19 hours ago
Ryan Blaney is back in victory lane. On Sunday afternoon, Blaney and the No. 12 team for Team Penske won the 2026 Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Team Penske driver was able to hold off a hard-charging Bubba Wallace and Josh Berry in the closing laps.
Following the event, Blaney spoke about his big NASCAR win at New Hampshire, his second in two years.
"Yeah, that made it difficult," Blaney said. "No, it was a good call after our issue on pit road. We did two at the end to try to hopefully get the lead, and we did. It was a long, long run to the end, longest run we had. Just tried to manage my stuff. Knew the four-tire guys would pressure me eventually. Bubba came on hard there. Just tried to manage the lap traffic and manage the tire, not make a mistake. What a cool race. Fun day starting in the rain. Ended up being beautiful day. Everybody came out, thanks for sticking with it."
Blaney is now firmly placed second in the standings, meaning he will enter the Chase as the No. 2 seed if all goes right at Daytona International Speedway. Team Penske has found incredible speed over the last month, and if it continues, he could be in line for a second Cup Series championship this fall.
NASCAR reveals post-race inspection results from New Hampshire
#hampshire #manage #speedway
Following the event, Blaney spoke about his big NASCAR win at New Hampshire, his second in two years.
"Yeah, that made it difficult," Blaney said. "No, it was a good call after our issue on pit road. We did two at the end to try to hopefully get the lead, and we did. It was a long, long run to the end, longest run we had. Just tried to manage my stuff. Knew the four-tire guys would pressure me eventually. Bubba came on hard there. Just tried to manage the lap traffic and manage the tire, not make a mistake. What a cool race. Fun day starting in the rain. Ended up being beautiful day. Everybody came out, thanks for sticking with it."
Blaney is now firmly placed second in the standings, meaning he will enter the Chase as the No. 2 seed if all goes right at Daytona International Speedway. Team Penske has found incredible speed over the last month, and if it continues, he could be in line for a second Cup Series championship this fall.
NASCAR reveals post-race inspection results from New Hampshire
#hampshire #manage #speedway
3 days ago
When the green flag waves at New Hampshire on Sunday, every car will run the same 301 laps on the same track, chasing the same checkered flag. But with only two races left before the Chase begins, what counts as a good Sunday has a different meaning for every driver.
Start near the back of the Chase picture, where the margin for error is thinnest. Shane van Gisbergen currently holds the 16th and final Chase spot with a 50-point cushion over Ryan Preece. For SVG, Sunday is about keeping Preece from making a significant dent in that advantage. For Preece, it's about closing the gap enough to give himself a realistic shot at taking that final Chase spot when the regular season ends at Daytona.
Move up the standings and the picture changes. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell have already clinched their Chase spots and enter New Hampshire tied at 695 points. Getting in isn't the problem anymore. Now it's about improving where they'll start when the points reset.
Then there's Denny Hamlin, who's playing an entirely different game. He arrives 115 points ahead of Ryan Blaney with a chance to secure the Chase's No. 1 seed before Daytona. His magic number Sunday is 37 points. Get them, and the No. 1 seed is officially his.
The battle for the win will always demand the most attention. But this Sunday, some of the most important racing may happen nowhere near the lead. They'll all take the same green flag, but a good Sunday won't look the same for any of them.
#sunday #preece #points #start
Start near the back of the Chase picture, where the margin for error is thinnest. Shane van Gisbergen currently holds the 16th and final Chase spot with a 50-point cushion over Ryan Preece. For SVG, Sunday is about keeping Preece from making a significant dent in that advantage. For Preece, it's about closing the gap enough to give himself a realistic shot at taking that final Chase spot when the regular season ends at Daytona.
Move up the standings and the picture changes. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell have already clinched their Chase spots and enter New Hampshire tied at 695 points. Getting in isn't the problem anymore. Now it's about improving where they'll start when the points reset.
Then there's Denny Hamlin, who's playing an entirely different game. He arrives 115 points ahead of Ryan Blaney with a chance to secure the Chase's No. 1 seed before Daytona. His magic number Sunday is 37 points. Get them, and the No. 1 seed is officially his.
The battle for the win will always demand the most attention. But this Sunday, some of the most important racing may happen nowhere near the lead. They'll all take the same green flag, but a good Sunday won't look the same for any of them.
#sunday #preece #points #start
9 days ago
Joey Logano leapfrogged into the top-10 standings after winning Saturday's Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. The result marks his second win in just four races.
Logano had a podium start in the season-opening Daytona 500, but struggled to make headway ever since. At his lowest, the former champion was out of the Chase cutoff in 20th, while Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney consistently finished top-10.
With his latest win, Logano has tied Blaney for two wins this season. The No.22 driver addressed the resurgence in his victory lane interview, saying,
"Don't let the boys get hot, we're pretty strong right now. It's awesome to see the speed in the No. 22 again….we've had a great car here the last five races. We haven't been able to capitalize with a win, we've been so close but sweet redemption today."
"We got a strong team, no doubt, and Paul made some great calls there. The 19 was better than us in that last run so I was trying to just manage the tires and yeah, kind of a fun back and forth….it's getting the points that we need. This is important, we need to get ourselves back in the top-10 and I ***** ume this gets us pretty close," he added via NASCAR's official website.
#season #great
Logano had a podium start in the season-opening Daytona 500, but struggled to make headway ever since. At his lowest, the former champion was out of the Chase cutoff in 20th, while Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney consistently finished top-10.
With his latest win, Logano has tied Blaney for two wins this season. The No.22 driver addressed the resurgence in his victory lane interview, saying,
"Don't let the boys get hot, we're pretty strong right now. It's awesome to see the speed in the No. 22 again….we've had a great car here the last five races. We haven't been able to capitalize with a win, we've been so close but sweet redemption today."
"We got a strong team, no doubt, and Paul made some great calls there. The 19 was better than us in that last run so I was trying to just manage the tires and yeah, kind of a fun back and forth….it's getting the points that we need. This is important, we need to get ourselves back in the top-10 and I ***** ume this gets us pretty close," he added via NASCAR's official website.
#season #great
10 days ago
Ryan Blaney already earned the best starting position for Saturday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway. Now the Team Penske driver will have a prime piece of real estate on pit road, too.
Blaney, who won the pole in the No. 12 Ford, will occupy pit stall No. 1 for the Cook Out 400. His stall sits at the Turn 1 end of pit road, giving the pole-sitter a clear opening ahead of him when leaving his pit box.
The rest of the field will be spread across Richmond's notoriously busy pit road, with a few strategically placed vacant stalls potentially giving certain teams some additional room to work with Saturday night.
Two teams also entered the weekend without the ability to choose their pit stalls. Christopher Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Cody Ware's No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team each failed pre-race inspection twice. Their respective car chiefs were ejected, and both teams lost pit selection for the weekend.
Here is where every Cup Series driver will pit at Richmond.
#blaney #series #race
Blaney, who won the pole in the No. 12 Ford, will occupy pit stall No. 1 for the Cook Out 400. His stall sits at the Turn 1 end of pit road, giving the pole-sitter a clear opening ahead of him when leaving his pit box.
The rest of the field will be spread across Richmond's notoriously busy pit road, with a few strategically placed vacant stalls potentially giving certain teams some additional room to work with Saturday night.
Two teams also entered the weekend without the ability to choose their pit stalls. Christopher Bell's No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Cody Ware's No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team each failed pre-race inspection twice. Their respective car chiefs were ejected, and both teams lost pit selection for the weekend.
Here is where every Cup Series driver will pit at Richmond.
#blaney #series #race
10 days ago
Team Penske will lead the NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup for the race at Richmond Raceway in August. Ryan Blaney won the pole for the 2026 Cook Out 400 at Richmond this weekend. Chase Briscoe will join Blaney on the front row for Saturday night's event. It is Blaney's fourth pole position of the 2026 Cup Series season.
Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs will follow the two drivers on the second row. Most notably, Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Carson Hocevar, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Shane van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, and Austin Hill all start 20th or worse for Saturday night's event.
The full NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup at Richmond in August 2026 is below!
No. 12 Ryan Blaney
No. 19 Chase Briscoe
#blaney #briscoe #saturday
Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs will follow the two drivers on the second row. Most notably, Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Carson Hocevar, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Shane van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, and Austin Hill all start 20th or worse for Saturday night's event.
The full NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup at Richmond in August 2026 is below!
No. 12 Ryan Blaney
No. 19 Chase Briscoe
#blaney #briscoe #saturday
10 days ago
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Ryan Blaney can't fully explain his recent dominance in NASCAR qualifying, but he attributed Mother Nature with an ****** ist Friday at Richmond Raceway.
The Team Penske driver captured his third pole position in the past five races and the 16th of his Cup Series career, turning a lap in 22.225 seconds (121.485 mph) around the 0.75-mile oval. Blaney was the second-to-last driver to make an attempt, and a cloud late in the session cooled the track for better grip and faster speeds.
"I appreciate the cloud," said Blaney, who also qualified first last week at Iowa Speedway and last month at EchoPark Speedway. "I got the benefit."
With 12 races remaining after Saturday's 400-lap event at Richmond, Blaney already has a career-best four pole positions for a single season and is tied with points leader Denny Hamlin for the series lead in 2026.
"I wouldn't specify myself as a very good qualifier," Blaney said. "For a little bit I struggled in qualifying, just not really able to find the one-lap speed and kind of doing the wrong things behind the wheel. But I think (crew chief) Jonathan (Hassler) and I have just worked through how we can get better and adjust from the end of practice to the start of qualifying. It's been fun to work through that."
#qualifying #speedway
The Team Penske driver captured his third pole position in the past five races and the 16th of his Cup Series career, turning a lap in 22.225 seconds (121.485 mph) around the 0.75-mile oval. Blaney was the second-to-last driver to make an attempt, and a cloud late in the session cooled the track for better grip and faster speeds.
"I appreciate the cloud," said Blaney, who also qualified first last week at Iowa Speedway and last month at EchoPark Speedway. "I got the benefit."
With 12 races remaining after Saturday's 400-lap event at Richmond, Blaney already has a career-best four pole positions for a single season and is tied with points leader Denny Hamlin for the series lead in 2026.
"I wouldn't specify myself as a very good qualifier," Blaney said. "For a little bit I struggled in qualifying, just not really able to find the one-lap speed and kind of doing the wrong things behind the wheel. But I think (crew chief) Jonathan (Hassler) and I have just worked through how we can get better and adjust from the end of practice to the start of qualifying. It's been fun to work through that."
#qualifying #speedway
10 days ago
Ryan Blaney's qualifying hot streak shows no signs of slowing down.
The Team Penske driver captured the pole for Saturday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, giving him his second consecutive pole position and his fourth in the last five races. Blaney will lead the field to the green flag after edging Chase Briscoe in Friday's qualifying session.
The pole continues one of the most impressive stretches of qualifying speed in the Cup Series this season as Blaney looks to convert another front-row starting spot into a long-awaited victory.
Blaney will be joined on the front row by Briscoe, whose No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota qualified second.
Josh Berry continued a strong season for Wood Brothers Racing with the third-fastest lap, while Ty Gibbs and William Byron completed the top five.
#blaney #pole #briscoe #season
The Team Penske driver captured the pole for Saturday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, giving him his second consecutive pole position and his fourth in the last five races. Blaney will lead the field to the green flag after edging Chase Briscoe in Friday's qualifying session.
The pole continues one of the most impressive stretches of qualifying speed in the Cup Series this season as Blaney looks to convert another front-row starting spot into a long-awaited victory.
Blaney will be joined on the front row by Briscoe, whose No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota qualified second.
Josh Berry continued a strong season for Wood Brothers Racing with the third-fastest lap, while Ty Gibbs and William Byron completed the top five.
#blaney #pole #briscoe #season
15 days ago
It wasn't that long ago, June 28th, that Tyler Allen played it safe at Sonoma Raceway and Ty Gibbs really wished his crew chief had been more aggressive.
At the time, Allen took what looked like a car capable of challenging Shane Van Gisbergen for the win but took a more conservative strategy that led to a second-place finish. Allen, not knowing if they would have enough to take on SVG on a road course elected to get stage points and retain a spot inside the top five of the championship standings.
Allen was playing a long game, recognizing there would come a time and place to be aggressive for Gibbs, and Sunday at Iowa Speedway was just the moment.
Gibbs was running third behind Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney approaching the final green flag pit cycle. Blaney undercut Bell but couldn't blend back in front of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20.
Allen gambled further, taking two tires, and coming out ahead of both of them. Earlier in the race, Bell was able to pass Blaney for the lead on four tires versus two, but Allen tasked Gibbs with aggressively defending the lead.
#place
At the time, Allen took what looked like a car capable of challenging Shane Van Gisbergen for the win but took a more conservative strategy that led to a second-place finish. Allen, not knowing if they would have enough to take on SVG on a road course elected to get stage points and retain a spot inside the top five of the championship standings.
Allen was playing a long game, recognizing there would come a time and place to be aggressive for Gibbs, and Sunday at Iowa Speedway was just the moment.
Gibbs was running third behind Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney approaching the final green flag pit cycle. Blaney undercut Bell but couldn't blend back in front of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20.
Allen gambled further, taking two tires, and coming out ahead of both of them. Earlier in the race, Bell was able to pass Blaney for the lead on four tires versus two, but Allen tasked Gibbs with aggressively defending the lead.
#place
15 days ago
The NASCAR Cup Series competed at Iowa Speedway, and it was an exciting event. Ryan Blaney won Stage 1 while Christopher Bell won Stage 2; however, neither driver was able to enter victory lane. Instead, it was a Joe Gibbs Racing driver showdown with Bell finishing in the runner-up position.
Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team for Joe Gibbs Racing won the Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday, earning their second victory of the 2026 Cup Series season. Gibbs held off a hard-charging Bell, who earned his fourth second-place finish in the last five races. For Gibbs, it is his second career Cup Series victory.
Tyler Allen, the crew chief of the No. 54 car, made the right strategy call with two tires during the final green-flag pit stops. Gibbs was able to hold off Bell and his four fresh tires on the No. 20 car. It was a thrilling beginning to USA Sports' portion of the NASCAR schedule with Gibbs ending up in the winner's circle.
No. 54 Ty Gibbs
No. 20 Christopher Bell
#iowa
Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team for Joe Gibbs Racing won the Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday, earning their second victory of the 2026 Cup Series season. Gibbs held off a hard-charging Bell, who earned his fourth second-place finish in the last five races. For Gibbs, it is his second career Cup Series victory.
Tyler Allen, the crew chief of the No. 54 car, made the right strategy call with two tires during the final green-flag pit stops. Gibbs was able to hold off Bell and his four fresh tires on the No. 20 car. It was a thrilling beginning to USA Sports' portion of the NASCAR schedule with Gibbs ending up in the winner's circle.
No. 54 Ty Gibbs
No. 20 Christopher Bell
#iowa
15 days ago
Ty Gibbs had enough tires to hold off teammate Christopher Bell and take his second NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, winning the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
Bell took four tires on his final stop with 60 laps left, but Gibbs' No. 54 crew went with two to hand the 23-year-old the lead that he maintained in the battle of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates and win by 0.253 seconds.
It was Gibbs' second career win in 146 races, while Bell's winless streak extended to 30 races with his seventh runner-up showing this season.
Polesitter Ryan Blaney finished third. Josh Berry and Denny Hamlin finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Toyota won for the 14th time in 23 Cup races in a standout 2026.
#iowa #christopher
Bell took four tires on his final stop with 60 laps left, but Gibbs' No. 54 crew went with two to hand the 23-year-old the lead that he maintained in the battle of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates and win by 0.253 seconds.
It was Gibbs' second career win in 146 races, while Bell's winless streak extended to 30 races with his seventh runner-up showing this season.
Polesitter Ryan Blaney finished third. Josh Berry and Denny Hamlin finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Toyota won for the 14th time in 23 Cup races in a standout 2026.
#iowa #christopher
15 days ago
Ty Gibbs continued to build momentum toward the NASCAR Cup Series Chase on Sunday, delivering another statement victory for Joe Gibbs Racing with a commanding performance in the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway.
The win marked Gibbs' second victory of the 2026 season and capped an afternoon in which he overcame early competition from Ryan Blaney and teammate Christopher Bell before taking control when it mattered most. By the time the checkered flag flew, Gibbs had firmly established himself as one of the hottest drivers entering the final stretch of the regular season.
After Blaney started from the pole and swept Stage 1 by leading all 70 laps, the race appeared to shift in Bell's favor. Bell captured the Stage 2 victory and paced much of the middle portion of the event, looking poised to add another win to his résumé.
Instead, Gibbs emerged as the driver to beat during the closing run.
The No. 54 Toyota methodically worked his way to the front before pulling away from Bell over the final laps to secure another signature victory for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell crossed the finish line second, while Blaney completed the podium after leading early.
#racing
The win marked Gibbs' second victory of the 2026 season and capped an afternoon in which he overcame early competition from Ryan Blaney and teammate Christopher Bell before taking control when it mattered most. By the time the checkered flag flew, Gibbs had firmly established himself as one of the hottest drivers entering the final stretch of the regular season.
After Blaney started from the pole and swept Stage 1 by leading all 70 laps, the race appeared to shift in Bell's favor. Bell captured the Stage 2 victory and paced much of the middle portion of the event, looking poised to add another win to his résumé.
Instead, Gibbs emerged as the driver to beat during the closing run.
The No. 54 Toyota methodically worked his way to the front before pulling away from Bell over the final laps to secure another signature victory for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell crossed the finish line second, while Blaney completed the podium after leading early.
#racing
16 days ago
Iowa Speedway will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series' Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday. Ryan Blaney qualified for the pole position and will start out front.
The green flag is scheduled to wave at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Series points leader Denny Hamlin qualified 29th for Sunday's race. Tyler Reddick is second in season points, and he will start from the fifth position.
William Byron won last year's Cup race at Newton. Chase Briscoe finished second and Brad Keselowski was third.
Follow along below for live updates from the Iowa Corn 350.
#corn #race #speedway
The green flag is scheduled to wave at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Series points leader Denny Hamlin qualified 29th for Sunday's race. Tyler Reddick is second in season points, and he will start from the fifth position.
William Byron won last year's Cup race at Newton. Chase Briscoe finished second and Brad Keselowski was third.
Follow along below for live updates from the Iowa Corn 350.
#corn #race #speedway
16 days ago
The race to the NASCAR Chase begins on Aug. 9 at Iowa.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns after a week off for the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, the first of four August races to end the regular season.
Ryan Blaney is on the pole at a track that he drove to victory in 2024.
Austin Cindric holds the final Chase spot coming into the race weekend by 38 points over Ryan Preece. Cindric starts 12th, while Preece begins from 35th.
Follow along with the Tennessean's NASCAR race updates below:
#begins
The NASCAR Cup Series returns after a week off for the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, the first of four August races to end the regular season.
Ryan Blaney is on the pole at a track that he drove to victory in 2024.
Austin Cindric holds the final Chase spot coming into the race weekend by 38 points over Ryan Preece. Cindric starts 12th, while Preece begins from 35th.
Follow along with the Tennessean's NASCAR race updates below:
#begins
24 days ago
Is there a NASCAR race today? Date, start time, TV schedule for next Cup Series race originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NASCAR Cup Series had another thrilling race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week, but this weekend, drivers will rest.
The Brickyard 400 at Indy was anything but a typical race. Part-time driving for 23XI Racing, Corey Heim held off NASCAR veterans Christopher Bell and Joey Logano in the closing laps, sealing a historic win for the 24-year-old.
After several months of consecutive racing, the Cup Series will take a much-needed break this weekend before heading to the Midwest for the Iowa Corn 350 on Aug. 9. Denny Hamlin still leads the overall standings with 886 points, but Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs are not far behind.
Here's everything you need to know about the next NASCAR race, including TV channel and streaming options for the upcoming Iowa Corn 350.
#corn
The NASCAR Cup Series had another thrilling race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week, but this weekend, drivers will rest.
The Brickyard 400 at Indy was anything but a typical race. Part-time driving for 23XI Racing, Corey Heim held off NASCAR veterans Christopher Bell and Joey Logano in the closing laps, sealing a historic win for the 24-year-old.
After several months of consecutive racing, the Cup Series will take a much-needed break this weekend before heading to the Midwest for the Iowa Corn 350 on Aug. 9. Denny Hamlin still leads the overall standings with 886 points, but Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs are not far behind.
Here's everything you need to know about the next NASCAR race, including TV channel and streaming options for the upcoming Iowa Corn 350.
#corn
1 month ago
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ryan Blaney faces a high-stakes weekend in Indianapolis.
He's hoping to put Roger Penske back in victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he'd like to add a second crown jewel win to his resume. At the same time, he's chasing a $1 million pay day — if he finishes ahead of surprise finalist Todd Gilliland in NASCAR's second In-Season Challenge.
Blaney's solution is to simplify matters by sweeping both ******* les Sunday with one amazing Brickyard 400.
"We obviously understand what we're going for with the In-Season Challenge," Blaney said before Friday's short practice. "But at the same time, you're trying to win the race. That's the big one here — and trying to win for Roger at this place is incredibly important in our race shop and to everyone on this team. So I've looked at it as like, just go try to run the best race you can and focus on that."
Blaney heads into race weekend as the favorite in the final round of the challenge. The 2023 Cup champion has strung together 11 consecutive finishes of 11th or better, a feat he's achieved in 17 of 21 races this season. Two weeks ago in Atlanta he captured his second win of the year.
#weekend
He's hoping to put Roger Penske back in victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he'd like to add a second crown jewel win to his resume. At the same time, he's chasing a $1 million pay day — if he finishes ahead of surprise finalist Todd Gilliland in NASCAR's second In-Season Challenge.
Blaney's solution is to simplify matters by sweeping both ******* les Sunday with one amazing Brickyard 400.
"We obviously understand what we're going for with the In-Season Challenge," Blaney said before Friday's short practice. "But at the same time, you're trying to win the race. That's the big one here — and trying to win for Roger at this place is incredibly important in our race shop and to everyone on this team. So I've looked at it as like, just go try to run the best race you can and focus on that."
Blaney heads into race weekend as the favorite in the final round of the challenge. The 2023 Cup champion has strung together 11 consecutive finishes of 11th or better, a feat he's achieved in 17 of 21 races this season. Two weeks ago in Atlanta he captured his second win of the year.
#weekend
1 month ago
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of the sport's most iconic venues this weekend as Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the 2026 Brickyard 400.
NASCAR has released the official entry list for Sunday's race, with 39 drivers entered for the annual crown-jewel event. Because fewer than 40 cars are entered, every driver on the list is locked into the field.
Among the notable names is Connor Zilisch, who returns to Cup competition in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet after making his series debut earlier this season. Corey Heim is also entered in the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, while veteran Casey Mears returns in the No. 66 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports.
The weekend also marks the championship round of NASCAR's inaugural In-Season Challenge, with Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland battling head-to-head for the $1 million prize while competing in Sunday's Brickyard 400.
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
#entered #nascar #brickyard #series
NASCAR has released the official entry list for Sunday's race, with 39 drivers entered for the annual crown-jewel event. Because fewer than 40 cars are entered, every driver on the list is locked into the field.
Among the notable names is Connor Zilisch, who returns to Cup competition in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet after making his series debut earlier this season. Corey Heim is also entered in the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, while veteran Casey Mears returns in the No. 66 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports.
The weekend also marks the championship round of NASCAR's inaugural In-Season Challenge, with Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland battling head-to-head for the $1 million prize while competing in Sunday's Brickyard 400.
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
#entered #nascar #brickyard #series
1 month ago
Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will mark the 22nd points race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The regular season is quickly drawing to a close, with three drivers (Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney) already having locked up three of the 16 spots in The Chase.
As always, courtesy to great work by Reddit user scepthan, a The Chase points to clinch tracker has been created to monitor how close your favorite drivers are to making it in.
Let's dive into this week's NASCAR The Chase tracker, looking at how many points the top drivers are from clinching a spot in the 10-race chase ahead of Sunday's race. Right now, we're focused on drivers within 200 points of clinching. However, the final slide shows how many points down drivers ranked 11th through 16th in points are from locking up a spot.
Ty Gibbs is the only Cup Series driver with a shot at clinching a spot in The Chase this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Granted, it's going to take a great showing in the Brickyard 400. Gibbs was 97 points back last weekend, picking up 43 points for the second consecutive race. He did have 54 points at Sonoma and he's recorded 47-plus points five times (COTA, Martinsville, Bristol, Charlotte, and Sonoma) this season, so there's at least a shot of him clinching. Of note, he netted just 16 points last year at the Brickyard thanks to a 21st-place finish. We'd bet he clinches in Iowa on Aug. 9.
Related: Brickyard 400 Entry List
#season #indianapolis
As always, courtesy to great work by Reddit user scepthan, a The Chase points to clinch tracker has been created to monitor how close your favorite drivers are to making it in.
Let's dive into this week's NASCAR The Chase tracker, looking at how many points the top drivers are from clinching a spot in the 10-race chase ahead of Sunday's race. Right now, we're focused on drivers within 200 points of clinching. However, the final slide shows how many points down drivers ranked 11th through 16th in points are from locking up a spot.
Ty Gibbs is the only Cup Series driver with a shot at clinching a spot in The Chase this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Granted, it's going to take a great showing in the Brickyard 400. Gibbs was 97 points back last weekend, picking up 43 points for the second consecutive race. He did have 54 points at Sonoma and he's recorded 47-plus points five times (COTA, Martinsville, Bristol, Charlotte, and Sonoma) this season, so there's at least a shot of him clinching. Of note, he netted just 16 points last year at the Brickyard thanks to a 21st-place finish. We'd bet he clinches in Iowa on Aug. 9.
Related: Brickyard 400 Entry List
#season #indianapolis
1 month ago
There's a lot to talk about after last weekend's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta.
The three-hour rain delay and 2 a.m. checkered flag. The three-man overtime battle for the lead, which resulted in Ryan Blaney's win by 0.068 seconds. Bubba Wallace's controversial penalty.
But how about the In-Season Challenge?
It acted as a secondary storyline Sunday, but the bracket has slimmed down to just four contestants following the third of five rounds. A champion will be crowned over the next two weeks at North Wilkesboro and Indianapolis.
Buy our Dale Earnhardt book here
The three-hour rain delay and 2 a.m. checkered flag. The three-man overtime battle for the lead, which resulted in Ryan Blaney's win by 0.068 seconds. Bubba Wallace's controversial penalty.
But how about the In-Season Challenge?
It acted as a secondary storyline Sunday, but the bracket has slimmed down to just four contestants following the third of five rounds. A champion will be crowned over the next two weeks at North Wilkesboro and Indianapolis.
Buy our Dale Earnhardt book here
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney dominated before and after a 3-hour weather delay on July 12 and 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
But he still had to make a final-lap pass for the win on the drafting track via a major push from Christopher Bell to claim the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta.
Carson Hocevar held the lead at the white flag, but Blaney and Bubba Wallace made runs into turns 3 and 4 to create a 3-wide race to the line.
Blaney won, while Wallace was penalized for going below the yellow line on the backstretch. Hocevar finished 3rd, singing on the radio before the overtime finish and during his post-race interview.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Atlanta race:
But he still had to make a final-lap pass for the win on the drafting track via a major push from Christopher Bell to claim the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta.
Carson Hocevar held the lead at the white flag, but Blaney and Bubba Wallace made runs into turns 3 and 4 to create a 3-wide race to the line.
Blaney won, while Wallace was penalized for going below the yellow line on the backstretch. Hocevar finished 3rd, singing on the radio before the overtime finish and during his post-race interview.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Atlanta race:
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney dominated before and after a 3-hour weather delay on July 12 and 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
But he still had to make a final-lap pass for the win on the drafting track via a major push from Christopher Bell to claim the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta.
Carson Hocevar held the lead at the white flag, but Blaney and Bubba Wallace made runs into turns 3 and 4 to create a 3-wide race to the line.
Blaney won, while Wallace was penalized for going below the yellow line on the backstretch. Hocevar finished 3rd, singing on the radio before the overtime finish and during his post-race interview.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Atlanta race:
But he still had to make a final-lap pass for the win on the drafting track via a major push from Christopher Bell to claim the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta.
Carson Hocevar held the lead at the white flag, but Blaney and Bubba Wallace made runs into turns 3 and 4 to create a 3-wide race to the line.
Blaney won, while Wallace was penalized for going below the yellow line on the backstretch. Hocevar finished 3rd, singing on the radio before the overtime finish and during his post-race interview.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Atlanta race:
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney relayed what most people were thinking.
"Past my bedtime," he said during his post-race interview, with the clock just 10 minutes away from 2 a.m. in Hampton, Georgia.
But he made the long day worth it.
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The Team Penske driver dominated the Quaker State 400 and shook off a three-hour weather delay in the process. He claimed the first two stages, led a race-high 171 laps and **** ed the checkered flag in overtime at EchoPark Speedway.
"Past my bedtime," he said during his post-race interview, with the clock just 10 minutes away from 2 a.m. in Hampton, Georgia.
But he made the long day worth it.
Buy our Dale Earnhardt book here
The Team Penske driver dominated the Quaker State 400 and shook off a three-hour weather delay in the process. He claimed the first two stages, led a race-high 171 laps and **** ed the checkered flag in overtime at EchoPark Speedway.
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney earned his 19th career NASCAR Cup victory, winning from pole position at Atlanta in a three-wide battle. Blaney also swept both stages, dominating most of the event.
Bubba Wallace finished second, but was later penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line. That penalty dropped him down to 29th as the last car on the lead lap.
Christopher Bell was ultimately credited with second, Carson Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs fourth, and Erik Jones fifth.
Shane van Gisbergen finished sixth, matching his finish from this race earlier in the year. Austin Dillon was seventh, Tyler Reddick eighth, Joey Logano ninth, and Chris Buescher tenth.
Impressively, 29 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap in Sunday's race, which ended just before 2am EST on Monday due to a lengthy weather delay.
Bubba Wallace finished second, but was later penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line. That penalty dropped him down to 29th as the last car on the lead lap.
Christopher Bell was ultimately credited with second, Carson Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs fourth, and Erik Jones fifth.
Shane van Gisbergen finished sixth, matching his finish from this race earlier in the year. Austin Dillon was seventh, Tyler Reddick eighth, Joey Logano ninth, and Chris Buescher tenth.
Impressively, 29 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap in Sunday's race, which ended just before 2am EST on Monday due to a lengthy weather delay.
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney turned in one of the most commanding performances of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday night, overcoming a lengthy weather delay to capture the victory in the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The triumph marked Blaney's second win of the season and further solidified his place among the championship favorites.
After severe weather halted the race for three hours, NASCAR resumed competition at approximately 11:45 p.m. ET. The late-night restart did nothing to slow Blaney, who remained the driver to beat from the opening green flag to the final lap.
Starting from the pole, the Team Penske driver dominated the evening, sweeping all three stages and leading a race-high 171 laps. Blaney controlled the pace throughout the race, showcasing the speed of the No. 12 Ford while expertly navigating the pack on the high-speed drafting track.
Despite several late-race challenges and an overtime finish, Blaney stayed composed. He made the decisive pass on the final lap to secure the victory, capping off one of the most complete performances of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
EchoPark Speedway once again delivered dramatic racing, but on this night it belonged to Ryan Blaney. From winning Stage 1 before the rain, returning after the race resumed at 11:45 p.m. ET to capture Stage 2, claiming Stage 3, and ultimately taking the checkered flag, Blaney put together a nearly flawless performance that left little doubt about who had the fastest car.
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After severe weather halted the race for three hours, NASCAR resumed competition at approximately 11:45 p.m. ET. The late-night restart did nothing to slow Blaney, who remained the driver to beat from the opening green flag to the final lap.
Starting from the pole, the Team Penske driver dominated the evening, sweeping all three stages and leading a race-high 171 laps. Blaney controlled the pace throughout the race, showcasing the speed of the No. 12 Ford while expertly navigating the pack on the high-speed drafting track.
Despite several late-race challenges and an overtime finish, Blaney stayed composed. He made the decisive pass on the final lap to secure the victory, capping off one of the most complete performances of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
EchoPark Speedway once again delivered dramatic racing, but on this night it belonged to Ryan Blaney. From winning Stage 1 before the rain, returning after the race resumed at 11:45 p.m. ET to capture Stage 2, claiming Stage 3, and ultimately taking the checkered flag, Blaney put together a nearly flawless performance that left little doubt about who had the fastest car.
Check out the latest articles from EasySportz
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney vaulted into NASCAR Cup Series regular-season ***** le contention with the Quaker State 400 victory on July 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
Blaney claimed the victory after a 3-hour red flag weather delay.
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford is now 65 points behind points leader Denny Hamlin with six races to go before the Chase.
Erik Jones remained in 16th after a top-5 finish, just ahead of top-10 finisher Joey Logano.
Here's the updated NASCAR Cup Series points standings:
Blaney claimed the victory after a 3-hour red flag weather delay.
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford is now 65 points behind points leader Denny Hamlin with six races to go before the Chase.
Erik Jones remained in 16th after a top-5 finish, just ahead of top-10 finisher Joey Logano.
Here's the updated NASCAR Cup Series points standings:
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney vaulted into NASCAR Cup Series regular-season ***** le contention with the Quaker State 400 victory on July 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
Blaney claimed the victory after a 3-hour red flag weather delay.
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford is now 65 points behind points leader Denny Hamlin with six races to go before the Chase.
Erik Jones remained in 16th after a top-5 finish, just ahead of top-10 finisher Joey Logano.
Here's the updated NASCAR Cup Series points standings:
Blaney claimed the victory after a 3-hour red flag weather delay.
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford is now 65 points behind points leader Denny Hamlin with six races to go before the Chase.
Erik Jones remained in 16th after a top-5 finish, just ahead of top-10 finisher Joey Logano.
Here's the updated NASCAR Cup Series points standings:
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Atlanta race in overtime on July 12.
Blaney held off Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell in the Quaker State 400, which was delayed by more than three hours due to rain and did not finish until well past midnight CST at EchoPark Speedway.
It was Blaney's second win of the season.
NASCAR ATLANTA LIVE UPDATES: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta: Live updates, highlights, leaderboard for the Quaker State 400
Results not official
Blaney held off Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell in the Quaker State 400, which was delayed by more than three hours due to rain and did not finish until well past midnight CST at EchoPark Speedway.
It was Blaney's second win of the season.
NASCAR ATLANTA LIVE UPDATES: NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta: Live updates, highlights, leaderboard for the Quaker State 400
Results not official
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell and Todd Gilliland advanced to the NASCAR in-season challenge tournament following the Quaker State 400 Cup Series race on July 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
Elliott and Gilliland will battle next week at North Wilkesboro for one finalist spot, while Bell and Blaney will do the same for the other finalist spot.
Among those left are two top-four seeds, a 10-seed and the 25-seed in Gilliland.
Blaney claimed the race win at Atlanta, his second of the season.
Here's the NASCAR in-season tournament challenge results for the quarterfinals:
Elliott and Gilliland will battle next week at North Wilkesboro for one finalist spot, while Bell and Blaney will do the same for the other finalist spot.
Among those left are two top-four seeds, a 10-seed and the 25-seed in Gilliland.
Blaney claimed the race win at Atlanta, his second of the season.
Here's the NASCAR in-season tournament challenge results for the quarterfinals:
1 month ago
Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell and Todd Gilliland advanced to the NASCAR in-season challenge tournament following the Quaker State 400 Cup Series race on July 13 at EchoPark Speedway.
Elliott and Gilliland will battle next week at North Wilkesboro for one finalist spot, while Bell and Blaney will do the same for the other finalist spot.
Among those left are two top-four seeds, a 10-seed and the 25-seed in Gilliland.
Blaney claimed the race win at Atlanta, his second of the season.
Here's the NASCAR in-season tournament challenge results for the quarterfinals:
Elliott and Gilliland will battle next week at North Wilkesboro for one finalist spot, while Bell and Blaney will do the same for the other finalist spot.
Among those left are two top-four seeds, a 10-seed and the 25-seed in Gilliland.
Blaney claimed the race win at Atlanta, his second of the season.
Here's the NASCAR in-season tournament challenge results for the quarterfinals:
1 month ago
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season has produced repeat winners, first-time winners, road course specialists, superspeedway surprises, and dramatic late-race battles. Tyler Reddick has emerged as the season's winningest driver through the opening 20 races, while drivers like Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, Shane van Gisbergen, Carson Hocevar, and Daniel Suárez have all added victories of their own.
Here's a complete look at every Cup Series winner so far in 2026.
Winner: Tyler Reddick (Toyota)
Reddick opened the season with the biggest victory in NASCAR, winning the Daytona 500 after starting 26th. He led just one lap, but it was the only one that mattered as he edged Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the finish.
Started: 26th
Here's a complete look at every Cup Series winner so far in 2026.
Winner: Tyler Reddick (Toyota)
Reddick opened the season with the biggest victory in NASCAR, winning the Daytona 500 after starting 26th. He led just one lap, but it was the only one that mattered as he edged Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the finish.
Started: 26th
1 month ago
About halfway through Stage 2, a lightning strike within eight miles of EchoPark Speedway forced NASCAR to red flag the race, bringing the field of 38 cars down pit road.
There were no incidents in the first 109 laps of the race and all cars were still running. The race needs to reach Lap 131 to be official as that is the halfway point of the event.
There are thunderstorms in the area, and rain began to fall after the cars were stopped on pit road.
Ryan Blaney was leading the race at the time of the stoppage, with Bubba Wallace second, Tyler Reddick third, Christopher Bell fourth, and Chase Elliott fifth.
Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Carson Hocevar, Joey Logano, and Ty Gibbs fill out the remainder of the top ten.
There were no incidents in the first 109 laps of the race and all cars were still running. The race needs to reach Lap 131 to be official as that is the halfway point of the event.
There are thunderstorms in the area, and rain began to fall after the cars were stopped on pit road.
Ryan Blaney was leading the race at the time of the stoppage, with Bubba Wallace second, Tyler Reddick third, Christopher Bell fourth, and Chase Elliott fifth.
Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Carson Hocevar, Joey Logano, and Ty Gibbs fill out the remainder of the top ten.
