DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — From pre-race rituals to unforgettable race-day celebrations, NASCAR today announced a new multiyear partnership with Fuel by Franzia, naming the brand the Official Wine-Based Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Partner of NASCAR beginning in 2026.
The partnership unites two brands rooted in bold innovation and creating unforgettable moments — bringing Fuel by Franzia’s full-throttle flavor, ready-to-drink offerings into the heart of NASCAR’s live event environment and fan culture. As an Official Partner, Fuel by Franzia will engage fans through national promotions, custom content, at-track activations and marquee entitlements at some of NASCAR’s most iconic venues.
“Fuel by Franzia brings a commanding presence and rebellious attitude to the category, and we’re excited to welcome them as an Official Partner of NASCAR,” said Craig Stimmel, SVP and Chief Commercial Officer, NASCAR. “This partnership is designed to meet fans where they are — at the track, at home and across digital platforms — with experiences that feel authentic, social and built around the moments that make race day special.”
As part of the collaboration, Fuel by Franzia will become the first-ever pit road entitlement partner for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The brand will own pit road, connecting fans with the action where every second — and every stop — matters. Fuel by Franzia will be highly visible through track wall signage, pit-in and pit-out signage, pit stripe signage and integration within The CW broadcast throughout 2026 Daytona Speedweeks. NASCAR fans 21-plus will be able to “fuel up” their race day with bold flavors like Hard Punch and Tiger’s Blood in the Daytona International Speedway Midway and at the Full Throttle Festival on Saturday night.
“NASCAR delivers unmatched, full-throttle energy and a deeply connected fan base — and that’s exactly where Fuel by Franzia belongs,” said Helen Kurtz, Chief Marketing Officer, The Wine Group. “With Fuel by Franzia entering the RTD space, this partnership with NASCAR is a game changer for the brand, placing us at the center of race-day culture and giving us the opportunity to connect with NASCAR’s passionate fan base through bold experiences and social moments.”
Fuel by Franzia will activate at select NASCAR-owned tracks year-round, including at Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Naval Base Coronado race weekend. At these tracks, fans can expect high-impact branding, sampling opportunities and integrated media storytelling designed to enhance the race-day atmosphere.
Together, NASCAR and Fuel by Franzia will deliver a bold, fan-forward partnership that blends speed, celebration and unforgettable race-day moments for audiences 21 and over.
NASCAR’s 2026 season officially gets underway this Sunday, Feb. 15, with the “Great American Race” — the Daytona 500 — which will air live on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 1:30 p.m. ET.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Paulie Hartwig III has accomplished more before his 15th birthday than some racers achieve during their entire careers.
He’s won races at North Wilkesboro Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway, sat on the pole for the Islip 300 at New York’s Riverhead Raceway and, most recently, won his first Tour Type Modified and 602 Modified features this week during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
“Everyone thinks it’s easy,” Hartwig said. “We have to work for it.”
Hartwig’s wins in the 602 Modified division Sunday and the Tour Type Modified division Monday during the World Series have further cemented his place as a top Modified prospect.
Getting here hasn’t been easy for Hartwig or his family. His father, Paul Hartwig Jr., was a racer for more than 20 years before retiring last year following a runner-up finish in a 602 Modified race at New Smyrna to put all the focus on his son’s racing career.
“I’ve got to focus on my kid,” an emotional Hartwig Jr. said at the time. “He’s just too good for me to waste any time.”
That focus will be taken to a new level this season as the Hartwig family shifts their focus to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, where Hartwig III will drive his family’s No. 73 for the full season once he turns 15 on Feb. 21.
Paulie Hartwig III (left) stands with his father Paulie Hartwig Jr. on Monday night at New Smyrna Speedway. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
“We’ve wanted to (race with the Modified Tour) for a while,” Hartwig III said. “The payout really helps us. Everyone thinks we have a lot of money, but we don’t. It’s not easy. My dad only does landscaping. That’s all he does. We don’t have a lot; that’s why we have a lot of supporters that help us.”
On the surface, joining the Modified Tour — the oldest division in NASCAR — as a 15-year-old may seem foolish or downright absurd. Based on his experience thus far, it’s the opposite.
Hartwig over the last two years has been racing against many of the same drivers he’ll face on the Modified Tour.
When he won Monday’s Tour Type Modified feature, he beat three previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champions, one of whom is the most recent NASCAR Cup Series race winner.
That’s why Hartwig Jr. didn’t bat an eye when asked whether his son is ready for the Modified Tour.
“I’m not scared. He’s raced against all of them at Riverhead. He’s raced against all of them at the North South Shootout. He’s already shown he belongs there,” Hartwig Jr. said. “We finished second to Matt Hirschman at the North South Shootout. We went to Riverhead when he was 12 years old and sat on the pole (for the Islip 300).”
Lisa Hartwig and Paulie Hartwig Jr. celebrate as their son Paulie Hartwig III wins Monday’s Tour Type Modified feature at New Smyrna Speedway. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Hartwig III is being realistic about his expectations for his maiden Modified Tour season. He knows there will be a learning curve, which is why his goal is to soak in as much as possible and, hopefully, prepare himself for a championship run in 2027.
“This year, we’re really going to be really consistent. We’re going to try and stay in the top 10 in every race,” Hartwig III said. “It’s really going to be tough. We’re going to be racing against a lot of really good guys.
“All these tracks are going to be really new to us. This year is just going to be a learning curve, and next year is going to be the year we go after it. This year there is going to be no expectations, and we’re just going to be learning.”
The challenge, Hartwig Jr. admitted, is that they have taken Hartwig III as far as they can on their own. If he’s to advance beyond the family team, he’ll need the support of major sponsors or a different team owner to help elevate him to the next level.
“This is all I can do,” Hartwig Jr. said. “We’ve got a lot of great friends that back this whole program. I promise you, I came down here with $3,000 in my bank account. There is no extra money.
“I know he belongs there. It’s just a matter of financially keeping him there.”
The future awaits Hartwig III, and if his week thus far at New Smyrna Speedway is any indication, his future is as bright as the Florida sun.
“This is a dream come true,” Hartwig III said after Monday’s Tour Type Modified win. “It’s really cool to win here. Winning yesterday with the 602 and now the Tour Mod, it’s pretty damn cool.”
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Jade Avedisian’s No. 24 Mobil 1 Toyota featured some noticeable battle scars at the end of the World Series of Asphalt’s second Super Late Model feature Saturday evening.
Avedisian rebounded from wall contact in the first race a day prior to secure her first checkered flag in a Super Late Model. Both events provided Avedisian several valuable lessons ahead of her ASA STARS National Tour debut Tuesday against many of the same drivers she has competed against so far this week.
With the World Series marking the beginning of a busy 2026 schedule for Avedisian, she wanted to set the tone by being efficient across her planned Super Late Model races. Prevailing Saturday against 26 other drivers validated the faith Avedisian had not only for Toyota and Donnie Wilson Motorsports, but in her own driving ability.
“[This win] definitely gives me a lot of confidence for sure,” Avedisian said. “Even if I didn’t win [on Saturday], I walked into this week with a lot of confidence knowing how well my team did last year at [New Smyrna]. [Saturday] helped my confidence, but I was already confident when I walked in this week.”
Saturday’s 60-lap feature at New Smyrna Speedway marked Jade Avedikian’s first victory in a Super Late Model. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Avedisian knows how to handle tough competition. She battled many veterans and fellow young prospects alike during her time in dirt midget competition, earning plenty of victories while also making the Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main in 2023.
The adjustment to pavement racing was never going to be seamless. While she could carry over some aspects of dirt racing onto asphalt tracks, approaching them would require Avedisian to adopt a different mindset, which involved leaning on the support system she had as a Toyota development driver.
Avedisian’s first venture into the World Series last year was as much a test session as it was a championship pursuit. The Pro Late Model prepared by Donnie Wilson was more than capable of contending for the title that year, but Avedisian needed to figure out her own limits in the car before winning races became a priority.
The results were solid for Avedisian. She completed every possible lap across the six Pro Late Model events and tallied three top-five finishes, enough for her to place fourth in the final standings.
One year has passed since her maiden World Series season, and Avedisian believes she has found her comfort zone in full-bodied stock cars. She has especially taken a liking to the Super Late Model, which possesses more raw speed compared to the Pro Late Model she drove throughout 2025.
“I feel like the list [of things I’ve learned] is 10 chapters long,” Avedisian said. “Maybe [the Super Late Model] fits a little bit closer to my style. What I grew up racing [had] a lot of horsepower. It’s been a great start to the week so far.”
(Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Avedisian felt she could find Victory Lane in a Super Late Model after tallying three Pro Late Model wins since the end of 2024. The biggest hurdle standing in the way of her goal would be the competition, with the World Series Super Late Model field featuring plenty of established veterans and a handful of full-time NASCAR drivers.
A promising start for Avedisian on night one nearly turned disastrous. While attempting to pass veteran Spencer Davis on the outside after a restart, the two ended up making contact that sent Avedisian into the outside wall. Avedisian managed to save the car, but she was forced to settle for a disappointing seventh with the damage on her car.
Instead of lingering on how her World Series Super Late Model debut unfolded, Avedisian immediately turned her attention to the second race Saturday, one that would have a more positive outcome.
“I didn’t really care,” Avedisian said. “I woke up [in the] morning with a fresh mind, only worried about winning. That was the only thing on my mind, which was to qualify good and figure out a way to win [on Saturday]. It didn’t affect me at all.”
Davis would be one of the two drivers Avedisian needed to pass Saturday to reach the front of the field. Once she navigated her way around Davis, the next driver in front of Avedisian was Casey Roderick, whose resume included an ASA STARS National Tour title along with victories in the All American 400, Snowflake 100 and World Crown.
Utilizing the speed of Wilson’s car, Avedisian applied heavy pressure to Roderick’s back bumper after overtaking Davis, patiently waiting for the ideal opportunity to pounce. A strong run off Turn 2 allowed Avedisian to pull alongside Roderick before she swiftly took control of the lead after moving Roderick out of the groove.
The group of drivers Jade Avedisian bested for the victory Saturday included Super Late Model champions and other NASCAR prospects. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)
No other driver got within range of Avedisian through the rest of the 60-lap feature. She maintained a comfortable, steady pace through lapped traffic to cruise into Victory Lane with the scuff marks from the night before still visible, a reminder of what she and the team had to overcome.
Avedisian joined Becca Kasten as the only other woman to win in a Super Late Model during the World Series, but that milestone was not at the forefront of her thought process. The ASA STARS National Tour race was up ahead, an event that would feature one of the toughest fields Avedisian has faced in her brief pavement career to date.
“It’s definitely cool to put my name in that category,” Avedisian said. “I wake up every day striving to be the best that I can. I just care about winning. [Saturday] is done. My focus is on Tuesday and figuring out how to win that one.”
The onslaught of events does not let up for Avedisian once she is done with the World Series. She is set to contest the entire 12-race ASA STARS National Tour schedule and will also run a handful of events with Nitro Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series.
Nothing would make Avedisian happier than to emerge victorious after 200 laps Tuesday evening and build momentum heading into the rest of the season. Avedisian already has one win against stout competition at New Smyrna this week; she knows she can earn another.
Although not quite in focus, perhaps because of the stunning surprise of the moment, the photograph is a NASCAR classic, one reprinted so many times it is embedded in the mind’s eye of longtime stock car racing fans.
The landscape is the frontstretch of Daytona International Speedway. It is the final lap of the 1976 Daytona 500, and chaos has erupted. The cars of Richard Petty and David Pearson are spinning and sliding, and smoke from the tires clouds the image. Petty’s bright red and blue No. 43 is meeting the outside wall, and Pearson’s No. 21 with the gold numbers is twirling toward the infield grass.
Vintage NASCAR drama in a single image.
“I’ve signed that picture thousands of times,” said Richard Petty, remembering the events a half-century gone. “That race never goes away. It’s been replayed over and over and over and will be some more. It wasn’t especially good for the Petty crowd, but it was good for the sport.”
Famously, Pearson recovered from the contact the two drivers had in the fourth turn and their run-ins with the outside wall, kept his engine turning and chugged across the finish line to win the race.
The bizarre finish, a highlight of the sports world on Feb. 15, 1976, was immediately labeled one of the greatest — if not THE greatest — in NASCAR history.
Three years later, some modified that view.
It was the Daytona 500 again — Feb. 18 this time, and there was another last-lap crash, Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough smashing their cars in the third turn racing for the win. Their cars fell off the banking, and the victory was left to the third-place driver — it’s Richard Petty! The No. 43 won, with Darrell Waltrip racing in his shadow.
Spiking the drama was what happened after the checkered flag. Donnie Allison and his brother Bobby, who had stopped his car at the scene of the accident, became embroiled in a disagreement with Yarborough, and Bobby and Cale proceeded to attempt to settle matters with a brief scuffle.
CBS cameras caught the fight, and water-cooler talk across the country the next morning put NASCAR in focus for thousands of people who perhaps had known little of the sport before another round of Daytona drama.
NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
Did the 1979 500 then become NASCAR’s greatest finish? Was the 1976 race superseded?
Support for both sides of this debate, one that is likely to continue as long as there are bars and social media, is easy to find.
“When I think of what’s grown and elevated the sport and brought it to a national level, that 1979 race — I’ve seen that replay over and over and over again and listened to the commentators and tried to understand what seeing that live was like,” said Jeff Gordon, who later would win three Daytona 500s. “That was a game changer for us. And the Petty-Pearson one is pretty important. It’s hard to say which one, but one thing I’ve learned over the years is that fighting seems to get more attention than other things, even a great battle to the finish.”
Ricky Rudd, then 19, was one of more than two dozen drivers who failed to qualify for the 1976 500. In 1979, he finished 31st in the race after blowing an engine and was on his way home when the Allisons and Yarborough crashed and clashed.
“Both of those races had unique qualities about them,” Rudd said. “It was two different times in history. The Pearson-Petty thing had everybody on the edge of their seats, but the 1979 finish had the brawl, which was of course pretty exciting to watch. That finish was emotional and down to the wire, and there was some aggressive driving. Those cars didn’t stick to the ground like they do today. They tended to drift around a lot.”
Ask Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham about the greatest finish, and he’s quick — understandably — to pick a race other than the ’76 and ’79 500s. That would be the 1997 Daytona 500, which ended in a three-way sweep for Evernham and Hendrick Motorsports: Jeff Gordon first, Terry Labonte second and Ricky Craven third.
But Evernham appreciates the importance of both previous 500s.
“The Petty-Pearson thing was pretty exciting to me because I was just starting to understand the draft and the slingshot and guys letting off,” he said. “What’s the greatest one? 1979 had the greatest effect on the sport — 100 percent. But, from a racer’s standpoint and wanting to watch, that was probably the Petty-Pearson all-out battle. That was the true battle to the finish line.”
Although the 1979 race is credited with boosting NASCAR’s national profile, the 1976 Daytona 500 attracted bigger television numbers.
About 18 million watched Petty and Pearson collide via the ABC Television Network, which broadcast the final 100 laps of the race as part of its Wide World of Sports anthology program. NASCAR shared the ABC stage that day with coverage of the Winter Olympics from Innsbruck, Austria, and the calamitous Daytona finish led ABC Sports to extend its race coverage into time previously scheduled for Olympic coverage. Bumping the Olympics was a big deal for NASCAR.
NASCAR Research & Archives Center | Getty Images
The television package was entirely new for the 1979 500. Before NASCAR and its tracks worked out contracts to broadcast every Cup race from flag to flag, typical coverage included only the final portions of races. After months of debate, CBS Sports agreed to televise the 1979 500 from start to finish for the first time, a somewhat risky decision that turned golden on race day. A powerful snowstorm blanketed much of the country that weekend, increasing the potential for TV viewership, including people who had no previous NASCAR connection. Fifteen million watched at some point during the 500 miles — and the aftermath.
Terry Labonte was among those who watched 1979’s big finish, and he had a unique viewpoint.
“That was my first Daytona 500, and I was sitting in my car on the backstretch when they finished,” Labonte said. “My car had a clutch problem with about 10 laps to go, and I pulled in on the back straight in an opening where the safety truck was. I was standing in the back of the truck with a safety worker and watched Cale and Donnie coming down the back straight and then banging and beating on each other. They went out of sight when they fell off the track, and I couldn’t see them. Another guy standing there said, ‘They’re fighting down there. Bobby Allison and Cale.’ I said, ‘No, no, no. That was Donnie Allison.’ He said, ‘No, I heard it was Bobby.’ ”
It was Bobby.
Labonte was one of hundreds of thousands who engaged in conversations about that finish. It’s still talked about today, as is Pearson-Petty in 1976.
NEW YORK — NASCAR is starting its engines for the 2026 season by setting a Guinness World Records™ title with the World’s Loudest Billboard, following a historic activation in Times Square that brought the unmistakable roar of a NASCAR engine to the heart of New York City, introducing new audiences to what NASCAR truly feels like ahead of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The custom billboard featured a 1:1 replica NASCAR Next Gen engine, allowing people in Times Square — one of the world’s most iconic urban settings — to hear and feel the raw power of stock-car racing. Built in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the engine was developed by 72andSunny in partnership with Guru House, with consultation from leading NASCAR engine builders, ECR and HMS, to ensure authenticity at scale.
“Setting a Guinness World Records title is a proud moment for our sport and serves as a bold statement to get the 2026 season started,” said Tim Clark, NASCAR’s chief brand officer. “The billboard puts the visceral energy of NASCAR front and center and invites everyone to experience what makes our sport so unique.”
The historic moment is part of NASCAR’s 2026 brand refresh — Hell Yeah, which highlights the instinctive, visceral energy that defines the sport. The refresh also includes a new brand spot developed by Concept80 that debuted Sunday, Feb. 8. Featuring drivers Bubba Wallace, Carson Hocevar, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson, alongside Scott Eastwood, Marshawn Lynch, Cleetus McFarland and Katelyn Larson, the ad positions NASCAR as the destination to feel alive — loud, fast, and impossible to ignore.
The record-setting moment and the brand spot serve as the launch point of NASCAR’s 2026 season. A big, loud, fun and confident statement deeply entrenched in what makes NASCAR special.
Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Mack Trucks and NASCAR® today announced a multiyear extension of their partnership, continuing the designation of Mack as the “Official Hauler of NASCAR.” As part of the expanded agreement, NASCAR has added 11 all-new Mack Pioneer™ 76-inch High-Roof Sleeper models to its fleet, with the trucks making their debut during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 11-15, leading up to the 68th annual Daytona 500.
The addition of the Pioneer models marks the latest evolution of NASCAR’s Mack fleet, which began with Pinnacle models in 2016 before transitioning to Anthem models in 2018. Six Mack Anthem® models will remain in service as part of the fleet, continuing to support NASCAR’s operations throughout the racing season.
“For nearly a decade, Mack has proudly served as the Official Hauler of NASCAR, and this partnership extension reinforces our shared commitment to performance, reliability and excellence,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “The Mack Pioneer represents the most advanced highway truck we’ve ever built, and there’s no better stage to showcase its capabilities than NASCAR’s demanding schedule.”
The Mack Pioneer, which began production in 2025, is Mack’s most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient highway truck to date, delivering up to 11 percent improved fuel efficiency compared with previous models. NASCAR’s custom-spec’d Pioneer models are powered by the Mack MP®13 engine producing 515 horsepower and 1,900 lb.-ft. of torque, paired with the Mack mDRIVE™ 12-speed overdrive automated manual transmission. The 76-inch High-Roof Sleeper configuration features the innovative FlexSuite system with premium mattresses, providing drivers with maximum comfort during NASCAR’s grueling travel schedule.
Each truck is equipped with Mack Protect™ Premier, Mack’s most comprehensive Advanced Driver Assistance System suite, which includes forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane change support on both passenger and driver sides. The fleet also features a digital mirror system, which replaces traditional side mirrors with cameras housed in pods, for improved aerodynamics and visibility, along with the Mack Integrated Parking Cooler for emissions-free cabin cooling during rest periods.
“Mack Trucks has been an essential partner behind the scenes of NASCAR for nearly a decade, delivering the reliability and performance required to keep our sport moving week after week,” said Michelle Byron, executive vice president and chief partnership and licensing officer, NASCAR. “As we extend this partnership and welcome the new Mack Pioneer models into our fleet, we’re continuing to invest in best-in-class equipment that supports our industry and the demanding logistics of our season.”
Spanning 10 months and 36 points races across the United States, the NASCAR schedule is one of the most grueling in all of sports. Each week during the season, NASCAR relies on its Mack trucks to efficiently and safely transport critical race equipment, technology and facilities from track to track.
For more information about Mack Trucks, visit your local Mack dealer or www.macktrucks.com.
NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship before Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron enters as the defending winner.
Analysis: Byron’s 2025 was a study in consistency with another Daytona 500 win and Regular Season Championship, yet the title still eluded him in the finale. He opened 2026 off on a strong note once again with a runner-up in the Cook Out Clash, showing early speed in chaotic conditions. Daytona suits his strengths and history, and he’ll arrive looking for a third straight Harley J. Earl with real momentum in a retooled Chase era as a top-tier threat who should be in the title conversation — or leading it — all season.
Analysis: Blaney’s four-win 2025 season culminated in an emotional championship race victory — but was ultimately short of the championship itself, however — reinforcing his status as one of the sport’s most reliable week-to-week performers. A third-place finish in The Clash suggested he and his No. 12 Penske group aren’t missing a beat in transition to 2026. Daytona’s draft chaos usually plays into his wheelhouse, and Blaney projects as a perennial top-five driver with a legitimate shot at breaking through for another title bid — or his first Daytona 500 win.
Analysis: Larson closed 2025 by seizing a second Cup crown after taking advantage of late Phoenix drama, validating his championship mettle. He showed early pace in the Bowman Gray Clash before weather and attrition reshuffled the order, and while exhibition doesn’t define a season, it confirms he’s sharp heading into Daytona and still firing on all cylinders. As defending champ, Larson’s outlook is as high as anyone’s, and a repeat is not a bit of bold talk.
Analysis: Hamlin was arguably the best driver in 2025 before being denied his first title after Phoenix heartbreak, but his trademark tenacity was on display again at Bowman Gray with a solid top-five in tough conditions. Carrying an aggravated shoulder injury into Speedweeks adds a layer of intrigue to his Daytona script, though his grit won’t be in question and still profiles as an elite contender. If his body holds and his team continues to execute, Hamlin should be in the championship mix yet again, with a format in which he can maximize his strengths.
Analysis: Briscoe’s breakout first year with Joe Gibbs Racing was real — three wins and a Championship 4 berth — even if the Phoenix finale didn’t go his way. He landed in the top 10 amid Bowman Gray’s chaos, an encouraging sign that his momentum will carry into 2026. Year 2 with an elite organization should see Briscoe further establish himself, particularly if his raw speed continues to translate to deepening race craft.
Analysis: Bell’s four wins and regular-season excellence in 2025 further established him as a perennial contender, though a Round of 8 exit highlighted execution gaps. At Bowman Gray, he was competitive inside the top 10 in tricky conditions, a hint of early form and Daytona, where power and patience mesh, should play to his strengths. Bell looks once again like a season-long contender with the firepower to grab wins and sustain a deep Chase push.
Analysis: Elliott’s 2025 was defined by consistency more than flash, and a Clash at Bowman Gray performance that didn’t make headlines mirrored that stable, workmanlike approach. Last year’s Clash winner arrives at Daytona with confidence, and his superspeedway savvy and race management give Elliott a credible shot to contend in the 500. Over a full season, expect him to be a fixture near the top of the rankings as his team pushes for more wins while maintaining his unparalleled consistency.
Analysis: Buescher again hovered around the playoff bubble in 2025, emphasizing RFK’s steady if unspectacular upward trajectory. The Bowman Gray Clash didn’t shift perceptions, but he remained in the mix — proof RFK’s consistency can keep him relevant, and the team also won the race itself with driver Ryan Preece. Buescher’s steady approach could pay dividends in a return to The Chase as well, and his season looks like he’ll be in the mix, if not an outright title threat.
Analysis: Logano’s 2025 didn’t mirror his 2024 magic, but an even year and some championship format tweaks have the No. 22 team buzzing for 2026. Daytona’s draft may play into his strategic strengths for a past 500 winner looking to build some early momentum, so look for Logano to be a key figure in the upper tier — as the even-year championship isn’t a narrative to dismiss at this point.
Analysis: Reddick’s 2025 was a letdown by his standards, but there were clear extenuating factors, and there’s nothing that suggests the slump will be a prolonged one. Daytona’s wild brand of racing offers him a reset opportunity, and if Reddick can clean up qualifying and short-run speed, the aggression that defines his style should yield wins once again as he aims for resurgence and reclamation.
Analysis: Chastain’s lone 2025 win was impressive in isolation, but a lack of depth was salient and prompted a crew chief change in the offseason. In the Bowman Gray brawl, he was able to eke out a top 10, hinting that the pieces might be finding early cohesion. Expect Chastain to be a thorn most weeks and a sleeper for big runs if the new crew dynamic clicks.
Analysis: Bowman heads into 2026 with a quiet ledger of late, but flashes over the years that show he has the ceiling to be in the conversation — including solid laps at Bowman Gray in mixed conditions last week. This is a make-or-break season for Bowman’s narrative, not his talent — expectations are higher now, and he’s had the time to compete for championships in top-tier equipment in multiple formats. If things come together, he’ll be a regular top-10 threat with upside for more, or the seat could get hotter by season’s end.
Analysis: Preece finally broke through in The Clash at Bowman Gray with a dramatic and memorable win, ending a long winless Cup run in a way that feels seismic for his confidence and garage cred — exhibition or not. That result instantly reframes Speedweeks for him; he’s not just going to Daytona, he’s going to contend for more than just dramatic, highlight reel clips in which he is airborne. All of a sudden, this feels like the year he turns fringe credibility into weekly contention.
Analysis: SVG’s 2025 rookie season lit up the sport, and the Bowman Gray Clash was, somewhat surprisingly, no exception, as he handled the mixed conditions with the kind of poise and car control that underlined he belongs in every conversation. If he keeps progressing on ovals, SVG could be one of the year’s biggest surprises. His ceiling is legit title contention; the only question remains consistency on courses that only turn left.
Analysis: Wallace’s 2025 — punctuated by a standout crown-jewel victory — demonstrated a level of maturity and nuance he’s chased for years. The question now is if he’ll continue to elevate or if he has reached his ceiling. Daytona’s draft tends to play to his risk-reward style, potentially putting him in the mix early this year. Look for Wallace to be a dependable top-15 driver with occasional flashes that reward aggression, with a Chase spot more likely than not.
Analysis: Gibbs underperformed expectations last season, missing the win column yet again and turning in an uneven body of work, but flashes of speed — including a decent amount of laps led — suggested the tools are there and still developing. In the Bowman Gray melee, he showed fight before chaos intervened, hinting that the time might be right for his long-coming breakout. If Gibbs can translate his raw talent into results, 2026 could be the year he shakes the “underachiever” tag and makes JGR a top-to-bottom powerhouse.
Analysis: Berry’s sophomore campaign saw a breakthrough Las Vegas win, and he carried that steam into a solid short-track presence — his bread-and-butter — at Bowman Gray, showing he belongs amid the sport’s scrappy middle pack with room to grow. Daytona’s penchant for unpredictability could hand him another high-profile result if circumstance and track position align, especially if he can find his Penske pals to work with. He’s still rounding into a weekly contender rather than an outright frontrunner, but expect Berry to push for consistent top 20s with frequent top-10 flashes.
Analysis: Cindric’s 2025 numbers weren’t eye-popping, but subtle improvements and occasional front-pack runs built a quiet case that his progression is real and continuing. Year 5 should be about finding that next gear for the 2022 Daytona 500 winner, with upside for strong results with growing consistency.
Analysis: Busch’s 2025 was a historic downward tick by his standards, yet a new crew chief, organizational shakeup and return to a familiar championship format offer as real a reset as he can hope for at this point in his career. The fight hasn’t left him, even if results have the past couple of years, so it’s more conceivable that they’ll come back than not. If he and his team find rhythm, “Rowdy” can surprise a lot of people and shake off a narrative that’s gotten louder than his talent level, which is still immense and unprecedented.
Analysis: Zilisch arrives in Cup off a decorated NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts season and gave a spirited effort in the Bowman Gray melee, reminding everyone that raw talent can translate even in bizarre conditions. Daytona will be the first real gauge of whether his oval progression can keep pace with his road-course ascent, but there’s no reason in the world to think it can’t. He’s still a rookie in the literal sense, but the tools are as sharp as any newcomer’s, and his experience level for his age is massive. A breakout run or two isn’t out of the question, and a solid points season — with multiple wins potentially on the table — looms if he keeps adapting.
NASCAR intends to rotate its season finale with the return of The Chase, but it’s unlikely there will be a new championship venue next year.
The season finale returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway this season, and the 1.5-mile oval is expected to stay in that spot on the 2027 schedule despite a report Monday that the championship rotation would begin next year.
“The plan would be to have the season finale again at Homestead in 2027, and then we’ll see what the rotation looks like,” NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde said on the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast that was released Monday.
Forde also addressed the news that Brad Keselowski had been cleared to return for the Daytona 500 from a broken femur he suffered in December. Keselowski completed a Monday evaluation session at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Forde said he practiced restarts and his fitness in getting out of the car. Forde said Keselowski actually had been cleared by NASCAR through his doctors, but requested the “medical test’ that NASCAR can grant if requested by a team.
“It’s not an automatic; NASCAR has to approve of a driver who has an injury to take a medical test,” Forde said. “Some teams ask for it. Some teams don’t. If they ask for it, it’s largely to make sure that the driver can get in and out of the car, where their first foray isn’t under competition circumstances and just make them feel a little bit more comfortable before the bright lights are back on them.
“He was already cleared to race at Daytona before today, but I think he was almost looking at it as an internal clearance from Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing. If he didn’t feel like he was ready to go, he would have uncleared himself in a way. So he felt good, clearly.”
Forde noted that when Chase Elliott was injured in a snowboarding accident in 2023, the 2020 champion returned without a medical test.
“He was cleared by his doctors, and we work with their doctors, and then NASCAR clears him,” Forde said. “It doesn’t have to have a medical test attached to it. But in this case, Brad wanted it to just sort of feel that extra level of comfort because it was a pretty severe leg injury.”
Keselowski is seeking his first win in the Daytona 500, which will be the first race under a new rule for 2026 in which NASCAR drivers are no longer allowed to deflect air during a qualifying lap. Though the rule applies to all tracks, Forde said it was tailored to Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway
“That’s where we saw it,” Forde said. “When you see a driver sticking their hand out the window or blocking air just to help get those thousandths of a second advantage. We just want to see both hands on the steering wheel. Obviously, they’re going at high speeds, and it doesn’t feel right that they’re doing that.”
NASCAR will use in-car cameras of the Cup Series to police the rule, which also applies to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
“It might be a little bit tougher to police there, but they know that there are going to be ways to suss that out, so we’ll see how it goes,” Forde said.
Other topics covered by Forde and senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis during the 42nd episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:
— A change to how the Daytona 500 starting lineup will be ordered;
— How NASCAR will handle waivers for drivers with the return of The Chase this season;
— The A-post flap that will be on Cup cars at all tracks in 2026;
— A tweak to the seeding process for the In-Season Challenge;
— Lessons learned at The Clash and whether caution laps wouldn’t be counted in future exhibition events.
Click on the embed below to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.
Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA Today and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He has also covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to action this Friday at Daytona International Speedway to kick off its 2026 season with the Fresh From Florida 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
It’s a star-studded field for the season opener, with names like three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, X Games legend Travis Pastrana, media personalities Corey LaJoie and Cleetus McFarland (a.k.a Garrett Mitchell) entered for Friday night’s race. Fellow NASCAR Cup Series regulars Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and John Hunter Nemechek will also be in the mix.
Forty-four race trucks are entered for this week’s on-track action.
The 2026 season is officially underway, and with it comes a new title sponsor for NASCAR’s secondary series. What hasn’t changed, however, is the action, as the year kicks off Saturday at the “World Center of Racing” with the United Rentals 300 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Defending series champion Jesse Love returns to Daytona International Speedway to begin his title defense at the site of his season-opening win one year ago. A handful of rookies enter the fold this year; Rajah Caruth takes over the reins of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for his first of 23 races with the team. Corey Day will have his first full-time season at the national level, wheeling the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports entry. Lavar Scott makes the jump from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet.
Cup Series regular Carson Hocevar will also be in the field, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports. Gio Ruggerio will drive the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota before Brent Crews is slated to take over the machine after his 18th birthday.
Forty-two cars are entered for this week’s on-track action.
