Posted on by Staff Report

The Brickyard is next on tap for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with the circuit returning from a two-week hiatus to race the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, The CW, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The race will be the 22nd points-paying contest of the 2026 O’Reilly season.

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

Two NASCAR Cup Series regulars in Ross Chastain (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) and Chase Elliott (No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) will compete in the event.

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

Thirty-eight cars are entered into this weekend’s race.

View the full entry list:

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series will transition from the short-track confines of North Wilkesboro Speedway to the iconic Brickyard in Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The event will mark the 22nd points-paying race of the 2026 campaign. Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, is the defending winner.

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

The Champions Round of the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge will occur at the 2.5-mile track. (No. 3 seed) Ryan Blaney will battle (No. 25 seed) Todd Gilliland for the $1 million grand prize.

Naval Base Coronado victor Corey Heim will drive the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota for the eighth time this season. Casey Mears — who has 496 career Cup Series starts — will pilot the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet.

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

Thirty-nine cars are entered into this weekend’s event.

View the full entry list here:

Posted on by Brandon White

The second leg of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway, is widely regarded as the most physically and mentally demanding of of the events that make up the three-race series.

With the Hampton Heat’s race date traditionally falling in the middle of July, Late Model Stock competitors are usually tasked with managing the sweltering, midsummer Virginia heat. That doesn’t change even when the sun goes down, as temperatures inside the cars regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the time the checkered flag waves.

Since 2008, a select few have beat the heat in Langley’s crown jewel event to establish themselves as Hampton Heat champions. Doing so requires more than just adapting to the adverse temperatures, as Langley’s flat, circular layout always keeps competitors on alert.

As has become routine with the Hampton Heat, Langley’s local competitors will look to mix it up with Late Model Stock racing’s elite. While the interlopers seek to build momentum in the Virginia Triple Crown, Saturday is an opportunity for Langley’s local heroes to etch their name in the track’s record books as a Hampton Heat winner.

Below is everything to know about the 2026 Hampton Heat at Langley ahead of Saturday evening.

Langley Speedway
Every year, Langley Speedway’s local regulars go up against the best in the Late Model Stock discipline during the facility’s prestigious Hampton Heat. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)

What TV channel is the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway on?

All the on-track action for the Hampton Heat can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Regional properties.

The event will not be shown on a television network.

Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing’s coverage of the 2026 Hampton Heat.

Date Start time How to watch
Saturday, July 25 7 p.m. ET FloRacing

Race-day schedule

This year’s Hampton Heat will take place on Saturday, July 25.

Only one support division will join the Late Model Stocks on the Hampton Heat schedule; Langley’s UCAR class. The UCAR feature will comprise of 35 laps or 30 minutes prior to the 200-lap Late Model Stock event, which concludes the evening’s festivities.

Below is the complete race-day schedule for Langley.

(All times ET)

Time Event
11 a.m. LMSC Gates Open/Parking Gates Open
12 p.m. Grandstand Gates Open
12-12:35 p.m. LMSC Open Practice Round 1
12:40-1:15 p.m. LMSC Open Practice Round 2
1:15 p.m. LMSC Qualifying Tires Released
2:30-3:10 p.m. LMSC Driver, Crew Chief, Spotters Meeting (VIP Pavilion/Turn 4)
3:10 p.m. LMSC All Work Is Complete And Cars Backed Out Of Their Pit Area, Head To Inspection
3:30 p.m. LMSC Teams Remove All Pit Tents In Preparation For Qualifying
3:45 p.m. LMSC Hampton Heat Qualifying (Scuff-Green-White-Checkered)
4:30-5 p.m. LMSC Haulers Removed From Infield
5-6:30 p.m. PBR Hampton Fan Fest (Frontstretch)
6:30-7 p.m. LMSC Final Work Session
7 p.m. LMSC Driver Introductions
7:35 p.m. UCARS (35 Laps/30 Minute Limit)
8:05 p.m. LMSC Line Up On Frontstretch
8:20 p.m. Command To Start Engines
8:30 p.m. 18th Annual Hampton Heat (200 Laps)

Entry list

Plenty of notable names comprise the entry list for the 2026 Hampton Heat.

Leading the charge is Matt Waltz, who earned his first Hampton Heat victory last year after leading 104 laps. Previously a Langley Speedway track champion in 2017, Waltz has copious experience at the track as he looks to become the third driver to win the Hampton Heat more than once.

If Waltz wants to defend his Hampton Heat crown, he will have to deal with two of the best drivers in Langley’s modern history; Brenden Queen and Connor Hall.

Queen, a three-time Langley track champion, will attempt to pull double duty this weekend, as he is also competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday evening. A win for Queen on Saturday evening would be his fourth in the Hampton Heat, the most of any driver in event history.

Hall, a two-time NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts national champion, has already earned nine victories in Langley’s local Late Model Stock division this year. Hall is once again bringing out his iconic blue No. 77, known affectionately as ‘Smurf,’ to chase a win Saturday night. This is the same car Hall drove when he won earned his lone Hampton Heat win in 2019.

With Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 winner Kaden Honeycutt not expected to compete Saturday at Langley, Trevor Ward enters the Hampton Heat as the highest-running driver in the Virginia Triple Crown standings. In two prior Hampton Heat starts, Ward finished inside the top 10 on each occasion, but he will seek to improve upon those performances as he chases a second Virginia Triple Crown title.

Another notable entrant for Saturday night is Lee Pulliam, who will again pilot an entry out of the JR Motorsports shop with support from the NASCAR Channel. Saturday’s race is the first time Pulliam will compete in the Hampton Heat since 2019.

Other drivers pursuing a Hampton Heat victory this weekend include two-time ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner Landon Pembelton, along with Blake Stallings, Conner Weddell, Chase Burrow, Brandon Lopez, Chase Johnson and Trey Crews.

Below is the complete entry list for the 2026 Hampton Heat:

Car No.  Driver
0 Landon Pembelton
00 Chase Burrow
03 Brenden Queen
08 Cody Bryant
09 Michael Rogers
1 Jamie York
2 Matt Waltz
6 Brandon Lopez
8 Lee Pulliam
8 Conner Weddell
9 Ayden Millette
10 Trey Crews
20 Carson Loftin
21 Greg Edwards
22 Chase Burgeson
22 Ryley Music
25 Craig Eastep
26 Peyton Sellers
31 Cole Bruce
41 Bobby McCarty
41 Woody Howard
42 Chris Horton Jr.
51 Michael Bumgarner
51 Ryan Matthews
57 Chase Johnson
77 Blake Stallings
77 Connor Hall
77 Trevor Ward
78 Atley Wiese
88 Caden Kvapil
95 Sam Yarbrough
Langley Speedway
An endurance test on multiple fronts, the Hampton Heat has been a proud short track tradition in Virginia for nearly two decades. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)

Hampton Heat history, winners

The first Hampton Heat was held at Langley Speedway in 2008, with Nick Smith taking home the checkered flag that day.

Across the 17 previous runnings of the Hampton Heat, only two drivers have scored multiple victories in the crown jewel event; C.E. Falk III and Brenden Queen. Those two are tied for the most Hampton Heat wins with three, but Queen will look to eclipse that record Saturday evening.

Such parity amongst the other Hampton Heat victors further highlights how difficult of a race it is to win. Despite numerous victories at Langley over the years, Connor Hall only has one Hampton Heat win; a mark he shares with other Late Model Stock elites like Lee Pulliam, Philip Morris, Peyton Sellers and Josh Berry.

Despite the challenges of the Hampton Heat, many of the best Late Model Stock drivers have still found a way to win the event, even if it was just one occasion. A fresh group of competitors look to add their name to that prestigious list on Saturday against a handful of previous champions like Queen, Hall, Matt Waltz and Woody Howard.

Below is the complete list of winners in the Hampton Heat

Year Winner
2008 Nick Smith
2009 Woody Howard
2010 C.E. Falk III
2011 C.E. Falk III
2012 Matt Bowling
2013 Peyton Sellers
2014 C.E. Falk III
2015 Lee Pulliam
2016 Not held
2017 Bobby McCarty
2018 Philip Morris
2019 Connor Hall
2020 Brenden Queen
2021 Josh Berry
2022 Jared Fryar
2023 Brenden Queen
2024 Brenden Queen
2025 Matt Waltz

Virginia Triple Crown standings

  1. Kaden Honeycutt (1.0)
  2. Trevor Ward (2.0)
  3. Landon Pembelton (3.0)
  4. Carson Brown (4.0)
  5. Landen Lewis (5.0)
  6. Caden Kvapil (6.0)
  7. Connor Hall (7.0)
  8. Trey Crews (8.0)
  9. Doug Barnes Jr. (9.0)
  10. Blake Stallings (10.0)
Posted on by George Winkler

The second annual In-Season Challenge reaches its final stage with North Wilkesboro Speedway in the rearview and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Championship Round ahead. Let’s check in to see where the tournament stands entering Sunday’s race, the Brickyard 400 (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: In-Season Challenge hub page | Check your bracket

North Wilkesboro race winner: Talk about your mountainside revivals — Joey Logano did just that for his 2026 season by dominating the Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, leading a career-high 323 laps en route to his 38th Cup Series victory. The Team Penske driver won for the first time in 46 races and shot above The Chase cutline by 49 points after entering the race eight points to the bad. It was a monumental turnaround for the three-time champion who hadn’t shown many positive signs to this point in the season. Now, the competition has to wonder whether someone of Logano’s caliber could become a major obstacle in the championship run.

Who advances to Round 5?

But that’s not the championship we came here to talk about, because $1 million will be on the line between Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland in the In-Season Challenge Championship Round on Sunday at Indianapolis.

Blaney (No. 3 seed) got here by defeating Josh Berry (No. 30) in the opening round at Sonoma Raceway before getting past Shane van Gisbergen (No. 14) at Chicagoland Speedway, William Byron (No. 11) at EchoPark Speedway and Christopher Bell (No. 10) at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Blaney had to bounce back at North Wilkesboro after NASCAR sent him to the rear for unapproved adjustments, rising to eighth place after Stage 2 and eventually an 11th-place finish that put him comfortably ahead of Bell in 19th place.

Todd Gilliland, the No. 25 seed and a.k.a “The Toddfather,” upset Daniel Suárez (No. 8) in Round 1 at Sonoma before knocking off Carson Hocevar (No. 9) at Chicagoland, Alex Bowman (No. 32) at EchoPark and Chase Elliott (No. 4) at North Wilkesboro. Elliott got trapped laps down while he was on pit road when Alex Bowman collided with Tyler Reddick on Lap 183 and brought out a caution. Despite that advantage, Gilliland still was going to be hard to beat because he finished in eighth place to Elliott’s 17th-place showing.

 Matchup of the week 

(No. 3) Ryan Blaney vs. (No. 25) Driver: Todd Gilliland: There’s only one matchup this week, so, of course, we have to talk about it. And the difference between this year and last year is that it feels like the underdog driver has a legitimate chance to win this one. In two career Cup Series appearances at Indianapolis, Gilliland has finished in sixth place both times. If he can repeat that type of outing again, he’ll be tough to beat.

But Blaney is no slouch at Indianapolis, either, with three top-10 finishes in his last four outings there, including a third-place run in 2024 that would have been enough to beat Gilliland. Whoever comes out on top will make Ford proud as the manufacturer is riding a two-race winning streak into what is a home track for them thanks to Roger Penske’s ownership.

Posted on by Alex Cadavid

Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have spent more than a decade proving one thing: When the stakes are high, they’re usually not far apart. Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway was the latest example, with the two veterans spending much of the 450-lap marathon running first and second in another memorable chapter of their rivalry.

Tempers often flare at short tracks, with drivers not afraid to make contact inside their cars or out — a movie we’ve seen a handful of times between Hamlin and Logano alone. Whether it was a scuffle at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2013 or memorable post-race mockery at Martinsville Speedway in 2019, these two past teammates have had a handful of notable clashes through the years.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro offered something different.

Instead of another flashpoint, Sunday’s battle became a showcase of mutual respect. Hamlin spent much of the night stalking Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford but never crossed the line, while Logano withstood the pressure to earn his first victory of the season.

After an extra-long celebration, Hamlin sought out Logano on pit road. Gone were the heated exchanges and post-race theatrics that once defined their rivalry. Instead, the two shared a handshake, a thumbs-up and mutual admiration — an understated moment that reflected just how much both competitors have evolved.

Sunday’s finish marked just the sixth time Hamlin and Logano have finished 1-2 in a Cup Series race, with each driver owning three victories in those head-to-head results.

“Just wildly impressive,” Hamlin said post-race. “I thought it was a really impressive drive from him. Maneuvered through traffic really well. Did everything that we know Joey to do.”

It wasn’t the reaction many would have expected from two drivers whose rivalry once produced some of NASCAR’s most unforgettable confrontations. But after years of battling one another, appreciation has become just as much a part of the relationship as competition.

“The last run was definitely tougher,” Logano said. “I ran harder than I wanted to early in the run when Denny was putting the pressure on us. Our weakness was the short run. He got to us. I had to run pretty hard there.”

A clash that once made headlines for confrontation now has room for acknowledgment, too.

Posted on by Zack Albert

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Shane van Gisbergen’s progression on NASCAR ovals took another significant step in Sunday night’s showdown at North Wilkesboro Speedway. A milestone of sorts came early, when his No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet rocketed into the lead, bypassing veteran short-track ace and Cup Series points leader Denny Hamlin, no less.

Van Gisbergen feigned at least a measure of surprise.

“I’m leading. What the [expletive] do I do now?” van Gisbergen cracked through the No. 97 team communications.

The road-racing specialist knew more than he let on, maintaining a steady presence in the top five throughout Sunday’s Window World 450 and sealing a fifth-place result — a Cup Series career-best on a short track. The outcome capped a consistent weekend at the 0.625-mile circuit, where he backed up a noteworthy third-place run in Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series race.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: North Wilkesboro

Getting the better of Hamlin in the 52nd of 450 laps to top the scoring pylon provided both a statement and the opportunity for some levity.

“Yeah, I’m just having fun,” van Gisbergen said post-race after dousing himself with water and pausing to recover from the heavy evening heat. “Yeah, just pretty cool to get up front and then be able to pass for the lead genuinely, and just got to enjoy ourselves.”

Van Gisbergen started eighth in the 37-car field, but vaulted to fourth place when crew chief Stephen Doran opted for a two-tire stop in the first cycle through pit road. From there, SVG picked off three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers in a row — Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs and ultimately Hamlin — to lead for the first time on an oval track since Nashville in late May. The charge forward came at the expense of his rear-tire grip, and Gibbs caught him in the final lap of Stage 1 to take the green-checkered flag by half a car-length.

The remaining portions of the race morphed into a show of dominance by eventual race winner Joey Logano with a valiant pursuit by Hamlin, the runner-up. But van Gisbergen kept both his poise and his positioning the rest of the way, netting not only his first short-track top five but his first such result inside the top 10.

Van Gisbergen led four times for 49 laps — second only to Logano’s impressive 323. Post-race, he said he enjoyed the company up front and the change of pace.

“I mean, it’s just calmer when you get up there,” van Gisbergen said. “Everyone’s racing really respectful. … I passed Denny and mucked that up and let him back through, like it’s a lot friendlier type of people up there.”

The oval-track lessons he’s learned since joining the Cup Series full-time last year have been valuable, but the knowledge from participating in Saturday’s Truck Series event here was a worthwhile supplement.

“It was just a real solid day,” Doran told NASCAR.com. “You speak about the the race yesterday, I feel like that helped him a ton. Just learned the track. He used some of the lines that he figured out yesterday in the truck, so thanks to Spire for letting him do that. I feel like it benefits us a ton at these places, so the more of those we can do, the better, the more laps he can get at these tracks. He’s so good. He’s just got to figure out how to make the speed, and that just gives him a step ahead when we get to our stuff, if he has laps in a truck or an O’Reilly car.”

Shane van Gisbergen races at North Wilkesboro.
Ethan Smith | For NASCAR Digital Media

Intriguingly enough, some of the old habits from his road-racing background also translated to the venerable, old-school bullring.

“It’s a bit like a road course here,” van Gisbergen said. “I tried right-foot brake for a bit. Half the race, I right-foot braked and just felt comfortable doing that. It’s a real balance track, and you can really affect the car with your driving technique. So yeah, I felt comfortable doing that.”

Additional comfort came after the points were tabulated. Van Gisbergen now sits 54 points above the provisional Chase elimination line, a 23-point jump in his bid to make the 16-driver Cup Series postseason for the second consecutive year.

MORE: Cup Series standings

Last year’s playoff berth came via a win-and-in format, where his road-course excellence provided him easy passage to championship eligibility. Van Gisbergen’s quest this year — while aided by two road-race wins — will require a greater measure of consistency on ovals. Five races remain in the regular season to close that goal out, and though van Gisbergen said there’s more work to be done on intermediate-sized tracks, Sunday’s short-track effort produced another sizable leap.

“It’s a huge one for the numbers,” Doran said. “We had a little buffer, but not big enough to be comfortable by any means. I haven’t looked at what they are after this, but those stage points help, all of it helps. So yeah, a little bit more comfortable, but still got to keep pushing.”

More strides like Sunday’s and those appearances in the lead won’t seem so surprising. Don’t expect it, however, to keep van Gisbergen and his No. 97 group from mining for the occasional laugh over the team radio.

“I think that’s the M.O. of this team,” Doran said, smiling once reminded of SVG’s Stage 1 transmission. “We have fun with all of it. We try to stay light. There’s a lot of inside jokes going on throughout the race between him, myself, Josh (Williams), the spotter. Just keep it fun. That’s why we all do this, to have fun, win races. So it’s fun to run up front like that.”

Posted on by Staff Report

The all-time list of NASCAR Cup Series winners starts with Richard Petty (200 wins) and includes more than 60 drivers who won just a single time at NASCAR’s top level.

Below is the list of all-time winners, in order, in the Cup Series.

Last update: After Race 21 of the 2026 season (North Wilkesboro Speedway).

Active drivers in ALL CAPS

RankDriverWins
1.Richard Petty200
2.David Pearson105
3.Jeff Gordon93
4.Bobby Allison85
5.Darrell Waltrip84
T-6.Jimmie Johnson83
T-6.Cale Yarborough83
8.Dale Earnhardt76
9.DENNY HAMLIN64
10.Kyle Busch63
11.Kevin Harvick60
12.Rusty Wallace55
13.Lee Petty54
T-14.Ned Jarrett50
T-14.Junior Johnson50
16.Tony Stewart49
17.Herb Thomas48
18.Buck Baker46
19.Bill Elliott44
20.Mark Martin40
T-21.Tim Flock39
T-21.Matt Kenseth39
23.JOEY LOGANO38
24.Bobby Isaac37
25.BRAD KESELOWSKI36
T-26.Kurt Busch34
T-26.Martin Truex Jr.34
28.Fireball Roberts33
T-29.KYLE LARSON32
T-29.Dale Jarrett32
T-31.Carl Edwards28
T-31.Rex White28
T-33.Dale Earnhardt Jr.26
T-33.Fred Lorenzen26
T-35.Jim Paschal25
T-35.Joe Weatherly25
T-37.CHASE ELLIOTT23
T-37.Ricky Rudd23
39.Terry Labonte22
T-40.Jeff Burton21
T-40.Bobby Labonte21
T-40.Benny Parsons21
T-40.Jack Smith21
44.Speedy Thompson20
T-45.RYAN BLANEY19
T-45.Davey Allison19
T-45.Buddy Baker19
T-45.Greg Biffle19
T-45.Fonty Flock19
T-50.Geoff Bodine18
T-50.Neil Bonnett18
T-50.Harry Gant18
T-50.Kasey Kahne18
T-50.Ryan Newman18
T-55.Marvin Panch17
T-55.Curtis Turner17
57.WILLIAM BYRON16
58.Ernie Irvan15
T-59.Dick Hutcherson14
T-59.LeeRoy Yarbrough14
T-61CHRISTOPHER BELL13
T-61.Dick Rathmann13
T-61.Tim Richmond13
T-61.TYLER REDDICK13
T-65.Donnie Allison10
T-65.Clint Bowyer10
T-65.Sterling Marlin10
T-68.Paul Goldsmith9
T-68.Cotton Owens9
T-68.Bob Welborn9
T-71.SHANE VAN GISBERGEN8
T-71.ALEX BOWMAN8
T-71.Kyle Petty8
T-74.Darel Dieringer7
T-74.AJ Foyt7
T-74.Jamie McMurray7
T-74.Jim Reed7
T-74.Marshall Teague7
T-79.AUSTIN DILLON6
T-79.CHASE BRISCOE6
T-79.CHRIS BUESCHER6
T-79.ROSS CHASTAIN6
T-83.Ward Burton5
T-83.Dan Gurney5
T-83.Alan Kulwicki5
T-83.Tiny Lund5
T-83.Dave Marcis5
T-83.Jeremy Mayfield5
T-83.Ralph Moody5
T-89.Lloyd Dane4
T-89.Bob Flock4
T-89.Charlie Glotzbach4
T-89.Eddie Gray4
T-89.Bobby Hamilton4
T-89.Pete Hamilton4
T-89.Parnelli Jones4
T-89.Hershel McGriff4
T-89.Joe Nemechek4
T-89.Eddie Pagan4
T-89.Ken Schrader4
T-89.Morgan Shepherd4
T-89.Nelson Stacy4
T-89.RICKY STENHOUSE JR.4
T-89.Billy Wade4
T-89.Michael Waltrip4
T-89.Glen Wood4
T-107.AJ ALLMENDINGER3
T-107.Aric Almirola3
T-107.AUSTIN CINDRIC3
T-107.Bill Blair3
T-107.Robby Gordon3
T-107.ERIK JONES3
T-107.Dick Linder3
T-107.Frank Mundy3
T-107.Elliott Sadler3
T-107.Gwyn Staley3
T-107.DANIEL SUÁREZ3
T-107.Brian Vickers3
T-107.BUBBA WALLACE3
T-120.MICHAEL MCDOWELL2
T-120.Marcos Ambrose2
T-120.John Andretti2
T-120.Johnny Beauchamp2
T-120.Red Byron2
T-120.Derrike Cope2
T-120.Ricky Craven2
T-120.Ray Elder2
T-120.James Hylton2
T-120.Bobby Johns2
T-120.Joe Lee Johnson2
T-120.Al Keller2
T-120.Elmo Langley2
T-120.Danny Letner2
T-120.Juan Pablo Montoya2
T-120.Billy Myers2
T-120.Jimmy Pardue2
T-120.Steve Park2
T-120.Tom Pistone2
T-120.Marvin Porter2
T-120.David Ragan2
T-120.David Reutimann2
T-120.Gober Sosebee2
T-120.Jimmy Spencer2
T-120.Emanuel Zervakis2
T-145.Johnny Allen1
T-145.Bill Amick1
T-145.Mario Andretti1
T-145.Earl Balmer1
T-145.Trevor Bayne1
T-145.Johnny Benson1
T-145.JOSH BERRY1
T-145.Brett Bodine1
T-145.Ron Bouchard1
T-145.Richard Brickhouse1
T-145.Dick Brooks1
T-145.Bob Burdick1
T-145.Harrison Burton1
T-145.Marvin Burke1
T-145.Neil Cole1
T-145.Jim Cook1
T-145.Cole Custer1
T-145.Mark Donohue1
T-145.Joe Eubanks1
T-145.Lou Figaro1
T-145.Jimmy Florian1
T-145.Larry Frank1
T-145TY GIBBS1
T-145.Danny Graves1
T-145.Royce Haggerty1
T-145.Justin Haley1
T-145.COREY HEIM1
T-145.Bobby Hillin1
T-145.CARSON HOCEVAR1
T-145.Jim Hurtubise1
T-145.John Kieper1
T-145.Harold Kite1
T-145.Paul Lewis1
T-145.Johnny Mantz1
T-145.Sam McQuagg1
T-145.Casey Mears1
T-145.Paul Menard1
T-145.Lloyd Moore1
T-145.Jerry Nadeau1
T-145.Norm Nelson1
T-145.Bill Norton1
T-145.Phil Parsons1
T-145.Dick Passwater1
T-145.Lennie Pond1
T-145.Bill Rexford1
T-145.Jody Ridley1
T-145.Shorty Rollins1
T-145.Jim Roper1
T-145.Earl Ross1
T-145.John Rostek1
T-145.Johnny Rutherford1
T-145.Greg Sacks1
T-145.Leon Sales1
T-145.Frankie Schneider1
T-145.Wendell Scott1
T-145.Buddy Shuman1
T-145.Regan Smith1
T-145.John Soares1
T-145.Lake Speed1
T-145.Chuck Stevenson1
T-145.Donald Thomas1
T-145.Tommy Thompson1
T-145.Art Watts1
T-145.Danny Weinberg1
T-145.Jack White1
Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series’ In-Season Challenge returns for its second season in 2026, bringing a five-race, bracket-style tournament to TNT Sports’ portion of the summer schedule.

Thirty-two drivers qualify for the challenge and compete in head-to-head matchups over five consecutive races, culminating with the Champions Round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26. Four rounds are in the books, and just two drivers remain in the quest for $1 million. Continue reading for more information on the challenge, including the format, schedule, bracket and latest updates.

Print your bracket! | Check your bracket here!

What is the In-Season Challenge?

The In-Season Challenge is a 32-driver, single-elimination tournament contested during the NASCAR Cup Series season.

Drivers are seeded based on their points position entering the challenge and compete head-to-head across five races. The higher finisher in each matchup advances to the next round until a champion is crowned at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

How are drivers seeded?

Simply put, the drivers were seeded in order of their points position following the race at Pocono Raceway.

How do drivers advance?

The driver with the better finishing position in each head-to-head matchup advances to the next round.

The tournament field is cut from 32 drivers to 16, then eight, four and two before the championship matchup at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Matchup of the week: Round 5, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

(No. 3) Ryan Blaney vs. (No. 25) Todd Gilliland: The Champions Round is set, with one driver ready to put an improbable exclamation point on this year’s In-Season Challenge.

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney will square off against Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland, the No. 25 seed who upended No. 4 seed Chase Elliott to advance to the final round of this year’s bracket in the Brickyard 400.

Blaney, the 2023 Cup champion, won just two weeks ago at EchoPark Speedway for his second victory of 2026. Gilliland is still seeking his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series.

But Indy proves a level playing field for both racers: Blaney has an average finish of 5.0 in two Next Gen starts at Indy while Gilliland’s average finish there is 6.0. To think this is a walk in the park toward $1 million for Blaney would be a critical mistake.

Gilliland’s arrival is an unlikely one, but Blaney will have to fend him off at a track near and dear to team owner Roger Penske’s heart.

WATCH: Blaney, Gilliland trade laughs ahead of Champions Round matchup

Where will the In-Season Challenge take place in 2026?

DATEROUNDLOCATIONTIMENETWORK
June 28Round 1Sonoma Raceway3:30 p.m. ETTNT Sports
July 5Round 2Chicagoland Speedway6 p.m. ETTNT Sports
July 12Round 3EchoPark Speedway7 p.m. ETTNT Sports
July 19Round 4North Wilkesboro Speedway7 p.m. ETTNT Sports
July 26Champions RoundIndianapolis Motor Speedway2 p.m. ETTNT Sports

The five-race challenge features a variety of track types, including road courses, intermediate tracks, a short track and a crown-jewel event to crown the champion.

Race recaps and results

Come back throughout the In-Season Challenge to catch up on each race.

Round 1: Sonoma Raceway

Race winner: Shane van Gisbergen
Race recap: Van Gisbergen fends off Briscoe, seals weekend sweep with Sonoma win
Notable: For the second consecutive year, the No. 1 seed was eliminated on the opening weekend. Finishing dead last with a mechanical issue that put him four laps down, Tyler Reddick fell victim to an upset, as No. 32 seed Alex Bowman advanced with a 10th-place finish. No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland also pulled an upset over No. 8 Daniel Suárez, creating bedlam in the top-left quadrant of the bracket.
Round 1 recap: Read here.

Round 2: Chicagoland Speedway

Race winner: Chase Briscoe
Race recap: Chase Briscoe holds off late charge from Bell to win Cup Series race at Chicagoland
Notable: We officially have our Cinderella story. No. 32 seed Alex Bowman continued into Round 3 by knocking off No. 16 Austin Cindric with his third top-five finish of the 2026 season. No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland also moved on, utilizing a 16th-place finish to beat No. 9 seed Carson Hocevar. With Briscoe’s race win, No. 5 seed Ty Gibbs suffered his first-ever In-Season Challenge loss after winning the tournament last year. No. 6 seed Kyle Larson went for a Stage 2 spin and never recovered, losing to No. 11 seed William Byron, who finished fourth.
Round 2 recap: Read here.

Round 3: EchoPark Speedway

Race winner: Ryan Blaney
Race recap: Ryan Blaney wins Cup Series overtime thriller at EchoPark
Notable: Cinderella no more for No. 32 seed Alex Bowman, who fell to elimination with a 22nd-place finish Sunday at EchoPark. But have no fear — No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland was the one who beat him and heads to the semifinals, for those still pulling for an underdog. No. 12 seed Chase Briscoe crashed late at EchoPark and finished 36th, handing an easy victory to No. 4 seed Chase Elliott. No. 10 Christopher Bell knocked out Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and No. 2 seed Denny Hamlin, and of course, No. 3 seed Ryan Blaney advanced over No. 11 William Byron with his late-night victory. 
Round 3 recap: Read here.

Round 4: North Wilkesboro Speedway

Race winner: Joey Logano
Race recap: Joey Logano dominates to win first North Wilkesboro points race in 30 years
Notable: The Toddfather is moving on. No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland pulled off the upset to advance to the In-Season Challenge finals over No. 4 Chase Elliott, courtesy of an eighth-place finish at North Wilkesboro while Elliott finished 17th. Gilliland will face off against No. 3 Ryan Blaney for the $1 million prize at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Blaney advanced with an 11th-place finish at Wilkesboro, defeating No. 10 Christopher Bell, who finished 19th.
Round 4 recap: Read here.

Champions Round: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Race winner:
Race recap:
Champions Round recap:

Posted on by Staff Report

Ready to watch NASCAR in 2026 and want NASCAR TV and streaming programming this week? Here is this week’s NASCAR broadcast schedule. All times listed are ET.

HOW TO WATCH

Key information: FOX, FS1, FS2 | Prime Video | TNT Sports | Max in-car cameras | NBC, USA | The CW

Stream NASCAR races: Get FOX Sports App | Get the NBC Sports App | Watch on Peacock | FloRacing

Watch NASCAR 24/7: NASCAR Channel on Prime Video, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi and Xumo

More on The CW: Find your station

International: Watch NASCAR outside of the US

LISTINGS

Monday, July 20

7 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: FaithFest 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway (re-air), FS2

Tuesday, July 21

2 a.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton, FS1
6 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: FaithFest 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour: North Wilkesboro Recap, FS1
11 p.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS2

Wednesday, July 22

Midnight, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: FaithFest 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway (re-air), FS2

Thursday, July 23

2 a.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour: North Wilkesboro Recap (re-air), FS2
3 a.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, FS1
6:30 p.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton, FS1
8 p.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour (re-air), FS2
8:30 p.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS2

Friday, July 24

Noon, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, The CW App
1 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, truTV/HBO Max
3 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Practice and Qualifying at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, FS1
5 p.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS1
5:30 p.m., ARCA Menards Series: LiUNA 150 presented by IDEAL Door at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, FS1
7:30 p.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour (re-air), FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, FS1
TBD, NASCAR Weekly Racing at Riverhead Raceway, FloRacing

Saturday, July 25

5:30 a.m., ARCA Menards Series: LiUNA 150 presented by IDEAL Door at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (re-air), FS1
7:30 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS1
Noon, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, The CW
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, truTV/HBO Max
3 p.m., NASCAR Countdown Live, The CW
4 p.m., NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Pennzoil 250 Presented by Take 5 Oil Change at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, The CW
7 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (re-air), FS2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Monadnock Speedway, FloRacing
9 p.m., Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour (re-air), FS2
9:30 p.m., SPEED With Harvick & Buxton (re-air), FS2
TBD, NASCAR Weekly Racing at Riverhead Raceway, FloRacing
TBD, NASCAR Sportsman 100 at Bowman Gray Stadium, FloRacing

Sunday, July 26

8 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (re-air), FS2
10 a.m., ARCA Menards Series: LiUNA 150 presented by IDEAL Door at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (re-air), FS2
1 p.m., NASCAR Nation Pre-Race, TNT Sports/truTV/HBO Max
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, TNT Sports/truTV/HBO Max
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Nation Post-Race, TNT Sports/truTV/HBO Max

Editor’s Note: The 2026 NASCAR TV Schedule is updated weekly throughout the season.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Joey Logano had a gleam in his eye and a lilt in his voice as he readied to climb into the No. 22 Team Penske Ford for the start of Sunday night’s Window World 450.

“I think we have a fast car,” Logano opined optimistically before taking the green flag in the first NASCAR Cup Series points race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 30 years.

Logano was right, but his assessment turned out to be a massive understatement. After leading a single-race career-best 323 laps, Logano crossed the finish line 0.859 seconds ahead of series leader Denny Hamlin to win for the first time since May 2025 when he triumphed at Texas Motor Speedway.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: North Wilkesboro

The victory was Logano’s first in a points race at the 0.625 short track, though he also won the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race at revitalized North Wilkesboro. In front of an enthusiastic sell-out crowd, Logano recorded the 38th Cup victory of his career, the 23rd-most all-time.

“It’s good to get back into Victory Lane,” Logano said. “It’s been a tough year. So getting the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang doing some big, smoky donuts around this place felt really good.”

The victory was a distinct bright spot in a troublesome season for the three-time Cup Series champion, who vaulted from 17th to 15th in the series standings, 49 points clear of the current cutline for the postseason Chase.

“(Crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) put together a good car,” Logano said. “I think I know exactly what I need to go fast around this place. He’s able to give it to me.

“I knew coming into this weekend, we’ve got to capitalize on the points. A win was great, but we really need the points. Really capitalized on those tonight.”

Hamlin was able to stay close to Logano in the final stage, but the race winner worked traffic adroitly and never gave Hamlin a chance to close within striking distance.

The critical juncture came during a green-flag pit stop cycle in the final stage, with Hamlin steering his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to pit road on Lap 359 of 450. Logano followed a lap later and exited the pits roughly a half-second ahead of Hamlin.

That pit cycle proved decisive.

“Yeah, the pressure was there, for sure,” Logano said. “Denny got really good there the last run. Honestly, it was whoever was out front was going to win the race.

“We were pretty dominant. But as the race went along, Denny got better at the last run. Just did a decent job keeping up with the track. They did a good job keeping up.”

SHOP: Winner gear

Though his extended pursuit of Logano proved fruitless, Hamlin expanded his series lead over second-place Tyler Reddick to 68 points, with five races left before The Chase field is set.

“You just have to compliment them on a great day and a great drive,” Hamlin said of Logano’s effort. “They were really good. There were a lot of times that I felt like my car was really close to where it needed to be; it was just a smidge off.

“Great battle. At least I was able to keep them honest there, but he had a lot of speed and never gave up on the short run or the long run, so great job to our whole Progressive Toyota team for keeping us in the ballgame, but we will have to go regroup.”

Chase Briscoe ran third and Ty Gibbs fourth, despite an early pit road speeding penalty. Shane van Gisbergen, who maintained a presence in the top 10 for the entire race and led 49 laps (second most to Logano), placed fifth and climbed one position to 14th in the standings, 54 points above the current Chase cutoff.

In the semifinal of the NASCAR Cup Series In-Season Challenge, Todd Gilliland continued his unlikely march to the winner-take-all $1-million payday with an eighth-place finish to Chase Elliott’s 17th.

Elliott was buried two laps down when caution for a collision between the Chevrolet of Alex Bowman and the Toyota of Reddick — as Bowman turned across traffic trying to enter pit road on Lap 183 — interrupted a cycle of green-flag stops.

Elliott finished three laps down after a late pit stop.

Ryan Blaney, who finished 11th, two laps down, after a speeding penalty, ousted Christopher Bell from the In-Season Challenge. Like Elliott, Bell was a victim of the Lap 183 caution after pitting early in the cycle. He finished 19th, three laps down.

Blaney will face Gilliland for the In-Season title in next Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The race featured five cautions for 43 laps, with the final stage running caution-free for 175 green-flag laps. There were 17 lead changes among nine drivers, the majority coming during green-flag pit cycles.

Gibbs won the first stage before drawing his speeding penalty, with Logano exerting his dominance in winning Stage 2.

Sixth-place Bubba Wallace was the last driver to finish on the lead lap. Brad Keselowski, Gilliland, Daniel Suarez and Ryan Preece — all one lap down — completed the top 10.

Stage 2 recap

Joey Logano scored the Stage 2 victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

Denny Hamlin was second ahead of Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and Shane van Gisbergen, who nabbed points in both stages Sunday night. Carson Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Todd Gilliland and Daniel Suárez concluded the top 10.

Two mid-stage incidents shook up the running order and trapped multiple contenders one lap down.

A Lap 183 caution altered the event when Alex Bowman dove across Tyler Reddick’s nose exiting Turn 2, sending both cars into a spin. Bowman was attempting to pit but was running in the outermost lane with Reddick to his left. The incident occurred in the midst of green-flag pit stops, trapping multiple drivers like Chase Elliott, William Byron, Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric and Christopher Bell two laps down at the time of caution before taking advantage of the wave-around rule, earning one lap back.

At the time of the Lap 193 restart, just 15 cars remained on the lead lap.

Shortly thereafter, Bell got loose entering Turn 3 while racing with Josh Berry, sliding high into Berry’s left rear. Berry spun and smacked the SAFER barrier in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 199, breaking left-side suspension parts that sent the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford to the garage for repairs.

MORE: Stage 2 results | Watch Logano seize Stage 2 victory

Logano has led over 160 laps, his most since the 2022 season finale in which he won the Cup Series championship. Among the drivers who were trapped one lap down were Hendrick Motorsports teammates Elliott, Kyle Larson and Byron as well as Reddick and Bell.

Stage 1 recap

Ty Gibbs eked out a Stage 1 victory over Shane van Gisbergen in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Carson Hocevar completed the top five after 80 laps at the historic 0.625-mile short track. Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric and William Byron rounded out the top 10.

RELATED: Stage 1 results | Watch Gibbs clinch Stage 1 win

The yellow flag waved for the first time on Lap 40 when contact between Zane Smith and John Hunter Nemechek sent Nemechek for a spin through Turn 2. Hamlin was the only driver who stayed out under that caution period midway through the first stage. Kyle Larson and Connor Zilisch made contact on pit road, however, during those stops on Lap 45. Larson was leaving his stall after a two-tire stop and exited just in front of Zilisch, whose left-front fender slammed Larson’s right-front wheel. Both continued without apparent issue, but Larson only mustered a 34th-place finish at the conclusion of Stage 1.

Ross Chastain started from the rear due to multiple inspection failures on Saturday and had to serve a pass-through penalty at the start of the race, losing a lap early. However, the Trackhouse Racing driver received the free pass when the yellow waved to end Stage 1 and started Stage 2 back on the lead lap.

Gibbs won the race off pit road during the stage break but incurred a penalty for speeding on pit road, sending him to the rear of the field for the restart to start Stage 2.

Contributing: Staff report

Note: Post-race technical inspection concluded without issue, confirming Logano as the race winner. No cars were taken back to NASCAR’s R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina.