NASCAR arrived at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2026 Brickyard 400, and the 22nd points race of the season was intense. Ty Gibbs won Stage 1 while Ross Chastain won Stage 2; however, neither driver was able to enter victory lane. Instead, it was a 23XI Racing driver who shocked the NASCAR world.
At the end of the day, Heim won his first career Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. After a slight overview of the notable moments, here are the NASCAR TV ratings following the 2026 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon!
NASCAR and Warner Bros. Discovery earned 2.384 million average viewers for the Brickyard 400 on TNT. At its peak, 3.1 million viewers were tuned in from 5:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET on TNT and truTV. Overall, it was a great turnout for NASCAR and Warner Bros. Discovery on Sunday afternoon.
NASCAR's 2027 Cup Series schedule release timeline revealed
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: NASCAR TV ratings for Cup Series race at Indianapolis in July 2026

#indianapolis #discovery

Allen Park — One day after star running back Jahmyr Gibbs missed the Detroit Lions' first training camp practice of the year, coach Dan Campbell said he's "not sweating" the negotiation tactic but did think an extension would be done by now.
Gibbs, the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, became extension-eligible this offseason and is expected to receive a deal that pays him north of $20 million annually.
According to a photograph from the Lions' website, Gibbs arrived in Allen Park for camp Tuesday. He and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson are reportedly holding in for new deals as they look to reset the running back market.
"I shouldn't have said 'bellcow,' right?" Campbell joked, implying that he gave Gibbs too much leverage when he said during the spring that the team was going to "hang our hat" on him. "'Well, hey, Coach said bellcow.'"
Campbell said he's unsure whether Gibbs will return to the practice without a new deal, and mentioned Gibbs had "a little bit of a back" issue during the conditioning test but didn't indicate that it was something serious.

#camp

Ahead of its' upcoming release, EA Sports Madden NFL 27 has revealed that a former Alabama football standout will be among the highest-rated players in the video game this year.
That player is Detroit Lions running back Jahymr Gibbs, who has received an overall rating of 98 in this year's game. Not only is the 98 rating the highest among any former Alabama offensive player in the NFL, but it is also top among running backs in the game.
Speaking of running backs, former Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is a 93 overall entering year three with the Baltimore Ravens, while Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers is a 91.
Elsewhere among the offensive ratings, fellow Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith is a 92 at wide receiver, while Alabama rookie first round picks Kadyn Proctor and Ty Simpson are a 77 and 71 overall, respectively. Alabama's top rated rookie alongside that duo is Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard at a 74, while LT Overton is also a 71.
EA Sports Madden 27 has yet to release the ratings for the top defensive players. The game has so far revealed the top rated players on offense, as well as rookie ratings.

#game #former #rated #overall

Welcome to the fresh season. The Shuffle Up series reflects how I tier positions as I get ready for my drafts. The salaries are unscientific in nature and meant to illustrate where talent clusters and drops off. Players listed at the same draft salary are considered even.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
Today's **** ignment is perhaps the most important one -- the running backs. If there's one spot you want to run pure in any fantasy season, it's here.
$47 Jahmyr Gibbs
$47 Bijan Robinson

#players #gibbs #bijan

As he negotiates a new long-term deal with Detroit, Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs did not practice on Wednesday during Detroit's first training camp practice.
Gibbs is a hold-in, meaning he is at Lions training camp but not currently participating.
"Of course, you guys know how we feel about Gibbs and all of our guys, (Sam) LaPorta, (Brian) Branch. And so, we'll take this as it comes. This will kind of continue. It'll come as it comes. I think that's the best way to say it. And so, this is both sides working through something and we'll take it as it comes, but that's where it is," Campbell said of Gibbs to open camp.
The Lions executed the fifth-year player option on Gibbs back in April, keeping the star rusher under contract through the 2027 NFL season. Gibbs will earn $14.293 million in 2027 with his player option.
Gibbs, a 5-foot-9, 202-pound back, rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 scores a season ago. The Alabama alum's rushing yards ranked seventh in the NFL last season. Gibbs also added 616 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs, helping him eclipse 1,800+ yards from scrimmage for a second straight season.

#season #back #training

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs reported to training camp but was not on the field with teammates for their first practice on Wednesday as his agent and the franchise work on negotiating a new deal.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said he did not have an update on talks.
"You guys know how we feel about Gibbs," Campbell said.
A message seeking comment was left with Gibbs' agent, Todd France.
"This is both sides working through something," Campbell said.

#campbell #park #mich

The Detroit Lions will have one of the best offenses in the NFL – in the virtual world, anyway.
EA's Madden NFL 27 video game released offensive ratings for skill position players on Wednesday, July 29, and several Lions are prominently placed among the NFL's best. The most notable placements for Lions players are at running back and wide receiver, where running back Jahmyr Gibbs (98 overall) and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (95 overall) are ranked No. 1 and No. 4 at their respective positions.
Two other Lions offensive standouts will rank highly in the game, with tight end Sam LaPorta (88 overall) and quarterback Jared Goff (88 overall) rank as the No. 7 and No. 10 tight end and quarterback, respectively. Though in a potential blow for Lions fans, Los Angeles Rams quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and one of just six players with a 99 overall rating in the game.
Though Goff is listed as a top-10 quarterback, he is not the highest-rated NFC North quarterback in the game. That ***** le belongs to Chicago Bears quarterback (and cover athlete) Caleb Williams, who comes in at No. 9 at 90 overall.
With so much virtual offensive firepower, the Lions are ranked as the No. 2 offense in the game at 91 overall, with the Rams topping them at 93 overall. And though Madden has not yet released its defensive ratings, fans should expect high marks for edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Jack Campbell.

#game #though #offensive #ranked

Denny Hamlin's name has come up in NASCAR headlines following Alex Bowman's announcement to retire after the 2027 Cup Series season. With Hamlin's contract running through 2027, the driver of the No. 11 car has previously stated it will be his last contract. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing competitor hasn't officially announced his retirement.
Will Hamlin still retire after the 2027 NASCAR season? The current Cup Series points leader provided an update in a press conference on whether he has changed his thought process.
"No, I've just been so focused on the week-to-week that I haven't really thought too much about the future," Hamlin said. "Obviously, [Joe Gibbs Racing]'s got good plans set in place and whatnot for that. So, no, not really, haven't put any more thought into it or second thoughts or anything like that. So, it just really riding the wave of week to week right now and continue trying to get more wins."
Brent Crews figures to be the successor to Hamlin in the No. 11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, but the latter is still at the top of his game. Many have wondered if the Joe Gibbs Racing driver might change his mind with his recent success. While Hamlin hasn't thought much about retirement, 2027 could be his final season.
Austin Cindric reveals major update on NASCAR future for 2027 season

#hamlin #season #week #retire

The NFL's most tenuous record might be held by Saquon Barkley.
Barkley is currently the highest paid running back in NFL history, in terms of annual value on his contract. Barkley makes $20.6 million per season.
That will change. The only question is how quickly he'll be surpassed.
The two top running backs in the NFL — or at least the top two picks in just about every fantasy draft this year — are sitting out of training camp practices awaiting new deals. Jahmyr Gibbs was not present at the start of Lions practice on Wednesday according to the Detroit News. Bijan Robinson wasn't participating in Falcons practice according to The Athletic.
Both stars are looking for new deals. If they're both starting hold-ins, their teams better prepare to get their checkbooks out. It's going to get expensive.

#practice #jahmyr #gibbs #wednesday

Detroit Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs might be in the midst of a hold-in as he seeks a new contract.
According to ESPN's Eric Woodyard, Gibbs, who did report to training camp, did not take part in the team's first practice on Wednesday.
Gibbs' absence, which is not believed to be injury-related, according to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit, comes amid he and the Lions trying to hammer out a contract extension.
"(Gibbs) was not listed on the team's Physically Unable to Perform or Non-Football-Injury list to start camp, suggesting his absence is not injury related," Reisman wrote.
MORE: Dan Campbell just sent Jahmyr Gibbs' fantasy football value soaring

#detroit #jahmyr #contract #camp

Allen Park — Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was not present on the first day of training camp practice in Allen Park on Wednesday.
It's not certain that the pursuit of a new contract is the reason that Gibbs was not at practice. However, Gibbs was not included in the list of injured players that coach Dan Campbell provided updates on Wednesday. Gibbs, the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, became eligible to sign a contract extension in March of this year.
The Lions have expressed a desire to retain Gibbs. If they do, it will likely be at a number that will make Gibbs one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.
This is a developing story.
nbianchidetroitnews.com

#allen #park #wednesday #practice

The hype for Jahmyr Gibbs' 2026 season has almost gotten too much.
With Gibbs expected to be the bell-cow back, plus Detroit's investment in the offensive line, some are predicting a monster year from the fourth-year Detroit Lions running back. In fact, so many people are predicting a career season from Gibbs, that he is actually the odds-on favorite to win the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year Award, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
As of Thursday afternoon, here were the five players with the best odds to come away with the award:
Jahmyr Gibbs: +650
Bijan Robinson: +900

#predicting #odds #detroit

Jared Goff. Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jahmyr Gibbs. Aidan Hutchinson. Brian Branch. Kerby Joseph.
The Detroit Lions have their main stars that are household names and lead the charge. They also have a few unsung heroes that can make big contributions. Players that can step in when their number is called and keep the team afloat.
Detroit had one such player, ironically a player they just added this offseason, named to ESPN's recent list of their All-Backup Team.
That player is wide receiver and likely main returner Greg Dortch, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals. Here's what ESPN's Bill Barnwell had to say about Dortch and his placement on this team:
We're also going to need to take some shots on nontraditional players. The 5-foot-7 Dortch wasn't able to persuade the Cardinals to put him on the field for significant stretches of time, but he has been a reliable pair of hands out of the slot, dropping just three of his 142 targets over the past four seasons. Dortch can also back up Chimere Dikeon punt and kick returns, providing some much-needed depth at returner.

#player #returner

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 the 2026 NFL season swiftly approaches, CBS Sports took a look at the NFL's "triplets" rankings. CBS' "triplets" rankings examine all 32 NFL teams' quarterback-running back-pass-catcher trios.
The Detroit Lions' combination of quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown ranked among the league's very best. The Lions earned the No. 3 ranking from CBS' nine-member voting panel.
The Lions' trio earned an average ranking of 4.2, a high ranking of 2 and a low ranking of 7.
It's been a remarkable rise for the Lions, who started from ****** near the bottom and are now here, ranked inside the top three. Goff is an incredibly consistent quarterback who has improved in areas where he was once deficient. Gibbs is arguably the most explosive player in the NFL regardless of position. And St. Brown is, like Goff, a model of consistency who is always in the right place at the right time and seems to rack up catches with relative ease. - CBS
Only the Los Angeles Rams' trio (QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams, WR Puka Nacua) and the Cincinnati Bengals' trio (QB Joe Burrow, RB Chase Brown, WR Ja'Marr Chase) ranked ahead of the Lions' triplets. The Bengals grabbed the No. 1 overall ranking.

#ranking #gibbs

The NFL has a number of young stars and the Detroit Lions can boast two of the very best among that group.
In CBS' look at the top 25 NFL players age 25 and under, a pair of Lions made the list and find their way inside the top 10 of the rankings.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and offensive tackle Penei Sewell are ranked as the No. 9 and No. 3 NFL players age 25 and under. In order to be eligible for its list, CBS' age cutoff was players who are 25 or younger when the 2026 regular season kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Rookies were also excluded so the list could focus on players that have already played in the NFL.
Gibbs enters 2026 after another terrific campaign where he totaled 1,223 rushing yards, 13 rushing scores and a career-best five touchdown receptions.
Here's what CBS wrote about Gibbs' No. 9 ranking:

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.

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

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.

Last season, 17 NFL running backs rushed for at least 1,000 yards and it further illustrates that the value of the running back position is increasing across the league. Having said that, the number of true feature backs in the league who don't split carries with another back and are the workhorse are somewhat rare.
This trait is what sets these 12 backs from the rest. Guys who carry the water for their respective team's rushing attacks, impact the passing game and rarely come off the field. As for the Pittsburgh Steelers running back tandem of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, they are talented backs and should do well this season but don't crack this list.
No back in the NFL brings what Bijan Robinson does in the NFL. Robinson played a league-best 860 snaps and is the true workhorse back in the league. Robinson just glides with the football and his effortless in making big plays. The Falcons will once again run everything through Robinson as he maintains his spot as the best back in the NFL.
Gibbs takes the No. 2 spot here because he's so electric with football in his hands and is one of the best in the league at taking over games when the Lions need him. We actually expect Gibbs to improve on his 1,223 rushing yards in 2025.
If Christian McCaffrey could stay healthy for a full season, he might be the No. 1 back in the NFL. However, when he's on the field, he's lightning in a bottle and maybe the best dual-threat running abck in the league.

Chase Briscoe didn't wreck anybody to make his point this week. He just went on a podcast and said the thing every driver in the Cup Series garage already knows but almost ****** ody puts on the record: NASCAR's disciplinary process has a don't-ask-don't-tell problem, and it keeps turning the sport's biggest stars into bad actors every time a fresh wreck gets reviewed.
The remarks came on the Rubbin' is Racing podcast, days after NASCAR closed the books on two separate Chicagoland Speedway incidents without issuing a single penalty. Briscoe's issue isn't that NASCAR lets drivers settle scores on the racetrack - he's fine with that part. His problem is what happens after the checkered flag, when a driver who obviously wrecked somebody on purpose has to stand in front of reporters and call it a racing incident, because that's the price of staying out of the penalty report. "Everybody knows you're lying about it," Briscoe said, describing the bind NASCAR's own process puts drivers in.
He's not wrong about the bind. He's also sitting on more supporting evidence than he probably realized, because NASCAR has spent this entire season demonstrating, in exhaustive public detail, what actually earns a driver a fine, and intent alone has never been enough.
Rewind to Texas Motor Speedway in early May, before any of the Chicagoland drama existed. Ryan Preece got frustrated with Ty Gibbs, announced his intentions over his own team radio, and turned Gibbs into the outside wall about half a lap later. NASCAR's response was swift and public: a $50,000 fine and a 25-point penalty, among the stiffest behavioral penalties handed out all year. NASCAR's vice president of racing communications walked through the reasoning himself: officials reviewed the team radio, the in-car video and the car's SMT telemetry data, and the combination of Preece stating his intentions and then following through on them was enough to cross into what the rulebook labels actions detrimental to stock car racing. RFK Racing appealed. The National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the penalty in late May, and Preece was left admitting it no longer mattered what he thought, the fine and the points were staying gone.
This wasn't Briscoe's first brush with NASCAR's points ledger this year either. His own speeding penalty back in March already put a dent in his playoff cushion, which makes his willingness to needle NASCAR's officiating now feel less like a driver picking a random fight and more like someone who has personally paid the price of the system he's describing.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has expanded its regulatory board with three new appointments.
Jane Fowler, Marina Gibbs and Julie Hendry have joined the ICAEW Regulatory Board (IRB) for an initial three‑year term, starting this July.
Fowler is an ICAEW chartered accountant with more than 30 years' experience in senior governance, audit and regulatory roles.
She has worked at companies including BDO and Aquila Advisory, and has been involved in audit oversight, auditor independence, risk controls and ethical standards.
Gibbs is a senior executive and non‑executive with more than 25 years' experience in regulation, strategy and organisational change.

Some moms say using marijuana makes them better parents, but experts are urging caution when using cannabis around children.
Moms like Rachel Gibbs, a content creator in Texas, share their experiences on social media, with some calling themselves "canna moms" or "garden moms." Videos tagged with those terms have picked up millions of views across social media platforms.
"We're not doing this to escape," Gibbs told ABC News. "We're not doing this to be bad moms. We're not doing this to get away from our kids. We're using this as a tool."
Trump signs executive order easing marijuana restrictions by reclassifying drug
Using cannabis can impact multiple parts of the body, and how it affects someone is based on various factors, including frequency of use and mode of intake, such as smoking, vaping or mixed into foods. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cannabis use can impact the health of one's heart, brain, and lungs, as well as impair coordination and driving.

ESPN released its top-10 running back rankings ahead of the 2026 NFL season, voted on by league personnel, and the New Orleans Saints were shut out. Both Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara received votes, but didn't crack the top 10.
Although Kamara had a down year in 2025, it's especially tough to leave Etienne off the list. The 27-year-old running back, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Saints in free agency, has a strong case for inclusion in the back half of the top 10. The ranking was based on votes from league executives, coaches, and scouts — and it was meant to identify the best running backs right now, not who has the best long-term projection or career resume.
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

NASCAR is performing a deeper inspection process after the Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend. Denny Hamlin's No. 11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing has been taken to the NASCAR R&D Center for further inspection after Chicagoland, the sport announced. Hamlin finished in fourth place on Sunday night.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been sensational during the 2026 Cup Series season and earned another top-5 finish at Chicagoland. NASCAR taking Hamlin's No. 11 car to the R&D Center doesn't automatically mean something is wrong; however, it does heighten the risk of a potential penalty.
In the NextGen car era, drivers and teams have received significant penalties when NASCAR takes a car to the R&D Center. There have been several occasions when they have lost over 100 points due to an infraction. Most cars are cleared after going to the R&D Center, but exceptions exist.
Hamlin will likely be OK; however, NASCAR has blasted teams in the past for any wrongdoing.
More: Chase Briscoe wins NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland in June 2026

The theme for the last few weeks has been running backs and the rushing attack, it seems. The Cleveland Browns have been known as a strong running team for along time, including having five of the Top 100 backs in NFL history. We’ve encouraged HC Todd Monken to set a goal for the offense with the running game as the priority, but Quinshon Judkins’ return from injury could play a huge role in that.
Judkins is not only the Browns offensive X-factor but can use the 2026 season to prove that he belongs in the Top 10 running back conversation, which could lead to an All-Pro level season.
According to a poll of “league executives, coaches and scouts, ESPN’s annual survey of positional rankings does not have Judkins in the Top 10 coming out of his rookie season. Instead, he falls in the honorable mention category:
“Runs incredibly hard, faster in the open field than you’d think. I think he’s going to have a big year.” — AFC executive
Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs top the list, with Derrick Henry (6th) the only AFC North back to land in the Top 10. Chase Brown received votes but was not among the honorable mentions.

The NASCAR Cup Series returned to Chicagoland Speedway, and it was an overwhelming success. NASCAR sold out Chicagoland in its first race weekend since the 2019 season. William Byron won both stages; however, it was a Joe Gibbs Racing showdown in the final laps at Chicagoland on Sunday night.
Chase Briscoe and the No. 19 team for Joe Gibbs Racing won the eero 400 at Chicagoland, earning their first victory of the 2026 Cup Series season. Briscoe held off a hard-charging Christopher Bell, who had the best car in the Final Stage. If not for A.J. Allmendinger's lapped car, the result might have been different on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin extended his points lead to 44 points over Tyler Reddick in the regular season standings after the No. 45 car had to change a radiator during the event. However, Briscoe was the top story on Sunday night, as he finally earned his first win of the 2026 season.
No. 19 Chase Briscoe
No. 20 Christopher Bell

JOLIET, IL — With all the attention on Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick and the way they’ve racked up NASCAR Cup Series wins for Toyota, it’s been easy to overlook Chase Briscoe.
Not so much anymore.
Following up on a runner-up finish on the Sonoma Raceway road course in California, Briscoe capped a popular weekend at Chicagoland Speedway with his first victory of the season July 5.
“We have not been as consistent, I would say, as [Hamlin and Reddick],” said Briscoe, who won three races and finished third in the 2025 championship. “But from a speed standpoint, I feel like we’ve been right here with them.”
Briscoe, 31, held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell, who also was chasing his first win of the season, by .276 seconds. Hamlin took third, giving team owner Joe Gibbs the top three spots in the finishing order on a night Toyotas claimed seven of the top 10.

The NASCAR O'Reilly Series competed at Chicagoland Speedway, and it was a thrilling event. On the Fourth of July, NASCAR was forced to delay the start of the event due to the weather. Connor Zilisch won Stage 1, while Chase Elliott won Stage 2; however, neither driver was able to enter victory lane.
Brandon Jones and the No. 20 team for Joe Gibbs Racing won Saturday night's race at Chicagoland, earning their first victory of the 2026 O'Reilly Series season. Jones was able to pass Elliott in NASCAR overtime, securing the first victory at Chicagoland in NASCAR since Alex Bowman during the 2019 season.
It has been a tough season for Jones and the No. 20 team, but everything came to fruition on Saturday night. Jones displayed elite speed and had to pass a NASCAR Cup Series champion to win the race. It might arguably be the best restart of Jones' NASCAR career against Elliott at Chicagoland.
No. 20 Brandon Jones
No. 88 Chase Elliott

Chase Briscoe survived a late charge from teammate Christopher Bell to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, delivering Joe Gibbs Racing another victory and punching his ticket into the 2026 Chase.
Bell, continuing to race through a fractured left wrist, finished just 0.276 seconds behind Briscoe after spending the closing laps searching for an opening that never came. Polesitter Denny Hamlin completed an all-Toyota podium in third.
The manufacturer didn’t stop there.
Toyota placed seven drivers inside the top 10, marking the first time in company history it has put seven cars in the top 10 of a NASCAR Cup Series race.
William Byron finished fourth as the highest-running Chevrolet, while teammate Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, Corey Heim and Riley Herbst completed the top 10.