Posted on by Dustin Albino

Editor’s Note: Keep tabs on this page for lineup advice following qualifying, including changes you should consider.

Fantasy Update: Toyota made a statement during practice and qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, unloading with similar speed to what it showed at the end of the 2025 season on intermediate tracks. No matter the featured matchup, I’m banking on the Toyota driver. I have replaced Bubba Wallace for Chase Briscoe, both in my lineup and their head-to-head battle. I also added October winner Denny Hamlin — who had the fastest five- and 10-lap averages in practice — over Ross Chastain. The No. 1 car has dropped completely from my fantasy roster as Christopher Bell is the way we’re leaning in 36 for 36.  

My lineup: Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace.

Garage: William Byron.

All eyes turn to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the Cup Series’ first intermediate race of the 2026 season. In recent Sin City races, the race for the victory has come down to the wire, with the pass for the win coming in the final six laps in five of the last eight races. Meanwhile, track position is of the essence, as the Stage 1 winner has won the race six times and the Stage 2 winner has won 10 of 17 Vegas races with stages, the greatest amount at any venue.

Returning to Fastlane this year is my weekly NASCAR 36 for 36 pick, where you can come play along. It’s a season-long points battle introduced in 2024 where strategy is the primary emphasis. With 36 chartered cars and 36 races on the 2026 schedule, players can choose each car once for the duration of the season.

RELATED: NASCAR Fantasy Live hub | Play 36 for 36 

MUST START

Driver: Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet
Selections remaining: 10
Comment: Larson hasn’t won a Cup race in over 10 months, and it feels like an eternity. He’s the standard at Las Vegas, though, leading the most laps in half of his starts with Hendrick (five out of 10), and he has led the most laps in track history (819). He has five top-two finishes in eight Next Gen starts.

Driver: William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet
Selections remaining: 10
Comment: It’s been three years since Byron scored his lone Las Vegas victory, but he’s constantly in the mix. The No. 24 car has led laps in six straight Vegas races, and 10 of the last 11 overall. His average finish of 9.82 on 1.5-mile tracks ranks as the best in the Next Gen car.

Driver: Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, No. 45 Toyota
Selections remaining: 9
Comment: Reddick has the hot hand to start 2026, even though his historic three-race winning streak came to an end at Phoenix Raceway. He is typically a factor at high-speed tracks, which LVMS certainly is. This year’s Daytona 500 champion has two top fives in the last four Vegas races.

Kyle Larson's No. 5 Chevrolet lays down a smoky burnout on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway frontstretch.
Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

DRIVERS TO AVOID

Driver: Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Selections remaining: 9
Comment: While Elliott’s HMS teammates have won big in Sin City, he is still looking to hit the jackpot. In 17 starts, Elliott has a trio of top fives and six top 10s. His 18.9 average finish is his worst among non-drafting circuits.

Driver: Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 54 Toyota
Selections remaining: 10
Comment: Gibbs is fresh off scoring consecutive top-five finishes and has jumped to 15th in the regular-season championship standings, only 15 points out of fifth. But Vegas is arguably his worst track on the schedule with only one finish better than 22nd in seven starts (fifth in 2024). Three of his last five attempts have ended in 30th or worse.

Ty Gibbs preps for Cup Series practice at Kansas Speedway
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

SLEEPERS OF THE WEEK

Driver: Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Selections remaining: 9
Comment: Chastain is borderline must-start territory this weekend, earning five top-five finishes in eight Vegas races with Trackhouse. In that span, he holds an average finish of 7.6, tops in the league.

Driver: Ryan Preece, RFK Racing, No. 60 Ford
Selections remaining: 10
Comment: Preece earned 179 points at 1.5-mile tracks in 2025, tied with his RFK teammate Chris Buescher for 11th best in Cup. A bulk of those came in the two trips to the Vegas desert, earning finishes of third and ninth, respectively. He has six top-10 finishes in the last eight 1.5-mile races.

ryan preece at richmond raceway
Samuel Corum | Getty Images

FEATURED MATCHUPS

Josh Berry vs. Ty Gibbs
Pick: Berry
Comment: If you throw away Berry’s upset victory last year, neither driver’s numbers jump off the page. More concerning is that Gibbs scored the second-fewest points of all drivers in 2025 at intermediate venues. Berry gets the nod, even though four of his five starts here are finishes in the 20s — but he does have a pair of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins here.

Ryan Blaney vs. Tyler Reddick
Pick: Reddick
Comment: Blaney has been all or nothing in Las Vegas, tallying top 10s in more than 50% of his starts. The last three visits, though, are finishes of 32nd or worse. Reddick can’t miss to start 2026 and it’s likely that continues on Sunday.

Daniel Suárez vs. Carson Hocevar
Pick: Hocevar
Comment: With multiple engine woes at intermediate tracks in 2025, it’s understandable why Hocevar scored the fewest points in the series at 1.5-mile tracks last year. The potential for a solid outing is always available, though, due to his raw speed. On the flip side, Suárez has a pair of top fives in the last three starts.

Chase Briscoe vs. Bubba Wallace
Pick: Briscoe
Comment: With three finishes of 36th or worse in the first month of the 2026 season, Briscoe needs a clean day. He nearly won at Vegas in the fall, though his 20.3 average finish is his worst at any 1.5-mile track. Wallace has only earned a pair of top 10s through 16 Vegas tries.

MY LINEUP

Starting five: Kyle Larson, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe.
Garage: Ross Chastain.

36 FOR 36

Pick: Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Comment: That Blaney pick at Phoenix worked out, huh? Not overthinking this weekend, either, as Las Vegas is among Chastain’s best tracks on the schedule. The No. 1 team also has six top-10 finishes in the last 11 intermediate races, including a pair of triumphs. Chastain needs a solid result, tanking to 23rd in the standings.

Posted on by Press Release

SOUTH BOSTON, Virginia — To say that Trevor Ward has a lot on his plate is a huge understatement.

Even with a stack of responsibilities, there is no mistaking his excitement as he returns to South Boston Speedway to compete for a track championship he narrowly missed last year.

“I’m really looking forward to ramping it up and trying to pick up where we left off last year at South Boston Speedway and try to put another good year together,” Ward said. “We’re going to come in battling hard the first race on March 21.”

Ward returns to full-time competition in South Boston’s Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car division.

While he saw a ton of success last year, his 2026 campaign will be a different season for Ward. For the first time he has a partner, Mike Bledsole, a partnership he feels can elevate the efforts of his Trevor Ward Motorsports team.

“Mike Bledsole and I have gone in together and built a car,” Ward explained. “This is something I’ve never done before. We’re going to race at South Boston Speedway with it. I can’t thank Mike enough. We have been friends a long time and we believe in each other. I’d like to get us in Victory Lane at South Boston Speedway.”

Ward had an outstanding 2025 season at South Boston Speedway with six wins and 14 Top-5 finishes in his 17 starts. He was the runner-up in the 2025 title chase, finishing one position and two points behind champion Peyton Sellers in the final points race of the season.

“That was the first track championship I ever tried to tackle in my career,” Ward pointed out. “Sometimes you’ve got to figure out how to lose one (a championship) before you can win one. We’ve gotten that out of the way now and we can try to tackle the next one.”

While there was a lot of success through the 2025 season there was also disappointment. Ward appeared to be on his way to winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville for the second time but a penalty for jumping a late-race restart derailed that effort.

“I feel like I failed and came up short,” Ward said of the misfortune. “I put the team behind on the restart and it was upsetting because I knew we had the car, I knew we had the driver, I knew we had everything in place to do it and the strategy to do it. I wanted to cap off that big season we had at South Boston Speedway with a really good finish or win at Martinsville. I’m ready to rebound from that, get back in gear, and do it all over again.”

Trevor Ward
Trevor Ward (black car at the right) inches ahead of Peyton Sellers (26, left) as they speed into the second turn during last season’s Davenport Energy Race Night event on August 9, 2025. (Photo: Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway

He made two starts on the CARS Tour after that with Nelson Motorsports, qualifying on the outside pole for the event at Tri-County Motor Speedway and finishing sixth at North Wilkesboro.

“The 2025 season was one of the biggest seasons I’ve ever had in racing,” Ward pointed out. “I ran 28 or 30 races last year. That was the first time we had ever tackled that kind of mission.”

The off-season was tremendously busy and sometimes stressful for Ward and his Trevor Ward Motorsports organization as his success brought new and additional work to his business, including housing and supporting driver Brandon Lopez who competes on the CARS Tour.

“From a team and branding standpoint we’ve had a really successful off-season as far as our business and customer base goes,” he pointed out. “We put together a deal to house the cars that Brandon Lopez drives on the CARS Tour. We will do the whole CARS Tour season with them. There are four races that conflict with South Boston’s schedule, which is a nail right now that is driving into my foot. We’re still working on trying to figure out what we’re going to do to organize that and run the season for me at South Boston. We’ll get through it when the time comes.”

Playing a key role in Ward’s success on the track and on the business-side is Corbin Mackie who serves as Ward’s car chief at the track.

“The two of us put a lot together to make this all happen,” Ward said. “It’s hard to beat a life-long friendship like I’ve had with Corbin. He’s been a super-big part of my success along the way. Corbin has been my right-hand man since Day One. He’s learned with me and failed with me and has had success with me.”

The pair have worked together since 2018. They went to school together and have been friends since they were in the second grade.

“We’ve had a lot of success and a lot of ups and downs,” Mackie remarked. “I think the years of struggle have put us where we are today.”

As far as the off-season work is concerned, Mackie said he and Ward have been “wide open.”

Trevor Ward
Trevor Ward celebrates one of his several victories at South Boston Speedway in 2025. (Photo: Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway)

“We’ve put ourselves in a position to be able to take the customer work in, and it’s really been a blessing that we have a lot of teams including some of the bigger teams like Nelson Motorsports trust us. I think we’ve hung something like nine bodies for customers. We built a new car for ourselves, and we built a new car for Brandon Lopez. I think it’s all a testament to the time and work we put into the cars.”

As if all of this wasn’t enough, Ward was one of the participants in Kaulig Racing’s reality TV competition “Race for the Seat.” It was a good experience, and Ward learned some valuable things from it, but it could have been more.

“It was very hard for me to adapt, and I didn’t do so well on the show as far all of the things that were involved,” Ward explained. “I learned a lot of things to work on to be better even in my world of racing. I wish I could have been better, but I think it made me a better person, a better spokesman.”

Ward admitted that during the time he was involved with the competition his mind was on other things.

“The whole time I was on that deal I was thinking how far behind I was getting on my personal work,” he noted. “I really didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I wish I could have because I was thinking the whole time I was getting behind and I wasn’t doing what I needed to be doing at the house.

If I get to do it again, I’ll definitely make it more enjoyable and put more things in place to be done before I go.”

For Ward and Mackie, the focus now is on the 100-lap race for the Hitachi Energy Late Model Stock Car Division that will be part of the Saturday, March 21 season-opening URW Race Day King of the Modifieds event.

The URW Race Day King of the Modifieds event will be headlined by a 125-lap race for the SMART Modified Tour that pays $20,000 to win and the 100-lap Late Model Stock Car race. A 35-lap race for the competitors of the Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club will round out the season-opening event.

Advance tickets are priced at $20 each. Tickets at the gate on race day will be $25 each. Seniors age 65 and older, military, healthcare workers and students (with ID) can purchase tickets at the advance ticket price at the gate only on the day of the event.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

In marked contrast to the NASCAR Cup Series, the first four events in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series have produced four different winners.

With a field salted with full-time Cup Series drivers, that trend is likely to continue in Saturday’s The LiUNA at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (5:30 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Kyle Larson, favored by oddsmakers in both races this weekend, will take a turn in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, but Larson won’t be the only significant Cup competitor in the field.

Chase Briscoe is scheduled to drive the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that carried part-timer Aric Almirola to victory in last year’s fall race at the 1.5-mile track. Connor Zilisch, a 10-time O’Reilly winner last season, will be behind the wheel of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, as series regular Carson Kvapil rotates to the No. 9.

RELATED: Las Vegas weekend schedule 

Zilisch finished second behind Almirola in the fall.

If there’s a candidate to get a second O’Reilly victory this season, Justin Allgaier would be most likely to succeed. Allgaier took the checkered flag last Saturday at Phoenix Raceway after a late charge and vaulted into the series standings lead with the victory.

Allgaier is the defending winner of the spring O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas.

“I’ve always enjoyed racing in Las Vegas,” said Allgaier, who has won at least one race in the series for a record 10 straight years. “It’s a track that has really suited my driving style and is somewhere that I know we will have a great chance to battle for the win at each time we come here.

“(Crew chief) Andrew (Overstreet) has given me great cars all year long and I know that will be the case again this weekend. If we can just go out and execute the way we are capable of, I see no reason why we can’t replicate what happened last week in Phoenix. This group is ready to go.”

Allgaier, however, has a full plate this weekend. He is competing in the Cup Series on Sunday as a substitute for Alex Bowman, who will miss his second straight event after being diagnosed with vertigo.

As with the Cup Series, qualifying will be important to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers. Only four times since 2008 has a winning driver at Las Vegas started outside the top 10.

Posted on by Staff Report

Legacy Motor Club owner Jimmie Johnson revealed during Thursday’s episode of “The Morning Drive” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the organization will expand to a three-car stable for the 2027 Cup Series season.

Legacy, which currently runs two full-time chartered cars driven by John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42) and Erik Jones (No. 43), rebranded in 2023 to the current name after previously being known as Richard Petty Motorsports and Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson took majority ownership in the team in January 2025.

RELATED: Las Vegas weekend schedule | Cup standings

“Without question, we will have a third car on the grid next year,” Johnson told co-hosts Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone. “Very excited about that. Our commitment to growth will be able to attract and recruit the right individuals to help come in and really grow the workforce for this third car. All the benefits that come with running an additional car will help speed up our process.”

Johnson did not reveal additional details regarding a driver or number for the third team.

Legacy Motor Club is still seeking its first victory since the rebrand. Nemechek currently sits 22nd in Cup standings heading to Sunday’s race at Las Vegas (4 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) while Jones is 28th, but coming off a top-10 run at Phoenix Raceway last weekend.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>📈 &quot;Without question – we will have a third car on the grid next year.&quot;<a href=”https://twitter.com/JimmieJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@JimmieJohnson</a> speaks on the expansion of <a href=”https://twitter.com/LEGACYMotorClub?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@LEGACYMotorClub</a> for 2027 and which drivers they&#39;re possibly targeting for the new seat.<br><br>More with the 7X champ and <a href=”https://twitter.com/NASCARHall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NASCARHall</a> of Famer → <a href=”https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA”>https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA</a> <a href=”https://t.co/e147A4QQss”>pic.twitter.com/e147A4QQss</a></p>&mdash; SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNASCAR/status/2032111318057054227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>March 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Posted on by Staff Report

When NASCAR Cup Series drivers converge on Naval Base Coronado in June, they won’t just be racing for their teams — they’ll be racing for the Navy.

Hosted by Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cup Series stars Christopher Bell, Ryan Preece and Ty Dillon visited the San Diego base Wednesday to select drivers to represent different Naval commands for the inaugural Anduril 250 (June 21, 4 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The squadron assignments add another “Hell Yeah” twist as NASCAR’s premier series returns to Southern California on a brand-new street course.

RELATED: San Diego race course revealed

Upon arrival, Fitzpatrick — a longtime NFL quarterback and analyst for Prime Video — visited the legendary I-Bar at the Base before greeting Bell, Preece and Dillon on-site. He hosted an NFL-style draft with several guest pickers, including members of the Navy and part-time NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, who’s also a Naval Reserve Officer. The draft — which took place at the North Island Club — also featured a performance from the Navy Band.

Between now and race weekend, drivers will begin visiting the base to participate in immersive experiences with their assigned commands and capture behind-the-scenes content. The goal of the squadron assignments is for drivers to build authentic relationships with service members in the lead-up to race weekend, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

In addition to the Cup Series, both the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series will “Race the Base,” making it a can’t-miss tripleheader around the 16-turn, 3.4-mile temporary circuit.

MORE: Buy tickets for NASCAR San Diego Weekend 

See below the full squadron assignments for the Cup Series at Naval Base Coronado, in alphabetical order of last name:

Driver Squadron
AJ AllmendingerExplosive Ordnance Disposal Group One (EODGRU-1)
Christopher BellNaval Base Point Loma
Josh BerryAmphibious Construction Battalion 1
Ryan BlaneyStrike Group Oceanography Team San Diego
Alex BowmanCommander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
Chase BriscoeUSS Somerset (LPD 25)
Chris BuescherUSS Kansas City (LCS 22)
William ByronAssault Craft Unit 1
Ross ChastainMaritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 5 (MSRON 5)
Austin CindricNaval Base San Diego
Cole CusterHelicopter Sea Combat Squadron Four (HSC-4) "Black Knights"
Ty DilonUSS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
Austin DillonMaritime Expeditionary Security Training and Evaluation Unit ONE
Chase ElliottHelicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE (HELSEACOMBATRON 3 or HSC-3 Merlins)
Ty GibbsHelicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 "Magicians"
Todd GillilandSpecial Reconnaissance Team ONE
Noah GragsonBeachmaster Unit ONE
Denny HamlinUSS Greenville (SSN-772)
Riley HerbstNaval Base Coronado (NBC)
Carson HocevarSurvival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)
Jimmie JohnsonHelicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 "Blackjacks"
Erik JonesUSS America (LHA 6)
Brad KeselowskiUSS O'Kane (DDG 77)
Kyle LarsonCarrier Strike Group Fifteen (CSG-15)
Joey LoganoNaval Surface Warfare Leadership and Development Command (NLEAD)
Michael McDowellVRM-50 (Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 50 "SunHawks")
John Hunter NemechekSouthwest Regional Maintenance Center
Ryan PreeceFleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) & FRCSW DET North Island
Tyler ReddickFleet Logistics Support Squadron Fifty-Seven (VR-57), the "Conquistadors"
Zane SmithUSS Pierre (LCS 38)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78 "Blue Hawks"
Daniel SuárezSurface Combat Systems Training Command's (SCST) San Diego
Shane van GisbergenCommander Naval Surface Group Southwest (CNSGSW)
Bubba WallaceHelicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49 "Scorpions"
Cody WareCenter for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit North Island (CNATTU)
Connor ZilischVRM-30 (Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron 30 "Titans")
Posted on by Neil Paine

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is only four races old, but the honeymoon phase is basically over: By the time drivers fire up their engines on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, FOX One, PRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio), we’ll be exactly one month into the points-paying schedule. And while that sounds like a drop in the bucket, it means more than 10% of the season is already in the rearview mirror — yes, time flies by faster than a Team Penske car zooming around the track at Phoenix.

As part of that, the clock is already ticking for drivers buried in the standings below The Chase cutline. Not only does the new standings format give an extra bonus for wins versus the old system, widening the separation between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” but the elimination of win-and-in also means a lack of steady point accumulation can no longer be made up for in a single race.

RELATED: Cup standings | Schedule

As a result, an early deficit is going to be harder to climb out of than it might have been in the past. Here are five drivers whose slow starts have already got them in trouble so far — along with the number of points per race they’ll need to average from here to get to 580, roughly the average number it has taken in recent seasons to finish 16th in The Chase standings by the end of the regular season (after we reconstructed the new points for older seasons). And, for fun, we also issued a Panic Rating scored in 1-4 anxious emojis 😰, with four being the most.

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing

Standings rank: 33rd
Deficit vs. 16th place: 53 points
Points/race needed for 580: 24.2
2025 points/race: 31.1

One of the great breakout stories of 2025, Briscoe rode his midseason hot streak well into the fall and the Championship 4. That was always going to be a tough act to follow, but Briscoe has been especially snakebit to begin 2026. Aside from a second-place finish at EchoPark (from 34th on the grid), he has finished either 36th or 37th in three of his four races, with his day ending early twice due to either a crash or mechanical failure. That string of poor finishes has landed him 33rd in the standings, but there are reasons to think Briscoe can climb out. For one thing, he piled up points last year at a rate that would easily clear 580 by regular season’s end. Second, he hasn’t actually run badly despite the tough finishes. His Driver Rating was 82.5 or higher in three of his four races, with Phoenix (60.2) standing out as his only truly subpar drive. As a result, he ranks 11th in average rating (83.2) — much better than his standings placement.

Panic Rating: 😰

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers

Standings rank: 31st
Deficit vs. 16th place: 50 points
Points/race needed for 580: 24.1
2025 points/race: 18.4

Berry was another feel-good underdog story last season, improving from 27th in the standings to 16th, notching his first career Cup win at the Vegas spring race and making the playoffs. This year has seen the No. 21 unable to build upon a top 10 at Daytona with finishes outside the top 25 in each of the three races since (including a pair of crashes). Unlike Briscoe, who can be relatively optimistic on the basis of past performance and underlying 2026 stats, Berry needs a 24.1 points-per-race pace that well exceeds anything he’s done in the past — he ran at a career-high 18.4 rate last season — to reach 580. He’s going to need to turn it up a notch to make a playoff return.

Panic Rating: 😰😰😰😰

Austin Cindric, Team Penske

Standings rank: 30th
Deficit vs. 16th place: 48 points
Points/race needed for 580: 24.0
2025 points/race: 19.6

Coming off one of his best career seasons in 2025, Cindric’s 2026 hasn’t quite followed suit. He’s had one top-30 run — a 26th-place finish at EchoPark, a track where he traditionally runs very well — and has crashed twice en route to an ugly average finish of 31.5. The rest of Cindric’s numbers are all over the place: He does have an above-average Driver Rating of 70.5, courtesy of better days than the final placement indicated in Atlanta and Phoenix. But aside from his No. 3 spot on the grid this past weekend, a lack of qualifying pace — his average start is 24.3 — is uncharacteristic from a guy who’s usually one of the fastest Fords on the track. He was a much-improved oval and short-track driver last year, so we’ll see what he can do in this upcoming stretch of races, but he needs to surpass his career-best points pace (23.3 per start in 2022) to be near the Chase cutoff.

Panic Rating: 😰😰😰

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing

Standings rank: 23rd
Deficit vs. 16th place: 26 points
Points/race needed for 580: 23.0
2025 points/race: 25.3

It feels odd for Chastain to be so far down the points list right now, as he has seemingly been in the middle of plenty of action to start the year, with plenty of speed. (He’s spent an average of 64% of each race running in the top 15, with an average running position of 15.3.) He’s even finished every race. But Ross hasn’t paired that with strong finishes yet — his average in that department is just 21.5. That being said, it’s probably a safe bet the results will follow going forward, considering his 84.4 average Driver Rating ranks 10th in Cup so far. He also simply needs to drive like he did last year, in terms of points per race, to eventually put himself in position to leapfrog his way into the top 16.

Panic Rating: 😰😰

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing

Standings rank: 20th
Deficit vs. 16th place: 19 points
Points/race needed for 580: 22.7
2025 points/race: 20.5

Good ol’ Rowdy is a master of engineering respectable results from less-than-favorable conditions, and he’s provided one of his finest examples of that so far this year — coaxing three top 20s and an average finish of 19.5 out of a car that has seldom run up front (aside from starting on pole at Daytona). But that may not be enough to overcome a nearly 20-point early deficit relative to The Chase cutline, as Busch hasn’t produced enough points per race to reach 580 from here since 2023, his first season with RCR. Despite the fine-enough finishing results, Busch has a below-average Driver Rating of 63.5, never breaking 80.0 in any race thus far. With a low ceiling for top-end performances, it might be tough to catch The Chase drivers.

Panic Rating: 😰😰😰

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stay west this weekend, heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first of two trips this season to the 1.5-mile intermediate oval. Below are the qualifying orders for both series:

MORE: Weekend schedule | How to watch NASCAR on TV

Cup Series
Single-car qualifying will take place at 3:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, with practice earlier in the day at 2:30 p.m. ET (Prime Video).

POSITIONNUMBERDRIVERMETRICGROUP
119Chase Briscoe35.81
241Cole Custer35.01
348Justin Allgaier(i)33.91
42Austin Cindric32.81
54Noah Gragson32.71
621Josh Berry31.71
788Connor Zilisch #30.51
81Ross Chastain26.51
951Cody Ware26.41
107Daniel Suárez26.11
1138Zane Smith24.61
1210Ty Dillon24.51
1342John Hunter Nemechek24.11
1422Joey Logano23.81
1547Ricky Stenhouse Jr.23.51
163Austin Dillon19.91
1735Riley Herbst18.81
1877Carson Hocevar18.21
198Kyle Busch17.92
209Chase Elliott17.32
2116AJ Allmendinger17.22
2234Todd Gilliland16.22
2343Erik Jones15.42
246Brad Keselowski15.32
2560Ryan Preece14.52
2617Chris Buescher12.52
2797Shane van Gisbergen9.22
2871Michael McDowell8.72
2924William Byron8.22
3054Ty Gibbs7.32
3111Denny Hamlin7.12
3245Tyler Reddick5.92
335Kyle Larson5.12
3423Bubba Wallace5.12
3520Christopher Bell3.22
3612Ryan Blaney1.32

O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Single-car qualifying will take place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday, with practice earlier in the day at noon ET (The CW App).

POSITIONNUMBERDRIVERMETRICGROUP
135TBA41.61
292Josh Williams41.01
374Dawson Cram36.91
402Ryan Ellis35.31
530Myatt Snider35.21
69Carson Kvapil35.01
745Lavar Scott #32.71
891Mason Maggio32.31
918William Sawalich31.61
1025Nick Sanchez31.11
1142Nathan Byrd30.11
1207Josh Bilicki30.01
1324Harrison Burton27.21
140Cole Custer(i)27.21
1528Kyle Sieg26.11
1626Dean Thompson25.61
1731Blaine Perkins25.61
185Chandler Smith(i)24.91
1952Daniel Dye(i)24.81
2055Joey Gase23.81
2148Patrick Staropoli #23.61
2244Brennan Poole23.42
2387Austin Green22.92
2419Chase Briscoe(i)17.72
2539Ryan Sieg16.72
2651Jeremy Clements15.52
2720Brandon Jones14.82
2854Taylor Gray14.72
2996Anthony Alfredo14.22
3099Parker Retzlaff13.12
3188Kyle Larson(i)11.22
3221Austin Hill9.32
3317Corey Day9.02
3427Jeb Burton8.82
3532Rajah Caruth8.02
3641Sam Mayer6.52
378Sammy Smith5.72
3800Sheldon Creed4.02
391Connor Zilisch(i)3.92
402Jesse Love2.02
417Justin Allgaier1.02

* Required to qualify on time
# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR® announced a new partnership with Super.com, which helps consumers save on everyday purchases, including a variety of ways fans can save when they attend NASCAR race weekends. Beginning in 2026, Super.com will serve as the Official Savings Partner of NASCAR, unlocking new ways for fans to save while engaging with the sport they love.

Built to make life more affordable, Super.com will integrate directly into NASCAR’s digital platforms, giving fans seamless access to various discounts as they plan race weekends throughout the season.

Super.com customers will also receive special access to certain discounted tickets for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series – making race day even more accessible.

“Our fans travel thousands of miles every season to be at the track,” said Craig Stimmel, SVP and chief commercial officer, NASCAR. “That’s what makes NASCAR unlike any other sport, and partnering with Super.com means we can make it easier on their wallets, from the hotel room or campsite to the infield and the grandstands. That’s the kind of value that keeps fans coming back race after race.”

Beyond digital, Super.com will activate on-site at select NASCAR-owned tracks and integrate into the NASCAR Fan Rewards program, connecting with more than 400,000 loyalty members. The brand will also leverage hospitality and experiential assets throughout the season to reward its Super+ members with premium access and experiences.

To kick off its entry into the sport, Super.com served as the primary sponsor of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevy Camaro last weekend at Phoenix Raceway, featuring a bold new Super.com paint scheme.

The partnership reinforces NASCAR’s continued commitment to accessibility and fan-first innovation – ensuring that more fans can experience the excitement of race weekend, both at the track and beyond.

Posted on by Press Release

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Martinsville Speedway announced today that the Virginia Tourism Corporation will return as the entitlement partner for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for the upcoming spring race weekend.

The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200, previously held during the fall race weekend at Martinsville, will take place on Friday, March 27, under the lights at the historic Virginia-based short track.

“It’s always a pleasure to work with the folks at the Virginia Tourism Corporation as we prepare to welcome race fans to the Commonwealth, and we’re proud to continue our partnership with them for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200,” said Clay Campbell, President of Martinsville Speedway. “Their support helps spotlight the rich racing history in Virginia and we can’t wait to welcome fans from across the state and beyond to witness the rough and tough racing on Friday night at Martinsville Speedway.”

Virginia welcomes thousands of visitors each year, drawing travelers to the scenic beaches, storied mountains, lively cities and towns, and of course, action-packed racetracks, with people flocking from all over to discover all there is to love about the Commonwealth.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Martinsville Speedway for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “Few places capture the heart of short-track racing like Martinsville, where generations of fans have gathered under the lights to experience the intensity and tradition that define Virginia’s racing heritage. We look forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to enjoy an unforgettable race weekend, and to discover all there is to love about Virginia.”

The NASCAR spring race weekend at Martinsville Speedway kicks off on Friday, March 27, with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Virginis is for Racing Lovers 200 under the lights, followed by Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series NFPA 250.

The weekend culminates on Sunday, March 29, when drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will battle it out for a chance to win an iconic Grandfather Clock Trophy in the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

Tickets for the upcoming race weekend are available for purchase via phone at 877-RACE-TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

Fans can stay connected to Martinsville Speedway on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the NASCAR Tracks App.

Posted on by John Crane

¡Viva, Las Vegas!

Better yet: Viva, intermediate tracks.

After races on a pair of drafting tracks, a road course and a 1-miler, the meat and potatoes of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule begins in earnest this Sunday at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Sun., 4 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Las Vegas schedule | Buy tickets

The significance of these 1.5-mile venues — even this early into the 2026 season — is twofold. One: This weekend’s race is the first of nine contests on traditional 1.5-mile tracks, the most in a season since nine in 2021. Quick math means that, in a 36-race schedule, this encompasses 25% of the docket. This isn’t a percentage to scoff at; these tracks matter, and for the Cup Series field still trying to navigate the Upside Down that is the standings, they offer an opportunity to correct some chaos.

Which leads to Point No. 2: The big dogs have a knack for showing off here.

Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, this means you.

In the Next Gen era, these two organizations have combined for 16 victories on 1.5-mile tracks: Hendrick with 11 and Joe Gibbs with five. As such, it’s no surprise that pilots from these camps are all over average-finish leaderboards among active drivers.

Best Average Finish on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen Car 

DriverAverage finishWins
William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)9.822
Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)11.226
Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)11.362
Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)11.932
Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)12.323
Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)13.753
Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)13.841
Joey Logano (Team Penske)14.003

Stats courtesy Racing Insights

Starting is just as important as finishing, and once again, these organizations have been at the forefront. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers won the pole for the last three races on 1.5-mile tracks (Chase Briscoe with two, Denny Hamlin with one). Hendrick Motorsports, meanwhile, had the top-rated car on speed on intermediates in six of the nine races in 2025. In other words, these two organizations have not only finished well but have excelled in practice and qualifying in the lead-up to each weekend’s main event.

Paving the way for Hendrick Motorsports has been Kyle Larson, whose six wins on 1.5-mile tracks lead all drivers in the Next Gen era. Denny Hamlin, meanwhile, has been the ace for Joe Gibbs, with three such victories. A trio is right behind them with two wins apiece: Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs), William Byron (Hendrick) and Chase Elliott (Hendrick).

MORE: Las Vegas entry list | Power Rankings

What is the common denominator of this success? It goes back to speed. On comparable tracks in 2025, six Hendrick Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing drivers ranked in the top 10 in Speed Rating, which, according to NASCAR Insights, analyzes a driver’s overall pace relative to the field by tracking lap times throughout the race. Once again, each organization’s heavy hitter showed out; Larson ranked first, followed by Hamlin in second. Byron (fifth), Bell (sixth), Elliott (seventh) and Alex Bowman (eighth) rounded out the group.

And so, it makes sense that drivers from these organizations have led a ton of laps on 1.5-milers. The top four in this category? Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

Laps Led on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen Car

DriverLaps led
Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)1,780
William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)886
Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)665
Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)627
Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)497
Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)475
Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)471

Stats courtesy Racing Insights

At this juncture, you get the gist. The track record — no pun intended — for these two organizations has been stout at 1.5-mile facilities. Sure, 2025 was so last year, but recent history plays into each organization’s favor in 2026, especially given the schedule. Of the nine traditional 1.5-mile races this season, four of those will make up the 10-race Chase later this year, with all four coming over the final seven races. In fact, the season finale — the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race — will occur at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a 1.5-mile track.

MORE: Cup Series standings | 2026 season schedule

Much can occur between now and the season’s end. Perhaps the organizations hit a major rough patch. The standings could very well unravel further. “Anything can happen,” so the cliche goes. But if the statistics suggest anything, it’s that Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing will show up and produce at 1.5-mile tracks. And with these venues making up such a hefty dose of the schedule, momentum could very well sway toward these two powerhouse organizations.

It all starts in Las Vegas. And should the metrics prove correct once again, it could be Hendrick Motorsports’ and Joe Gibbs Racing’s world, with everyone else living in it.