Starting anew: Alfredo embraces new chapter with Viking Motorsports

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Dustin Albino

Anthony Alfredo is accustomed to change. Throughout his eight-year NASCAR career, he’s never been with the same organization for consecutive seasons.

Alfredo, however, would argue that his opportunity in 2026 with Viking Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is the most complete job that he’s had to date.

“I think I’ve learned to adapt very well to [change] because I haven’t had a choice,” Alfredo told NASCAR.com. “I don’t want to start over every year, but I think I’ve developed a lot of traits as a person, driver, competitor, team member to know how to build those relationships quickly.

“We all want to settle down and have a home somewhere.”

RELATED: Anthony Alfredo driver page

To the outside world, it might seem like Alfredo is jumping from team to team at will. But in full transparency, he would like more stability and to find an option for the foreseeable future, while also working as a Hendrick Motorsports simulator driver during the week, which led to his opportunity to fill in for Alex Bowman at Phoenix Raceway.

He believes Viking Motorsports could be that team.

“To have a team now that has laid out a clear path, not this year-by-year thing, not even knowing if they are going to come back and compete in the series or not,” Alfredo said. “To say they have a clear path of building a multi-car, competitive, race-winning organization and to have me a part of that is something that means a lot to me. I want to be a part of that, and I want to make the most out of it.”

Viking Motorsports upped its resources over the offseason. Parker Retzlaff signed on to drive the team’s signature No. 99 entry. It also agreed to an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing for the 2026 season, filling Kaulig Racing’s role. Adding Alfredo to the driver lineup also meant the upstart organization was beginning a second full-time team.

Team owner Don Sackett knows that adding a second team can be complicated. Over the offseason, Viking bought upwards of 10 chassis to add to its fleet for the Nos. 96 and 99 cars.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

“I think the biggest reason with a bunch of the changes, there was a lot of good talent available with crew chiefs and crews,” Sackett said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but there might not be an opportunity to expand to two teams quickly if we waited a year. A lot of pieces came together at the right time, and we decided to go for it.”

Alfredo was on the market after one season with Young’s Motorsports, tying Viking’s No. 99 car for 25th in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series owner standings last season. The company wanted to build around Alfredo, so it signed Josh Graham as his crew chief, reconnecting them after their 2024 stint with Our Motorsports. The duo placed 17th in the owner standings that season despite having fewer assets.

“When that opportunity came up with an owner that has the ability to invest and help a driver like me who doesn’t have all the funding to be in an alliance car or a top-tier ride meant a lot to me,” Alfredo said. “It says [Sackett] believes in my ability, and all of our partners are on board with it and excited to take that next step in being competitive.”

The 2026 season also marks the first time since 2022 that Alfredo has had a teammate to connect with. Through the opening six events, he sits 16th in the driver standings, while Retzlaff ranks ninth and is coming off one of the best showings in team history at Darlington Raceway, thanks to his eighth-place result. Alfredo finished 12th after also being a mainstay in the top 10.

“To have two teams in the same building that can lean on each other, we can go separate directions or the same direction and build off each other,” Alfredo said. “Parker and I can push each other to be better and help each other. We all have common goals and interests and are already doing a lot together as a group.”

Sackett wanted to have a foundation built around Alfredo because of the experience — over 200 NASCAR starts — he brings to the table. It immediately amplified expectations within the Viking walls.

MORE: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings

“[Alfredo] is a hard-working, hungry, young driver that wants to do well but now has a really good team and equipment,” Sackett said. “From what I can tell, Anthony and Parker have a good relationship, and I think they are going to work well together. We want to have two good teams. It wouldn’t make sense to do this if we had the Parker team and then we didn’t support Anthony with equally good equipment and people.”

Expectations remain high for Viking. Alfredo believes this is his best chance to date of making the postseason as a full-time driver. After failing to qualify for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, the No. 96 car has jumped to 22nd in the owner standings over the last five events. Up next for Alfredo and the No. 96 team is Martinsville Speedway on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Alfredo’s main goal through it all? Delivering his and Viking Motorsports’ first win, something Retzlaff nearly achieved last month with a runner-up finish at EchoPark Speedway.

“There are going to be a lot of opportunities [to win] this year, and that’s something I have to keep in mind,” Alfredo said. “With the Chase format, we are going to have to be consistent. We have to outweigh the risk versus reward, which is going to be crucial.”

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Nate Ryan

Tyler Reddick won at Darlington Raceway in part because he switched to a heavier battery with a larger capacity after the alternator malfunctioned in his No. 45 Toyota.

That move fell within the NASCAR rules, but there are some restrictions on the batteries used in Cup Series cars.

MORE: Cup Series standings

During the latest episode of “Hauler Talk,” NASCAR vice president of race communications Mike Forde explained that teams are permitted the installation of up to two batteries with a maximum of 12 volts apiece. All batteries must also be mounted in the proper location.

“We don’t have any rules as far as the size of the batteries, but the vehicle still needs to make weight,” Forde said. “If you start with a heavy battery and you swap to a lighter battery, and you came in underweight, then you could have a DQ on your hands.

“So moving to a larger battery, as long as it matched the rules, which the 45 did, you’re good to go.”

Reddick’s first victory at Darlington came in the debut of a higher-horsepower, lower-downforce package at the 1.366-mile oval. The combination will also be used this weekend at Martinsville Speedway and other tracks shorter than Darlington.

Forde said NASCAR would consider introducing additional horsepower at 1.5-mile ovals and longer, but that it’s unlikely this season.

“We just felt that you look at the mile-and-a-half races, and I think everyone’s in agreement that it’s the best racing we have, and so let’s not fix what’s not broken,” he said. “We don’t want to hurt something that we all feel is pretty good. I think this is more of a 2027 situation, so what we have for the remainder of the year, we’re going to stick with that. At the end of the season, we’ll look at Darlington, Nashville, Gateway and the short tracks and see how they raced, and how the mile-and-a-halfs raced, too. Because every single year, the teams catch up to the car and fine-tune it, and that affects the racing.”

Forde said NASCAR officials expected the Darlington race to be “a little more wild, chaotic.” It was the fifth consecutive Cup race without a yellow flag during the first stage.

“I think fans liked it, maybe not loved it,” Forde said. “When you look at that, it’s such a small sample size, though, and a lot has to do with the number of restarts, and there wasn’t a ton of wrecks, spins or cautions outside the stage breaks. So I think we’ll put everything in the pot and see where it came out. But overall, I think the drivers were happy.”

NASCAR will meet with drivers this weekend at Martinsville in one of its regularly scheduled gatherings to solicit feedback on the package and other items.

Other topics covered by Forde and senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis during the 47th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:

Why the Ford of Austin Cindric and Chevrolet of Carson Hocevar were taken to the R&D Center after Darlington;
The rash of pre-race inspection failures at Darlington, which led to penalties for Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher. Only about half the field passed inspection on the first attempt;
The Chase status of Craftsman Truck Series winner Corey Heim.

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 also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.

Posted on March 24, 2026 by NASCAR Official Release

SAN DIEGO – NASCAR announced today that Camping World will serve as a Supporting Partner of NASCAR San Diego Weekend, June 19-21. It reunites one of the sport’s most recognizable and enduring brands with NASCAR and Southern California for a historic celebration of speed, service and community.

For decades, Camping World’s heart has been firmly entrenched in the NASCAR community — from trackside campgrounds packed with loyal fans to high-profile partnerships across the sport, including its entitlement partnership with the Truck Series from 2009-2022. Its presence at NASCAR San Diego Weekend underscores the brand’s continued commitment to NASCAR and to the passionate fan base that fuels it.

RELATED: Buy San Diego tickets now!

“NASCAR San Diego Weekend is about more than racing — it’s about community, patriotism and bringing people together around shared values,” said Amy Lupo, president of NASCAR San Diego. “Camping World is an iconic brand within our sport, and their unwavering support of the military and first responders aligns perfectly with the spirit of this event, which honors the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy. We are proud to welcome them as a Supporting Partner for this landmark weekend.”

As part of its involvement, Camping World will utilize the weekend to debut its new Hero Program, which honors members of the military, law enforcement and first responders who have demonstrated exceptional service to our country and communities. The program reflects the company’s deep respect for those who serve and its ongoing investment in recognizing everyday heroes.

Throughout the event, Camping World will engage fans with on-site activations while shining a spotlight on honorees who embody courage, dedication and service. The partnership also reflects the synergy between NASCAR’s proud ties to America’s armed forces and first responders and Camping World’s longstanding commitment to those who protect and defend our freedom.

“Camping World and NASCAR have shared decades of history. The fans’ dedication to the sport and their affinity for the RV lifestyle at the track is unmatched. We are honored to be part of NASCAR San Diego Weekend and to continue our deep-rooted relationship with the NASCAR family,” said Matthew Wagner, CEO & president of Camping World.

“Our Hero Program is about recognizing the brave men and women who serve our country, protect our freedom and support our communities with distinction. There is no better stage than an event with such strong ties to the military to acknowledge their sacrifice and celebrate their commitment,” said Brandon Mulhall, CMO of Camping World.

Racing action at Naval Base Coronado begins with Navy Community Day on Friday, June 19. Friday access will be open exclusively to members of the US Navy at Naval Base Coronado and a limited amount of Coronado residents, culminating with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

Ticket holders from the general public will be welcome aboard June 20-21. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will take center stage on Saturday, June 20, and the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will compete in the Anduril 250 Race the Base on Sunday, June 21.

Race fans are encouraged to visit www.nascarsandiego.com for the latest information.

Posted on March 24, 2026March 25, 2026 by Staff Report

Goodyear officials announced Tuesday that a familiar tire setup will be in play for the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

This softer left-side Cup Series tire, introduced last October at the Virginia half-miler, will again be used during the 2025 spring competition. The left-side tire – designed to deliver more fall-off than previous iterations – will be paired with the same right-side tire used since the fall of 2024.

“Martinsville is the first true short track on this year’s schedule and combines tight concrete corners with long asphalt straightaways, earning its ‘Paperclip’ nickname,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “We introduced this Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setup last fall, so Cup Series teams already have some data to help their strategies this weekend.”

Each Cup Series team will receive 10 sets of tires, with eight sets divvied for the race, one for practice and another for qualifying that carries over to Sunday’s 400-lapper. Four wet-weather sets will additionally be allotted if needed.

MORE: Power Rankings | Drivers in focus after Darlington

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, meanwhile, will also have familiarity with the tires. Goodyear’s 15-inch setup for Martinsville, in use since 2022, will again be in effect for Saturday’s competition (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Each O’Reilly Series team will receive five tire sets: three for the race, one for practice and one for qualifying, which transfers to the 250-lap event. Three wet-weather sets will be provided if needed.

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Zach Sturniolo

NASCAR.com’s Zach Sturniolo ranks the top 20 Cup Series drivers competing for the 2026 championship after Tyler Reddick’s win at Darlington Raceway and before Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Denny Hamlin enters as the defending winner.

Analysis: It should come as little surprise that regular ranker Pat DeCola hit the nail on the head last week when he said “more wins will come” for Reddick. That Reddick proved him right in the same week is just a sign of how great things are going for the No. 45 team. This is an unbelievable start for Reddick — even after early-race voltage issues and late-race contact — but he will face his biggest test yet at Martinsville, where he has just two top 10s in 12 starts with an average finish of 19.4.

Analysis: Tough sledding on pit road hasn’t stopped Blaney yet. Despite another rough afternoon of work for the No. 12 Team Penske group, Blaney rallied for the second time in three weeks for a top-five finish. No, the payoff wasn’t quite as sweet as his Phoenix win on March 8. But a third-place effort before heading to Martinsville is bad news for the field. The 0.526-mile oval is easily his best track on the circuit, where he’s collected two wins, 11 top fives and 13 top 10s to post a personal-best 8.2 average finish.

Analysis: Hamlin wasn’t his usual dominant self at Darlington, with Sunday marking his first start without laps led at the “Lady in Black” since May 2020, a span of 13 races. Expect Hamlin to bounce back into race-winning form Sunday at Martinsville, where he won last spring for the sixth time in his storied career — with a top-10 rate of 65.7% (27 in 40 starts).

Kyle Larson Power Rankings

Analysis: A solid-if-not-impressive showing for Larson fell flat in the closing laps, when the two-time and defending champion slid into the Turn 1 wall and broke a right-rear toe link, plummeting him to a 32nd-place finish, two laps down. Larson began his career as hit-or-miss at Martinsville, but his performance has stabilized incredibly well since joining Hendrick Motorsports. In the seven races since the fall of 2022, Larson hasn’t finished worse than sixth, netting one win and six top fives in those events.

Analysis: Elliott started the weekend strong with a third-place qualifying effort on Saturday, but that speed never quite translated on Sunday, ultimately landing 15th. The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team has proven it can contend already this season, with Elliott nearly winning the Daytona 500 and finishing second to Hamlin at Las Vegas two weeks ago. It’s a wonder Elliott hasn’t won more — or more recently than 2020 — at Martinsville. The 2020 champ has finished fourth or better in each of the past four races at the paperclip-shaped track, with 40 laps led or more in four of the past five.

Analysis: Darlington was a quiet weekend for the No. 24 team, which rattled off an eighth-place finish while picking up five stage points in the process. Byron is finding his footing after a fairly slow start, entering Martinsville with three straight top 10s and a top five heading to one of his favorite tracks. The 28-year-old dominated last fall’s race at Martinsville, leading 304 laps and muscling past Ryan Blaney for his third Martinsville win in his last eight starts there.

Analysis: Wallace looked ready to keep pace with his 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick at Darlington until misfortune landed in his lap. After qualifying second and finishing fourth in Stage 1, Wallace had a slow pit stop during the stage break and restarted 16th. That poor track position put him in harm’s way when Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin collided in front of him at Lap 111. The damage to Wallace’s car took him out of contention and dropped him to a 34th-place finish, five laps down. The good news: Wallace is a typical contender at Martinsville, finishing 11th or better in five of the last seven races there.

Analysis: For the second time in three years, Buescher seemed destined to win the spring race at Darlington. For the second time in three years, Darlington was “Too Tough to Tame” for Buescher after late contact with Tyler Reddick. Buescher gambled to hit pit road right after teammate Brad Keselowski passed him for the lead — but Reddick was right behind him, and Buescher’s abrupt attempt to slow down brought the two together again. Still, Buescher salvaged a ninth-place finish, a decent result before heading to Martinsville, where he has just two top 10s in 21 starts and none in his last four.

Analysis: Gibbs’ hot start continued at Darlington, where his sixth-place finish marked the best for all of Joe Gibbs Racing. Will that translate to his first top-10 finish at Martinsville in his eighth start? It wouldn’t be crazy considering he finished 13th and 12th in last year’s two trips to the Virginia track. Gibbs is also looking for his first laps led on the half-mile.

Analysis: Bell had a forgettable 19th-place showing at Darlington, ending a three-race stretch of consecutive top fives. But the 31-year-old can quickly shift his focus to Martinsville, where he’s finished inside the top 10 in three of the last five races, including both events in 2025. And don’t forget — when everyone was talking about Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” move, it was Bell who won that Martinsville race in October 2022.

Analysis: Keselowski looked like the Brad of old Sunday at Darlington, leading a race-high 142 laps, sweeping the stages, and ultimately finishing second to Reddick in the Goodyear 400. Fittingly, that marked his most laps led in a single race since he led 170 at Martinsville back in the fall of 2024. Keselowski hasn’t had the same Martinsville magic in recent years as he once did — in 14 starts there between 2015 and 2021, Keselowski earned two wins, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s — but perhaps Sunday’s run at Darlington rekindled some of the spark needed to right the ship.

Analysis: Briscoe was running fifth when he collided with Riley Herbst in Turns 3 and 4 with two laps to go, dropping him to a 12th-place finish instead. The result still netted him his second-best points day of the season with 32 points earned, but the No. 19 team needs as many points as it can muster with two one-point days in six races. Martinsville may provide an opportunity for more: Briscoe has six top 10s in his last eight Martinsville starts, including two top fives.

Analysis: Preece has embodied consistency over the last three weeks with finishes of 13th (Phoenix), 11th (Las Vegas) and 13th again at Darlington. Now, the driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford returns to a track where he knows he can make a splash. Martinsville is one of Preece’s best tracks on the circuit, netting three top 10s and 135 laps led, both marking or tying his most at any venue on the schedule. Preece took a Cup car to Victory Lane for the first time back in February at the exhibition Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, another short track. Is the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville going to be the site of his first points-paying Cup win?

Analysis: If you would have told me Shane van Gisbergen would be Trackhouse Racing’s top finisher at Darlington, of all places — especially over Ross Chastain — I simply would not have believed you. And yet, SVG is more than finding his groove on ovals, mustering a 14th-place finish Sunday afternoon to rebound from Lap 1 trouble that sent him reeling at Las Vegas. This sudden oval prowess could prove itself again at Martinsville, where he has two top-15 finishes in three starts.

Analysis: Sunday could not have gone worse for Logano and the No. 22 team, which struggled toward a 33rd-place finish, three laps down, scoring a measly four points while both his Team Penske teammates, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, netted top fives. The good news (and boy, could he use some after Darlington) is that Martinsville is typically a great track for Logano. While the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion hasn’t won there since 2018, he has an active top-10 streak of 13 straight races there, including two runner-up finishes in that stretch.

Analysis: A great call by crew chief Luke Lambert and a better drive by Hocevar netted the No. 77 team a top-five finish in its throwback scheme to Dale Earnhardt, earning Chevrolet its best result of the day at Darlington after pitting for tires later than everyone else. The question is whether performances like that should be the expected norm — he finished fourth at EchoPark Speedway, too — or if we should anticipate more mid-pack finishes following a stretch of finishes of 31st, 20th and 22nd in the three races between EchoPark and Darlington. It may be more of the latter at Martinsville, where Hocevar has yet to finish better than 17th in five starts.

Analysis: One way to fight back after an intense conversation with your competitors is to simply outrun them, exactly like Suárez did Sunday at Darlington with a seventh-place finish. With a 16.3 average finish through six races, Suárez is off to his best start since 2023, when he averaged a 14.1 finish across that span. Martinsville has never been a strong suit of his, however, with just two top 10s in 18 starts — most recently in 2019.

Analysis: This has been far from the start Chastain was expecting. His third-place finish at EchoPark Speedway marks his only top 15 so far this year, with middling results of 17th at Vegas and 16th at Darlington as his next-best showings. Certainly, the tide must turn eventually for Chastain, a proven winner in the Cup Series. Perhaps that will happen at Martinsville, where he’s finished eighth or better in the last three races.

Analysis: Jones put together one heck of a rally Sunday, bouncing back from an early spin to put his No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota into the top 10 and into the rankings for the first time this season. That’s Jones’ second top 10 in three weeks, enveloping a 20th-place finish at Las Vegas in between. Martinsville has the potential to be a step back for Jones, who has one top 10 there in 18 starts (back in 2021, mind you). But Legacy has slowly been improving. Maybe that plays into his favor this time around.

Analysis: The start of this season has been a rough go for Cindric, who had just one top 20 after five races. He came alive in a big way at Darlington, though, earning a fifth-place finish on a hard-fought day to collect 38 points, his most in one race since scoring 41 at Richmond Raceway in August 2025. He’s been hot and cold at Martinsville, with one top five, two top 10s and four finishes of 23rd or worse in eight starts. Will momentum from Darlington translate to Martinsville? Cindric sure hopes so.

Posted on March 23, 2026March 27, 2026 by Staff Report

Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200

Martinsville Speedway

Entry list

Car No.	Driver	Team	Crew Chief	Chassis Mfg.	Sponsors
0	Ryan Newman	Glenn Styers	Randy Renfrow	LFR	Ohsweken Speedway; Glenn Styers Racing; Keydisplay; USNE
1	Patrick Emerling	USNE Motorsports	Dale Hedquist	LFR	USNE Power
3	Tyler Rypkema	BRE Racing	Greg Fournier	Boehler Racing	Northeast Drilling; SYP
05	Teddy Hodgdon IV	Teddy Hodgdon Racing	Ted Hodgdon	FURY Race Cars	Business Time Motorsports; The Landau Team of Re/Max; Montanari Fuel
7	Luke Baldwin	Tommy Baldwin Racing LLC	Tommy Baldwin	PSR Products	Baldwin Automotive
8	John-Michael Shenette	Eighty-Two Autosport	Scott Morin	LFR	USNE Power; Eighty-Two Services General Contractor
16	Ron Silk	Haydt Yannone Racing	Phil Moran	FURY Race Cars	Blue Mountain Machine; Future Homes
18	Ken Heagy	Heagy Motorsports	Greg Gorman	FURY Race Cars	Merkel Racing Engines
21	Stephen Kopcik	Wanick Motorsports	Nick Kopcik	Troyer	Wanick Construction; Newtown Pools
22	Kyle Bonsignore	Kyle Bonsignore	Cam Mcdermott	FURY Race Cars	ChawLew; MTT; LRD
24	Andrew Krause	Supreme Racing	Steven Reed	LFR	Supreme Mfg Co.
25	Danny Bohn	Team 25 LLC	Terry Hall	FURY Race Cars	Foxfire Farms; Ready Mix
31	Michael Christopher Jr	Elite Motorsports	Eugene Orlando	LFR	Elite Towing; Elite Racing; Baker Racing
36	David Sapienza	Sapienza Racing	Greg Kleila	Troyer	Sapienza Enterprises; Eastport Feeds
38	Jack Baldwin	PSR Racing	Neal Cantor	PSR Products	Stokes Shoes
46	Craig Lutz	Goodie Racing	Douglas Ogiejko	FURY Race Cars	Riverhead Building Supply
51	Justin Bonsignore	Kenneth Massa Motorsports	Ryan Stone	FURY Race Cars	Phoenix Communications, Inc.
54	Tommy Catalano	Catalano Motorsports	Rick Kluth	Troyer	FX Caprara; USNE Power
55	Jeremy Gerstner	GMR Enterprises	Keith Wheeler	Troyer	Garage Doors of the Triad; Cherokee Underground; JTS Services
56	Trevor Catalano	Catalano Motorsports	David Catalano	Troyer	USNE Power
58	Eric Goodale	Goodie Motorsports	Rob Hyer	FURY Race Cars	GAF Roofing
60	Matt Hirschman	Pee Dee Motorsports	Mike Stein	Troyer	Bar Harbor Bank & Trust; Pee Dee Motorsports
64	Austin Beers	KLM Motorsports	Ron Yuhas	Troyer	G&G Electrical Supply, Dell Electric, Fastrack Electric, Lumiere Electrical, AP Marquadt & Sons, Andrew James Interiors, Hugh
66	Timmy Solomito	Timothy Solomito	Jerry Solomito Sr.	LFR	USNE Power; Kennedy Realty; FX Caprara
70	Andy Seuss	SS Motorsports	Jon Marlott	LFR	Rockingham Boat
71	Jimmy Zacharias	Zacharias Motorsports	Austin Kochenash	LFR	Kevo Motorsports; Stafursky Paving; American Property Solutions; Velocita
73	Paulie Hartwig III	Hartwig Racing	Bobby Geiger Jr	Troyer	Professional Therapy Associates; Velocita USA
79	Jonathan McKennedy	Jonathan McKennedy Racing	Patrick Walsh	FURY Race Cars	Stuart’s Automotive
82	Andrew Molleur	DWR Racing	Michael Molleur	LFR	Horton Avenue Materials
95	Cory Plummer	Apex Racing	Jonah Gosnell	Apex Race Cars	Tuckers Metal Fabrication & Welding; Apex Race Cars; Apex Racing; Croteau Machine & More
140	Luke Fleming	Frank Fleming Motorsports	Frank Fleming	PSR Products	William E. Smith Trucking; Taylor Auto Parts; Perkin & Associates; Hodges Realty; Autos by Nelson

Posted on March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 by Kobe Lambeth

Tyler Reddick’s dream start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season continued in Sunday afternoon’s 293-lap showdown at Darlington Raceway after finding Victory Lane in the Goodyear 400, which puts him in the history books alongside Bill Elliott (1992) and Dale Earnhardt (1987) as the third driver to win four of the first six races in a season.

A few setbacks along the way, such as a slow pit stop and issues with his alternator and cool suit in the opening stage, knocked the pole-winning No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota to the tail of the field for the Stage 2 restart after coming to the pits before it opened. Reddick put his “I know never to give up” attitude to the test, passing Brad Keselowski on Lap 266 to complete the epic comeback.

Other drivers found positives from the historic 1.366-mile South Carolina track, while others left the “Lady in Black” with Darlington stripes and wondered how it all went wrong. Here’s a glance at three drivers on the upswing, plus three more who hope to put a disappointing day in the rearview mirror in this Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

THREE UP ⬆️

1. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford

Started: 12th

Finished: 5th

What happened: Cindric finally got his first “long overdue” top five of the 2026 season after his No. 2 team fully executed the race from start to finish. He helped put two Team Penske Fords in the top five, with teammate Ryan Blaney finishing third in the 293-lap event. Before placing fifth at Darlington, Cindric’s first five races of the year were finishes of 19th or worse.

What’s next: The No. 2 Team Penske Ford driver’s top-five day at Darlington moved him up to 21st in the Cup Series standings. Cindric hopes to keep progressing until he is in the top 16 in points, but his eight career starts at Martinsville have produced mixed results. In those eight starts, he has finished 15th or better four times, with the other four races being finishes of 23rd or worse.

Ethan Smith | For NASCAR Digital Media

2. Daniel Suárez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Started: 11th

Finished: 7th

What happened: Suárez’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ran strong all weekend in South Carolina. He was fourth in practice, 11th in qualifying and seventh in the race. From the time the green flag waved, Suárez rarely fell out of the top 10 during the race, earning his second top-10 finish of the season. One week after a squabble on pit road at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with former Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain, the 34-year-old Mexican driver moved on from that incident pretty quickly and locked in for a great result at Darlington.

What’s next: Martinsville is not one of Suárez’s strongest venues, scoring only two top 10s in his Cup Series career. He has also finished outside the top 20 in his last five races at the Virginia short track. However, given how the move to Spire has seemingly given him a “pep in his step,” Suárez could be in line for another strong showing.

Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

3. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

Started: 24th

Finished: 10th

What happened: Once again, the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club driver used his past Darlington success to his advantage to move from 24th into the top 15 early in the race. However, Jones’ progress was interrupted in Stage 2 when Denny Hamlin got into his rear on Lap 111, sending the No. 43 Toyota spinning in Turn 3. The 29-year-old Byron, Michigan, native rallied to collect a top 10, his 10th career top-10 finish at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

What’s next: With two top 10s in the last three Cup Series races, “That Jones Boy” will look to build momentum and click off more strong results for the No. 43 team. Gaining three spots and moving up to 24th in the standings, Jones will look ahead to Martinsville, hoping for a better run at the Virginia short track after finishing outside the top 30 in both races last year.

Ethan Smith | For NASCAR Digital Media

THREE DOWN ⬇️

1. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Started: 4th

Finished: 32nd

What happened: With 10 laps to go, Larson was running 11th and seemed destined for a solid result and points day at Darlington. However, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet smacked the Turn 1 wall and suffered damage. Larson spent the final laps nursing his car home and simply trying to finish the race. Scoring points in the first two stages allowed him to salvage 19 points in all in what turned out to be a frustrating ending in South Carolina.

What’s next: If the defending Cup Series champion wants to break his 30-race winless streak, Martinsville might be the perfect destination to return to Victory Lane. Martinsville is one of Hendrick’s most successful tracks as an organization, and Larson has not finished worse than sixth in his last seven races at the “Paperclip.”

Ethan Smith | For NASCAR Digital Media

2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford

Started: 29th

Finished: 33rd

What happened: The No. 22 team’s entire weekend at Darlington was a major head scratcher. Logano was 35th in practice, 29th in qualifying and 33rd in the race, three laps down. Speed was nonexistent from the time the No. 22 Team Penske Ford rolled off the hauler, which is very uncharacteristic of the group led by crew chief Paul Wolfe. Watching teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric pick up a pair of top fives for Team Penske made Logano’s lackluster performance more shocking.

What’s next: With Darlington proving to be “Too Tough to Tame” for Logano this time around, he dropped from 11th to 16th in the Cup Series standings. Look for the No. 22 Ford driver to return to form at Martinsville, where he has an impressive streak of 13 consecutive top-10 finishes.

Brittney King | NASCAR Digital Media

3. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

Started: 2nd

Finished: 34th

What happened: Wallace got off to a strong start with a fourth-place result in Stage 1 before a slow pit stop during the stage break cost the No. 23 Toyota driver 12 spots. The lost track position put Wallace in a treacherous spot as he was caught in an incident involving Jones and Hamlin on Lap 111. The damage was too much to overcome, with Wallace settling for his first finish of the 2026 season lower than 11th place. In reference to the slow pit stop that put him in harm’s way, Wallace told his team over the radio: “That’s what we [expletive] get.”

What’s next: The 23XI driver’s bad day at Darlington only cost him a spot in the Cup Series standings, leaving South Carolina third in points behind teammate Reddick and Team Penske’s Blaney. Before the misfortune at the “Lady in Black,” Wallace had five straight finishes of 11th or better. With Martinsville next on the schedule, the chances of rebounding seem high; Wallace has two top fives in the last four races at the Virginia short track.

Ethan Smith | For NASCAR Digital Media

Posted on March 23, 2026March 24, 2026 by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series treks to Virginia for the first half-mile bout of the 2026 season with a race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The short-track contest will be the first of two consecutive races on such tracks, with Bristol Motor Speedway following on April 12. Denny Hamlin, who already has a 2026 victory to his ledger (Las Vegas), is the defending Martinsville spring winner.

ENTRY LISTS: Cup Series | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Austin Hill will drive the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet this weekend. Hill, the defending Martinsville spring victor in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, wheeled the No. 33 Chevy to a 21st-place result on March 8 at Phoenix Raceway.

Thirty-seven cars are entered into the event.

MORE: Weekend schedule | How to watch NASCAR on FOX Sports

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Posted on March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 by Staff Report

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series travels to Virginia for the first of two races at Martinsville Speedway this season, racing at the iconic venue on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Martinsville will be the first half-mile track on the docket for the circuit. Austin Hill is the defending spring winner.

ENTRY LISTS: Cup Series | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Luke Baldwin will make his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut as driver of the No. 5 Hettinger Racing Ford. Baldwin, the two-time and reigning SMART Modified Tour champion, recently ran a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, tallying five starts with ThorSport Racing.

Forty cars are entered into this week’s event.

MORE: Weekend schedule | How to watch NASCAR on The CW

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Posted on March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 by Press Release

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Rising star Luke Baldwin will grab another rung on the NASCAR ladder when he makes his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on Saturday in the NFPA 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

The two-time and reigning SMART Modified Tour champion will drive the No. 5 Victory Custom Trailers Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Hettinger Racing.

“With all that Luke has achieved of late, a lot of people have their eyes on him. We’re proud to be the ones he chose to make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut,” said team owner Chris Hettinger.

“The O’Reilly Series is a big step up, but Martinsville is a flat and fast short track, and it’s the kind of place where Luke has excelled. He’s proven he can adapt quickly and run up front driving all kinds of cars. Martinsville is the right track and this is the right time for Luke to have this opportunity.”

While new to the O’Reilly Series, Baldwin is not new to Martinsville. The 19-year-old has a pair of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts at the .526-mile oval, along with a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. Boding well for Baldwin’s O’Reilly Series debut is that he earned his best Martinsville result in his first race there – Oct. 26, 2024, when the third-generation racer qualified second and finished seventh in the Modified Tour season finale.

There is also a family connection to Martinsville. Baldwin’s grandfather, Tommy Baldwin Sr., is a two-time Modified Tour winner at Martinsville (April 23, 1988, and Oct. 30, 1988), and Baldwin’s father, Tommy Baldwin Jr., was the crew chief for those wins. Today, Tommy Baldwin Jr., is the competition director for Rick Ware Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series team after successful stints as a Cup Series crew chief and team owner.

“Martinsville has always meant a lot to my family, so to have my own opportunity at the track is definitely special,” Baldwin said. “It’s a place where I have a decent level of comfort in terms of feel and what I need in the racecar to make a fast lap. It’s tight, it’s physical, and you have to race smart to be there at the end. I’ve been fortunate to have some good experiences there already, so the goal is to lean on that and keep learning throughout the race.”

Baldwin comes into 2026 after an impressive 2025. His back-to-back SMART Modified Tour titles made him the youngest two-time champion in series history. At the season-ending awards banquet, Baldwin was named Driver of the Year, as he also led the series in wins (four), poles (three), laps led (293), and top-five finishes (10).

At the same time, Baldwin helped deliver the 2025 zMAX CARS Tour owners’ title to Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in the Pro Late Model division. The Mooresville, North Carolina, native split driving duties with four other drivers, but Baldwin still led the way with two victories. His pole run and second-place finish in the season finale Oct. 18 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway clinched the championship for RWR.

“I’m really proud of what we accomplished last season,” Baldwin said. “Winning back-to-back SMART Modified Tour championships takes a lot of hard work from a lot of people, and being able to help RWR win a CARS Tour owners’ title made it even more special. Opportunities like this don’t come around without results, so I’m really thankful for everyone who’s helped me get to this point.”

Baldwin made five Truck Series starts in 2025 and is set to more than double that effort in 2026 with a 12-race stint for Team Reaume that begins next weekend at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.

“This is a really good way to head into Rockingham,” Baldwin said. “The O’Reilly Series is a step up in competition, and Martinsville is a place that really challenges you as a driver. There’s a lot to learn in a short amount of time, and that’s how it’ll be at Rockingham, too. A solid weekend at Martinsville is the best preparation for next week’s Truck race.”

Baldwin’s O’Reilly Series debut begins Friday with a 50-minute practice starting at 4:30 p.m. EDT before qualifying at 5:35 p.m. The NFPA 250 goes green on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live, flag-to-flag coverage provided by The CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.