Posted on by Press Release

NASCAR, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are pleased to announce a mutually agreed-upon resolution that delivers long-term stability and creates the conditions for meaningful growth for all teams in a more competitive environment.

This resolution reflects our shared commitment to maintaining a fair and equitable framework for long-term participation in America’s premier motorsport, one that supports teams, partners and stakeholders while ensuring fans enjoy uninterrupted access to the best racing in the world. The agreement allows all parties to move forward with a unified focus on advancing stock car racing and delivering exceptional competition for our fans.

With this matter now resolved, all parties look forward to working together, alongside all chartered race teams, to deliver world-class events, dynamic sponsorship and partner activation opportunities, and continued growth for generations to come.

As a condition of the settlement agreement, NASCAR will issue an amendment to existing charter holders detailing the updated terms for signature, which will include a form of “evergreen” charters, subject to mutual agreement. The financial terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released.

What all parties have always agreed on is a deep love for the sport and a desire to see it fulfill its full potential. This is a landmark moment, one that ensures NASCAR’s foundation is stronger, its future is brighter, and its possibilities are greater. We extend our sincere thanks to Judge Kenneth Bell and mediator Jeffrey Mishkin for their professionalism, and guidance throughout this process and to their jury for their time.

Quotes

Michael Jordan, Co-Owner, 23XI Racing

From the beginning, this lawsuit was about progress. It was about making sure our sport evolves in a way that supports everyone: teams, drivers, partners, employees and fans. With a foundation to build equity and invest in the future and a stronger voice in the decisions ahead, we now have the chance to grow together and make the sport even better for generations to come. I’m excited to watch our teams get back on the track and compete hard in 2026.

Denny Hamlin, Co-Owner, 23XI Racing

I’ve cared deeply about the sport of NASCAR my entire life. Racing is all I’ve ever known, and this sport shaped who I am. That’s why we were willing to shoulder the challenges that came with taking this stand. We believed it was worth fighting for a stronger and more sustainable future for everyone in the industry. Teams, drivers and partners will now have the stability and opportunity they deserve. Our commitment to the fans and to the entire NASCAR community has never been stronger. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and now it is time to move forward together and build the stronger future this sport deserves.

Bob Jenkins, Owner, Front Row Motorsports

After more than 20 years in this sport, today gives me real confidence in where we’re headed. I love this sport, and it was clear we needed a system that treated our teams, drivers and sponsors fairly and kept the competition strong. With this change, we can finally build long-term value and have a real voice in NASCAR’s future. I’m excited for the road ahead — for the people in the garage, the folks in the stands and everyone who loves this sport.

Curtis Polk, Co-Owner, 23XI Racing

My goal as a member of the Team Negotiating Committee was to help create an economic model that would create a more sustainable model for teams and create a more equitable and transparent system within NASCAR. This settlement achieves significant progress toward the Four Pillars. The result brings NASCAR and the chartered teams into better alignment and supports future growth and sustainability for all stakeholders and a better sport for the fans.

Jim France, CEO & Chairman, NASCAR

This outcome gives all parties the flexibility and confidence to continue delivering unforgettable racing moments for our fans, which has always been our highest priority since the sport was founded in 1948. We worked closely with race teams and tracks to create the NASCAR charter system in 2016, and it has proven invaluable to their operations and to the quality of racing across the Cup Series. Today’s agreement reaffirms our commitment to preserving and enhancing that value, ensuring our fans continue to enjoy the very best of stock car racing for generations to come. We are excited to return the collective focus of our sport, teams and race tracks toward an incredible 78th season that begins with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: This is the 19th in a series in which we review the top 30 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in reverse order of the 2025 final standings.

Driver: Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Crew chief: Stephen Doran
Final 2025 ranking: 12th
Key stats: 5 wins, 5 top fives, 7 top 10s, 312 laps led

How 2025 ended: Van Gisbergen’s first full Cup Series season ended with a pair of significant accomplishments — a spot in the playoffs and a runaway to Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. SVG turned the circuit’s road-course races into a near-monopoly, winning five of the six on the schedule to sew up his postseason footing. Though his title eligibility ended after the opening Round of 16, he closed out strong with a Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval win and steady improvement in the second half of the season on the oval tracks — a trend that included his first oval top 10, at Kansas Speedway in September.

Best race: Any of van Gisbergen’s quintet of wins could qualify here, but his romp to victory in the series’ inaugural visit to Mexico City set that wave in motion. Van Gisbergen put his No. 88 Chevrolet on pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session, then battled through a race-day stomach ailment to lead 60 of the 100 laps. His triumph was so thorough that his 16.567-second margin of victory was the Cup Series’ largest in 15-plus years.

RELATED: 2026 Cup Series schedule | SVG driver page

Other season highlights: After his Mexico City mastery, two more wins by a margin of 10-plus seconds followed at Watkins Glen International and the Roval. SVG also converted for his second win in three tries at the Chicago Street Race, and he made it two in a row the next week at Sonoma Raceway, where he led 97 of the 110 laps. Van Gisbergen started on the front row in five of six road-course events in 2025, with Circuit of The Americas (started and finished sixth) the lone exception.

Stat to know: Van Gisbergen’s rapid accumulation of wins became a point of distinction in 2025. His victory at Watkins Glen in August, in just his 38th Cup Series start, made him the first driver to hit the five-win mark that quickly since fellow road-race ace Dan Gurney reached that plateau in just 13 starts back in 1968.

Quotable: “It was kind of a season of two halves, it felt like. The first half was a lot of learning, but since Mexico, when we won our first race, it’s all kind of clicked, and you get that confidence and momentum, you know, and it’s just kind of built from Mexico. Yeah, the second half of the season’s made it pretty easy to forget about the first half.” — Van Gisbergen, who was 33rd in Cup Series points before his Mexico win in mid-June turned his season around.

Looking ahead: Van Gisbergen indicated that little change was expected for his team’s composition in the offseason, and that continuity should provide the 36-year-old New Zealander with a solid foundation for his second full-time campaign. SVG signed a multiyear contract extension Aug. 8, keeping him with Trackhouse for the foreseeable future. The one significant shift will be with his car number. Incoming rookie Connor Zilisch will fly the No. 88, and van Gisbergen will drive the No. 97, using a number that carries special meaning and tradition for his family and one that he campaigned faithfully in his rise to Supercar stardom Down Under.

Shane van Gisbergen poses with the Sunoco Rookie of the Year trophy at the NASCAR Awards in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Posted on by Staff Report

Lionel Racing’s 2025 die-cast lineup of best-sellers is once again headlined by a mix of veteran stars, champions and rising talents, with Justin Allgaier’s Traveller Whiskey Daytona 500 scheme leading overall sales. Chase Elliott’s EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) win in the No. 9 NAPA Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was, of course, an anchor piece in both the overall and race-win categories, as well.​

The longtime respected die-cast manufacturer released its list of the 10 best-selling die-cast cars for the 2025 season on Wednesday, highlighted by multiple Justin Allgaier Traveller Whiskey Chevrolets and several Hendrick Motorsports entries. The collection blends iconic names like Dale Earnhardt Jr. with current stars such as the reigning Most Popular Driver Elliott, his teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson and emerging drivers Connor Zilisch, Josh Berry and Shane van Gisbergen.​​

“These best-sellers reflect the incredible diversity of NASCAR fandom, from legendary names like Dale Earnhardt Jr. to rising stars like Connor Zilisch,” said Howard Hitchcock, Lionel CEO, in a release. “Each die-cast tells a story of triumph and tradition, and we’re proud to bring these moments to fans and collectors everywhere.”

SHOP: NASCAR die-casts

Top-10 list of best-selling die-cast cars:

  1. Justin Allgaier — Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet
  2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. — Budweiser Speedway Classic Late Model Chevrolet
  3. Justin Allgaier — Traveller Whiskey Race Version Chevrolet
  4. Chase Elliott — NAPA Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta EchoPark Win Chevrolet
  5. William Byron — Axalta Daytona 500 Win Chevrolet
  6. Kyle Larson — HendrickCars.com Champion Chevrolet
  7. Kyle Larson — HendrickCars.com Phoenix Race Version Chevrolet
  8. Connor Zilisch — Red Bull Chevrolet
  9. Josh Berry — Motorcraft Las Vegas Win Ford Mustang
  10. Shane van Gisbergen — Red Bull Chevrolet

Alongside the overall sales list, Lionel Racing also spotlighted the five most popular race-win die-casts, with Elliott’s EchoPark victory car topping the chart. Winners from Daytona International Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Sonoma Raceway round out a group that reflects many of the year’s most memorable on-track moments.​

MORE: 2025 holiday gift guide

Top-five list of best-selling race-win die-cast cars:

  1. Chase Elliott — NAPA Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta EchoPark Win Chevrolet
  2. William Byron — Axalta Daytona 500 Win Chevrolet
  3. Josh Berry — Motorcraft Las Vegas Win Ford Mustang
  4. Chase Elliott — Kelley Blue Book Kansas Win Chevrolet
  5. Shane van Gisbergen — Red Bull Sonoma Win Chevrolet
Posted on by Nathan Solomon

Editor’s note: This is the 18th in a series in which we review the top 30 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in reverse order of the 2025 final standings.

Driver: Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Crew chief: Blake Harris
Final 2025 ranking: 13th
Key stats: 0 wins, 6 top fives, 16 top 10s, 165 laps led

How 2025 ended: Bowman made the Cup Series Playoffs for the second year in a row, earning the final spot available on points. He crashed in the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, but a repeat winner in Ryan Blaney helped solidify his postseason spot over Chris Buescher. However, a pair of finishes outside the top 25 in the first two Round of 16 events put him behind the 8-ball, falling to elimination after the Bristol Night Race. He earned just one top 10 in the final seven races of the campaign.

Best race: Suffering a major crash in the previous race at Michigan International Speedway, Bowman participated in the inaugural Cup Series event in Mexico City in obvious pain. Not feeling 100%, Bowman overcame a 29th-place starting position to finish fourth at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, earning what was his third top five of the season. It broke a stretch of three consecutive finishes of 29th or worse, also beginning a streak of seven top-11 results over the next eight races. Odd timing for sure, but Mexico City paved the way toward his 2025 playoff spot.

RELATED: 2026 Cup Series schedule | Alex Bowman driver page

Other season highlights: Bowman’s stellar summer certainly stood out, but his superb start to the season was equally impressive. The Tucson, Arizona, native earned top 10s in five of the first six races, including a runner-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway after earning the pole. During the summer months, he finished third twice and added a second-place at Richmond Raceway, nearly besting Austin Dillon for the win. Down the stretch, he finished seventh at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, adding another plus result to what’s historically been one of his best tracks.

Stat to know: Bowman’s average finish in 2025 was 17.4, almost three spots worse than 2024 and the lowest mark of his Hendrick tenure. Additionally, his average starting position was nearly two spots worse than in 2024, dropping from 13.9 to 15.8.

Quotable: “The biggest strength is the momentum that we have behind us … the year that we’ve been able to put together, the speed that we’ve had at some race tracks that I’ve been pretty bad at before. At Homestead, we’ve never been good and we almost won. Richmond, we’ve been pretty bad with the Next Gen car and we were strong there. So I think that shows me that we can go to places that we haven’t been good at before and be really strong.” — Bowman said during playoff media day in August.

Looking ahead: Bowman will return to Hendrick Motorsports in 2026 for his ninth full-time campaign with the organization. He needs a strong season to solidify his future with the No. 48 team, earning just two victories since his breakout 2021 campaign. The 32-year-old has proven his ceiling is high, but has not consistently contended as of late.

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

Editor’s note: This is the 17th in a series in which we review the top 30 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in reverse order of the 2025 final standings. 

Driver: Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Crew chief: Brian Wilson
Final 2025 ranking: 14th
Key stats: 1 win, 2 top fives, 5 top 10s, 325 laps led 

How 2025 ended: Cindric tallied a victory for a second consecutive season and reached the Cup Series Playoffs for the third time in four seasons. However, the No. 2 Team Penske driver was ousted again in the Round of 12 after failing to finish inside the top 15 during that three-race stretch. Cindric failed to score a top-10 result in the last 11 races and finished 30th or worse in four of the last six races of the season. 

Best race: You could pick any of the superspeedway races Cindric competed in this season, as he’s one of the best in that style of racing, but his run at Richmond was his most impressive. Cindric finished fifth with an average running position of eighth (according to NASCAR Loop Data), on top of having the fourth-highest driver rating at the Virginia short track (106.5). 

RELATED: 2026 Cup Series schedule | Austin Cindric driver page

Other season highlights: Cindric picked up his third career Cup Series victory in the spring race at Talladega — a race he only led seven laps in. The 2025 campaign also marked a career high for laps led in a season for the fourth-year veteran (325). Cindric started on the front row for the Daytona 500, opening the door for him to lead a race-high 59 laps in the season-opening thriller. He also led 40 or more laps at Atlanta (spring), Las Vegas (spring), Texas and Indianapolis.  

Stat to know: Cindric had the ninth-best average starting position in 2025 (13.3), but had a series-worst drop off in average finish, which was more than seven positions lower than where he started (20.9). 

Quotable: “I was gonna wait till I saw a color other than smoky gray. I don’t think the stress was there. I think everyone was pretty well-prepared with the transfer of information once I got back out on track and with a scuffed right-front tire, old-as-hell left-side tires and an old right-rear tire. I got a handle on the car and got all the fire-extinguisher stuff burned off the tires and dripping everywhere, and was able to finish the race. Hectic, and I’m sure it was crazy for a little while on paper.” — Cindric after staying in the Round of 16 finale at Bristol despite a pit-road fire. 

Looking ahead: Four years in and the Round of 12 has become the current ceiling for Cindric. He has the equipment and teammates around him to become a multi-time winner in a season at the Cup level. He’s been the lone Team Penske driver to not be in the title mix in the Next Gen era, but that can change next year in what will be a very important 2026 for the young driver. Perhaps a second Harley J. Earl Trophy in February can spark a breakout year for the 27-year-old. 

Posted on by Brandon White

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Before Monday, in 14 previous attempts at the Snowball Derby, Stephen Nasse was met with 14 years of frustration.

Nasse had lost the Super Late Model equivalent to the Daytona 500 in nearly every manner conceivable, from running out of laps to being collected in a crash. In 2019, what appeared to be Nasse’s breakthrough victory was taken away by a post-race technical infraction.

Each loss only motivated Nasse to finally take home the prestigious Tom Dawson Trophy. He even had to wait longer for his 15th Snowball Derby attempt than he originally anticipated, as a persistent mist Sunday pushed the race to Monday.

On that cold, overcast day in Pensacola, Florida, destiny finally arrived for Nasse under improbable circumstances. After Ty Majeski, the dominant car of the afternoon, was penalized for a restart violation, Nasse inherited the lead and a cathartic victory that had eluded him for more than a decade.

MORE: Results from the 58th Snowball Derby

Even Nasse, long known for his colorful, hard-nosed personality on and off the track, was stunned over how his overdue Snowball Derby triumph came together.

“With the Derby, you’re going to take them however you can get them,” Nasse said. “I was looking forward to racing against [Majeski] on the restart. I thought I’d be able to put up a decent fight, but he surprised me by jumping two times in a row like that. You wouldn’t think something like that out of Ty. Definitely unfortunate for them, but we’ll take it.”

Nasse had long blocked out the discussion surrounding his Snowball Derby drought and whether he would ever win it. There was never any doubt in Nasse’s mind he could accomplish the milestone, and his resumé in Super Late Models more than supported that belief.

With two victories in the Winchester 400 and another in the All American 400, among other accomplishments, Nasse has long thrived in scenarios where pressure is at its maximum. In those events, Nasse often gave no quarter to his competition, never afraid to do what was necessary to stay up front.

The tenacious, intrepid driving style Nasse crafted over the years garnered him a nickname amongst his fellow drivers and fans: “The Honey Badger.”

Nasse’s adventures attracted plenty of admirers and his fair share of critics, but he never let any noise rattle him. What mattered to Nasse was figuring out how to win the next race, especially a Snowball Derby.

Stephen Nasse
(Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR Regional)

Regardless of what he tried at Five Flags Speedway in December, none of Nasse’s strategies ever translated to a perfect weekend. One issue that repeatedly hindered Nasse was qualifying speed, as eight of his past 10 Snowball Derby attempts saw him start worse than 25th in the main event.

As time went on, Nasse slowly turned a weakness into a strength, as his car would be one of the quickest on race day. Since 2021, Nasse has not finished worse than eighth in the Snowball Derby. Last year’s edition saw Nasse place second to Kaden Honeycutt after he started 30th.

When Nasse had to time his way into this year’s Snowball Derby through the Last Chance Qualifier, he was not perturbed in the slightest. He was ready to get to work.

“Of course you have a little bit of worry on what could happen, [given] I started outside on the second row [in the Last Chance Qualifier],” Nasse said. “Once that race got going, I knew I’d be better than those guys, and I’d be able to race around them. I’ve put in thousands of laps around [Five Flags], and in race trim, we’re very good.”

Just like the year before, on Monday, Nasse did not stay buried in the running order for long. Using pit strategy and the raw speed of Anthony Campi Racing’s No. 51 Super Late Model, Nasse picked off the competition one-by-one, finding his way to the outside of the front row for the final restart.

All that stood in the way of a Snowball Derby win for Nasse was Majeski, who consistently put together stellar lap times regardless of whether he was on old or new tires. Having battled against Majeski plenty of times over the years, Nasse knew he could not pull any punches if he wanted to overtake a fellow seasoned veteran.

In his bid to stay in front of Nasse, Majeski’s stellar afternoon unraveled before him. After being warned by race control for jumping the first attempt at the restart, Majeski was assessed a black flag for a second infraction. He ended up finishing 23rd after leading nearly the entire day.

Majeski, a two-time Snowball Derby winner, has now endured two consecutive years of coming away empty in the crown-jewel race following a dominant afternoon. This time a restart penalty denied Majeski a third victory, a decision with which he vehemently disagreed long after the checkered flag.

“I got a little bit of chatter over the radio that Nasse was going to maybe try and jump,” Majeski said. “I was trying to anticipate that a little bit and clearly jumped. I knew they were going to call the next one close, so I decided to gradually increase my speed to the line, fire in the box. Obviously it was close and wanted to be right at the line. Felt that I was.

“They made a ball-and-strike call in the biggest race of the year. I’ve had some lows in my career, and this one probably takes the cake.”

Stephen Nasse
A runner-up in the 2024 Snowball Derby only fueled Stephen Nasse’s motivation to finally win the crown jewel event this year. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR Regional)

Like Majeski, Nasse was trying to avenge a bitter defeat from 2024. If he had a few more laps or an overtime restart at his disposal, Nasse believed he could have overtaken Honeycutt and ended his Snowball Derby drought a year earlier.

The sting from 2024 stayed with Nasse, Campi and the team leading into this year’s Snowball Derby. Only one spot separated them from a winning formula in the previous Snowball Derby, so Nasse was certain they could replicate that success Monday.

As Nasse followed a penalized Majeski across the start-finish line, he was not thinking about coming up short to Honeycutt the year before, nor was he thinking about the crashes and mechanical failures that had hindered past Snowball Derby results or the disqualification that took away his victory in 2019.

Instead, Nasse embraced the relief he felt to finally add his name to the prestigious list of Snowball Derby champions, a sensation that was amplified when he formally passed inspection just a couple hours later.

“It’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and a lot of downs,” Nasse said. “I’m just fortunate that I’ve been in the position that I’ve been in to have a chance to win it. There’s a lot of people that come here for many years and have never been able to sniff the front. To be able to put the races in like we have and get the wins that we have, it feels very special.”

Now that he has his own Tom Dawson Trophy, the driver known as The Honey Badger is not content with just one. He is already thinking about how to defend his crown.

Qualifying could always be better for Nasse in the Snowball Derby, but he is hesitant to make any changes in that regard with how efficient he is in race conditions. The past few years have proved to Nasse he does not need a fast car in time trials to enjoy a great weekend on Super Late Model racing’s premiere stage.

There is always the chance Monday could be Nasse’s only triumph in the Snowball Derby given how competitive and frantic the weekend can be. That is not going to stop Nasse from doing everything he can to add on to his Snowball Derby legacy, one no longer marred by frustration.

“My name will be on [the Tom Dawson Trophy] next year, and that’s something to be very proud of,” Nasse said. “You have to work on making sure it’s not a one-and-done thing. I think I can do it multiple times. I’ve been in front the past few Derbys, and I got lucky today, but I’ve also gotten unlucky on other days.

“I’m going to try and put my name on it again. Who knows how many times we can get it? But we’ll keep trying.”

If Nasse keeps bringing cars to Five Flags in December like the one he drove this weekend, he is confident it will not take another 15 years to claim his second Snowball Derby.

Posted on by Staff Report

58th Snowball Derby

Five Flags Speedway

  • Official race results
Position Car No Name Laps Diff.
1 51n Stephen Nasse 300 –
2 26s Dawson Sutton 300 0.87
3 35 Jake Garcia 300 0.975
4 1 Kasey Kleyn 300 3.821
5 51f Jake Finch 300 5.141
6 44c Matt Craig 300 5.735
7 36 Ty Fredrickson 300 6.706
8 48 Preston Peltier 300 8.895
9 55 Haeden Plybon 300 10.394
10 96 Derek Thorn 299 -1
11 3 Michael Atwell 299 -1
12 98g David Gilliland 299 -1
13 89 Dylan Fetcho 298 -2
14 33 Dustin Smith 298 -2
15 28b Cole Butcher 298 -2
16 24 Gavan Boschele 298 -2
17 9 Derek Kraus 298 -2
18 14p Chase Pinsonneault 297 -3
19 51b Kyle Busch 297 -3
20 6 Brandon Lopez 297 -3
21 12g Derek Griffith 296 -4
22 16 Jacob Gomes 296 -4
23 91 Ty Majeski 295 -5
24 76 Kole Raz 292 -8
25 8 Jace Hansen 288 -12
26 21 Kaden Honeycutt 258 -42
27 26p Bubba Pollard 177 -123
28 96d Spencer Davis 155 -145
29 30t Treyten Lapcevich 146 -154
30 22 Buddy Shepherd 120 -180
31 81 Carson Brown 61 -239
32 30c Casey Roderick 58 -242
33 17 Hudson Bulger 51 -249
34 5m Tristan McKee 20 -280
35 18 Max Reaves 0 -300
36 60 Ryan Preece 0 -300

 

Posted on by Holly Cain

Editor’s note: This is the 16th in a series in which we review the top 30 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in reverse order of the 2025 final standings.

Driver: Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Crew chief: Richard Boswell
Final 2025 ranking: 15th
Key stats: 1 win, 1 top fives, 5 top 10s, 119 laps led

How 2025 ended: As Dillon has proven able to do in his career, the 35-year-old North Carolinian again won in the clutch, claiming his only victory of the season at Richmond Raceway — the next-to-last race on the regular-season schedule. It was enough to propel Dillon to a playoff bid and boost an otherwise lackluster season. Unfortunately, the opening round of the playoffs was tough for the team, with Dillon finishing 23rd or worse in two of the three races and being eliminated from title contention early. His best finish in that final 10-race run was 13th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Dillon would, however, go on to beat fellow title contender Josh Berry in that stretch of competition to finish 15th in the final points standings.

Best race: Undoubtedly, Dillon’s best single outing was his August victory in the Richmond night race — a high-profile event he’s now won in back-to-back years. Dillon’s famous No. 3 Chevrolet led 107 laps — second-most on the night and tenfold what he’d led previously on the season. Unlike his dramatic 2024 Richmond victory at the finish line, Dillon held the field off for the final 49 laps of a long green-flag stretch to end the race and hoist his sixth career Cup Series trophy.

RELATED: 2026 Cup Series schedule | Austin Dillon driver page

Other season highlights: In addition to delivering yet another clutch victory at the 0.75-mile Richmond track and earning his fifth career playoff bid, Dillon turned in a three-race stretch of top-10 finishes at three vastly different tracks – 10th place at the half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and also at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway the next week, followed by a seventh-place run at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. His diversity was impressive, earning him five top-10 finishes (including a 10th-place run at the 0.875-mile Iowa Speedway) across five different oval sizes.

Stat to know: Remarkably, Dillon’s final season statistics — one victory, one top five and five top-10 finishes — match his output in 2024 exactly. Dillon’s 119 laps out front are the most for him since 2020. And his average finish of 20.8 is his best mark in the category since 2022.

Quotable: “It’s funny. I think we come out swinging, we kind of take a dip and then we come back. I think RC [Richard Childress, team owner] has to yell at us at the right time, I guess, and then we get going again. I don’t know why that is. I’d really love to figure that out, solve for it, but at least we’re finding speed at the right time, because I think that’s key in this sport now and in every sport.” – Austin Dillon on his team’s typical season uptick toward the end of the regular season schedule.

Looking ahead: This season in particular, Dillon took on a more active role in leading the entire Richard Childress Racing organization. Not only has he led the driver charge on track, but the 35-year-old is devoting more time to the overall direction of his grandfather’s storied championship organization. Dillon’s Richmond victory ensured that RCR teams have had wins in the last four consecutive seasons. But the low number of top fives (only one for Dillon and only three for teammate Kyle Busch) and the relatively few laps led (119 for Dillon and 88 for Busch) illustrate the need for overall improvement at the multitime championship team. To that end, RCR has announced changes among both its technical and leadership teams. And of course, Dillon’s win, playoff bid and versatility in his season, paired with crew chief Boswell, bodes well for the future.

Posted on by Staff Report

Rick Ware Racing will field Chevrolets starting in 2026 as part of a multiyear partnership with the manufacturer and a newly formed technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing, the team announced Monday.

Cody Ware will return as driver of RWR’s No. 51 car in 2026 as the team transitions to a new manufacturer after spending the last four seasons fielding Fords.

MORE: 2026 Cup Series schedule

As part of its alliance with RCR, Ware’s entries will utilize engines prepared by ECR Engines.

“Chevrolet has always set a high bar with its people, its performance and its passion for racing, and partnering with them gives us the resources and support to make real progress on the race track,” team owner Rick Ware said in a press release. “Teaming up with RCR and ECR provides a foundation we can build on, not just for 2026, but for the future of our race team. We’re proud to be part of the Chevrolet family.”

Rick Ware Racing has owned entries across NASCAR’s three national touring series since a one-off debut at the Xfinity level in 1995. Ware fielded his first Cup entry in 2012 for Timmy Hill at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has entered cars consistently at NASCAR’s top level since 2017. Until 2021, Ware fielded cars from multiple manufacturers, including Chevrolet for 268 starts.

RWR’s endeavors in other forms of motorsports have resulted in plenty of success, including the 2019-20 LMP2 championship in the Asian Le Mans Series as well as motorcycle titles in 2022 with Shane McElrath in the World Supercross 250cc class and 2024 in the American Flat Track 450 Singles class with Kody Kopp. Additionally, Clay Millican has collected five NHRA Top Fuel wins for RWR since late 2022, and its entry in the 2025 CARS Tour Pro Late Model series earned the 2025 owners’ title.

Cars fielded by Ware in the NASCAR Cup Series have two top fives and 11 top 10s through 702 starts.

“The NASCAR Cup Series is the toughest and most competitive series in motorsports, and this is an important move for the long-term growth of our company,” Ware said. “We’ve won in NHRA, American Flat Track, World Supercross and the CARS Tour, and we want to elevate our NASCAR performance to the level of our other programs.”

Chevrolet teams combined to win 15 Cup races in 2025, including Austin Dillon’s triumph in August at Richmond Raceway for Richard Childress Racing. Chevrolet also earned the 2025 manufacturers’ championship, its 44th overall and fifth consecutively.

“Rick and his team have shown a real commitment to growing their program, and we’re proud to support that effort alongside our partners at Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines,” Pat Suhy, manager, NASCAR Competition for GM Motorsports, said. “Bringing RWR into the Chevrolet fold is a win for all of us. Their drive to keep improving aligns with our dedication to performance and innovation.”

In his first full-time season since 2022, Cody Ware piloted the No. 51 to 36th place in the final 2025 standings, averaging a 30.4 finish and leading a total of 32 laps. Ware’s best finish of 2025 was 13th in July at EchoPark Speedway.

The 2026 season begins with the Busch Clash exhibition race on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, HBO Max, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on by Brandon White

PENSACOLA, Fla. — For a brief moment, Keelan Harvick thought he let a victory slip away in his debut Snowflake 125 appearance at Five Flags Speedway early Sunday morning.

A bad restart with 45 laps remaining stymied a valiant charge the young Harvick had made from the 15th starting position, which forced him to play catch up against Tristan McKee and reigning Snowball Derby winner Kaden Honeycutt. Possessing the same poise as his father Kevin, Harvick did not waste the limited time at his disposal.

Not even 20 laps passed before Harvick found himself on McKee’s rear bumper to re-take the top spot. Harvick easily dispatched McKee and held him off in the closing laps to become the youngest Snowflake 125 winner at 13, surpassing the record previously established by a 14-year-old Hunter Robbins in 2005.

Battling his way to a Snowflake 125 victory was a mentally taxing experience for Harvick, who climbed out of his No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford shortly before 4 a.m. CT. Yet he still made time to appreciate and reflect upon the journey that led him to prevailing on the Pro Late Model discipline’s premier stage.

“It’s just really cool,” he said. “[I’m thankful for] everything that everybody has sacrificed for me to get to this point. My dad took me to Italy when I was 10 to get the experience with all the other kids who are so much better. That helped me understand the value of racing and helped me get to this point.”

A full year’s worth of racing in Pro and Super Late Models alongside his dad was crucial toward preparing Harvick for everything the Snowflake 125 was going to bring.

The two Harvicks traveled across the United States, choosing races that would provide both stout competition and a chance for Keelan to properly develop. Seven of their starts together comprised a season-long competition between father and son called the Harvick Cup, with Keelan defeating Kevin in five of those races.

Racing against stellar fields in what is now the ARCA Menards Series West and NASCAR Southwest Series shaped Kevin into a driver that would later win the 2007 Daytona 500 and the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Kevin wanted to carve out a similar path for Keelan knowing he would benefit from both the highs and lows.

“We typically try to find the hardest races because you learn the most,” Kevin said. “This race is no different. Not going to find the best competition you can is detrimental to the kids. [Keelan] has done a great job, but Rackley [W.A.R.] has done a great job of preparing the cars all year and getting him used to driving the [Pro Late Models].”

Kevin’s beliefs were validated when he watched his son make a mistake on the Snowflake 125’s penultimate restart before ultimately gathering himself up to make a successful charge for the victory. There have been plenty of instances across all levels of racing where Kevin has seen other young drivers unravel in a similar scenario due to overall inexperience.

The younger Harvick could only linger on the botched restart for so long. He remembered everything his father, Rackley W.A.R., Ron Hornaday Jr. and everyone else in his corner had taught him about composure. All he needed to do was just drive.

“I thought I was in third gear, but I was in second gear,” Harvick said. “I just made a mistake, but I knew I had to fight back. [It would have been] a pretty embarrassing way to lose the Snowflake [125] after I had just got the lead.

“It was right at the top of my fingertips, but I really did not want that one to slip away.”

Keelan Harvick
Keelan Harvick joined a prestigious list of Snowflake 125 winners early Sunday morning that includes Chase Elliott, John Hunter Nemechek, Bubba Pollard and Derek Thorn, among others. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR Regional)

The Snowflake 125 triumph gave Harvick his eighth victory in his first full season driving full-bodied stock cars. Among the places where Harvick has prevailed include Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway along with historic tracks such as Hickory Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

More than 60 cars were entered in this year’s Snowflake 125, one of the toughest fields Harvick has encountered in his young career to date. It was not just other competitors Harvick dealt with, as persistent rainfall all day at Five Flags delayed the Snowflake 125 by several hours, further adding to the mental strain shared by everyone in the infield.

Yet there was not a single moment throughout Harvick’s maiden Snowflake 125 venture where Kevin did not think his son was ready for the task at hand. Every obstacle the younger Harvick faced was met with both a sense of calm and professionalism, which is why Kevin is confident his son will continue to accumulate marquee victories long after the Snowflake 125.

“I’m really proud of him,” Kevin said. “We all work really hard at trying to keep the evolution of how he races, what he races and when he races. The best part about [the Snowflake 125]] was watching him through traffic. The laps at the end were good and he kept his head on his shoulders with two good guys behind him.

“It’s great to see him win, but I like to see the progression of different things throughout the night.”

The race Keelan put together early Sunday morning embodied many characteristics that garnered Kevin his nickname as “The Closer.” While Keelan did not dominate statistically, he kept his car out of trouble all evening and pounced on the chance to take home a victory during the closing stages despite his mistake on the restart.

Now a part of a long list of Snowflake 125 champions, the younger Harvick plans to cherish his accomplishment as he prepares for 2026. One day, a chance at a Snowball Derby victory will come about, so Harvick wants to make sure he is ready to meet that moment when it arrives.

“Learning off [so many other drivers] helps me a lot,” Harvick said. “[It all comes down] to preparing and watching all the videos. All the hard work that goes into this pays off. My guys worked so hard for this and it’s really cool to see it pay off [with a Snowflake 125].

“[Now] I’m probably going to stay up and watch the Snowball Derby.”