase format for determining the champions in all three of NASCAR‘s national touring series this year.

Gone were the headwinds of a lawsuit overhanging the industry during last year‘s Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Last December, NASCAR reached an amicable settlement of the suit brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

During the months that followed, the sport has seen significant increases in attendance at its races—notably among younger fans—a burgeoning social media presence and a year-long partnership with the CW network that has elevated the prominence of the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.

O‘Donnell condensed his synopsis of the 2026 season into a single statement: “NASCAR has encouraging momentum, but we have work to do.”

“Looking back,” he added, “I think there’s a lot for the entire industry to be proud of. Our teams and drivers have given us terrific competition. Fans are coming out to the race track. New brands are investing in the sport like never before.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen the activation from sponsors around our teams and drivers, which is terrific.”

O‘Donnell also highlighted the return of the Chase, which has played out differently in all three series. On the NASCAR Cup side, Kyle Larson has raced into a dominant position with one event left, needing to score a 28th-place finish in Sunday‘s Championship Race to secure his third title.

The O‘Reilly Series, on the other hand, features a five-driver free-for-all, with veteran Justin Allgaier enjoying a slim 22-point lead at the top of the Chase standings. In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Kaden Honeycutt and Layne Riggs were set to go head-to-head for the title on Friday night.

“The return of the Chase, at least in my opinion, has put the focus back where it belongs, on the performance week-in and week-out for the drivers,” O‘Donnell said. “If you look at the championship media session for the Cup Series this weekend, there was one driver in there.

“I would say that’s successful. We looked at one driver who’s had an outstanding Chase, and that’s where the focus should be, in my opinion.”

O‘Donnell also stressed the importance of expanding the television audience for all three national series.

“Television audience, which we all focus on as one of many factors for the sport, is consistently strong and it remains so, but it’s a focus for our entire industry and will be in the coming years,” he said. “We’ve all seen the numbers, and I think it’s important to really look at where NASCAR is.

“If you compared NASCAR to a new sport that’s just emerging, you’d say it’s an incredible success story: Consistently large television audience, 36 straight weekends; it’s amongst the largest in sports.

“But the audience can and will grow, and that’s an area of focus for all of us in the industry as we go forward.”

Dodge announced on Monday that it would return to the Cup Series for the first time since 2012. Kaulig Racing will field two Cup entries for the 2027 season. O‘Donnell also indicated NASCAR is having ongoing world-wide discussions with other potential OEMs.

“It’s going to be fun seeing what Dodge does,” he said. “We’re going to be all around the globe looking at new OEMs, for sure, but happy that we got a fourth. Happy to say that versus saying, well, we’re looking at it, for sure.”

Named NASCAR CEO in April, O‘Donnell pointed to five pillars crucial to NASCAR‘s future growth: competition, audience growth and engagement, schedule and media strategy, international expansion and at-track fan development.

“I’m excited about the future, and most particularly I’m excited about our team and the folks who are going to work together, because I think for the first time in a long, long time there’s alignment on where we’re going,” O‘Donnell said.

“We do the blocking and tackling race-to-race really, really well. The five-year plan of where we’re going hasn’t been something we’ve focused on as an industry. That’s all changed, and we’re coming together to work together to really grow this sport.”

Other important subjects raised during the discussion included NASCAR‘s ongoing commitment to safety; the highlighting of rivalries between team principals; the continuing development of competition packages, including possible augmentation of horsepower; partnerships with United States Armed Forces that could take NASCAR racing to military bases—such as Coronado—in underserved markets; and the possibility of stand-alone O‘Reilly Series races on weekdays.

One change that will be coming is the metric used for ordering the starting fields in the case of qualifying rainouts. This year, the metric was weighted more heavily toward finishing position in the previous race, a formula that proved burdensome during the Chase.

“This had been put in place back in COVID, and I think everybody just didn’t see it or didn’t read it, and all of a sudden we got rain, rain, rain, and it became a big issue or a big talking point,” O‘Donnell said. “So that is something we’ll look at.

“We’re also looking at tweaking qualifying a little bit at select events as well that I think the fans will embrace. Nothing to announce today, but we’ve got some good things working in the off-season, not only about tweaking what you talked about, but some different formats we can explore as well.”

(John Probst, NASCAR President of Event Management, later confirmed that starting order will revert to owner points alone in the case of canceled qualifying sessions.)

O‘Donnell prefaced his remarks with recognition of the profound loss of champion driver Kyle Busch, who died from a sudden illness in May.

“It’s tough to not talk about Kyle when you’re back in Miami,” O‘Donnell said. “An extraordinary competitor, two-time champion in our sport and won the championship here, and I think he’s left a forever mark on our sport.

“I said this back at Charlotte and it still stands today, and it’ll stand forever really, and that’s to (widow) Samantha, (son) Brexton and (daughter) Lennix, they’re always going to be a part of the NASCAR family.

“We all miss Kyle. It’s not the same without him in terms of celebrating a championship, especially how he embraced this place, but he’s going to be with us for years and years to come.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

During his State of the Sport press conference Friday, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell admitted to concerns about the current formula, which factors in previous race results and owner points.

Probst confirmed the change, saying the existing formula created concerns about fairness, especially with several qualifying sessions canceled early in the season.

NASCAR is also considering additional qualifying changes for next season.

Probst said NASCAR could eliminate the second round of qualifying at superspeedways. The sanctioning body is also discussing the possibility of using an All-Star-style qualifying format at a limited number of races, incorporating a pit stop into the qualifying attempt.

👀 "We are looking at that All-Star style qualifying where you actually have a pit stop for maybe a very select few races next year."#NASCAR's John Probst shares thoughts on the metric, how it's being tweaked for 2027 and shares an update on qualifying procedure. pic.twitter.com/dsgb7NRVQi

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) November 6, 2026

There was discussion about adding turf to the dogleg portion of the track, but NASCAR wants drivers to retain the ability to use that section, which can produce chaotic restarts. However, mouthpiece data revealed record loads in that area, raising concerns among officials about the g-forces drivers experience when transitioning from the banking to the apron.

#NASCAR confirms that they will “soften” the transition from the racetrack to the dogleg @phoenixraceway ahead of the spring event in 2027.

#NASCAR wants drivers to keep using that area of the track, but after industry feedback, they want it to be smooth when entering and exiting so it isn’t as vicious as the data has shown for the drivers and vehicles.

Work will begin around the start-finish line and continue throughout that section.

— Chris Knight (@Knighter01) November 6, 2026

RELATED: NASCAR planning changes to Phoenix Raceway dogleg over driver safety concerns

Press Conference
Friday, November 6, 2026
An Interview with: Steve O’Donnell

THE MODERATOR: I want to thank everybody for joining us here in beautiful south Florida, especially the folks that are on NASCAR.com and SiriusXM joining us for another incredible championship weekend.

I’m here with NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell for our annual state of the sport address. We’ll begin with some opening remarks from Steve and then pivot to a Q & A session. We have some of our executive leadership team in the back for questions as well.

With that, I’ll hand it over to Mr. O’Donnell.

STEVE O’DONNELL: Thanks, Eric. First of all, good morning, everybody. Want to welcome the fans who may be watching on NASCAR.com or listening in. Appreciate all your support throughout the year. It’s been a fun one. Hopefully you feel the same way.

We’re certainly excited to be back at Homestead-Miami Speedway for championship weekend. I also want to thank Guillermo and the entire staff here. If you look around from the last time we were here for a championship, I think you can see the improvements, the enthusiasm; certainly ready to go and celebrate a championship and welcome the fans back to Miami for that.

I want to take a moment, too, to thank every one of our racetracks that has hosted us during the NASCAR season. Our media partners who bring the sport to the fans, and certainly all the folks in this room, we know we’re not an easy sport to cover. It’s a long season.

But I appreciate all the work that all of you have done to bring the fans closer to the sport through your articles, podcasts, whatever that may be. You’ve really leaned in.

I think it’s also important to recognize the drivers and the teams this year who have done more for the sport than I can remember in a long, long time. So it’s been a good partnership throughout the year.

Before we talk about 2026 and the future, I want to take a minute just to talk about Kyle Busch again. It’s tough to not talk about Kyle when you’re back in Miami. An extraordinary competitor, two-time champion in our sport and won the championship here, and I think he’s left a forever mark on our sport.

I said this back at Charlotte and it still stands today and it’ll stand forever really, and that’s to Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, they’re always going to be a part of the NASCAR family.

We all miss Kyle. It’s not the same without him in terms of celebrating a championship, especially how he embraced this place, but he’s going to be with us for years and years to come.

So as we talk about 2026, I would say what’s the theme, and I know I’ll get asked, what do you think, and what I would say is NASCAR has encouraging momentum, but we have work to do.

Looking back, I think there’s a lot for the entire industry to be proud of. Our teams and drivers have given us terrific competition. Fans are coming out to the racetrack. New brands are investing in the sport like never before.

It’s been a long time since you’ve seen the activation from sponsors around our teams and drivers, which is terrific.

The return of the Chase, at least in my opinion, has put the focus back where it belongs, on the performance week in and week out for the drivers. If you look at the championship media session for the Cup Series this weekend, there was one driver in there. I would say that’s successful. We looked at one driver who’s had an outstanding Chase, and that’s where the focus should be, in my opinion.

Television audience, which we all focus on as one of many factors for the sport, is consistently strong and it remains so, but it’s a focus for our entire industry and will be in the coming years. We’ve all seen the numbers, and I think it’s important to really look at where NASCAR is.

If you compared NASCAR to a new sport that’s just emerging you’d say it’s an incredible success story: Consistently large television audience, 36 straight weekends; it’s amongst the largest in sports.

But the audience can and will grow, and that’s an area of focus for all of us in the industry as we go forward.

When you talk about the audience, I think it’s important to look at the younger audience and then the continued innovation by our television partners, and that’s all of them. That’s FOX, Amazon, Skydance, USA Sports, and The CW. The success that The CW has had around our O’Reilly Series is something that we can really build on. It’s ranked as the No. 1 sports property 29 out of 32 races in 2026.

We’re also seeing encouraging growth when we talk about attendance. I don’t want to hit you with all kinds of stats, but I think it’s important to point these out as we look at the 2026 season. Admissions are up 5 percent and attendance amongst kids 12 and under is up 2 percent. So we are seeing positive trends also as you look ahead.

And Ben Kennedy and his team looking ahead to 2027, how is that trending? That’s continuing to be positive as we look at Daytona in the first quarter of the year.

I talked a little bit earlier about the expanded partnerships we have and the expanded portfolio. They’re promoting their drivers. They’re making them stars. You’re seeing them activated and that’s across all our OEM partners as well.

When we talk about our partners, I think it’s important to thank Craftsman for being our entitlement partner for the Craftsman Truck Series, but also welcoming in what we believe is going to be a terrific partner for the trucks in FedEx Freight.

The focus for us is really connecting with a new generation of fans. Tim Clark and the group and Jeff Smith created a new brand positioning that we believe is really working. How do we measure that? We measure that when we look at interest in the younger demo of 18 to 34 year olds. It’s at its highest level since 2013.

And social media impressions. We’ve done less, but we’ve had a much greater impact. In terms of less output, our impressions are up 34 percent year over year, so really big and strong numbers.

Merchandise sales are higher than they’ve been in years, and we continue to focus on gaming platforms to bring in that next generation of fans.

Content, NASCAR productions facility and partnering with different folks outside of the industry, I think we’ve got — folks have seen the AMC Thunder Road show that will launch. Everybody is familiar hopefully with Days of Thunder and the partnership with Skydance that’s coming.

We’ve got a lot of new content projects that are going to come through across various platforms, including our FAST Channel. When you look at the FAST Channel, since October of 2015 content projects, the reported view is up 35 percent. So, again, really strong indications of people engaging in the sport.

Going forward, one of the things we’re going to work with the race teams on, and you’ll hear me talk about this in future projects, is YouTube and building that strategy. It’s important for us to work together on YouTube, and doesn’t just me NASCAR. That means the drivers, teams, tracks really coming together to really embrace that platform.

Dodge, hopefully everybody saw that announcement, returning to the Cup Series in 2027 with Kaulig Racing. Another reason that we should be excited about the season.

I want to take a moment to personally thank Tim Kuniskis for having the belief in NASCAR, his entire Stellantis team, Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, our employees John Probst who worked really hard to bring that together.

Then our partners. When I say partners, other OEMs. Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota did not have to do what they did in terms of embracing a new potential OEM, and it’s really a testament to the sport that we have three partners who wanted new OEMs, worked together to bring new OEMs, and it’s that spirit of going forward where I think we’ll attract more and more interest in the sport.

The momentum we have also is just not the United States. I think people forget sometimes that we have other series outside of the U.S.

In 2026, our Cup races aired in more than 185 countries in 25 languages. We had record-breaking attendance in our European Series events. 44,000 people show up in Czechia, and Mike Ford told me that it’s the first NASCAR reference of Czechia according to racing insights, so I wanted to hit that up for the group as well.

In Brazil, first female to win a race. Mexico, three women competing at the highest level. Then as we look ahead to Canada, we’re going to celebrate our 20th anniversary of the series as well. Excited about what’s to come in the international space.

The goal at NASCAR is ultimately create as many avenues as possible to bring fans into the sport. That will hopefully lead to someone saying, hey, I want to get to a race. What do we hope happens from there? They embrace a driver. True success is that race fan has embraced a driver and developed so much passion that they have absolute disdain for three or four other drivers out on the track.

That’s when we know we’re successful. Get them involved through whatever avenue they can, get them to embrace a driver, and then ultimately to have that passion is what NASCAR is all about.

Since becoming CEO, as we look forward to where we’re going, spent a lot of time, and I think you’ve heard this from me, out there listening, drivers, owners, OEMs, our partners, other sports leagues, media partners. And I think the good news if you talk to any one of those people is they all believe the sport has momentum. They also believe we have work to do, as do I.

I think as you look at what we can do and what that focus should be on where we’re going, I hear the fans, and it’s in making NASCAR easier to follow, and we’ve got to do a better job telling the stories about the people that are in this industry.

Too often — you know, I’ve been at NASCAR 30 plus years, and too often you assume people understand NASCAR, they know NASCAR, and it’s a big opportunity for us to reintroduce the sport.

We have a lot of momentum, but we’ve got to tell the story and introduce people to those storylines and those people.

The work has begun. The stakeholders, and every stakeholder in our industry has helped create what I would call a blueprint of where we want to go in the future. It’s going to really touch on five different pillars.

One of those is competition. We’re going to talk about audience growth and engagement.

Schedule and media strategy, international, and then our at-track fan development. The goal with all of those is simple. It’s make NASCAR better. That means a healthy ecosystem for all industry stakeholders. It means a schedule that resonates with our fans who have been with us the longest and new fans who are excited about it.

More ways to connect with our drivers, better experience for our fans who are either watching at home or attending a race for the first time or have been there for years and years.

We’ve got a leadership team that’s working across the industry. This is not just NASCAR, working across the industry to turn those priorities into action.

Our fans should be able to see the difference in the future. Is the sport easier to follow? Are we giving people more reasons to watch? Are we culturally relevant? We need to do this all while protecting what people have loved about the sport. So it’s grow the sport and really reengage with those who have been a fan for years and fears.

My responsibility as you look at it is really set the direction. I take that seriously. We need results. We can talk a lot but we need results. Hopefully you have seen that, that we’re going to move swiftly when we need to with the industry.

What I’m excited about is we’ve got an outstanding leadership team. We have hundreds of employees at NASCAR who are ready to lean in and work together with the industry and who care deeply about the sport.

But NASCAR, I think it’s important to say, it’s bigger than us. It’s bigger than the sanctioning body. It’s our teams, drivers, racetracks, manufacturers and partners. I think what I’m most excited about working with all of them is if you look at the quality of human beings that power this sport in our industry, it’s the best in any sport. Every one of those is NASCAR.

We’ve got an opportunity as an industry to come together and showcase what we’re all about to millions and millions of fans.

At the end of the day, I’m not naïve; I know our fans care about great racing. They care about the drivers. They care about the experience at the track. We want them to keep watching. We want them to come back and bring somebody new to a race as well.

I’m excited about the future, and most particularly I’m excited about our team and the folks who are going to work together because I think for the first time in a long, long time there’s alignment on where we’re going.

We do the blocking and tackling race to race really, really well. The five-year plan of where we’re going hasn’t been something we’ve focused on as an industry. That’s all changed, and we’re coming together to work together to really grow this sport.

With that, I’ll open it up for any questions.

Steve, you talk about the racing. And then, this is a sport about racing. A lot of the fans seem to push back on the Next-Gen car and the quality of racing on the short tracks. What would you say to that? What efforts will be made over the off-season and in the near future to improve that, whether it’s rule changes, testing, or at some point do you look at a new car?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, what I would say to our fans is NASCAR is clearly not just Cup racing. You look at ARCA, you look at trucks, you look at the Xfinity Series and Cup. NASCAR is responsible for all those forms of racing. You can pick out one series if you want to, but we’ve got a pretty smart group of people who work on race cars in a pretty smart industry.

I’d probably start out with we always want the fans to embrace what we’re doing. But when we look at the facts, the facts say that short track racing in comparison to metrics over the last few years is at its highest level possibly from positivity from our fans.

You may have different metrics, but our metrics when we look at the fan counts and every one say we are trending in a very positive direction. Does that mean everything is great and we’ve stopped doing anything? No. I think you’ve seen us make some significant changes. We’ll continue to do that.

Every race is a focus. We’ve got 36 or 38 opportunities on the Cup level to make a difference and to showcase fans and to make them big events. We’re always looking at the car. We’re always looking to improve. That’s what we do each and every day. But I’m confident our team will continue to do that, and we’ll continue to have the best racing in the world, in my opinion.

Fred Lorenzen’s brain was studied and he was diagnosed with CTE. Beyond the current safety elements in the cars today, what is NASCAR’s role, if any, in the study and treatment of CTE and brain injuries after a driver’s career has ended?

STEVE O’DONNELL: So I think it’s important to first acknowledge that we’re in a dangerous sport, right, and I think if you look at every sport, one of the top narratives would be around concussions and what is everyone doing.

This is not new to NASCAR in terms of is this the first time we’ve looked at it. We have a number of doctors that have studied this. We have partnerships with Wake Forest and other universities that have worked together. This has been a focus for us for a long, long time.

I am incredibly confident in the doctors that we have with our drivers. They strap in each and every day knowing there’s a risk, but I think also believing in the expertise we have at NASCAR that has surrounded each and every driver with the technology and how to continually get better.

So it’s a focus for us for sure. We always want everyone to be safe in a race. That’s our No. 1 focus. Look at the Riley Herbst hit. The fact that someone got out of that car afterwards is a pretty good testament.

Do we stop at that? No. John Probst and his team at the R&D Center bring that car back, they look, they speak to the driver. I’ve said this many times, Bob, safety is a never ending journey and we’re going to continue, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we put the drivers in the safest possible place.

I’d like to follow up on the question about the car. Has there been any discussion of a Gen 8 car, and if so, what would be the timeline to getting a new car? If there’s not, then why do you guys remain so committed to the current car?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Well, let’s look at this industry and why we went to this car. We were on a pathway where there was very limited ownership. Teams were car manufacturers. There were no new OEMs that came into the sport. There were no conversations.

In fact, it was the opposite. If you guys don’t do anything, we’re not sure this is sustainable. So I think it’s important to go back and look at the Next-Gen car and why it was put together.

You have a different model. You have many new owners that have come into the sport. You have an ownership landscape that is much healthier than it was before. You have Dodge entering the sport. You have other OEMs who are looking at it.

You have pretty good racing. The facts when you look at those compared to other sports are pretty strong. So I think it’s important to look at what changes can you tweak along the way. But for us, we want a sustainable model for the industry.

A Gen 8 or a Next-Gen car comes with all kinds of costs and all kinds of different things, so I’m confident in our guys and the industry and the OEMs to tweak what we have where necessary, but also be pretty confident in our drivers going out there and having the ability to go win races and put on some pretty darned good competition.

In the past you’ve talked about the growth aspect of highlighting rivalries between team principals, team owners as an area where NASCAR can improve. How do you realistically achieve that with an ownership group or team principals who largely operate behind the scenes unless it’s for a contract announcement or for a winner’s press conference?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, it’s a great question, and I think it’s a cultural change. The good news is I think they’re willing to do that, and it’s been something, candidly on NASCAR, that we haven’t even approach and hadn’t thought about in the past. You have a number of willing participants who want to do that, but we’ve got to show the way, right? We need to work with you all and say, what would be the best way to do that and showcase the different personalities? Is everyone going to want to do it? No.

Some people like talking here. Some people don’t. Some people like talking a little smack to others. Some people don’t.

But we have a huge industry up and down pit road, team principals, owners, new people coming into the sport that I think would be important for you all to hear their perspective on how they see it just entering the sport.

So our job during the off-season is part of that platform of talking about how do we set things up on a week-to-week basis. How do we get ahead of you so you know if we’re coming in this weekend, Jeff Dickerson is here and he’s talking to X, Y, Z owner, and that’s part of what we do.

We have work to do in that a space, but the number of personalities we have in the garage area is pretty darned cool, and we’ve got to expose them to more people outside of just kind of the day-to-day garage area.

With Metro qualifying in the Chase, the waiting of previous race results seemed to produce a rich-get-richer result for the next race, particularly with the number of rainouts in the Chase this year. Is that something NASCAR will look at during the off-season? Is there a possibility of a return to owner points as the metric with all the Chase drivers placed in the final group in qualifying order? Would it make sense to do the same for the start of the race?

STEVE O’DONNELL: The short answer is yes. But I think with some context. This wasn’t new, and I think it got lost with a lot of folks. This had been put in place back in COVID, and I think everybody just didn’t see it or didn’t read it, and all of a sudden we got rain, rain, rain, and it became a big issue or a big talking point. So that is something we’ll look at.

We’re also looking at tweaking qualifying a little bit at select events as well that I think the fans will embrace. Nothing to announce today, but we’ve got some good things working in the off-season, not only about tweaking what you talked about, but some different formats we can explore as well.

Steve, I was just wondering if you could evaluate the first year of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series entitlement sponsorship?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think it’s a great combination of O’Reilly and The CW together. We have worked together to activate in local markets. One of the strong points of The CW is they have a lot of local owned and operated stations.

Unlike some of the folks that we deal with, they have the ability to bring in and partner with maybe some of the local stores that O’Reilly is working with, so we’re starting to see some of that activation in store. O’Reilly has been a terrific partner for us.

I was just out at The CW this week and we talked about what can we do in the future, so we’re going to bring our teams together with O’Reilly, with The CW, probably with some race teams as well, and just talk about, look, got really great momentum; what can we do now to really activate those drivers that are coming up so that name recognition is there as we get to the Cup Series, but also celebrate the racing that’s going on there?

I’d look at our version almost as college football. It is drawing really, really strong ratings. We’ve got to celebrate that. We need to tell that story better frankly on Sundays as well and get some of those fans who are viewing Sunday’s races to take a look at Saturday as well.

You mentioned international. Every year we tend to talk about — I know you and Ben and Probst have gone overseas. There’s a lot of big beautiful places that we could race. Have y’all come up with something that you could even put out there as a concept for the sport going there at some point?

STEVE O’DONNELL: When you look at — I talked a little bit about five years, where do you want to go, and I want to clarify something because I threw out 2032. I made that up. That was just because of when the rights deal was going to be.

What I saw from a couple tweets yesterday every once in a while, Jeff, I do see some tweet, and it said five years. We can’t wait five years to do anything. That wasn’t at all the case. We’re moving quickly. It was purely a name of just where the new media rights cycle was going to end up.

One of the pillars that you talked about is international. We don’t want to just go somewhere for the sake of going somewhere. So we hired Adam from the UFC who headed up all their international development, and Scott Prime. So if we take a race somewhere, we want to make sure that we’re not just in and out, maybe collecting a fee for the teams in NASCAR and what have we done? Have we brought any new sponsors? OEMs? New fans?

So it’s important for us to go into a marketplace, develop some fans, be in a local market, maybe bring some drivers in, be in the bars, whatever that may be, so they understand what NASCAR is when we go over.

That work is starting, and I think the good news is there is a ton of interest. If you go to Europe especially, people love the way we race, so I think they would take the way we race versus others when you see some of the complaints at times.

When I go over to Europe they can’t wait to see NASCAR’s style of racing. So there’s opportunities there, but we want to make the right move, because ultimately it’s got to benefit everybody here as well and grow kind of that whole pie.

What’s the timeline on that?

STEVE O’DONNELL: I wouldn’t put one on it, but I would say it’s not imminent. I would say the next couple years before we would do something like that.

We finally saw some increase in horsepower this year at some racetracks. Has a decision been made on what direction that’s going to keep going for next year as far as are we going to see more of the same or is there a consideration of trying other racetracks as well?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, great question. Still ongoing. John would shoot me, Probst, if I committed either way. So would some of our OEM partners that are here. I think it’s certainly a topic that we’re looking at.

But as with anything, it’s not just increase horsepower and everything will be great. You’ve got to look at some other aspects. There are brake challenges, different things that go with that. So ongoing discussion, but no decisions yet for next year.

I wanted to ask you about the schedule as well. Certainly San Diego was a great success this year, and I know we’re going to go back. The northwest has always been a place that has loved NASCAR. Could you talk maybe a little bit about maybe some sooner-than-later goals in the schedule and the expansion and where that might be?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I’d say sooner than later goals, I’m putting pressure on Ben Kennedy who’s in the back. But Julie Giese, if you looked at her travel schedule the last month, I think, has been everywhere, north, west, southwest, northeast, you name it, looking at different possibilities.

Do we have anything imminent to announce today? No. But there are some really strong possibilities, especially as you look around kind of that military base concept.

Really a benefit to NASCAR where we’ve lucked out a little bit is if you look at some possibilities of where we could race similar to San Diego, it matches up in places that we potentially are not and we can attract new fans. So I’d say that’s one avenue.

Then more longer term is making sure that we’re hitting the markets that are important to grow our fan base. So in some cases, you can look at opening up those avenues through social media, YouTube, or content. In others, we may need to bring a race.

That doesn’t mean just Cup. I think with The CW, you also have the opportunity now, a number of you have been with us a long time, right, and we used to take the O’Reilly Series to a new market first. We got away from that because we had a partner who was kind of with Cup, with O’Reilly, didn’t make a lot of sense, cost a lot of money from a production standpoint.

The CW opens up some of those opportunities for us to experiment a little bit, so that’s another avenue we could look at in the future to test a market, see how it works, and go from there.

But I’m confident the team has — it’s not from a lack of interest. It’s hard to do. It doesn’t happen overnight. But there’s been a lot of work that’s already been in the developmental stages.

NASCAR is such a resilient sport and I’m glad you mentioned all the great people that have for many years now working with NASCAR. Sometimes I think when the news comes out about what we call the headwinds that we’ve always heard about, we’ve always had headwinds in NASCAR, and I think the perspective isn’t always really clear. It overshadows the successes. So when we read through social media the headwinds are worse than ever. Can you put the headwinds that you mentioned in perspective? Sometimes they over shadow and it’s hard to look at the perspective of how strong they are when we read it.

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think as an industry, we do a pretty good job of being critical of ourselves, and that’s okay because we always want to get better.

But when you get outside of kind of the NASCAR bubble, in the garage area, and you move around to some of the partners, especially when you talk to some of the media folks and folks who aren’t as close to NASCAR, the story is very different.

NASCAR has momentum, and momentum they haven’t seen before. Are there challenges? For sure. But I would say if you look at most of the metrics — I’m transparent. You all know me. But three of the four media partners we are either even or up in terms of ratings. CW, up. ARCA, up.

In the tail half of the season when we’re up against the NFL it’s a challenge. We’re going to look at that.

Now, if that was all year and if I was sitting up here and our social media metrics were down, our sponsorship was down, our attendance was down, we’d probably have a very different story, and that’s not the case. All of those are up, and that’s good. That’s something we can build off of, and we can focus in on where there are some challenges and go to work together.

I think it’s no surprise everyone in our industry recognizes it, but we recognize it as an opportunity because we are now working together as an industry talking about what should we do. What’s the art of the possibilities in terms of when we race, where we race. So a lot of opportunities to build off of. I’m confident getting up here on behalf of our whole team in the industry to say we do have momentum.

Now, we’ve got to show some results with that, not just sit back, but I think we’re going to get that done.

Steve, going off of what Jordan and Jeff were asking earlier, the fan reception for the racing product in the O’Reilly Series has been tremendously positive yet again this year. There was also some talk earlier this year of the technology platform and the future of that, particularly given that the core of the current O’Reilly car that’s being used is over 15 years old. When you project ahead to the end of this decade and the beginning of the next decade, what do you think the future of the O’Reilly Series from a car, technology, chassis, et cetera, platform, what does that look like?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think there’s two things I’d probably touch on around the O’Reilly Series, and I would agree we love the racing in the series.

If you look — I talked to Tyler Reddick about this. I hope he doesn’t mind me putting him on blast, but he said, hey, if you put me and the top ten Cup drivers in that series, it’s going to look like Sunday as well. And it’s good racing. And so there’s a difference, right?

These are conversations that have been going on, I think, since the 1970s of, hey, how do we improve the racing? That’s the focus we always want to have.

As you look, you’ve pointed out a definite issue or opportunity as well of what do we want to race in that series going forward. John and the team are looking at where are the parts and pieces, how long can we sustain that, and then what’s the right move with whatever model we choose that can be an economical model that works for the car owners, the drivers, and ultimately helps grow the fandom.

A lot of work being done I’d say over the last two years. They’ve had conversations with the teams. No direct answer yet, but there’s a lot of work and a lot of investment candidly that’s been made into that future as well.

We’re seeing fewer instances of season-long primary sponsorship in the Cup Series compared to 10, 20 years ago, and B-to-B sponsors for years seem to have grown in prevalence in NASCAR. Are you concerned those two factors might prevent fans from creating attachments to the visual identity of the sport through consistent liveries and brands that they’re attached to? Like we used to see the STP 43, Miller Lite No. 2, M&M’s 18, things like that?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, so I would be concerned if I didn’t see interest coming back in sponsorship. So I look at this more as an opportunity. So this is a discussion when you say what are making up these five pillars, how does it look. Under the competition banner and under how do we bring in new fans or even engage our current fans, that is one of the things we’ve talked about. What can you brand the cars — it’s a reality of where we are.

The good news is I think the owners are in a better position now with more stability. Does that say that sponsorship doesn’t matter anymore? Absolutely not. So we have work to do in that space.

The reality is that it’s tough for a sponsor to look at a season-long sponsorship. But knowing that, what can we do around the look and feel of a car. So there’s discussions around could a race team have certain colors. Who knows? I don’t want to commit to anything because none of that has been committed to. But those discussions are ongoing. It’s one of the things that we’ve recognized that can be an avenue for a fan to come in and say I recognize that car in that sport, or that driver, and so that is something we’re looking at for sure.

Back in 2004 when we instituted the Chase, every couple of years it was fine-tuned or tweaked in one way or another. Are you satisfied with what you’ve seen with the Chase, with the return to the Chase this year, and anything that you’re looking at that might be tweaked or fine-tuned?

STEVE O’DONNELL: So I would say we’re always going to look in the off-season, but in terms of the industry getting together, talking about what we could create, what was the goal, are we going to talk about more drivers, every lap mattering in the race, and then really focusing in on drivers who are winning and who are performing at a high level; my opinion is all that has happened. Kyle Larson has gone on an historic run right now and deserves to be talked about.

I think in the past if you look at even around the O’Reilly Series when you had that one-race deal, we would have had four drivers in here and it would have been different.

So in that regard, yes, very satisfied. But want to take some time and see how it plays out over this weekend and see what happens, but at least in my discussions with the garage area and the industry, people feel like directionally it has worked. But we want to talk to the fans as well and see what feedback we get.

Last week Brad Keselowski mentioned at Martinsville that the interest in the sport was increasing more so than he had seen in several years, and with the permanent charters now since the lawsuit was settled, what growth and what have you seen now that’s behind us and everything is progressing forward?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, it’s certainly better to be up here this year than last year, I would say, and particularly a different mindset and mood from folks interested in the sport.

I think Brad is exactly right. When I’m talking to folks who are interested in investing in the sport, NASCAR is a hot property. The teams have more interest than they’ve ever had before.

Now, we’ve got to balance that with where are we going, what are the metrics going to be, who are those owners as well. I love seeing a racer being able to partner with a company. I think that’s really worked.

I also love the fact that we’re able to work with folks who may have come from outside the sport, who have been in the battles in other sports who have done some TV deals or have looked at things that may be a little bit ahead of us in terms of growth, so we can rely on some of that expertise as well and have them in the room, beat up some of the things we assumed worked over the last 20 years and kind of have a little bit of an outside view.

So that’s been encouraging.

But our job now is to make sure that we have all the right people who believe in the long-term growth of the sport, but the interest is absolutely there, which is a great thing for the sport.

Do you think that Homestead-Miami could be starting a new long period of hosting the championship, and are you reconsidering the idea of a rotation or have you uncovered other good options?

STEVE O’DONNELL: So too soon to tell. I would say we’re still in our discussions. I’d leave that to Ben. But we obviously like Miami because we came back here. It’s a good feel. I like driving down from Daytona. I loved Phoenix. We’ll be back here next year, but I think beyond that we’re still looking at what are the other possibilities.

With the format change, that changes some things, but ultimately I think based on what we’re looking at, you’re always going to be able to, for the most part, crown a champion.

I think it’s important to look at maybe other markets as well, but nothing in terms of where we’re at beyond next year.

In the past there’s been some concerns about the volatility, particularly the lower series. I’ve seen some concerns specifically from the Craftsman Truck Series about payout structures and so on. How much conversations have you guys had about changing the payout structure in the future, and are there plans for it in general?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think if you look at both the Craftsman Truck Series and the O’Reilly Series, one of the great things we have going on now is the rating momentum and the interest. Outside of ratings just among fans tuning in. So there’s a solid foundation to build upon.

One of the things we have to do as an industry and more so at NASCAR is we’re probably going to put some people on those series, so we’ve always got — we have a series director for each of those series, but we need folks solely focused on that series.

If you looked at the O’Reilly Series and I ran that series myself, you’d be pretty happy, right, with where the ratings are compared to other sports. If you look at the Craftsman Truck Series, same thing.

At times we tend to think NASCAR is just Cup. We’ve got a lot more than that. We need a focused effort. Tim Clark and others are going to lead that effort with just having some people who are daily thinking about it.

We have all the assets in terms of centralized social and all that, but we need someone working with our team owners, working with our broadcast partners and the teams. Yeah, that is an ongoing project, but I think we’re building from a foundation of strength in terms of what just happened this year.

A few minutes back you kind of opened the door for a standalone O’Reilly Series race as a testing market —

STEVE O’DONNELL: Did I? I’m sorry.

Is that something that’s actively being discussed? And if so, could it be possibly implemented in time for say 2028?

STEVE O’DONNELL: No, I don’t want to try and break too much news here, but it’s been interesting. As you go around and you talk to different partners, particularly media partners — and I hope Brian doesn’t shoot me for this one — but one of the discussions was around your race schedule and would you ever consider a midweek race. I was talking to The CW. We tried that when we were with FOX and it didn’t really work and the reason was because they had that primetime entertainment that the rating was so high they couldn’t.

CW is working on some of that midweek, and the opportunity for maybe a midweek race is a possibility. So the light kind of goes on, oh, we should be talking about this.

Same thing with new markets around the O’Reilly Series. We don’t have that same thing with that broadcast partner has to be here. We could potentially look at a standalone event.

It’s costly for sure, so we want to make sure for the owners in the series that it really drives new viewership and everything. I think Portland, when you talk to the team owners, that was tough. But if there are other new markets that we can look at that we can’t necessarily get with Cup, I think that is something we want to look at for sure.

And I would also say looking at what format — just different things we may want to try in Cup. Historically we have introduced something across all three series and I think there’s now an openness to try some different things in an O’Reilly or in a truck, see how they work, and look to maybe then migrate that up to Cup.

A lot of fans still really like to know about Fontana and ask about Fontana a lot. You still have retained the property but there’s no current plans to develop it. Is there any update you can provide on that? And why do you keep holding on to the property?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think we keep holding on to it because it’s an important market for us. It will be a real challenge if we could ever put a racetrack there, just candidly. But we also recognize that Southern California is an important market for us. I don’t have any update beyond that, just that it’s a focus for us to make sure in some capacity we’re there in whatever year we’re racing.

It’s an important market. There’s a ton of NASCAR fans in California, and we’ve got to make sure we’ve got somewhere to race.

Does your plan to race at military bases, does that have bipartisan support, or do the results of Tuesday and potentially 2028 impact those plans?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Well, I can’t speak for the government, but I can say that our discussions beyond ’27 have been very positive, and it’s been not just with one person. It’s been broader for the entire military.

I think if you look at the partnership NASCAR has with the military, what you saw at San Diego, what you see candidly each and every race has been a partnership that has been sustained for at least my entire time at NASCAR.

I think that will continue, and we’re extremely hopeful and looking towards that continuation beyond just San Diego.

I want to focus real quick, Craftsman was here with the first Truck Series and then they came back, and this transition of them leaving — they’ve done a lot for the sport. It’s bittersweet to see them go, but also with FedEx coming in, your thoughts on that and just the commitment that we’ve had from the Black & Decker, Stanley Group, and Craftsman through the years?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, I think the original Craftsman Truck Series, I would agree with you, is a fantastic partnership, did a lot for the series.

I think as we looked at what just occurred, there was a change in personnel there and a change in how they look at things. As you look at going forward, you want a partner who’s going to activate, who’s excited about the sport. Couldn’t be more excited about FedEx Freight and what they’re going to bring to the table. They’re extremely excited about how their brand and what they’re trying to do fits with NASCAR.

So I look at it more as just a really big opportunity. Certainly thank Craftsman, but I think for where we are today, FedEx Freight gives us that real opportunity that we talked about for the trucks to kind of build upon that with our TV partners and the race teams.

Right now when there’s an incident on track, it seems like drivers kind of clam up. Ryan Preece had the whole Don’t Hit the Button tee shirt. I was wondering your thoughts on that, if there’s a way to maybe incentivize them to be more open about on-track drama and things like that?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Well, we have a swear jar that I know I got in trouble on, but some folks — it’s interesting because that was, I think, the most viewed and engagement we’ve had with anything we’ve done.

Ryan Preece is a guy that I talk to him a lot about this, of drivers being themselves. Our job is to encourage drivers to be themselves. We talked about sponsorship. There is a balance there. We recognize that balance.

But I think what we’re seeing is the more drivers are themselves and the more they let people in with their personality, the more they’re going to be recognized, the more fan engagement we have.

Carson Hocevar, there’s certainly some challenges, but I like what he brings to the fan base in terms of going out, meeting with fans, talking. Does he have some things to work on on track? Absolutely, and we’ve talked about that, and we all know where that stands today.

But I think if you look at licensed merchandise, engagement, fans are really hungry to embrace a driver, to find their driver, and the more drivers we can have the fans say that’s my favorite driver, the better the sport will be. We are working with them and encouraging them to do that, but that’s a long journey for sure.

Since Talladega, have there been any more discussions about potential superspeedway rule changes or preseason testing before Daytona?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, great question. Good to see you as well. On our end, you look at the changes we’ve made, and this goes back to our competition group, we’ve said we’re going to move fast. I think historically at NASCAR we would have said, we’ll see in ’27 and we’ll talk about the short track package in ’28. That’s not the case. We’ve moved quickly.

From an on-track competition car, are you able to move and do some different things directionally? I think we’re comfortable with heading into Daytona with what we saw.

Now, kind of the officiating or sporting regulations, I think we are taking a look at. With technology, with AI, it’s become such a focus on fuel saving. If you ask the drivers if they ever fuel saved at Talladega 10 years ago, the answer is yes. That’s always happened. But it’s become such a focus now on what you can do and the strategy in the race.

That is the focus in terms of how does the actual race play out, not necessarily the car, but what does the race look like in terms of is it stages or whatever we may do during the race. But we don’t have plans right now to go test at Daytona.

Steve, in your opening remarks you touched on the ratings and the other metrics that you guys look at. This is a fan base at least on social media that talks about ratings. Can you provide further context of what you all focus on, what you’re seeing, and then maybe how that ties into those other metrics of what you all focus on and where you see the positives and negatives?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, so ratings are certainly important, right, and I’ll back up and talk about that again. If we look at ratings, I talked about the challenge that we’re focused on, and it’s during the NFL/college football portion of the season, so that’s one, no surprise. We’ve got to focus on that.

The other partners at the beginning of the season or the other portion of the season were flat to up, so pretty good. Pretty good numbers.

Then I talked about O’Reilly. I talked about truck, all up. Younger fan base, all up. So positives on those metrics.

Then you’ve got to look at your social media engagement, are you growing on YouTube, are sponsors coming into the sport, are you top of mind as people are talking about it. All those things are up. Attendance. If I came in here today and said, oh, our attendance is matching our ratings kind of in the tail end of the season, that would be something we want to focus on. Our attendance is up.

When we look at 2027, where we’re going, those numbers are up. We’ve got to look at it all in totality. It’s all important.

Things have changed so rapidly in terms of where people are engaging in the sport, and I think our main job is yeah, we’ve got to focus on ratings, but the biggest thing I think would be a success for all of us is we’ve got to find as many avenues as possible for people to find NASCAR.

So if you’re in New York or Seattle, Washington, and you don’t have a race, what is that entry point? It may be a YouTube clip that you see that you say, this is pretty cool; what is this? I’m going to tune into that race. I’m going to find it, I’m going to then go to the race.

There’s a lot of avenues we have to focus on. Influencers, all kinds of things we can look at to grow. Those metrics that we have are up.

I’m happy to share all those with you afterwards, but I think that’s the positives, so we know we’re building off of strong foundation. But we’ve got to grow those.

You’ve spoken before about a cost cap, and it seems like the league is in favor of it. It seems like there’s kind of among many team owners or some team owners encouraging signs that they want it as well. Where does that stand, and do you see that as something the sport will have over the next few years?

STEVE O’DONNELL: It’s a great question. So I would say when I think of a cost cap — not me personally. I think when NASCAR thinks of it, what’s the biggest reason you would do it? The biggest reason you would do it in my opinion would be that team valuation would go up. You’ve seen that, right, with Formula 1.

So I would expect that the teams would be absolutely for this. If you have interests that are going to come in and evaluate your team of where are you at, having a cost cap is a big deal. But there’s some debate from some of the owners of does this make sense. It’s costly to do that. It’s complicated. We’ve talked to the folks at F1 about how many accountants they have to have at a team to make this happen.

But it is true when you look across the pond at F1, it has helped from a team valuation standpoint. I don’t have anything to announce today. I will say it is part of the discussions with the teams. But I would not say that everyone is aligned in terms of it happening. But we have done a ton of work, Scott Prime does we have done a ton of work on what could happen so we could be ready, but nothing imminent.

It’s been five days since you announced an OEM. When are you going to announce the next one?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Nice one. I knew that was coming. Here’s the good news is we have — through the car, through the engine cooperation, I think we’ve opened some possibilities for others to take a look at NASCAR who otherwise may not have done that.

I’ll go back to what I said in the owning. Our existing partners, Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford have been fantastic in terms of sharing information about how the sport works, being open to dialogue about where we can go.

But I’ll say this: Any new OEM that comes in — John Probst and I learned this when we went over to Australia and looked at the V-8 series about what should we do with the Next-Gen car engines, and the biggest learning was be careful what you do because if you make too many changes for a new OEM and you hurt the folks who have brought you to the dance, that’s not good.

So we want to make sure that our partners who have been with us the longest are in a good place, believe in the sport, believe in where we’re going, and embrace the new partners, but they’ve got to come in the right way and go show case it on the racetrack and compete.

But it’s going to be fun seeing what Dodge does. We’re going to be all around the globe looking at new OEMs for sure, but happy that we got a fourth. Happy to say that versus saying, well, we’re looking at it for sure.

I would just, again, say thank you to all of you for the time, for being here in Miami. Looks like we have good weather. We do have some momentum. I’ve said it before, we need to remind ourselves from time to time that we’re all pretty lucky to be in this business and hopefully have some fun as well.

This weekend not too much fun. But again, appreciate you being here, and hope everybody has a great off-season as well. Thanks, everybody.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

O’Donnell said NASCAR has encouraging momentum but acknowledged there is still work to be done. He outlined five areas of focus moving forward: competition, audience growth and engagement, schedule and media strategy, international expansion and at-track fan development.

Some notes:

• The Chase: O’Donnell called the return of the Chase successful, saying it placed greater emphasis on driver performance throughout the season. “The return of the Chase, I would say has been successful,” he said.
• Horsepower: NASCAR continues to discuss potential horsepower increases for 2027, including changes at intermediate tracks. However, he said no decisions have been made.
• Qualifying: NASCAR plans to make an offseason adjustment to how starting lineups are determined when qualifying is canceled. O’Donnell also said NASCAR is considering changes additional changes to qualifying at other select events.
• TV ratings: NASCAR’s struggles competing against the NFL for viewers and he said improving television ratings remains a priority. NASCAR is also examining its future schedule with NFL competition in mind.
• Future schedules: NASCAR wants to race in markets that can help grow its fan base. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Truck Series could be used to experiment with new markets and race formats before potentially bringing successful ideas to Cup.
• Midweek races: The CW has expressed interest in midweek prime-time races for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. NASCAR is discussing the possibility of standalone events.
• Championship track: It is “too soon to tell” whether Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the championship weekend for an extended period. He said rotating the championship among different venues remains a possibility.
• Next Gen car: The Next Gen car has attracted new team owners and manufacturers. He said introducing another generation of racecar would bring significant costs. NASCAR continues to evaluate improvements to the current car, including the short-track package.
• Team investment and cost cap: Interest in investing in NASCAR teams is at an all-time high. NASCAR continues to discuss a potential spending cap with teams, but O’Donnell said “nothing imminent” is planned and owners are not aligned on whether a cap should be implemented.
• Daytona testing: O’Donnell said NASCAR currently has “no plans” to conduct preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway.

A full transcript of O’Donnell’s State of the Sport press conference is posted here.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Since 2020, Kaden Honeycutt and Layne Riggs have sized each other up. Fast forward six years and the two hot NASCAR prospects are battling it out for the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The powerhouse drivers have formed a friendly rivalry. Each team — Tricon Garage and Front Row Motorsports — have traded the other’s best blow. Riggs‘ No. 34 bunch leads the league with seven victories, though just one has come during The Chase presented by Mobil 1. Honeycutt has won four times, including capturing a pair of checkered flags in the postseason at Kansas Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.

“We‘re good, hard-nosed racers,” Riggs said of his relationship with Honeycutt on Thursday and Championship Weekend Media Day. “We‘ve been racing against each other for a long time. I know we‘re cut from the same cloth from a background in racing style. We both have a lot of passion and we don‘t give each other an inch.”

Honeycutt agrees wholeheartedly with Riggs.

“I think we’re both pretty similar mindset,” Honeycutt said when asked the same question. “I don’t really have friends that I talk to outside the racetrack. I have my circle group, but I don’t have anybody in this field that I usually speak to or I hang out with outside the racetrack or go have lunch or something.

“Me and him have a lot of respect for each other and we race each other hard but not crash each other. If we can win this the right way, it would really show the series you can race each other hard and just not wreck each other to win the championship and to win races in general.”

The heavyweight drivers competed against each other in the CARS Tour starting in 2020 while racing late models. Until switching to asphalt, Honeycutt‘s background was primarily dirt racing in Texas. Meanwhile, Riggs cut his teeth running local short tracks with guidance from his father, Scott Riggs.

“He just says do your thing, don‘t overthink it,” Riggs said of his father‘s advice entering the championship race at Homestead. “People are asking what I‘m doing differently this week to prep — nothing. I give 100% for every race; I‘m not going to try to do 110% and screw myself up doing it. Just do normal things and be myself, doing what I‘ve done to get myself here. It‘s been working so far.”

Friday night‘s championship clash could come down to a winner-take-all extravaganza. Honeycutt holds a 20-point advantage over Riggs, matching the gap between first and second place in the race. From there, every stage point could prove pivotal in determining who walks away with the championship.

Riggs has outscored Honeycutt by 48 stage points through the opening 24 races. It‘s the No. 11 Toyota, however, that has been more consistent, posting the most top five- (15) and top-10 finishes (18) in the series.

“We’ve traded blows throughout the season, and throughout The Chase. I think it’ll be the same on Friday,” Honeycutt added.

Regardless of who prevails, both drivers will return to the Truck Series in 2027 with their respective teams. The 2027 campaign could be reined supreme by the pair of drivers who have crushed the competition this year.

Winning the championship is the goal, but it won‘t define Riggs‘ season, he stated. He is guaranteed to end the year with the most victories and laps led (988), among the most dominant truck seasons in recent memory, excluding last year‘s Corey Heim beatdown.

“I think it‘s a cherry on top but I don‘t look at it as something that is going to make or break the opportunities that I get each year,” Riggs said of the possibility of being crowned champion. “I‘m pretty confident in that, with the wins and pedigree that I have, what I‘ve done so far this year, I think I‘ve proven myself. I think winning the championship or not isn‘t going to change that outcome.”

The easiest approach for both drivers is to game plan to collect another trophy before being awarded the big hardware.

“Go out and win the race and make that a lot easier,” Honeycutt said. “Winning the race will make points take care of themselves.”

The move marks an exciting next chapter for Hill as he joins Team Reaume and Ford Racing to focus on competing for the full 2027 season.

Hill brings a deep background as both a driver and former team owner. He founded Hill Motorsports in 2019 and competed as an owner-driver in the Truck Series, fielding the No. 56 – the same number his father, former NASCAR driver Jerry Hill, carried during his career. He now channels that experience into full-time driving with Team Reaume.

A native of Port Tobacco, Maryland, Hill was born on February 25, 1993, into a racing family that includes his father, Jerry, and his brother, Tyler Hill. He claimed the 2009 Allison Legacy Series championship and went on to earn 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year honors. Since then, he has built one of the most versatile résumés in the garage, with experience across the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (now the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series), the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA competition. In the Truck Series, Hill has collected 10 career top 10 finishes and posted a career-best 20th-place points finish in 2022.

“I‘m excited to take this next step and race full-time with Team Reaume in 2027,” said Hill. “I‘ve watched Reaume‘s program grow, and I believe they have all the tools to compete with the larger team‘s week in and week out. I‘m excited to bring my veteran experience and help push this team forward.”

Hill‘s experience as both a driver and a team owner makes him a valuable resource across the organization‘s three trucks. He will work closely with the team‘s driver lineup, sharing what he‘s learned across years of national series competition and helping the organization‘s younger drivers continue their development.

“Timmy and I go back to 2014, when we first raced together as teammates,” said Team Owner Josh Reaume. “Over the past few years, our friendship has grown in a way I never expected. We‘ve both run our own teams, and we‘ve leaned on each other through the same challenges that come with being an owner in this sport. I‘m honored that the Hill family recognizes the growth of this team and trusts that we‘re better working together, and I‘m proud to welcome Timmy to Team Reaume for 2027.”

“We’re putting all our chips on the table for 2027. Our goal is to take this program’s performance to the next level, and adding Timmy is a big step toward that. He’s one of the most experienced drivers in the series, and the knowledge he brings, both on the track and as a former team owner, will make every truck in our program better,” said Amir Alexander, Team Principal at Team Reaume.

Additional partners and details on Team Reaume’s 2027 program will be announced at a later date.

— Team Reaume —

See previous: Timmy Hill stepping back as team owner

“I don‘t think the general public will know how close I was to really walking away,” Allgaier said Thursday during Championship Media Day at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“We bought a house in Illinois. We were making after-racing-career plans. I was a hundred percent sure that this was it, that this would be the end of my career.”

It would have been, if JRM co-owners Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller hadn‘t talked Allgaier into a contract extension that will keep him with the team at least through the 2028 season.

The move proved serendipitous. Allgaier won six of the first 21 races this season and held a 229-point lead before points were reset for the nine-race Chase.

With last Saturday‘s second-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, Allgaier took the Chase lead by 22 points over defending series champion Jesse Love, who suffered a litany of issues at the venerable short track and finished 30th.

In addition to Allgaier and Love, there are three other drivers within striking distance of the title—Corey Day (23 points back), Carson Kvapil (31 behind) and Sheldon Creed (42 behind)—entering Saturday‘s NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race (5 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

To Allgaier, retaking the Chase lead from Love wasn‘t crucial, given the relatively small margin.

“I went over to Jesse at the end of last week,” Allgaier said. “I think at first he thought I was messing with him, but I really was genuine in the fact that I hated it for him. I hated to see their day go the way that it did…

“I hate the situation ‘cause I know that this week it could easily be the same for us or any one of the top five. I‘ve had a lot of fun battling all of these guys. I‘ve had the most fun racing this year probably that I‘ve ever had.”

Allgaier feels that his willingness to step away from racing and decision to return have had a positive effect on his psyche.

“I‘m probably the freest, loosest, confident enough that I‘ve been all year,” he said. “There‘s just been something different this year for me. Maybe it was because I was walking away, so I looked at different ways to value the sport that maybe I hadn‘t looked at.

“But I have more confidence in my race team than I can describe. The pit crew‘s been on fire lately. This whole team has just operated at a really high level. Eddie D‘Hondt, my spotter, and I have a great relationship.

“All the things that you want to be going your way have been going that direction. And, honestly, if we execute how we know we can, there‘s no doubt in my mind that we can‘t go win both stages and win the race.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Hiami Hooch opened the 2026 season on the No. 28 at Daytona International Speedway in February. It will close it 30 miles from home at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the series crowns its champion and the sport’s biggest weekend of the year lands in the city the brand is named for.

“We started this season at Daytona, and there was never any question where we wanted to finish it,” said Patrick, co-founder of Hiami Hooch. “Homestead is our home race. Our fans, our friends and the people who built this brand with us are all within a short drive of that track. Putting Hiami Hooch on the No. 28 for the championship weekend is our way of celebrating Miami with the people who got us here.”

Hiami Hooch is built for the way South Florida lives: bold flavors, vibrant packaging and a lifestyle that fits a race weekend as naturally as a night out on the water. The No. 28 will carry a Miami- inspired Hiami Hooch paint scheme for the championship weekend.

“Hiami Hooch has been a great partner all year, and running their colors at home for the championship race means a lot to this team,” said Kyle Sieg, driver of the No. 28 Chevrolet. “Daytona was a strong way to start the relationship, and Homestead is the perfect place to finish it. We want to give the Miami fans something to cheer for.”

Sieg, a second-generation racer, competes full time for RSS Racing, the family-owned team that moved to Chevrolet for the 2026 season and operates with a technical alliance that provides engineering, chassis and data support from a Haas factory-supported program. Racing runs in the
Hiami Hooch family as well, and supporting a family racing team has been part of the appeal of the partnership from the start.

“Kyle and the Sieg family have believed in this program from the first race of the year, and we’re proud to be part of a family racing team’s championship weekend,” said Zachary, co-founder of Hiami Hooch. “Racing is in our blood too. Finishing the season at home, with this team, is exactly how we hoped it would go.”

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is set for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET, with live coverage on The CW and radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— Brand Labs Group —

The 23-year-old Texan, Honeycutt carries a 20-point advantage over the second-generation NASCAR standout Riggs heading to a track where neither has won before. Honeycutt would need to score 57 points to lock up the trophy

Last week‘s Martinsville Speedway race certainly played a heavy hand in setting up what should be an ultra-competitive all-for-the-trophy championship 134-lapper on the Homestead-Miami 1.5-miler.

Statistically, Honeycutt has set the series standard. His average finish of 5.3 during the six Chase races so far is exceptional compared to his competition. Riggs is averaging 11.0.

Neither driver has won at the South Florida track previously, with both scoring their career best efforts here last year — Riggs, second place and Honeycutt, 11th. On 1.5-mile tracks this season, Honeycutt is averaging a series-best 2.3 finish, while Riggs is averaging a 6.8. He and McAnally-Hilgemann‘s Christian Eckes are the only two drivers to finish top-10 in all four 1.5-mile tracks this year.

Of note, in the last three races here, the driver who led the most laps did not win the race. Rajah Caruth is the last polesitter to win on a 1.5-mile track (when qualifying was held) and that was in 2024.

Former three-time series champion Matt Crafton returns to competition this weekend, driving the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford. Defending champion Corey Heim will also be on the grid, teaming with Honeycutt in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota.

NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Kyle Larson is the defending Homestead-Miami race winner. Of those full timers in the field, only Grant Enfinger (2024) and Ty Majeski (2022) have won here previously.

–NASCAR Wire Service–

The U.S. Army‘s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., and the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 482nd Fighter Wing, known as the “Makos,” from nearby Homestead Air Reserve Base will each play a special role in the Championship event.

The mission of the 482nd Fighter Wing is to provide combat-ready aircraft to answer our nation‘s call. They will open the aviation demonstration at the conclusion of the National Anthem, as four F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft from Homestead Air Reserve Base will perform a heart-stopping flyover along the frontstretch.

Shortly after, an CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the U.S. Army‘s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division will deliver a Corvette Grand Sport to the racing surface, where it will serve as Chevrolet‘s official pace car for the Cup Series Championship Race. The unit will then perform a flyover featuring two CH-47 Chinooks and a pair of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters during the command to fire engines.

The 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade deploys lethal, combat-credible, and well-led aviation forces globally to shape, deter, fight, and win. They provide vertical lift and attack reconnaissance capabilities to dominate the airspace in large-scale combat and multi-domain operations.

“When you’re crowning a NASCAR champion, you want to make sure the excitement extends well beyond the racetrack,” said Guillermo Santa Cruz, President of Homestead-Miami Speedway. “Having these incredible military aviation units come together for our pre-race festivities will make for a truly spectacular experience, and it’s a tremendous opportunity to showcase the skill and precision of the men and women who serve our country. While we’re sharing some of what’s planned for the skies above Homestead-Miami Speedway, let’s just say fans will want to keep their eyes up — we may have a few more surprises in store!”

Sunday‘s aviation demonstration will come after multiplatinum powerhouse Jason Derulo performs a spectacular pre-race concert in advance of the Cup Series Championship Race. The day‘s festivities will cap off a weekend of celebration as all three NASCAR national series will crown their champions.

Friday (Nov. 6) night‘s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1, SiriusXM, NRN). The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will take the track at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 7, to decide their champion (CW, SiriusXM, MRN).

Then on Sunday, Nov. 8, the NASCAR Cup Series stars will duke it out to close out the year at 3:00 p.m. ET (NBC, SiriusXM, MRN).

Fans can purchase tickets to the 2026 NASCAR Championship race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway on www.homsteadmiamispeedway.com.

— Homestead-Miami Speedway —

The No. 33 will run a fully Modo Rips-themed truck for championship weekend, built around the thrill of the rip: collectible boxes where every box is a chase for a grail card, a one-of-one, or a once-in-a-lifetime pull. The race marks the on-track debut of Modo Rips, the newest way to play from Modo, America‘s Super Gaming App.

The partnership with Team Reaume gives Modo Rips an opportunity to expand its connection with the NASCAR community and bring the brand directly to fans during one of the biggest weekends of the season.

“Modo has shown a real commitment to racing and having them on the No. 33 in their hometown for the final race of the season means a lot to our team,” said Josh Reaume, team owner of Team Reaume. “We want to give them a strong run at Homestead.”

“Race fans live for the moment where anything can happen, and that‘s exactly what Modo Rips delivers: every box could be the one-of-one card, the pull you tell your friends about,” said David Jumper, CMO of ARB Interactive. “It‘s the newest way to play across Modo, America‘s Super Gaming App, and there‘s no better stage for it than championship weekend with Frankie Muniz in a Modo Rips truck.”

The partnership will extend beyond the racetrack, with Team Reaume and Modo Rips creating opportunities for fans to engage with the brand throughout the Homestead-Miami weekend. The collaboration brings together Modo Rips with Team Reaume‘s NASCAR platform for the final event of the 2026 season.

“Homestead is one of my favorite tracks on the schedule, and I‘m excited to finish the season there with Modo and Team Reaume,” said Muniz. “It‘s a great way to close out the year, and we‘ll be focused on putting together a strong run. The truck itself is awesome, it‘s basically a grail pull on wheels, and I‘ve already been ripping Modo Rips with the guys at the shop.”

“We‘re a proudly American-owned company, and NASCAR‘s championship weekend is the right home for us,” said Patrick Fechtmeyer, CEO of ARB Interactive, the company behind the Modo Super Gaming App. “We built Modo Rips as a collectible card opening experience: the chase, the reveal, the grail you weren‘t expecting. It‘s something special, and Frankie and Team Reaume are exactly the partners we want introducing it to race fans.”

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on FS1.

— Team Reaume —

The 2024 series champion Justin Allgaier brings a 22-point advantage over defending series champ Jesse Love into Saturday‘s NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Championship Race (5 p.m. ET on the CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The JR Motorsports veteran leads Corey Day by 23 points, his teammate — and last week‘s Martinsville (Va.) Speedway race winner – Travis Kvapil by 31 points and Sheldon Creed by 42 points.

The driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Allgaier is the defending Homestead winner — taking the trophy in last year‘s March race — and actually the only previous winner at the track. His 17 starts here is more than double the number of starts of the other four championship contenders. On the other end of the spectrum, this will be Day‘s debut at the 1.5-miler.

Love, driver of the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, boasts the best average finish at Homestead among the group — 5.0 in only two starts. Kvapil, who drives the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet, finished 10th last year in his only race at the track and Creed, the driver of the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet, is averaging a 13.3 finish in three previous starts.

Of note, Love boasts the best average finish (4.1) by far on the 1.5-mile tracks this season such as Homestead this year. The next best mark is Creed is at 10.7.

The rookie Day- a four-race winner this year –  is the only driver among the championship eligible five that has won on a 1.5-miler in 2026. The 19-year-old Hendrick Motorsports rookie won at both Las Vegas and Charlotte during the Chase.

Interestingly, Allgaier is the only other among the title contenders who has won on a 1.5-mile oval — claiming six career victories, including the one here in South Florida last year. Love is the only driver among this group of five to finish top-10 at every 1.5-mile track this season. Creed has two top-five finishes in four Homestead races. And in the last 12 races, Kvapil has amassed the most points among the title five.

“We‘ve been putting a ton of effort into our Homestead program and I feel like [crew chief] Andrew [Overstreet] has a great gameplan ahead of this weekend,” Allgaier said. “It‘s definitely a confidence boost knowing that we won there last year. If we can just go out and execute just like we have throughout the last month, I feel like we will be in a great position to do what [team sponsor] Rick Brandt always says and, ‘cause a party.‘”

Qualifying for the championship race is set for 1 p.m. on Friday.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

It’s an understandable strategy considering the strength of his two closest challengers, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, who for the eighth time in his decorated career has lined up for the final green flag with a shot at the season title.

All three drivers have won races in the last eight events held at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval — a favorite venue among the racers. And any chance of taking the trophy out of Larson‘s hands involves a must-win for either Bell or Hamlin.

Larson is a two-time Homestead race winner and the defending race champ, claiming the trophy in the March race here last year. Hamlin is the winningest among the three contenders — with trophies in 2009, ‘13 and ’20. Bell won in 2023.

Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, rode a 51-race winless streak heading into the Chase, but has answered with three victories and holds a series-best 6.8 place average finish during the nine Chase races to date.

Comparatively, Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota is averaging 11.2 during the 10-race Chase and Bell, driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota, an 11.5. Hamlin‘s average finish (10.2) is third best all-time at this track. Larson‘s 645 laps out front are most in the field.

However, this season, Hamlin has earned the most points on 1.5-milers by 51 points more than Larson and 84 more than his teammate Bell. He also boasts the most wins (16) on that style of venue compared to Larson (11) and Bell (2).

With Larson taking such a commanding points advantage into the race, Hamlin and Bell concede their path is at least straight if not easy. They must win the race.

“I feel confident that I’ll be able to go there and contend,” Hamlin said.

Both contenders feel plenty of optimistic despite the challenge.

“My team has done a really good job,” Bell said. “They‘re resilient, they‘re just really resilient. They‘ve shown throughout the years that whenever it matters the most, they show up in the biggest ways.”

“I‘m proud of where we‘re at, and certainly proud that we‘ve been so close year in and year out, but we do want to get that golden egg.”

Larson has consistently maintained that even though statistically he holds a large margin of good opportunity on Sunday, he‘s taking nothing for granted and most comfortable finding the same groove he‘s thrived on throughout the season.

“You‘ve worked so hard to put yourself in this position, so I‘d hate for something crazy to happen,” Larson said. “I‘ve kind of felt some sort of pressure leading up to the week and the race, but for me once I get in the car and put my helmet on, I completely forget what‘s at stake. I haven‘t really felt any pressure once I‘m behind the wheel.

While more typically a championship contender has gone on to win the race, there is still plenty of potential for other drivers to move up in the final standings.

23XI Racing‘s Tyler Reddick (2024), last week‘s Martinsville winner, Hendrick‘s William Byron (2023) and three-time series champion, Team Penske‘s Joey Logano (2019) are also former Homestead winners.

Team Penske‘s Ryan Blaney has been runner-up in two of the last three Homestead races and has six top-10 finishes in 10 of the last races at 1.5-milers. JGR‘s Chase Briscoe has won three of the last four races on 1.5-mile tracks.

Five drivers who won in 2025 are still racing for their first trophy of the season, including Wood Brothers Racing‘s Josh Berry, Richard Childress Racing‘s Austin Dillon, Team Penske‘s Austin Cindric, 23XI Racing‘s Bubba Wallace and Trackhouse Racing‘s Ross Chastain.

Busch Light Pole Qualifying is set for 2:30 p.m. ET Friday (truTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Larson‘s Hendrick teammate Alex Bowman is the defending pole winner.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Love won NASCAR‘s second division last year, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (now O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series).

Terry Wyhoon‘s Image Racing will facilitate the Super2 Series entry as part of a continuation of the relationship established at the back end of 2025.

The outing is likely to be the last for Love in “Chevy” equipment as he moves across to Ford team Wood Brothers Racing as he graduates to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027.

— Speed Cafe —

The partnership will support a fast, convenient and secure ticket-purchase experience for fans, offering flexible payment options and dependable transaction processing that helps them move from checkout to race day with confidence.

“We are thrilled to help NASCAR continue investing in the best possible race day experience starting from the first interaction they have with a fan,” said Gabriel de Montessus, president of Enterprise for Global Payments. “Global Payments delivers the stability, reliability and performance that NASCAR’s high-volume ticket sales demand, as well as actionable data and insights to continue to elevate the fan experience. We are proud to serve this iconic brand and their dedicated fans.”

Global Payments capabilities provide greater visibility into ticketing activity and payment performance, helping NASCAR make informed decisions that can enhance fan engagement, improve operational efficiency and drive revenue growth.

“Global Payments joins a growing roster of companies investing in NASCAR in 2026, reinforcing the value businesses see in our sport and the opportunity to grow with us,” said Kari Gritton, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Consumer Strategy. “Their expertise will help us simplify the ticket-buying experience for our fans while strengthening the operations that support our business.”

Global Payments is a leader in sports and venue payment technology solutions, serving 160 stadiums and venues around the world, including every major sports league in the U.S., college football stadiums, football stadiums in Europe and more.

— NASCAR —

NASCAR Cup Series Chase Championship Race Fast Facts: Homestead-Miami

• This season marks the 17th time Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. Prior to the 2020 season, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race from 2004-2019 (16 consecutive seasons).
• During the Postseason Era (2004-2026), only two tracks have hosted the Championship Weekend:
  • Homestead-Miami Speedway (2004-2019, 2026)
  • Phoenix Raceway (2020-2025)
• During the Postseason Era (2004-2026), a total of 15 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.
• Greg Biffle (2004, 2005, 2006 – all at Homestead) and Joey Logano (2018 at Homestead and 2022, 2024 at Phoenix) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Championship Race wins from 2004-2025 with three victories each.

• Five drivers that earned a spot in the Chase this season have previously won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (2004-2025): Joey Logano (2018 at Homestead and 2022, 2024 at Phoenix), Denny Hamlin (2009, 2013 at Homestead), Chase Elliott (2020 at Phoenix), Kyle Larson (2021 at Phoenix) and Ryan Blaney (2025 at Phoenix).
• A total of 15 different crew chiefs have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, led by Doug Richert with three wins (at Homestead from 2004-2006 all with driver Greg Biffle).
• Among the crew chiefs that earned a spot in the Chase this season, five have previously won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race — Adam Stevens (2015, 2019), Alan Gustafson (2012, 2020), Paul Wolfe (2022, 2024), Cliff Daniels (2021) and Jonathan Hassler (2025).
• A total of seven different organizations have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (2004-2025), led by RFK Racing with six victories (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 all at Homestead-Miami); followed by Hendrick Motorsports (2012, 2016, 2020, 2021), Joe Gibbs Racing (2009, 2013, 2015, 2019), Team Penske (2018, 2022, 2024, 2025), Stewart-Haas Racing (2011, 2014), Furniture Row Racing (2017), Trackhouse Racing (2023).
• Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Postseason in 2004, the winner of the Championship Race has won the season title 11 times: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024.
  1. In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the 15th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and as a result secured his third-career NASCAR Cup Series championship in the closest points battle in series history — tied with Carl Edwards — Stewart won the title by virtue of the tiebreaker: most wins.
  2. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the first year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, as a result he won his first series title.
  3. In 2015, Kyle Busch won from the third starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the second year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, as a result he won his first series championship.
  4. In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the 14th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the third year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the series-most championships with seven each.
  5. In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won from the second starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fourth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
  6. In 2018, Joey Logano won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fifth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
  7. In 2019, Kyle Busch won from the fourth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the sixth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he became just the second active driver at the time with multiple titles (20115, 2019) joining seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
  8. In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the first starting position at Phoenix Raceway in the seventh year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship. Worth noting, Elliott was served a pre-race penalty and as a result of serving the penalty he actually started the race from back of the field and still won.
  9. In 2021, Kyle Larson won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the eighth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
  10. In 2022, Joey Logano won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the ninth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. With the win, Logano earned his second NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022), becoming just the second active driver with multiple titles.
  11. In 2024, Joey Logano won from the second starting position at Phoenix Raceway in the 10th year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. With the win, Logano earned his third NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022, 2024).
• Three non-Postseason drivers have won the season finale race: Greg Biffle (Homestead: 2004 and 2006), Denny Hamlin (Homestead: 2013) and Ross Chastain (Phoenix 2023)
• Three manufacturers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race during the Postseason Era (2004-2026), led by Ford with 10; followed by Chevrolet with seven and Toyota with five.
• Homestead-Miami Speedway has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series post season from 2004 — 2019, 2026. This season the track will host the Championship Weekend for the first time since 2019.
• A total of 11 different drivers have won the Homestead-Miami Speedway post season races, led by Greg Biffle with three victories (2004 — 2006).
• Six times the winner of the Homestead-Miami Speedway Playoff race has gone on to win the championship during the Postseason Era (2004-Present): 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

1. 1. In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the 15th starting position at Homestead, and as a result secured his third-career championship.
   2. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the fifth starting position at Homestead in the first year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result won his first title.
   3. In 2015, Kyle Busch won from the third starting position at Homestead in the second year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first championship.
   4. In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the 14th starting position at Homestead in the third year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the series-most titles with seven.
   5. In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won from the second starting position at Homestead in the fourth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
   6. In 2018, Joey Logano won from the fifth starting position at Homestead in the fifth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.

• The worst finish in a Postseason race by the eventual series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway was 15th, and it occurred three times: Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.
• Two non-Postseason drivers have won the Homestead-Miami Championship Race (2004-2019): Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).
• Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing leads the Cup Series in post season race wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with six, including five consecutive: Greg Biffle (2004 — 2006), Matt Kenseth (2007) and Carl Edwards (2008).
• The most dominant performance by a Playoff race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway was Carl Edward‘s victory in 2010. He posted a Perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 and led 190 of the 267 laps (71.1% of his laps completed) — the most by a postseason race winner at Homestead.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats & Tidbits:
Season Race: No. 36 of 36 (November 8, 2026)
Track Size/Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Purse: $13,855,063
Banking/Turns (All four): 18-20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 4 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,760 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,760 feet
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stages 1 Length: 80 Laps
Stages 2 Length: 85 Laps (End on Lap 165)
Finale Stage Length: 102 Laps (Ends on Lap 267)

QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford, 181.238 MPH, 29.795 secs. November 14, 2014, Set in Round 1 of 3

Track Race Record:
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 142.654 MPH, (02:48:47), November 17, 2019

2025 Pole Winner:
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 168.845 MPH, 31.982 secs. March 22, 2025

2025 Race Winner:
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 131.876 MPH, (03:02:13), March 23, 2025

HISTORY

• Groundbreaking for Homestead-Miami Dade Motorsports Complex — as the track was originally named — began August 23, 1994, thanks to Ralph Sanchez, a long-time promotor of street races in the area.
• The 600-acre sporting facility, at the time of construction, was owned by city of Homestead on county land and was leased by Sanchez.
• The original configuration of Homestead-Miami Speedway was a four-turn, rectangular paved oval based on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s layout.
• The first race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway was a NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series event on November 5, 1995. The inaugural O‘Reilly Series race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett. Jarrett owned the No. 32 Ford he won the race in, and Jarrett only led the last two laps of the event. The average speed of the race was 92.229 MPH.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was held on November 14, 1999. The inaugural Cup Series race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, driving a Joe Gibbs Racing The average speed of the race was 140.335 MPH.
• International Speedway Corporation (now NASCAR) became the sole owner of Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001.
• The 2002 season was the first year the Championship Weekend was held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with all three of NASCAR‘s national series holding their season finale at the same track. The track would host the season finale from 2002-2019.
• In 2003, the track underwent a major reconfiguration from what was a flat 1.5-mile rectangular-shaped track to a 1.5-mile asphalt oval with progressive banking in the turns.
• At 25-degree longitude, Miami is the southernmost track that NASCAR visits within the United States. Mexico City is at 19 degree longitude.
• There have been 27 NASCAR Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, one per season since 1999.

STARTS

• In total 170 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway; 133 have competed in more than one.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 23 starts.
• Top five in Cup starts at Homestead-Miami: Kevin Harvick (23), Denny Hamlin (21), Kurt Busch (21), Ryan Newman (21), Kyle Busch (21).
• Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the Cup Series in starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 21 starts.
• Top five active drivers in Cup starts at Homestead-Miami: Denny Hamlin (21), Brad Keselowski (18), Joey Logano (17) and Michael McDowell (16).
• A total of three different drivers have made their NASCAR Cup Series career debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Bobby Hamilton, Juan Pablo Montoya and Drew Herring.

• Of the three drivers that made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Drew Herring put up the best finish in his series debut with a 29th-place finish in 2019.
• Casey Atwood leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 6.333 in three starts.
• Josh Berry leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 7.0 in two starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 18 different drivers have won the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and five of the 18 have won multiple poles.
• David Green won the first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1999 at a speed of 155.759 MPH (34.669 sec.) in a Pontiac owned by Tim Beverly (Tyler Jet Motorsports). It was Green‘s only pole of his Cup career. After starting on the pole, he finished 22nd in the race.
• This weekend, five of the 18 NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway are entered:

• Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Homestead-Miami Speedway with three (2015, 2017, 2018).
• Denny Hamlin is the only driver to win consecutive poles in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway — 2017 and 2018.
• Three NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won their first Cup Series career pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
  • David Green (November 1999),
  • Jamie McMurray (November 2003)
  • David Reutimann (November 2008)
• Youngest Cup Series Homestead pole winner: Joey Logano (November 18, 2012 — 22 years, 5 months, 25 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Homestead pole winner: Bill Elliott (November 11, 2001 — 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).
• A total of 10 different organizations have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Homestead-Miami Speedway with six poles among four drivers: Joey Logano (2012), Matt Kenseth (2013), Denny Hamlin (2015, 2017, 2018) and Martin Truex Jr. (2023).
• Five different manufacturers have won the pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Toyota with nine, and followed by Chevrolet (seven), Ford (four), Dodge (three) and Pontiac (one).

WINS

• A total of 18 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and six different drivers have won more than once at the 1.5-mile track.
• The inaugural Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, driving a Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac. The average speed of the race was 140.335 MPH.
• This weekend, six of the 18 NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway are active:

• Greg Biffle (2004, 2005, 2006), Tony Stewart (1999, 2000, 2011) and Denny Hamlin (2009, 2013, 2020) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with three wins each.
• Of the six drivers with multiple wins at Homestead-Miami, Tony Stewart is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Pontiac (1999, 2000) and Chevrolet (2011).
• Two drivers have won consecutive races at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the series: Tony Stewart (1999 – 2000) and Greg Biffle (2004 — 2006, three straight).
• Youngest Cup Series Homestead-Miami race winner: William Byron (February 28, 2021 — 23 years, 2 months, 30 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Homestead-Miami race winner: Bill Elliott (November 11, 2001 — 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).
• No driver has scored their first career Cup win at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• A total of 12 different starting positions on the grid have produced wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Four of the 27 NASCAR Cup Series races (14.8%) at Homestead-Miami Speedway have been won from the pole or first starting position: Bill Elliott (2001), Kurt Busch (2002) and Tyler Reddick (2024) won from the pole. Denny Hamlin won from the first starting position in 2020 due to Metric Qualifying.
• Eight of the 27 NASCAR Cup Series races (29.6%) at Homestead-Miami Speedway have been won from the front row: four from the first starting position and four from the second starting position.
• The first, second and the fifth starting positions are the most proficient starting positions in the field producing more winners (four each) than any other starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway (14.8%).

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Homestead-Miami Speedway

• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 38th, by Denny Hamlin in 2009.
• Tony Stewart (1999) is the only driver to win at Homestead-Miami Speedway in his first appearance.
• A total of eight different organizations have won at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.

• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with nine victories among five drivers: Tony Stewart (1999, 2000), Bobby Labonte (2003), Denny Hamlin (2009, 2013, 2020), Kyle Busch (2015, 2019) and Christopher Bell (2023).
• RFK Racing leads the Cup Series in consecutive wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with five straight from 2004-2008.
• Five different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway, led by Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota with eight victories each; followed by Pontiac (two) and Dodge (one).
• Ford leads the Cup Series in consecutive wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with five straight from 2004-2008.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 21 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and four drivers have finished runner-up multiple times at the 1.5-mile track.
• Kevin Harvick (2003, 2008, 2015) and Martin Truex Jr. (2006, 2018, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway with three second-place finishes each.
• Ryan Blaney (2023, 2024) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway with two second-place finishes.

Runner-Up Finishers at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 46 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished inside the top-five at Homestead-Miami Speedway, 27 of the 46 have finished in the top-five multiple times.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 12 top fives.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway with seven top fives.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 69 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished inside the top-10 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 19 top-10 finishes.
• Denny Hamlin leads all the active Cup Series drivers in top-10 finishes at Homestead with 14 top-10 finishes.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 7.478 in 23 starts.
• Tyler Reddick leads all active Cup drivers in in average finishing position at Homestead with an 8.8 in six starts.

Top 10 in Average Finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• A total of 68 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Kyle Larson leads all NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway with 645 laps led out of 3,094 laps completed (22%) — 12 starts.
• The most laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway by the race winner was 214 of the scheduled 267 laps (80.1%) by Matt Kenseth on November 18, 2007 — he started from the fourth position.
• The most laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway by a driver that did not win was 191 of the scheduled 267 laps (71.5%) by Kyle Busch on November 18, 2012 — he started eighth and finished fourth.
• The fewest laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway by the race winner was one lap led of the scheduled 267 laps by Bobby Labonte on November 16, 2003 — he started second and passed Bill Elliott on the last lap to win the race.
• Last season‘s race winner, Kyle Larson, led 19 of the 267 scheduled laps (7.1%)

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Homestead-Miami Speedway (All-Time & Active)

• The most leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 15 set in 2011.
• The fewest leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is four set in 2017.
• The most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 33 set in 2024.
• The fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 11 set in 2022.
• The NASCAR Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway have had a last lap pass for the lead to win the race twice: 2003 (Bobby Labonte passed Bill Elliott) and 2024 (Tyler Reddick passed Ryan Blaney)

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick is the only female driver to compete at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.

TRACK SPECIFIC STATS

• The closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway was the November 20, 2005 race won by Greg Biffle over Mark Martin by a margin of 0.017 second.
• Last season‘s Cup race at Homestead-Miami was the second-closest finish in series history at the track with a 0.241 second.

Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway

• Qualifying has been cancelled at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series three times — 2019 (weather), 2020 (pandemic), and 2021 (pandemic).
• None of the 27 Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway have been shortened due to weather.
• Three times the NASCAR Cup Series race has resulted with an overtime finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCAR IN FLORIDA

• There have been 383 NASCAR national series races among 11 tracks in the state of Florida.
• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Florida was on July 10, 1949 at the Daytona Beach & Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida — the event was won by Red Byron (Oldsmobile).

FLORIDA DRIVERS IN NASCAR

• A total of 201 different drivers that have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race have their home state recorded as Florida.
• There have been 13 NASCAR national series race winners from the state of Florida have combined to win 117 NASCAR national series races.

— NASCAR —

The ratings were down from a 1.26 and 2.3 million viewers last year, according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel formula.

.@NBC got a 1.15 rating and 1.987 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 @MartinsvilleSwy, down from a 1.26 and 2.3 million last year, according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel formula. https://t.co/oinFtJGRWY

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) November 4, 2026

Collectively, the ownership group brings together:

• Championship pedigree — NASCAR, IndyCar, Indianapolis 500, World Series, Grand Slam tennis and world surfing championship experience

• Grammy-winning talent and entertainment management — artists, personalities and executives spanning music, television, film and talent representation

• Business leadership — founders, investors and operators with experience building, financing and scaling major businesses

• Brand and hospitality expertise — leaders behind consumer brands, destinations and experiences that bring people together

• A shared commitment to LEGACY — unified perspectives and unique relationships vital to the organization‘s long-term competitive and commercial growth

“I wanted to bring together people who know what it takes to build something exceptional and sustain it,” said Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and LEGACY co-owner. “They‘ve competed, created, taken risks and led people. They bring different experiences but share a belief in what LEGACY can become. Winning is the ambition, and this group brings valuable perspective to building the organization that makes it possible.”

The newly announced group includes:

• Danny Sullivan — Indianapolis 500 winner and CART champion

• Ben Lovett — Founding member of Mumford & Sons

• Michael Wystrach — Co-Founder of Freshly and Petfolk

• Nat Zilkha — Executive Chairman of Gibson, Inc. and Co-Founder of Firebird Music

• Tim Headington — Entrepreneur across hospitality, real estate and film

• Johnathan Crocker — Co-Founder of Frank August and Thousand Acres

They are joined by Jim Brown, Ellie Franchitti, Nick Hanauer, John T. McCoy, Bart Proctor, Andy Reiner, Tommaso Sandretto, Richie Schmock, Alex Song, Jamie Tisch, and others.

The additional owners join previously announced members Sam Byrne, Scott Dixon, Guy Fieri, Dario Franchitti, Bryce Harper, Tony Kanaan, Andy Roddick, Jen Rubio, Darius Rucker, Kelly Slater and Chase Utley.

“Some of the most powerful communities begin with a shared passion,” said Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons. “I‘ve experienced that through music and through creating places where people come together. What excites me about LEGACY is the opportunity to help build that sense of connection around racing. There‘s an extraordinary world behind the race itself, and so much potential to invite people into it.”

— Legacy Motor Club —

Nemechek brings a proven record of success across NASCAR‘s national series, with 11 career O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series victories and 13 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins. Now in his fourth full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, he has also amassed three career top-five and 17 top-10 finishes at the sport‘s highest level.

The son of former O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Joe Nemechek, John Hunter earned his first series victory at Kansas Speedway in 2018, recording 11 top-10 finishes in 18 starts that season. He finished seventh in the championship standings in his first full-time O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign in 2019 while making his NASCAR Cup Series debut later that season at Texas Motor Speedway. After competing full time in the Cup Series in 2020, Nemechek rejoined the O‘Reilly Series the following season.

Nemechek enjoyed one of the strongest seasons of his career in 2023, capturing seven victories and recording 17 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes en route to a fourth-place championship finish. He began competing full time in the Cup Series again in 2024 and earned his most recent O‘Reilly Series victory at Nashville Superspeedway later that June.

“John Hunter brings the experience and talent we‘re looking for at Haas Factory Team,” said Joe Custer, President of Haas Factory Team. “We‘re excited to have him join our organization and look forward to competing for wins and championships together.”

“I‘m excited to join Haas Factory Team‘s O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series program,” said Nemechek. “They have championship-caliber cars and personnel, and I‘m ready to get to work with this group and compete for wins in 2027.”

“We‘ve been part of John Hunter‘s journey for a long time, and we‘re proud to keep going with him at Haas Factory Team,” said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker. “For us, every race is a chance to celebrate the Pye-Barker team and the values we share, and to represent them with pride on a national stage.”

Nemechek will pilot the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet, partnering with crew chief Jason Trinchere to lead the team‘s efforts in the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.

— Haas Factory Team —

Few numbers are as closely tied to a single organization as the number 6 is to RFK Racing. When Jack Roush entered NASCAR’s premier series in 1988, it was Mark Martin, behind the wheel of the team‘s first entry. Together, they built one of the sport’s most successful partnerships and turned the number 6 into one of NASCAR’s most recognizable cars. Nearly four decades later, RFK Racing has chosen Preece to carry that legacy forward.

Preece, who has driven RFK Racing’s number 60 for the past two seasons, will move to the organization‘s flagship entry beginning with the 2027 NASCAR season. He will become the latest driver entrusted with the number, following 2012 Cup Series Champion Keselowski, who has driven the car since 2022.

“To be trusted with the 6 means more to me than I can put into words,” said Preece, who will coincidentally become just the sixth full-time driver to drive the 6 for RFK Racing.  “When you think about what this number means to RFK Racing, you think about Jack Roush, Mark Martin and everything they built together. To know this team believes I’m the right person to carry that number into the future is incredibly humbling.”

The opportunity for Preece represents a milestone in a career defined by perseverance. The Berlin, CT native, who made a name for himself in the Northeast Modified ranks, earned a reputation as hard core racer, whose relentless determination helped fulfill his NASCAR dreams. Seemingly appropriate, he drove a car, with the number 6 during much of his Modified career.

“I drove that number for Ed Partridge, who was more than just a car owner to me. He was one of my best friends and someone who believed in me and helped fund me an opportunity that changed my life. We didn‘t know it at the time, but we won our final Whelen Modified Tour race together Richmond 2021,” said Preece. “So, when I say the number 6 feels like home, it‘s because it represents more than racing. It represents the people who believed in me, the relationships I‘ve built, and the memories that got me here. To have the opportunity to carry that number into the next chapter of my career means more than I can put into words.”

The number 6 has been a cornerstone of RFK Racing since its inception. During Martin’s celebrated tenure (1988-2006) with the team. Martin earned 35 Cup Series victories in the car, establishing the 6 car as one of NASCAR’s most recognizable entries.

“I like Ryan Preece because he’s a racer, plain and simple,” said Martin. “He came up the hard way, and he’s had to fight for everything he’s gotten. That’s something I respect. When he gets in a race car, he gives you everything he’s got, and he’s not going to be satisfied just riding around. That number means a lot to me, and I think Ryan is a great fit to carry it forward.”

Since joining RFK Racing in 2025, Preece has continued to showcase his talent, highlighted by victories in the 2026 Cook Out Clash and his first career Cup Series points-paying win at Daytona International Speedway this past August, which secured his place in the NASCAR Chase.

“Ryan Preece is a true racer making him the perfect fit for the number 6,” said Chip Bowers, president of RFK Racing. “The 6 car is symbolic in our organization and has contributed to some incredible memories in the Cup Series. Ryan is not just enthusiastic about the opportunity, but more importantly he’s embracing the expectations that come with taking the wheel of an iconic car. More great history is sure to be made with Ryan at the helm.”

Preece’s transition to the number 6 will include his current team and personnel, led by crew chief Derrick Finley. The team will compete as a chartered entry for the full 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. Additional details regarding the future of RFK Racing’s No. 60 entry will be announced at a later date.

— RFK Racing —

Viewership peaked at 1,193,000 total viewers in the closing laps when Carson Kvapil took the checkered flag. The audience grew 27% from last year’s fall race at Martinsville.

When Mears takes the green flag in the No. 62 The Gracie Foundation Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports in Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he will reach a career milestone that for a long time was never a part of his plans. His 500th start will also bring him back to the track where his NASCAR national-series journey began a quarter-century ago, when a one-off opportunity in what was then known as the NASCAR Busch Series (now the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series) unexpectedly opened the door to a 15-year Cup Series run.

The 48-year old driver who competed fulltime in the Cup Series for 14 consecutive seasons from 2003 through 2016, logging 488 starts along the way, has spent much of 2026 rediscovering what he missed about racing, and appreciating just how special the opportunity to do it again has become.

“I just feel really appreciative of the opportunity,” Mears said in leadup to his fifth and final race of 2026 with Beard Motorsports, and his 12th Cup Series start since returning for his first cameo appearance in 2019. “I‘d say it‘s pretty rare that somebody gets to be out of the sport for that long and then comes back and participates. I‘m excited to go do it one last time.”

When the green flag waves Sunday, Mears will become the 50th driver ever to record 500 or more Cup Series starts. The opportunity has come through a collaboration with the family-owned Beard Motorsports team, with support from longtime friend and benefactor Bob Germain helping make Mears‘ goal of reaching 500 Cup starts a reality. Mears arrives at Homestead encouraged by the speed the team has shown this season and eager to make the most of its final race of the season.

In 2001, the California-born Mears moved to North Carolina with an eye toward trying NASCAR before potentially returning to IndyCar, where he had already established himself as a promising open-wheel driver. With the direction of Indy-style racing unsettled at the time, a chance to test the waters in stock cars seemed worth exploring.

His first NASCAR national-series start came at Homestead in the No. 66 car for Cicci-Welliver Racing. At the time, he had little reason to believe that single appearance would define the next chapter of his career.

“I honestly felt like I was going to try this NASCAR thing out, get a taste of it, and probably end up going back to IndyCar,” he said.

Instead, that initial outing helped set the stage for a fulltime Busch Series season in 2002 and a move to the Cup Series with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in 2003. Mears went on to drive for several prominent organizations, including Hendrick Motorsports and Germain Racing.

This weekend, Homestead brings the story around full circle. The track has changed considerably since that first visit. Mears remembers a much flatter surface, with competitors running low around the apron. Today‘s progressive banking, first raced on in 2003, encourages drivers to carry speed high against the wall — a demanding challenge that will test the No. 62 team in a very different way than the high banks of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, where the part-time team has made 30 of its 38 starts since first competing in the Cup Series in 2017.

Beard Motorsports has built its program around superspeedway racing, but Mears believes the team has shown enough speed this season to be encouraged heading into its first-ever race at Homestead, laying down solid laps early in Mears‘ outings in the No. 62 Chevrolet at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June, Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, and two weekends ago at Talladega.

“Prior to every single one of those events, I felt like we had a car that was capable of truly having a good result, speed-wise,” he said.

Homestead will require a different approach. Finding the right balance, managing tire wear and carrying speed along the high line will be critical, particularly for a small independent team competing against much larger organizations.

Beard Motorsports crew chief Darren Shaw began working on this weekend‘s Homestead car months ago, focusing on details that could make a measurable difference. Mears also expects to benefit from time in the Team Chevy simulator and, most importantly, the 50-minute practice session on the weekend schedule for Friday at Homestead. That track time will allow the team to evaluate its setup and make adjustments before the race, a departure from the typical superspeedway weekend schedule with just a single qualifying lap taking place before race day.

“The adjustments on these NextGen cars are so small, so minute, but they make a big difference,” Mears said. “Being able to come down into the pits and in the garage and make a couple changes and make changes during that long of a practice session is something that‘s going to really benefit our program this weekend.”

Mears credits Shaw‘s attention to detail in preparation and the team‘s determination to maximize what it has accomplished during its part-time Cup Series schedule over the last decade. He also appreciates the family behind the operation, whose involvement is rooted in a passion for racing shared by team owner Linda Beard‘s late husband, Mark Beard Sr., and their daughter Amie Beard-Deja.

“I feel like I‘m by far in the best place I could be to be doing this,” Mears said. “I enjoy spending time with the family and being around them.”

Germain‘s support has been equally important in bringing Mears‘ milestone goal within reach. For Mears, the experience has been about more than adding another number to his résumé. He has enjoyed reconnecting with fans, and working alongside a crew chief and engineers to solve the familiar puzzle of making a racecar faster.

“You take for granted, when you‘re doing it, even though you know it‘s special, it‘s your job,” he said. “I think this year‘s kind of allowed me just to really reflect on how special the opportunity to get to race cars for a living is.”

The milestone also gives his family a chance to share in that appreciation. His children were very young when his fulltime Cup career ended in 2016, but they are now old enough to understand what their father accomplished and what returning to the sport means.

For Mears, a successful afternoon Sunday will be based on simply keeping the No. 62 Chevrolet intact and running competitive laps throughout.

“If we can stay on the lead lap, if I could finish somewhere inside the top-25, that would be an amazing day for us,” he said. “My goal is to just stay in the hunt all day, stay in the fight, not have issues.”

A solid finish would reward the work of the entire Beard Motorsports organization and give Mears a result to celebrate alongside the many family members and friends who will join him at Homestead for his milestone race. It would also provide a fitting close to a season that has reminded him why he fell in love with racing in the first place.

All the while, Mears is careful not to declare Sunday his final Cup Series start. The reality, he acknowledged, is that it could be. With opportunities to compete at this level no longer guaranteed, the milestone carries a measure of finality alongside the excitement.

A quarter-century after a single Busch Series opportunity helped launch his NASCAR career, Mears returns to the same track with 500 starts within reach, a solid, family-owned team behind him, and a crowd of familiar faces to cheer him on.

— Beard Motorsports —

Announced in October, Illuminate‘s Experience Circuit plans for an 18-race tour across the top three divisions of NASCAR‘s national touring series that will bring fans into the garage, onto the grid, and up on the pit box throughout the 2027 season. Each Experience Circuit weekend will offer activities for fans of all ages, and may include show-car appearances, community activations, garage experiences, and other hospitality options.

In the NASCAR Cup Series, Illuminate will kick off their premier series season with Garage 66 during Speedweeks, which culminates in the sport‘s most iconic event: the Daytona 500, scheduled for Sunday, February 21 at Daytona International Speedway. The partnership continues at other tentpole events throughout 2027, with a planned schedule that includes Talladega (April), Charlotte (May), Naval Base Coronado (August), Bristol (August), and Darlington (August).

“Garage 66 creates opportunities for talent in NASCAR. Experience Circuit brings that same commitment to fans and partners,” said Cody Van Vliet, Founder of Illuminate Experience Group. “Together, we‘re turning access into lasting loyalty through personal experiences that connect fans with the team. For partners, that means moving beyond logo placement to build meaningful relationships, engage customers and create business opportunities. This partnership strengthens Garage 66‘s fan base and delivers value for its partners well beyond race day.”

Garage 66 will make driver announcements for each of these marquee NASCAR Cup Series events as they are finalized.

— Garage 66 —

For a quarter of a century, Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing have stood together, forging one of the longest-running partnerships and team pairings among active NASCAR organizations. Founded in 1950 and making its NASCAR debut in 1953, Wood Brothers Racing is the sport‘s longest continuously operating team. With 101 NASCAR Cup Series victories and a storied roster that includes 20 of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, the team has established itself as one of the most successful and recognizable organizations in NASCAR history.

“Motorcraft is honored to be a part of the Wood Brothers heritage through a relationship founded on shared values, professional integrity, and a relentless drive for performance,” said Chris Wallace, U.S. Product Category Director Ford Customer Service Division. “Their history with Ford goes back over 75 years to the beginning of their team. Since 2001, we have built a bond that goes far beyond brand logos. They are like family to us,” Wallace said.

Over the past 25 years, Motorcraft has become synonymous with the team‘s famous red-and-white paint scheme and the signature gold No. 21—solidified as one of the most recognizable liveries in motorsports. Motorcraft has been a partner for several of the team‘s wins, establishing a winning pedigree almost immediately. Entering the 2001 season, the newly minted partnership bore fruit in its inaugural campaign when Elliott Sadler secured his first career victory in the No. 21 Ford at Bristol, snapping an eight-year winless drought for the team. Among other memorable moments, the duo etched an unforgettable victory when Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500.

Jon Wood, President and Co-Owner of Wood Brothers Racing reflected on the alliance, “When you think of NASCAR partnerships that are long-lasting, there‘s just a handful that come to mind. But we‘ve outlasted all of them. That‘s a testament to the way my family has and continues to run this race team. It‘s also all about the longstanding friendships we‘ve made with both Ford and Motorcraft.”

A New Look for a Legendary Brand

As the No. 21 takes to the track at Homestead-Miami sporting the commemorative silver anniversary decal on the hood, fans will also experience the next chapter of the Motorcraft brand. Motorcraft is introducing a refreshed brand logo, a milestone for an iconic brand whose visual identity rarely changes. The redesign features a modernized font and the deliberate addition of Ford Blue, honoring the company‘s deep roots while underscoring its commitment to driving the aftermarket forward.

“As we continue to launch the next stage of Motorcraft with our new Pro and Extend brands, it‘s an ideal time to refresh the logo,” Wallace said.

From pit lane to local service bays, Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing represent unmatched history, continuous innovation, and an enduring drive to deliver. As both organizations look toward the future, the partnership remains built on the same foundation that has guided both brands for decades.

Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing Highlights:

·       2001 — Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing partnership begins

·       2001 — Elliott Sadler wins the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway for Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing

·       2003 — Five-year partnership extension signed

·       2011 — Trevor Bayne wins Wood Brothers Racing‘s fifth DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway

·       2014 — Wood Brothers Racing announces formation of technical alliance with Team Penske

·       2016 — Wood Brothers Racing returns to full-time competition with support from Motorcraft and Team Penske

·       2017 — Ryan Blaney scores his first career Cup Series win in the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway

·       2024 — Harrison Burton delivers Wood Brothers Racing’s historic 100th victory in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona

·       2025 — Wood Brothers Racing celebrates 75th anniversary

·       2025 — Josh Berry earns Wood Brothers Racing’s 101 victory in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

·       2026 — New contract signed to extend partnership through 2030

·       2026 — Motorcraft and Wood Brothers Racing celebrate 25-year partnership

— Campbell Marketing —

The No. 66 ride will carry a striking paint scheme similar to the previously unveiled Protection Technologies 2027 Daytona 500 entry. As the team gears up for its next attempt at The Great American Race, NASCAR fans will get a preview of the Protection Technologies livery on-track as we close out 2026.

Protection Technologies designs, installs, and commissions complete low-voltage security systems for many types of clients, including general contractors, property managers, commercial real estate, government and municipal facilities, and professional sports venues.

SunCoast Performance was established in 1989 to answer the demand for high-quality aftermarket torque converters, transmission assemblies, and parts. Since that time, SunCoast has identified, tested, and corrected numerous failure points within the realm of OEM transmissions and torque converters. At the pinnacle of automotive performance in design, engineering, and manufacturing, SunCoast has grown to over 45 employees. Their in-house metal supplier National Aluminum & Alloy carries upwards of $2,000,000 worth of readily available raw materials. National Aluminum allows SunCoast to maintain complete manufacturing control of their products from inception to completion.

With more than 20 years of experience in air conditioning and ventilation, Cooper&Hunter USA has grown into a leading HVAC market player. The brand is dedicated to technological innovation and consumer-driven product development, generating HVAC equipment that adheres to the highest quality standards, providing reliable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective air conditioning
solutions.

For Finchum, the 32-year-old from Knoxville, Tennessee is set to start his 20th NASCAR Cup Series race, eight of which will have been made this season, a new career-high.

“There‘s a lot to be excited about heading into Homestead,” said Chad. “It‘s the final race of the season, it‘s championship weekend, and I‘m grateful to be part of it with this team. My only start there in a Next Gen car was back in 2024, so I‘m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and building on that experience.”

“We‘re welcoming some new partners on board for this race, which makes it even more special. It means a lot when people believe in you and want to be part of what you‘re doing. To our new partners and the ones who continue to stand behind us, thank you for making these opportunities possible.”

“I‘m also thankful for all the work Garage 66 puts in to get us to the track and for the fans who keep cheering us on. You want to give everyone something to smile about heading into the offseason, and that‘s certainly our goal. We‘ve got one more opportunity to go out there, give it everything we have, and finish the year strong. I‘m ready to get to Miami and go racing!”

Garage 66 co-owner Carl Long has his eyes both on the conclusion of 2026 as well as peeking ahead to the 2027 season opener.

“Garage 66 is glad to welcome both new and returning sponsors on board,” said Carl. “Protection Technologies has already signed up for our 2027 Daytona 500 entry with Josh Bilicki, and they are stepping up to help us finish our year out with Chad. SunCoast Performance joins us on the hood for Miami, and we also return multi-year associate sponsor Cooper&Hunter USA. We are excited to bring these national brands into NASCAR.”

“Chad loves the no-grip track surface at Homestead. We are finishing off 2026 and continuing to build our 2027 Cup schedule and sponsor lineups.”

Homestead-Miami Speedway hosts three days of track activity for the NASCAR Cup teams this weekend. Friday will bring 50 minutes of practice, preceding qualifying on Saturday; both of those sessions air on truTV. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race will run at 3 pm ET on Sunday, November 8, live on network NBC.

— Garage 66 —

Crafton last competed at the track in 2025, finishing 13th in the No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 after starting 23rd. With a championship history at Homestead, Crafton adds a familiar and accomplished presence to ThorSport Racing‘s lineup for the season finale.

— ThorSport Racing —

Told you it was part time. @ThorSportRacing @NASCAR @NASCAR_Trucks @Menards https://t.co/RfdTsCoVUW

— Matt Crafton (@Matt_Crafton) November 3, 2026

Hocevar was fined $100,000 and penalized 25 driver points for multiple violations of NASCAR’s behavioral code of conduct under Section 4.4a of the rulebook. Berry was fined $50,000 and also lost 25 driver points for actions detrimental to stock car racing.

Additionally, James Price and Samuel Wright of the #60 team of Ryan Preece have been suspended for the next two NASCAR Cup Series events following the loss of an improperly installed wheel during the race. Their suspensions run through the Clash at Daytona on February 13, 2027.

The complete NASCAR penalty report is available below.

Click here to download the PDF

.@EarnhardtKelley couldn‘t contain her excitement — and neither can we.

@rajahcaruth_ is returning to JR Motorsports full-time in 2027, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet. https://t.co/9h5FewExCm

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) November 4, 2026

Original Post: Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner and CEO of JR Motorsports, confirmed that Rajah Caruth will return to the organization for the full 2027 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive.”

Caruth, who made The Chase presented by Mobil 1 in his first full season in the series, will pilot the No. 88 Chevrolet for the full season. He had split time between JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Bommarito Autosport in 2026.

“Rajah is back in the 88 full time,” Earnhardt Miller said. “We’re going to have full-time cars, so it’s going to be an interesting season for JRM.

“Super exciting. He deserves to be here another year.”

Caruth ranks 12th out of the 12 Chase drivers entering the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished runner-up to JRM teammate Carson Kvapil at Iowa Speedway, scoring an additional top five at Rockingham Speedway in early April.

“A decision like this has a lot of variables and a cascading effect across an organization like ours,” said Jeff Dickerson, co-owner of Spire Motorsports. “The easy thing would have been to leave this in NASCAR’s hands and let them decide what any penalty should be. To us, however, this isn‘t about money or points. We believe in respect. Our integrity matters. This is the right decision for Spire Motorsports.

“Everyone here loves working with Carson, and we’ve enjoyed watching him thrive alongside our team. Sometimes the right decision for someone you care about hurts in the short term. The way Carson conducted himself at Martinsville doesn‘t meet the standard we set for our drivers, team members or employees, and there are consequences for that. That doesn’t mean we don’t love him and support him.

“Racing at the Cup level is a privilege, and it comes with an expected level of professionalism from everyone who represents Spire Motorsports. We’ll go to Homestead united and compete as an organization. After that, we can get ready for Daytona in February with the right mindset to contend for a championship.”

— Spire Motorsports —

Hocevar statement: “This is an embarrassing day for me. I let the people down that gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to drive a Cup car. I also let down my team, sponsors and fans. I crossed the line with my on-track actions and gave Jeff and Spire Motorsports no option but to put someone else in the 77 car this weekend at Homestead. I‘ll be rooting for the entire organization this weekend and look forward to coming back in 2027 as a better driver, competitor and teammate.”

pic.twitter.com/EaKymv5yq3

— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) November 3, 2026

But it took 500 laps of hard-nosed and often hard-luck racing on the .524-mile Virginia short track to set that stage for next Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Larson who took a 73-point advantage to the Martinsville green flag and now holds a 67-point advantage over Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell and a 70-point gap on Bell‘s JGR teammate Denny Hamlin heading to Florida.

The trio had an action-packed afternoon at the historic half-miler running up front early — Hamlin won pole position. They all were forced to overcome challenging circumstances mid-race before putting together a final run that technically keeps the title Chase up for grabs. Hamlin finished sixth at Martinsville with Larson and Bell finishing ninth and 10th.

There are 76 points available in a single race. The two-time and reigning series champion Larson needs only nine points now to put the title out of reach for either of the other drivers. And …. Larson arrives in the Sunshine State the defending Homestead race winner, taking his second trophy at the track in the 2025 race, last March.

Asked about the Homestead scenario following the Martinsville race, the driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota Bell smiled, conceding it would take extraordinary circumstances to prevail with such a points deficit.

“It’s just another race, another opportunity to fight for a win,” the 2023 Homestead race winner said. “I think we know [of the challenge].”

Hamlin, a three-time Homestead winner, did not overtly concede anything either despite the large points disadvantage he faces.

“I feel confident that I’ll be able to go there and contend,” the driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota insisted. “I’d love to get another win before the end of the year. I thought it was going to come today.

“We’ll have to get one more shot at it next week and see if we can’t get one more win.”

These three drivers have scored four of the last six race wins at Homestead with Hamlin winning from pole position in 2020.

“There’s always concern when it’s not clinched,” Larson allowed Sunday evening on Martinsville pit road. “I absolutely will feel some pressure this week. I know it’s a large gap. Crazy things can happen. Just got to go there and execute like we have all Chase, yeah, just be ready to capitalize.”

Hendrick Motorsports President Jeff Andrews echoed the caution optimism after the Martinsville race, a one-two finish for the team with William Byron and Chase Elliott.

“I think it’s always easier said than done, to say we’re just going to go in there, do our thing, keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Andrews said. “At this time of year there’s a lot of different pressures, situations that come up that these guys, crew chiefs, that do such an amazing job for us have to react to. There are circumstances that you can control and some that you can’t control.

“Next week we’ll go to Homestead, and we’ll control what we can. We’ll do our very best to go down there and put 267 laps together and get the points we need.

I would say that it’s, in our minds, far from over. There’s a lot of racing left, so…”

Practice is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. before Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race is at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— NASCAR News Wire —

The tandem will carry NAPA Auto Care on board for the brand‘s 37th year in partnership with team owner Bill McAnally, along with various NAPA suppliers. The MHR organization will also be rejoined by Columbia Bank and Motion with increased involvement.

“It‘s nice to have 2027 planned out already”, Eckes said. “We want to accomplish much more in ‘27 than we did this year and feel strong about the plan we have in place to do it. The speed we‘ve generated in the second half of this season has given us a lot of confidence to start next year strong and make the most of the opportunity with NAPA, Columbia Bank, and Motion.”

“Our No. 19 team and the company certainly got stronger as the year progressed”, Hemric said. “All our partners, NAPA, Motion, and Columbia Bank have given us a great chance to build together in 2027. There is plenty of hunger internally to build the right culture and prepare the right way for a strong start next year.”

Hemric and Eckes begin their road to the 2027 NFFTS Chase at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 19th.

Additional details for the team‘s 2027 lineup will be announced at a later date.

–McAnally-Hilgemann Racing–

The two companies will debut together on Day‘s No. 17 Chevrolet on March 20 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Their schedule will also include events at Dover Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, WWT Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Phoenix Raceway and a second event at Las Vegas.

 RELATED: Day finishes third at Martinsville, keeps championship hopes alive

Healtheflex and Elite Rewards work together to give employers ways to support employee health. Healtheflex provides preventive programs and screenings that help employees spot potential problems early and take steps to stay healthy. Elite Rewards delivers innovative, performance-driven business solutions that incentivize action, accelerate sales, strengthen customer loyalty and drive measurable growth.

“Elite Rewards and Healtheflex understand how much more you can accomplish when you bring the right people together,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “They value teamwork, preparation and taking care of people, which are things we believe in, too. Corey is a rising star who has earned this opportunity with his talent and work ethic. He‘ll be a terrific spokesperson for both companies, and we have every confidence in him and our No. 17 team to win races and compete for a championship in 2027.”

Through tailored loyalty, incentive, and rebate programs, Elite Rewards empowers businesses to engage customers, associates and dealers, rewarding the behaviors that drive sales, strengthen relationships and deliver measurable business results.

“Elite‘s partnership with Hendrick Motorsports is a natural fit for who we are as a company,” said Tom Coffeen, CEO of Elite Rewards. “We‘re driven by a relentless push forward and shaped by a culture of bold innovation, the same qualities that define this sport at its core. Auto racing has always embodied speed, precision and the pursuit of excellence, and we‘re proud to stand alongside an organization that shares our commitment to pushing boundaries and elevating the fan experience. Together, we‘re accelerating into a future filled with possibility.”

Healtheflex helps employees take a proactive approach to their health by encouraging preventive care through a program that supplements their existing insurance coverage. The program is designed to benefit both employees and employers.

“We‘re incredibly excited to partner with Hendrick Motorsports because we share a belief that great performance starts with preparation,” said Robert Cronheim, chairman and co-founder of Centavizer Healtheflex. “Hendrick Motorsports has built a culture around staying ahead, constantly improving and giving people the tools they need to perform at their best. That‘s exactly what we‘re building with Centavizer Healtheflex — a smarter, more proactive approach to preventative health care that helps people take control of their health before problems arise. Together, we have an opportunity to bring that mindset to an entirely new audience and show that staying ahead matters just as much in your health as it does on the track.”

 PHOTOS: See the images from victory lane in Charlotte

Day, 20, of Clovis, California, is a 2026 NOAPS championship contender with four wins this season. In 2027, he will return to the series for his second full-time campaign in the No. 17 Chevrolet fielded by Hendrick Motorsports.

“Racing teaches you pretty quickly that you can‘t do it all yourself,” Day said. “You need people around you who bring different strengths and know how to collaborate. Elite Rewards and Healtheflex already have that kind of relationship, and it‘s cool to see them take this step and join the No. 17 team. Next year is shaping up to be really fun.”

Elite Rewards and Healtheflex will share primary sponsorship of the No. 17 Chevrolet at the following races in 2027:

March 20: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

May 15: Dover Motor Speedway

June 5: Nashville Superspeedway

July 24: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Aug. 21: WWT Raceway

Sept. 10: Richmond Raceway

Oct. 9: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Oct. 23: Phoenix Raceway

The Elite Rewards and Healtheflex paint scheme for Day‘s No. 17 Chevrolet will be unveiled at a later date.

— Hendrick Motorsports —

Daniel Suárez will sport the Modo Super Gaming App‘s John Daly colors on his No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 8. Two days prior, Nick Sanchez, a two-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner, will debut the scheme aboard Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST in the Nov. 6 Baptist Health 200.

Both Spire Motorsports entries will feature a bold palette of hot pink, electric cyan, violet and orange highlighted by a racing stripe built from small Daly portraits in loud pop-art color.

“Some paint schemes are designed to blend in. This isn‘t one of them,” said Spire Motorsports President Bill Anthony. “Modo has never been shy about having fun with this sport, and John Daly is the perfect fit for that personality. We‘re proud to carry their colors on both the No. 77 and the No. 7 at Homestead, and we are confident fans will spot them from the top row of the grandstands. We‘re grateful to Modo for bringing this kind of energy to the finale and giving fans one more reason to smile at Homestead.”

Separate from the win column, Sanchez, a Miami native, will make his third NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of 2026 with Spire Motorsports at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He won the pole for the track‘s 2023 race and came home with a series/venue-best 13th-place finish a year later.

Suárez has assembled a noteworthy season all the while qualifying for NASCAR‘s version of the playoff‘s — The Chase. He earned his third-career win at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and wrapped up the regular season with three top fives and seven top 10s. The Monterrey, Mexico native currently sits 15th in The Chase standings heading into the season finale. In nine previous Cup Series starts at Homestead, Suárez earned a venue-best 10th-place finish in 2022.

Daly, a brand ambassador for Modo, America‘s Super Gaming App, since 2024, will attend Sunday‘s race at Homestead and will join Suárez and the No. 7 team on the starting grid before the green flag.

“I‘ve had my face on a lot of things over the years, but never on a NASCAR Cup car doing 180 mph,” said Daly. “Usually, it‘s my pants getting all the attention, but now I‘ve got a race car stealing the show. I‘ll be at Homestead cheering on Daniel and watching a few hundred of me flying around the track. Hopefully, they can go faster than I can walk to the 19th hole!”

“NASCAR fans deserve more than a logo on a quarter panel, so we took the boldest personality in golf and turned him into the loudest car on the grid,” said David Jumper, Chief Marketing Officer of ARB Interactive. That is how Modo, America‘s Super Gaming App, operates. Go bigger than anyone expects, then show up in person.”

Racing action at Homestead-Miami Speedway kicks off with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship race on November 6. Live coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on FS1, with radio coverage provided by the NASCAR Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship race begins at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 8. The 267-lap event will be broadcast live on NBC, with live radio coverage provided by Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

— Spire Motorsports —

The partnership brings together two companies focused on helping entrepreneurs and businesses grow, with a specially designed paint scheme featuring both brands as the NASCAR Cup Series concludes its 2026 season.

The No. 47 Chevrolet will feature a striking blue, purple, white and black design, with Commas prominently displayed across the hood and sides of the car and 7th Level featured across the rear quarter panels, decklid and other key areas.

Commas, formerly known as FanBasis, is a Miami-based technology company providing an all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, creators and online businesses. Its software combines payment processing, digital product sales, subscriptions, coaching programs and business management tools, helping entrepreneurs build and scale their businesses.

7th Level, founded by internationally recognized sales trainer and entrepreneur Jeremy Miner, is a global sales training organization specializing in helping individuals and companies improve their sales performance. The company is known for its Neuro-Emotional Persuasion Questioning (NEPQ) methodology, which uses behavioral science, psychology and strategic questioning to help sales professionals better understand customers and improve results.

Miner, co-author of The New Model of Selling, has become a prominent voice in modern sales education. Working alongside Miner is Cory Crump, co-owner of 7th Level, who helps lead the company’s business operations, growth initiatives and strategic partnerships.

For both companies, the NASCAR partnership extends beyond traditional sponsorship, creating an opportunity to introduce their brands to racing fans while building relationships with customers, business leaders and other companies involved in the sport. The partnership will also provide Commas and 7th Level with an extensive race-weekend experience, including hospitality for customers and business partners, access to the Hyak Motorsports team and opportunities to connect with other NASCAR sponsors and executives.

— Hyak Motorsports —

Last June at Michigan International Speedway, as the Stellantis brand executive announced RAM’s advent into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Kuniskis also asserted that Dodge planned to return to NASCAR Cup Series racing.

That promise is now reality, as Dodge will join NASCAR‘s top division in 2027—perhaps sooner than expected.

Kaulig Racing, which ran five Ram entries in the Craftsman Truck Series this season, will field two Dodge Chargers in the Cup Series next year.

“Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘Watch this,\"” said Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection division, Stellantis North America.

“Sure, we could spend three years planning, testing and perfecting. … or we could do all three in real time, on the track. It’s going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA. LFG.”

Dodge last raced in the Cup Series in 2012 and departed after Brad Keselowski won the series title with Team Penske that year. During NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kaulig Racing will announce its driver lineup for the 2027 season.

This season, AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon drive Cup cars for the organization, which will transition from Chevrolet to Dodge in time for the season-opening DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 21.

Details on the engine builder for the Dodge Chargers will be released later.

“Dodge‘s return to the NASCAR Cup Series is a significant milestone for the sport,” NASCAR CEO Steve O‘Donnell said in a statement. “This commitment speaks to Dodge‘s belief in our sport and gives fans another reason to be excited about what‘s ahead.

“The partnership between NASCAR, Tim Kuniskis and the entire team at Stellantis has been nothing short of phenomenal. They have a deep passion for NASCAR and its ability to showcase the world‘s top brands, and we can‘t wait to see Dodge on the racetrack for the DAYTONA 500 and beyond.”

Stellantis established its presence in NASCAR racing this season with its five entries in the Craftsman Truck Series. Justin Haley‘s fourth-place result in the fall race at Bristol Motor Speedway has been the high-water mark for the brand thus far.

As Kuniskis indicated, the return of Dodge follows an expedited schedule under which NASCAR already has approved the Charger body for next season.

On a Zoom call with reporters on Monday night, NASCAR President of Event Management John Probst said the typical timeline for a new OEM is 18 months.

“I think we‘ve done it a little bit more abbreviated,” Probst said of Dodge‘s entry, “because there was a notice of submission of a Dodge, and then it went quiet. And then it picked up a lot of steam very quick, so we were able to combine a lot of the milestones.

“It‘s still a year or more process to go through the whole thing, so this one came right up against it. We‘ll have those production panels in a little under two weeks, so we‘ll be done with our season.

“They‘re certainly not going to have a ton of time to prep cars and get ready for the Clash (Wheatley Vodka Clash exhibition race on Feb. 13 at Daytona), but this was done about as fast as fast as we can do it once they decided to go.”

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection division, Stellantis North America, shared the news during a sneak preview of the Stellantis display at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA , opens in a new tab) Show. For Dodge, the message is simple: gasoline-powered performance is back at the center of the brand, and Dodge is heading back to NASCAR Cup Series racing.

“Everyone said it was impossible to get back in one year. We said, ‘watch this,\"” said Kuniskis. “Sure, we could spend three years planning, testing and perfecting … or we could do all three in real time, on the track. It’s going to be exponentially harder this way. But slow has never been part of Dodge DNA. LFG.”

Dodge’s storied history in NASCAR Cup has helped shape, mold and push the series forward, from the first Dodge NASCAR Cup win in 1953 to a championship for the No. 2 Blue Deuce Dodge Charger in 2012, the brand’s final year in Cup. Today, that story begins a new chapter.

That new chapter builds on momentum already underway across Stellantis’ North American motorsports portfolio. Ram’s 2026 return to NASCAR competition with Kaulig Racing, which will now serve as Dodge and Ram’s anchor team, has reestablished a factory-backed presence at the track and created a foundation for the next phase of the company’s commitment to American motorsports. Now, Dodge is preparing to carry that momentum back to NASCAR Cup Series racing.

Spearheading the Dodge return to the NASCAR Cup Series is Dodge SRT Racing, which leads all North American motorsports efforts, including NASCAR, NHRA and additional motorsports series.

The road back to NASCAR Cup Series racing will include several key moments leading into the 2027 season:

1. During NASCAR Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kaulig Racing will announce its driver lineup for the 2027 season
2. The next stop will be the 59th annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, where Dodge will hold The Dodge Sno-Brawl. Celebrity drivers will take to the track in a head-to-head challenge in equally prepared Dodge Charger late-model stock cars for some friendly competition. Additional race details will be announced at a later date. Dodge will also reveal the race car that will wear the brand’s livery in NASCAR Cup Series competition

Fans can watch the reveal of the new Dodge stock car at the 59th annual Snowball Derby via livestream on FloRacing , opens in a new tab and on the NASCAR Channel courtesy of Flo Racing on Dec. 4.

The wait is over. Dodge is back.

— Kaulig Racing —

Ford statement: “Dodge‘s return to the NASCAR Cup Series is a significant milestone for the sport,” said Steve O‘Donnell, NASCAR Chief Executive Officer. “This commitment speaks to Dodge‘s belief in our sport and gives fans another reason to be excited about what‘s ahead. The partnership between NASCAR, Tim Kuniskis and the entire team at Stellantis has been nothing short of phenomenal. They have a deep passion for NASCAR and its ability to showcase the world‘s top brands, and we can‘t wait to see Dodge on the racetrack for the DAYTONA 500 and beyond.”

ORIGINAL POST: Dodge will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, a year earlier than originally anticipated. The announcement was made Monday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Kaulig Racing will field two Dodge Chargers beginning with the Daytona 500, with AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon expected to drive the entries.

Dodge last competed in the Cup Series in 2012, winning the championship with Brad Keselowski and Team Penske before departing the sport. The manufacturer returned to NASCAR’s Truck Series under the Ram brand in 2026, initially targeting a Cup Series return in 2028.

The accelerated timeline was made possible through a partnership with Earnhardt Childress Racing, which will build Dodge-spec engines alongside its Chevrolet engine program. Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota supported the arrangement, recognizing the benefits of adding a fourth manufacturer to the Cup Series.

— Associated Press —

Allgaier, the 2024 series champion, is currently the series points leader and carries a 22-point lead into the 2026 season finale, seeking his second title at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday (5 p.m. ET, The CW, ESPN Unlimited, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

— NASCAR.com —

Not done yet. @J_Allgaier and @BRANDT_co Professional Agriculture are BACK at JR Motorsports in a multi-year deal starting in 2027. pic.twitter.com/NWG9KHEdXY

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) November 2, 2026

It will present commercial-free.

The NASCAR Channel is available across major FAST and connected TV platforms, including Prime Video, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Xumo Play, LG Channels, TCLtv+, Sling Freestream and Plex, as well as on the NASCAR mobile app and NASCAR.com.

— NASCAR —

Update on Jeff Hensley:
After 16 days in the hospital, Jeff was finally released and transferred to a rehabilitation facility, where he can work on building his strength back. Sepsis took an incredible toll on his body and he has a bit of a road ahead to regain his strength, but we are thankful to be moving into this next chapter of recovery. Each day brings new steps forward, some big and some small, but all working toward getting back to the track. We’re celebrating every bit of progress along the way!
We cannot begin to thank everyone who has reached out, sent messages, checked on us and especially prayed for Jeff. The love and support we have felt from so many, near and far, has been overwhelming. We are especially grateful for those who have so generously contributed and for the dear friends who took it upon themselves to rally others around us during this time. We truly believe in the power of prayer and we have felt those prayers every step of the way.
One day, one milestone, one lap at a time.

Read the post, with information on a GoFundMe here. 

UPDATE: We‘re learning more about Hensley‘s health and overall condition, following a Facebook post made by his wife, Lynn Ramsey Hensley, saying that he had sepsis.

“Last week, Jeff called the race at Charlotte… This week he fought for his life with sepsis in the hospital,” the Facebook post read. “We praise God this morning that Jeff is still with us. He is expected to make a full recovery. Thank you to all who have called, texted, visited, and most of all PRAYED!! We have felt the prayers. A special thank you to our TRICON Garage family for all the love and support.”

In May, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch passed away at the age of 41, after severe pneumonia turned into sepsis.

Hensley, however, is expected to make a full recovery.

— JosephSrigley.com—

Previous post: Jeff Hensley, who has been leading the No. 15 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro team since the beginning of 2024, will not be making the trip to Avondale, Arizona this weekend due to an illness, and will thus hand over shot-calling duties to long-time TRICON Garage employee Jacob Hampton.

Hampton has recorded 36 races of experience as a crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, working first with Taylor Gray in the second half of the 2023 campaign, before being promoted to the full-time crew chief of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2025.

— JosephSrigley.com—

Ahead of his impending departure from RFK Racing, team co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski told SBJ last week that there is high demand to invest in NASCAR teams. The 42-year-old from Michigan bid to buy out RFK from the other two ownership groups of the team but was denied, though he said he still desires to be a team owner in the sport somewhere. He declined to say how much he bid or if other investors were part of his effort.

Industry executives say the next charters to sell will likely go for between $50M-100M.

Among the recent deals are Marc Lasry‘s Avenue Sports Fund investing into Trackhouse Entertainment Group, Knighthood Capital Management buying into Legacy Motor Club and TWG Global taking a major stake in Spire Motorsports. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment is a minority owner of Joe Gibbs Racing.

In recent months, Trackhouse and Richard Childress Racing are among the teams that industry executives have pointed to as potential targets. Legacy has said publicly that it is back in the market seeking more funds, and Michael Jordan‘s flashy 23XI Racing makes a natural target for stick-and-ball investors to eye.

See much more at Sports Business Journal.

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Xfinity 500

Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:52 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:30 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 218
Minutes of race broadcast: 197
Minutes of traditional commercials: 21

Total number of commercials: 130
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 55
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 48
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 31
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 82
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 49
Number of times NBC utilized ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast: 13

Companies seen the most in commercials during this broadcast: NBC (25 times); Sonic (8 times); NASCAR (6 times); WPXI (6 times); Xfinity (6 times)

— CawsNJaws —

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Four Cup Series drivers entered Sunday‘s race at Martinsville Speedway knowing they needed nearly flawless performances over 500 laps to even keep their championship hopes alive. Instead, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney all saw their title aspirations dashed, with none able to do enough to remain mathematically eligible for the cchampionship heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In a race where the three primary championship contenders all endured adversity, none of their fellow title hopefuls could capitalize on the opportunity. Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin each experienced turbulent afternoons in the Xfinity 500, but the top five in the final running order consisted entirely of drivers who had either already been eliminated from The Chase presented by Mobil 1 or failed to qualify for the postseason altogether.

Blaney was the first driver to see his championship hopes officially come to an end. While battling Team Penske affiliate teammate Josh Berry, the No. 12 Ford made contact with the rear of Berry‘s car exiting Turn 4, damaging the radiator and forcing Blaney to the garage. The 2023 champion eventually returned to the track but lost 57 laps in the process and was relegated to a 35th-place finish.

“[Berry] decided to slam on the brakes and end our day,” a frustrated Blaney told USA Sports. “Don’t really know why after a tiny little bit of contact, not even on purpose. Lost his mind and ended our day.”

Meanwhile, Briscoe entered the race 79 points behind the championship lead but failed to score a single stage point. James Small, leader of the No. 19 team, rolled the dice on multiple occasions, making several strategic gambles in hopes of gaining track position by staying out longer than his competition. None of those moves paid off, as Briscoe settled for a 14th-place finish and lost another five points to Larson, officially ending his bid for the Bill France Cup.

“Obviously, I want to be the champion but coming into today, being where we were at, we knew it was going to take something special,” Briscoe told Jayski.com. “Even after the first stage, I knew my chances were probably pretty slim.

“We were always so far behind from the get go with all the mishaps and everything else that when we got within 20 points, you are like, ‘alright, this might actually happen.‘ I‘ve given up so many points in these nine weeks — we just have to be better for next year.”

Reddick recorded the best finish among the eliminated drivers, coming home 12th, but was largely a nonfactor throughout the afternoon at one of his weakest tracks. The No. 45 team fought to salvage its afternoon and managed to leapfrog Blaney in the standings, moving up to sixth.

Despite being guaranteed to lead the league in race wins in 2026, Reddick leaves Martinsville disappointed with how the afternoon — and season — unfolded. Five of his six checkered flags came within the opening nine races of the campaign, but the 23XI Racing driver knows the organization must find another level heading into next season.

“We‘ve got to be better,” Reddick added. “We won six races, but it didn‘t mean much. We‘re here because the issues we had in the regular season showed up again in The Chase.

“Winning races is great but I‘m in the 45 to go contend for championships. Winning races is what you should do on good days, but when we‘ve been off, it‘s killed us, really.”

Logano‘s chances of capturing his fourth short-track victory of the 2026 season unraveled on pit road. A loose left-front tire and a wedge wrench left in the rear window, prompting a No. 22 team member to tumble down pit road, proved costly on separate pit stops. The two miscues sent Logano two laps down, resulting in an 18th-place finish. Despite the setbacks, he remains fifth in the standings, 103 points behind Larson.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot on pit road the last few races,” Paul Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 22 team told Jayski.com. “We were in position to win Phoenix — we knew that was a must win and we gave that one away, in my eyes. Today, we were in contention to win — I‘m not going to say we were going to win — but we were top three when we had the issue on pit road. A lot of work to do on pit road as a company. Just can‘t give races away like that, especially when other guys are having issues and not running well.

“We had good speed in our cars throughout The Chase. We made gains throughout the year.”

The championship battle is now down to three drivers, with Larson firmly in control of his title destiny. He needs just nine points at Homestead to secure his third Cup Series championship — and second consecutive crown — regardless of how Bell or Hamlin perform.

There were no issues for #24-William Byron. He is officially the winner of the race.

Byron dominated the race, leading 362 of 500 laps and sweeping both stages on his way to a 2.049-second victory. His laps-led total established a new career high, surpassing the 304 laps he led at Martinsville last year. Only seven drivers finished on the lead lap, while Kyle Larson maintained his championship lead heading into the season finale at Homestead, where he holds a 67-point advantage over Christopher Bell.

No cars going to the NASCAR R&D Center.

The Cup Series now heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for wrap up the 2026 season.

The 28-year-old Charlotte native Byron led a dominating 362 of the 500 laps at the historic .524-mile speedway ultimately claiming a 2.049-second victory over the defending race winner, another Hendrick teammate, Chase Elliott. It was the most laps that Byron had ever led in a single race in his nine-year career in NASCAR‘s premier series and resulted in his fourth win at the track along with the 17th victory of his career.

His No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was so dominant that Byron swept both stage wins and was able to put all but seven cars in the 37-car field a lap down by the checkered flag.

“We‘re always pretty good here,” Byron said smiling in understatement.

“Man, it‘s been a long road this year and this team‘s worked really hard and I just appreciate them. We‘ve had our struggles but today feels damn good. Man, we never quit and there‘s something to be said about that.‘‘

Beyond Byron‘s pace out front to deliver the Hendrick team its 32nd Martinsville victory, the drivers still chasing down the 2026 championship trophy had an eventful afternoon. Polesitter and Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin, who came into the race ranked second to Larson, finished sixth. Larson finished ninth and JGR‘s Christopher Bell was 10th.

Heading to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson now only needs to finish 28th or better — or simply gain nine points — to hoist his third career championship trophy.

He holds a 67-point lead on Bell and a 70-point advantage over Hamlin heading to South Florida. They are now the only three drivers still mathematically eligible for the title.

“I absolutely will feel some pressure this week,” Larson conceded. “I know it’s a large gap. Crazy things can happen. Just got to go there and execute like we have all Chase, yeah, just be ready to capitalize.”

The reigning series champion Larson won the race held last spring at the Homestead 1.5-mile oval and should he claim the title, the 33-year-old Californian would become only the 10th driver in NASCAR‘s 78-year history to win three championships or more.

An unsuccessful strategy call early in the race essentially forced Larson and Martinsville pole winner Hamlin to play catch up early in the going.

Unlike most of the field, neither Larson‘s nor Hamlin‘s teams opted to pit mid-stage in the opening 160-lap Stage. But left on older tires they could not keep the top five pace they had shown in the opening laps and their competition who did pit was able to blow by.

The loss of track position fundamentally forced a change to their strategy with Larson going down a lap and Hamlin falling to the rear of the lead lap. And Hamlin said the setback really proved too much to recover from.

“Just really came down to stage one with us running the no-stop strategy,‘‘ said Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota. “Lost all of our track position there.

“Once we lost our track position, the strategy, it’s hard to drive back to the front,‘‘ he added. “Nobody else did. We obviously got some decent damage there.”

Bell, who steers the No. 20 JGR Toyota, was not immune from challenges either. After running top 10 for much of the early race, it looked like he would benefit from some fortunate pit stop timing — having been on pit road when a caution came out on lap 198. But he was issued a speeding penalty on pit exit and dropped from what would have been the lead to 14th position on the restart.
Then only a handful of laps later, Bell collided with his teammate Hamlin after slight contact from Team Penske‘s Joey Logano in Turn 2 – all fighting for position. There wasn‘t any significant damage and the two JGR cars returned to track. Larson was also able to get his lap back on the yellow that came out for the incident.

“I think at least myself, I got tricked into thinking I was better than I was,‘‘ Bell said mustering a slight smile. “My team, [crew chief] Adam [Stevens], did a great strategy call there in stage one to pit and got us a bunch of track position.

“On the stage two start, I felt like I was pretty good. Adam came on the radio and said that William [Byon] was running part throttle. I’m at 100%, he’s at 80%. I don’t know, just I was pretty close on the short run, then the long run I fell off.
All in all, 10th is probably about where we stacked up. It was a really hectic day. It is what it is.”

The longest green flag run (230 laps) in nearly 40 years closed out the race, however, and all three were able to rally forward for their top 10 finishes.

JGR‘s Ty Gibbs ran among the top five for most of the day and finished third with Wood Brothers‘ Josh Berry and Trackhouse Racing‘s Shane Van Gisbergen finishing fourth and fifth — quite a tremendous showing for the New Zealander Van Gisbergen who started 29th.
Richard Childress Racing‘s Austin Dillon finished seventh, just behind Hamlin. 23XI Racing‘s Bubba Wallace, Larson and Bell completed the top 10.

And so, it all comes down to next Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) where Larson arrives the defending winner and all three championship-eligible drivers have previously hoisted trophies.

— NASCAR News Wire —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Infraction Report.

For complete race information, check out the Martinsville race page.

“We are proud to share that our loyal fans have sold out the Xfinity 500,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “We are overwhelmingly grateful for race fans coming out to support The Chase and celebrate the best racing on the planet. As one of the most competitive races and tracks on the Cup Series schedule, the fireworks on and off the track will be on display before a capacity crowd today.”

The Xfinity 500 sellout marks the 13th Cup Series sellout this season. The tally includes the 11th consecutive DAYTONA 500, Texas Motor Speedway‘s second consecutive sellout, Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway for fifth consecutive year, Nashville Superspeedway for the fourth consecutive year, Michigan International Speedway‘s first sellout since 2005, Pocono Raceway for fourth consecutive year, inaugural NASCAR San Diego Weekend two-day (Saturday, Sunday) sellout, Chicagoland Speedway for its first Cup Series race since 2019, North Wilkesboro Speedway for fourth consecutive year, Iowa Speedway for the third consecutive year, Richmond Raceway for the second consecutive year and World Wide Technology Raceway for the fifth consecutive year.

The green flag for the penultimate race of the Cup Series Playoffs in the Xfinity 500 waves today at 2:09 p.m. The race will be broadcast on NBC, MRN Radio and SiriusXM Radio.

— Martinsville Speedway —

Justin Allgaier leads the five-way championship battle entering Homestead by 22 points over Jesse Love. Corey Day (minus-23), Carson Kvapil (minus-31) and Sheldon Creed (minus-42) all have a mathematical shot of winning the title.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

It was clutch performance for the 23-year-old North Carolinian who won the pole position and led the most laps on the day — 121 of 250 — in the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to keep himself very much in the championship conversation heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway next week for the season finale.

Ultimately, Kvapil had to hold off his JRM teammate, Justin Allgaier, for the win taking the trophy by .434-second over Allgaier, who leaves Virginia the new championship leader by 22 points over Richard Childress Racing‘s Jesse Love.

Hendrick Motorsports rookie Corey Day was third joining those three drivers atop the standings and positioning themselves for a thrilling season finale to decide the title.

Allgaier leads Love by 22 points with Day 23 points back and Kvapil now 31 points out. Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed finished sixth at Martinsville — good enough to keep him in the championship mix. He‘s ranked fifth, 42 points behind Allgaier.

“It‘s awesome, I knew in practice we had a very fast Chevrolet,‘‘‘ said Kvapil, who earned his, and crew chief Rodney Childers, first Martinsville win. “Able to qualify on pole but just kinda had a rough race between the end of stage one and the end of the race there, just kept getting shuffled back.

“But it just really worked out. Just super excited. Winning is always great but finally getting one at a track I feel like I‘m good at is really cool.‘‘

The series‘ championship leader coming into the race, Richard Childress Racing‘s Love had endured a tough night all night. Caught on pit road immediately behind an incident cost him positions mid-race, then a tire rub forced him to limp and persevere through Stage 2, where he finished 22nd and was really forced to play catch-up. Finally, his car suffered brake trouble with 30 laps to go crashing and bringing out the race‘s 12th and final caution. He finished 30th, dropping him from the lead into second place in the championship.

“Nothing really to process, I feel like I‘ve got a good idea of where it started to unravel and what did us in and all the bad stuff and good stuff that happened in between along the way,‘‘ the reigning NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Love said.

“I‘m not really going to study too much about today, it really doesn‘t matter. We have obviously one goal and probably for the most part only one avenue, one way to achieve that goal and it brings me a lot of clarity.

“It means unless the [number] seven (Allgaier) has a DNF at Homestead, we‘ve got to go and win the race. Obviously, that‘s where we do our best work in moments like that.‘‘

Allgaier, whose 52 laps led Saturday were second only to his teammate Kvapil, is the defending race winner at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway where the series goes next weekend to settle the championship.

“I think that last set of tires we had to push really hard to get through the field and those cautions didn‘t help us out,‘‘ said Allgaier noting the six cautions and a nearly 12-minute-long red flag in the final 105-lap run.

As for next week, he smiled and said, “I love the fact we have five [cars] going into Homestead with a shot to be champion. It‘s going to make for a great battle. I feel like our team does a really great job. We won there last year. We know how to get around the race track and we know we‘ll have speed, we just have to execute.

“If we do all the things we‘ve been doing and execute the way we know we can we keep the points lead.‘‘

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Brandon Jones finished fourth followed by Haas Factory teammates Sam Mayer and Creed. JR Motorsports‘ Sammy Smith was seventh with Joe Gibbs Racing‘s William Sawalich, Brent Crews and Taylor Gray rounding out the top-10.

The series heads south to Homestead-Miami Speedway next Saturday for the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

…

At Martinsville, Herbst said he remains sore from head to toe and that his body is still stiff, but he is intent on competing in the penultimate race of the 2026 season. Team co-owner Denny Hamlin noted, however, that Harrison Burton is on standby if needed.

“I think that Riley‘s gonna attempt to run,” Hamlin said Saturday morning. “I‘ll let him talk about the medical side of things, but it‘s, really, I think it‘s a pain-tolerance thing for him and I suspect he‘ll try to get it done this weekend.”

Herbst confirmed he tore a ligament in his left forearm but managed to complete 113 laps in Saturday‘s practice session in addition to his two qualifying laps.

— NASCAR.com —

Hamlin‘s No. 11 JGR Toyota turned in a lap of 98.492 mph around the historic .526-mile oval nestled among the Southern Virginia Fall foliage Saturday afternoon just bettering his JGR teammate, Ty Gibbs in the No. 45 JGR Toyota by a slight 049-second.

Five of Hamlin‘s last six race victories have come from pole position and his work Saturday puts him in front of the seven drivers still mathematically title-eligible.

Hendrick Motorsports‘ Kyle Larson, who leads the standings by 73 points over Hamlin, will roll off third in the No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet. Team Penske Ford teammates Austin Cindric and championship-eligible Joey Logano round out the top-five qualifiers.

“It always makes strategy easier when you‘ve qualified up front,‘‘ said the 45-year-old Virginian, who now has six career poles at his home state track and 54 in his decorated career.

“I felt very good about it,‘‘ Hamlin said of the fast lap. “I knew coming off Turn four it was enough and it‘s a really good feeling.‘‘

Hamlin has six victories at Martinsville — most among active drivers. His last came in the spring, 2025 race. He started from pole position and finished runner-up to Larson‘s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott this Spring.

“That was a great lap, truthfully hit all the marks I wanted to hit and car did all the things I needed it to do on that first lap,‘‘ Hamlin continued. “Really great job by the race team, great adjustments there and we‘ll see what we‘ve got tomorrow.

“We‘re going to give it all we‘ve got and all we‘ve got is all we‘ve got. I wish I had a little bit more, but we just need to control our own destiny tomorrow and that‘s getting the best day we can and let all the chips fall from there.‘‘

Larson won at Martinsville in 2023 and is on a streak of eight consecutive top-10 finishes here – including runner-up showings in 2022 and 2024.

“It was solid – I was hopeful for the lap time to show a little faster,‘‘ Larson said of his qualifying work. “Happy to start on the first couple rows and hopefully we can stay in the hunt all day.

“I think everybody else is convinced that we‘re going to lock it up here this weekend but to me, I don‘t look at it that way,‘‘ he said of the title fight. “Obviously Denny‘s starting ahead of me and he‘s really, really good here, and was a point away from a max points day earlier this year.

“I‘m more looking at how to keep it up front to leave myself a buffer for next week. We‘ll see how the race plays out but that‘s kind of my mindset. But Denny‘s definitely a much better short track racer than me. So just trying to stay in the hunt.

Roush Fenway Keselowski driver Ryan Preece was sixth fastest followed by  Hendrick teammates Alex Bowman, defending race winner William Byron and this Spring‘s Martinsville winner Chase Elliott. Wood Brothers‘ driver Josh Berry rounds out the top-10.

Hamlin‘s JGR teammates Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell round out the top four in the championship standings and will start 11th and 14th on the grid. They are 79 (Briscoe) and 74 (Bell) points off Larson‘s pace.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

The four crew chiefs still bringing a reasonable chance of leading a team to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship met with the media Saturday morning at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in advance of Sunday‘s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). And even though three of them go into the race as “longshots,” the competitive vibe was still strong and unmistakable.

Cliff Daniels, the crew chief for the championship-leading No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driven by reigning series champ Kyle Larson, conceded the 73-point advantage his team takes into the season‘s final two-race swing looks hard to beat. But the team is taking nothing for granted.

“Really, our game plan hasn’t changed a lot the last handful of weeks, even with the ups and downs, and I think that that’s probably true for all of us sitting here,‘‘ Daniels insisted. “We’ve all seen and we’re all very aware of how quickly the points can swing, so every week you’ve just got to be focused on maximizing your day and whatever that’s going to take.

“This is certainly a race where the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) could go lead all 500 laps and we’ve still got to have a strong day, so our game plan really hasn’t changed much.”

Certainly the points gap plays into the level of comfort, but all four crew chiefs — Daniels, Chris Gayle (No. 11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin), Adam Stevens (No. 20 Toyota of Christopher Bell) and James Small (No. 19 JGR Toyota of Chase Briscoe) — go into Sunday’s race with a fighting chance.

Going into last week‘s race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Larson only had a five-point advantage on Bell, but tough luck — some of their own making, some not — have turned the standings into a dramatically different situation. Larson‘s Talladega win and disappointing finishes for the other three have vaulted the reigning champ into a 73-point lead over Hamlin, 74-point advantage on Bell and 79 points on Briscoe heading into Martinsville‘s 500-lapper and then the season finale at 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway next week.

“This is a 10-race playoff, it’s not a not a nine-race playoff,‘‘ Stevens reiterated. “So, you got to bring your best every week. It’s going to be tough for anybody to make up 70 or however many points we have to make up, but it’s not mathematically impossible. I think it’s going to take some special circumstances, but we’ve been a victim to special circumstances plenty this year. Stuff like that can happen.‘‘

Three of the four drivers — Larson, Hamlin and Bell – have previous wins at both Martinsville and Homestead.

KESELOWSKI‘S NEXT CHAPTER

Brad Keselowski addressed the media Saturday morning in a lengthy press conference to discuss his future — a key element of which, he revealed, was settled only in the hour leading up to his appearance behind the microphone.

Just before his meeting with the media, the 2012 NACAR Cup Series champion and the championship RFK team came to an agreement to part ways in all meaningful aspects going forward, he revealed. While Keselowski finishes out the season in the No. 6 RFK Ford, he reiterated he has no intention of retiring from the driver‘s seat and conceded he doesn‘t have anything lined up — yet — for 2027.

But, he said, he is open to both ownership and driving opportunities.

“There are really three pivotal next steps for me that we‘re working through very hard,‘‘ he said. “The first one for me is, now that I‘ve been granted the release, I can meaningfully engage in the opportunities that exist. I was more or less taking phone calls and unable to do much with them until granted that release here just recently. Now I can engage them in a meaningful way. I can also go about the process of finding the right media and marketing partners to take on that challenge.”

Keselowski reminded that he brings eligibility for NASCAR‘s Clash race and would love to compete in the season-opening Daytona 500, a crown jewel he still has yet to win.

“When I joined RFK Racing, which would have been about five years ago now, I joined with the idea that it would be my forever home,‘‘ Keselowski said. “That would be where I finished my career, transcend into management and ownership for the rest of my professional career in life. That was really where my heart was and it didn‘t play out the way that we hoped it would, but there were a lot of good things that did happen.

“I would say objectively I was able to be a part of taking this team up a level in every measurable way, and I‘m proud of the people that I got to work with and that we did that together with. No matter where this goes from here, that doesn‘t change.”

LARSON COULD BE FIRST REPEAT CHAMP SINCE JIMMIE JOHNSON

Although Larson is adamant not to “count his championships before they come,” should his No. 5 Hendrick team claim the 2026 title, he would be the first back-to-back champ since a fellow former Hendrick Motorsports driver, Jimmie Johnson, who won a record five consecutive championships between 2006-2010.

With the benefit of a victory last weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Larson — who won the 2021 and 2025 season titles — holds a hefty 73-point advantage atop the standings as he takes the Martinsville green flag Sunday.

“I think it would definitely be an amazing accomplishment, for sure,‘‘ Larson said, allowing a slight smile. “I think with repeat champions, it was obviously really tough with the previous format, so I think you’ll see more of it now as we get back to The Chase. It’s just easier to put together 10 good races than one.

“But I think if we happen to go back-to-back with it being two different formats, I think that also just shows the resilience of this team. So, yeah, we’ll see. I just want to go race and try and do a good job.”

BELL RE-SETS CHAMPIONSHIP CHASE AFTER TOUGH TALLADEGA

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was a mere five-points behind Larson when he climbed into his No. 20 Toyota last week at Talladega Superspeedway — poised to keep the defending series champ honest and hopeful this may well be the year he hoisted a NASCAR Cup Series trophy.

But a pit road miscue early in the Talladega race put him down a half dozen laps and forced a day of playing catch-up while Larson pulled off an amazing overtime victory passing 11 cars on the final lap for his first ever superspeedway win. Bell finished 35th and now trails Larson by 74 points heading to Sunday‘s green flag.

The upside, however, is the way Bell‘s team has handled the disappointment and turned it into “no-pressure” motivation for this final two-race run on the season.

“Last week was a trying moment for our team,‘‘ Bell said Saturday at Martinsville. “I was really happy with how we all came together. It would have been really easy to tear each other down in that moment and none of us did. I was really proud of our group for last week and how we handled it.”

And, he added, “It‘s certainly a mentality shift. Where we are at now, we know that the only way forward is to go out here and win two stages and a race and go to Homestead and win two stages and a race. In reality, we have nothing to lose, so now the pressure is off. It‘s just a matter of going out there and throwing hail mary‘s. We‘re to that point now, so that‘s what we are going to do

“Just the way we all handled it was remarkable.‘‘

Bell won the 2022 Fall race here at Martinsville, was a runner-up in the 2025 spring race and has had seventh-place finishes here in the last two races. He‘s also a former winner (2023) with four top-11 finishes in six starts at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the series goes to conclude the season next week.

CLEETUS LANDS FULLTIME JOB WITH RCR

Championship NASCAR organization Richard Childress Racing announced this week it will field a car fulltime in the 2027 ARCA Menards Series for popular media personality and aspiring racing competitor, Garrett Mitchell better known as “Cleetus McFarland.”

McFarland will drive the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet — marking the renowned team‘s return to ARCA competition and McFarland‘s first ever full-time job competing in a major racing series and he called the opportunity “a dream come true.‘‘

“Cleetus has an undeniable passion for racing and a work ethic that has impressed everyone at our organization,” said President of Richard Childress Racing Mike Verlander. “Cleetus is a perfect fit for RCR. He‘s earned this opportunity, and we‘re looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish over the course of a full season.”

RCR has a successful history in the series, previously fielding ARCA cars for Kevin Harvick, Mike Skinner and Austin Dillon over the years.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

News of their mutual agreement landed Saturday morning at Martinsville Speedway, site of Sunday‘s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the next-to-last race of the NASCAR Cup Series season. The RFK statement also noted that Keselowski will continue as a “passive investor” with the team, bringing his roles in the competition department and governing board to an end.

…

“There are a number of opportunities in front of me in the Cup Series for 2027 and beyond. There‘s no doubt about that,” Keselowski said. “I‘ve had a number of outreaches. I‘m not going to get into the details of what those are at this time, but I‘m eager and willing to execute one of them and to be part of the 2027 season as a manager in NASCAR and a driver. As I said before, I truly believe I have what it takes to do that at the highest level with winning races and contending for championships, both as a driver and a team leader. So, I‘m certainly not ready to retire or walk away in any means from this sport.”

— NASCAR.com —

Original post: Brad Keselowski confirmed Saturday morning at Martinsville that he has reached an agreement with RFK Racing allowing him to pursue opportunities with other NASCAR teams and manufacturers for 2027. However, he says he does not have a ride secured for next season and that returning to driving is not guaranteed. The agreement was reached approximately one hour before his scheduled press conference.

Keselowski said negotiations to extend his contract with RFK began approximately 11 months ago. He wanted to continue driving while maintaining a significant role in the team’s competition operations for years to come, but the other owners had a different vision. He said the disagreement was a “strong impasse” but emphasized that negotiations were not adversarial. Keselowski originally joined RFK with the expectation that he would finish his driving career there before transitioning into management.

As part of the agreement, he will begin selling his 20% ownership stake in RFK Racing. He confirmed he previously made an unsuccessful offer to purchase the organization. He is now free to pursue opportunities with any Cup Series team or manufacturer, although he cannot take existing RFK sponsors with him. Keselowski said he has several Cup opportunities but is only now able to begin negotiations with teams and partners. An ownership stake would not be a requirement for his next Cup Series deal.

Keselowski also discussed the possibility of returning to the Craftsman Truck Series as a driver and team owner. He said there is a “strong chance with no certainty” that Brad Keselowski Racing could return.

Despite the unknowns, Keselowski made clear that he is not ready to retire and still wants to compete for victories while remaining involved in ownership and management. He acknowledged that securing a competitive opportunity for 2027 this late in the year will be challenging.

“I am confident something is going to work out. I don’t know what that is right now. Nothing comes easy in this sport; nor should it. We’re going to have to grind really hard to get a deal done for next year,” Keselowski said.

pic.twitter.com/scFt0dGAxS

— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) October 31, 2026

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Prior to last weekend‘s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, Christopher Bell and the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team had nearly erased its deficit to Kyle Larson. But in a matter of seconds — and one costly pit-road entry — Bell now faces the steepest uphill climb of his postseason campaign.

Bell led a group of Toyotas onto pit road on Lap 56 but failed to have enough front-brake bias in the No. 20 car, causing him to spin and slam the inside wall. The damage quickly compounded, as Bell suffered two right-front tire failures within the next 10 laps. He took the checkered flag in 35th place, 12 laps down.

“Nobody in the field had any data of where the car needed to be, where your brake marks needed to be or anything like that,” Bell said on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. “It was a guessing game for all of us and we had many conversations going into Daytona, whenever we first tried the low-downforce package, of what getting to pit road was going to entail and there wasn‘t any green-flag pit stops at Daytona. There was no data on what was going to happen or what we needed.

“The minute I touched the brakes, the rear tires locked up and it was game over. It was a matter of not having any data on it and we guessed wrong.”

Instead of departing the 2.66-mile behemoth as soon as Bell returned to the garage, he met with the No. 20 team at its hauler. They held each other accountable rather than point fingers.

“Last week was a trying moment for our team and I was really happy with how we all came together,” Bell added. “It would have been really easy to tear each other down in that moment — and none of us did. I was proud of our group in last week and how we handled it.”

Adam Stevens, two-time championship-winning crew chief and leader of the No. 20 team, took his share of blame for the incident. Like Bell, his mind has shifted to the final two races and facing a 74-point hole to Kyle Larson.

“He‘s driving the race car that we prepared, so it’s not all on him by any means,” Stevens said on Saturday. …. “It‘s whoever does the best over these 10 and Talladega is one of those 10 and we didn’t do our best last week and that’s the situation we put ourselves in.”

The No. 20 team has now turned its attention toward winning at Martinsville and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Meanwhile, Larson extended his championship lead by 68 points with a miraculous last-lap charge at Talladega, going from first to 11th and back to first in the final two miles of the race.

But don‘t count Bell or either of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates out. Denny Hamlin moved into second in points at Talladega, 73 points back of the lead. Chase Briscoe is 79 markers out.

“It is a mentality shift. Where we‘re at now, we know that the only way forward is to go out here and win two stages and a race and then go to Homestead and win two stages and a race,” Bell noted. “In reality, we have nothing to lose so now the pressure is off. It‘s a matter of going out there and throwing Hail Marys. We‘re at that point now, so that‘s what we‘re going to do.”

Bell has secured just one victory through the first 34 races of the 2026 season, but the No. 20 team has been remarkably consistent, recording eight runner-up finishes. His 11.8 average finish through the first six races of The Chase ranks third among all drivers, trailing only Larson (6.5) and Joey Logano (11.5).

Since 2022, Bell has also won one race each at the final two tracks on the 2026 schedule, giving him reason to believe he can still overcome the sizable points gap.

Stevens said: “This is a 10-race playoff. It’s not a nine-race playoff. So, you got to bring your best every week. It’s going to be tough for anybody to make up 70 or however many points we have to make up, but it’s not mathematically impossible. I think it’s going to take some special circumstances, but we’ve been a victim to special circumstances plenty this year. But you don’t want to put them in a position where all I have to do is show up, and I don’t think they’re quite there yet. But another weekend like last and they certainly will be.”

The 24-year old Georgia-native pulled ahead of his Front Row Motorsports teammate and the night‘s most dominant driver, Layne Riggs, who started alongside him on the front row for that final green-flag run. And while Smith went on to earn his first famous Martinsville grandfather clock trophy – by .574-second over ThorSport Racing‘s Ben Rhodes — the outcome ultimately made his teammate Riggs‘ title hopes just a bit harder heading into next week‘s championship finale.

Riggs, who finished third, now trails TRICON Garage driver Kaden Honeycutt by 20 points with one race remaining to settle the title. Had Riggs, who swept both stage wins and led a race best 156 of the 200 laps won, would have taken the points lead by one point.

Honeycutt finished 14th after some jostling of his own with 16-year old rookie pole-winner Tristan McKee in typically tight Martinsville traffic during those closing laps.

“Just God‘s plan,‘‘ said Smith, who now has three wins in the No. 38 Front Row Ford this season. “We‘ve been through a very rough patch since the Chase started and we‘ve kept our heads down and we‘ve stayed faithful. I‘m truly humbled right now for this experience. Martinsville‘s been one on my bucket list to win for a quite a while.”

Riggs was immediately congratulatory to his teammate despite the obvious disappointment after having turned in such a strong showing on the famed .526-mile track.

“First off, congratulations to Chandler Smith my teammate; he drove a really good race and won, so really happy for those guys – it‘s been a little while for them, so happy for them,‘‘ said Riggs, who conceded having to take the bottom line beside his teammate on the final restart did not work out.

“Just too free to fire off on restarts when the rubber got picked up and really free up under Chandler and really free up under the 99 [Rhodes], just could not get going on that last restart‘‘ he continued. “I did the best I could, just didn‘t have the clean air like on those other runs. Believe it or not, clean air means more here than so many other tracks.

“But hey, we‘ve still got a shot and gained more [points] than we were down, so happy about that,‘‘ Riggs continued. “Wanted that clock so bad, but the way it looks, I think it‘s going to be me or the 11 [Honeycutt] wins at Homestead, winner takes all.‘‘

Honeycutt ran top-10 most of the night but did not lead a lap. He was frustrated with the outcome, but as with Riggs, ready to take this championship to the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval next week.

“It‘s a sucky-deal, but I got bailed out there especially with Chandler winning that race, I‘m really surprised he went and did that,‘‘ Honeycutt said, acknowledging the contact and tight quarters were just part of hard-racing in the final laps at a short track.

“It‘s 20 points [his lead], but definitely not comfortable. We‘ve got to go win Homestead next week and just focus on winning. That‘s all we can do.‘‘

Rhodes‘ ThorSport teammate Ty Majeski finished fourth, completing the four-Ford sweep out front. McKee was fifth after becoming the youngest driver in history to win a pole position in the truck series.

Andres Perez de Lara was sixth with Tyler Ankrum, Gio Ruggero, William Sawalich and Christian Eckes rounding out the top-10.

There were only four race leaders and seven lead changes on the evening so dominated by Riggs.

Teams head to South Florida for next Friday‘s season finale, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson won the last truck race there in March, 2025.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Martinsville race page.

No. 5 will lose pit selection for Homestead-Miami Speedway (one lug nut not safe and secure post-race).

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Martinsville race page.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Layne Riggs got a firsthand reminder Friday night at Martinsville Speedway of just how valuable a victory can be in the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series Chase.

Instead of celebrating what would have been his eighth win of the season, Riggs left Martinsville trailing Kaden Honeycutt by 20 points — the exact margin between first and second place — with the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway looming. A late-race restart ultimately proved costly, relegating the No. 34 truck to third behind Front Row Motorsports teammate Chandler Smith and ThorSport Racing‘s Ben Rhodes.

“Those bonus points really would have been nice,” Riggs told a group of reporters after hopping out of the No. 34 car and assessing his 20-point deficit. “Even more than that, I wanted a grandfather clock really, really bad.”

Riggs controlled much of the Black‘s Tire 200, sweeping the opening two stages and leading 156 of 200 laps. Despite having to navigate a flurry of late-race cautions, the No. 34 truck repeatedly maintained the lead on restarts. But Smith finally broke through with 13 laps remaining, launching off the outside lane to clear Riggs and take control. Rhodes followed suit, moving into second.

Further back, Honeycutt, who battled an ill-handling No. 11 Toyota throughout the event, found himself caught in the middle of the chaos. The championship leader traded paint with 16-year-old upstart Tristan McKee, sending him tumbling to 15th with 11 laps remaining. Honeycutt recovered one position before the checkered flag, finishing 14th.

Honeycutt could see ahead that Smith had gotten by Riggs, pushing him back a couple of positions. His eyes lit up, knowing the damage would be minimized.

“I was like, ‘Oh wow, OK, he‘s going for the win,‘” Honeycutt recalled. “When Layne got up to the 99, he pushed him right in the fence and I thought that was my opportunity to maximize my day and find him and run where he was at the rest of the night. I went down into 1 and had some unfortunate contact and nothing I could do or Tristan could honestly do. Just tight racing around the Paperclip.”

With Smith passing his Front Row teammate of two seasons, it cost Riggs 22 points. But he remains within striking distance, believing that it‘s going to take a victory at Homestead to be crowned 2026 champion.

“We‘re going to go win it,” Riggs added. “With this format having 20 bonus points, it‘s pretty much a winner-take-all again, in my opinion. Instead of having four, it‘s two this time. We‘re going to go win. That‘s all I can go do. We‘ve got to at least go match him in stage points, we can‘t have a bad qualifying effort or something bad on pit road. Just got to go there and execute and, as you saw tonight, he‘s not as dominant as some people think.”

Honeycutt isn‘t backing down, either, especially with how stout the No. 11 Toyota has been at intermediates throughout the 2026 season. He had a runaway victory last month at Kansas Speedway and hasn‘t finished off the podium in four attempts at 1.5-mile venues in 2026.

Honeycutt concluded: “Looking forward to next week. It‘s going to start right off the trailer in practice and it‘s not going to stop until the checkered flag.”