The NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series head to the desert for the first time this season, contesting races at the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway. Below are the qualifying orders for both series:
Cup Series
Single-car qualifying will take place at 1:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, with practice earlier in the day at noon ET (Prime Video).
POSITION
NUMBER
DRIVER
METRIC
GROUP
1
48
Alex Bowman
36.0
1
2
43
Erik Jones
34.3
1
3
19
Chase Briscoe
34.0
1
4
2
Austin Cindric
31.7
1
5
51
Cody Ware
30.9
1
6
1
Ross Chastain
30.5
1
7
33
* Austin Hill(i)
30.3
1
8
41
Cole Custer
29.0
1
9
47
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
27.4
1
10
38
Zane Smith
27.3
1
11
21
Josh Berry
26.6
1
12
77
Carson Hocevar
24.7
1
13
34
Todd Gilliland
23.7
1
14
35
Riley Herbst
23.6
1
15
3
Austin Dillon
23.5
1
16
4
Noah Gragson
20.8
1
17
17
Chris Buescher
20.1
1
18
7
Daniel Suarez
19.6
1
19
88
Connor Zilisch #
19.4
1
20
42
John Hunter Nemechek
18.2
2
21
6
Brad Keselowski
17.6
2
22
60
Ryan Preece
17.4
2
23
10
Ty Dillon
16.9
2
24
8
Kyle Busch
15.0
2
25
11
Denny Hamlin
13.9
2
26
24
William Byron
13.0
2
27
22
Joey Logano
12.3
2
28
20
Christopher Bell
9.3
2
29
5
Kyle Larson
8.7
2
30
16
AJ Allmendinger
8.7
2
31
23
Bubba Wallace
8.3
2
32
54
Ty Gibbs
7.9
2
33
12
Ryan Blaney
6.8
2
34
71
Michael McDowell
6.2
2
35
9
Chase Elliott
5.8
2
36
97
Shane van Gisbergen
2.9
2
37
45
Tyler Reddick
1.0
2
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Single-car qualifying will take place at 8:05 p.m. ET on Friday, with practice earlier in the day at 7 p.m. ET (The CW App).
POSITION
NUMBER
DRIVER
METRIC
GROUP
1
92
Josh Williams
41.0
1
2
52
Daniel Dye
40.7
1
3
35
Blake Lothian
39.5
1
4
74
Dawson Cram
38.6
1
5
5
Chandler Smith(i)
38.3
1
6
30
Austin J. Hill
36.4
1
7
55
Joey Gase
35.9
1
8
07
Josh Bilicki
33.3
1
9
51
Jeremy Clements
33.2
1
10
87
Austin Green
32.1
1
11
24
Harrison Burton
32.0
1
12
02
Ryan Ellis
30.4
1
13
42
Nathan Byrd
27.4
1
14
26
Dean Thompson
26.9
1
15
96
Anthony Alfredo
26.3
1
16
28
Kyle Sieg
26.1
1
17
25
Nick Sanchez
23.8
1
18
99
Parker Retzlaff
23.7
1
19
88
William Byron(i)
23.5
1
20
45
Lavar Scott #
22.9
1
21
91
Mason Maggio
21.7
2
22
48
Patrick Staropoli#
19.1
2
23
27
Jeb Burton
18.6
2
24
1
Carson Kvapil
17.7
2
25
31
Blaine Perkins
17.6
2
26
39
Ryan Sieg
16.6
2
27
0
Garrett Smithley
16.0
2
28
20
Brandon Jones
14.1
2
29
41
Sam Mayer
13.1
2
30
54
Taylor Gray
12.6
2
31
19
Brent Crews
11.4
2
32
44
Brennan Poole
10.9
2
33
18
William Sawalich
9.4
2
34
00
Sheldon Creed
8.9
2
35
32
Rajah Caruth
7.8
2
36
7
Justin Allgaier
6.5
2
37
17
Corey Day
5.9
2
38
8
Sammy Smith
4.2
2
39
2
Jesse Love
3.4
2
40
21
Austin Hill
1.7
2
* Required to qualify on time # denotes series rookie (i) denotes ineligible for driver points
Rajah Caruth thought he was ready to make the leap to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on a full-time basis last year. Though it’s one-year delayed, no time has ever been better.
Caruth will compete in 23 races for JR Motorsports and complete the remainder of the full 33-race season with Jordan Anderson Racing’s No. 32 Chevrolet entry. After the opening three contests with JRM, he slots in sixth in the regular-season standings, with a pair of top-10 finishes in the first two races.
“From my aspect, I’m going to get the most out of the car, whichever one I’m driving,” Caruth told NASCAR.com on running for multiple organizations while chasing a driver’s championship. “[With JRM], we expect to win and run up front. There is no reason why I can’t go and be competitive in the 32 car as well.
“I’m going to be working, putting my all in. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever car I’m in, I’m going to get the most out of it.”
Caruth’s first taste of making the in-season swap will come Saturday at Phoenix Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He will pilot the No. 32 for the next three races – Phoenix, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway – before returning to JRM at Martinsville Speedway to conclude March. When Caruth isn’t piloting the No. 88 JRM Chevrolet, all four of Hendrick Motorsports’ Cup Series drivers will make appearances in the machine, with William Byron being the first this upcoming weekend. Kyle Larson will wheel the car for the first time at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with Alex Bowman having his turn the following week at Darlington Raceway. Chase Elliott’s first 2026 O’Reilly start won’t come until NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland Speedway in early July.
Logistically, Caruth will always travel to the track with JR Motorsports. While preparing, the 23-year-old will bounce between the two organizations to attend pre- and post-race debriefs.
Caruth will also have five full-time teammates, spread across the two organizations. He has leaned on series veteran Justin Allgaier the most thus far, but knows it ultimately boils down to what he does on and off the track.
“In years past, I would probably be looking at a lot of my veteran teammates for a lot of advice,” Caruth said, “but I would say I’m a little less on that train and more on attacking the opportunity and trusting the foundation that I built with the team and doing those things versus asking too many questions.
“I’m still always a sponge, but I’m not going to ask somebody how to do some things. I’ve got my own experience to a certain extent. I can still listen and learn, but I’m not a puppy dog looking for the road map. I’ve got some good foundations now.”
Over the past few years, Caruth believes he has been elevated the most by the Wise Optimization program, spearheaded by former NASCAR competitors Josh Wise and Scott Speed. He went to work after losing confidence amid an inconsistent 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, which saw similar statistics to the previous season, despite a glaring three-spot drop in average finishing position.
Caruth is poised for a rebound in 2026, having regained confidence over the winter.
“Just trusting in myself and the work that I’ve put in,” Caruth said. “Showing up and spending time with the team, working hard in the simulator, that’s how I gain it back. Not comparing myself to other people because I guarantee you if anybody else was in the same situation as myself or had the same cards they were dealt last year or years before in their career, they wouldn’t have gotten to where I’m at — respectfully.”
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Since being paired with Mardy Lindley, crew chief of the No. 88 car, he has seen rapid growth in Caruth. The duo has spent ample time in the Chevrolet simulator, basing it on Connor Zilisch’s 2025 data, specifically at road courses.
“He is committed to what he does,” Lindley said of his early impressions of Caruth. “He tries hard and is dedicated to getting better. Once we get into all these normal race tracks, I’ll be curious to see how it plays out.”
When the duo first started working together, one of the first things Lindley told Caruth was to forget what the No. 88 team, which is made up of the same core members as last year, did in 2025. The No. 88 team won 11 races last season, with 10 of them coming from the phenom Zilisch. Approaching the new campaign with that mindset allowed Caruth to compete freely.
“I felt like he could be under tremendous pressure, and I don’t want him to feel like that,” Lindley said. “This is his car; Mr. H (Rick Hendrick, owner) has put him in it for the races. We’re going to do the best we can with him. I just wanted him to feel comfortable and not feel overwhelmed, especially with Cup drivers driving it.”
Caruth will run the final 13 races of the 2026 season with JR Motorsports, including the full nine-race Chase. Admittedly, Caruth hasn’t set expectations for 2026, but believes he should be in the mix during the postseason.
“There’s no reason why I can’t go and compete for the championship,” Caruth said. “I’m confident in myself and the team. There is no reason why that can’t be us.”
That doesn’t make the current situation any less jaw-dropping, though. According to Racing Insights, eight of the 16 playoff drivers from 2025 are currently below The Chase cutoff line. That list includes some championship favorites.
2025 Playoff Drivers Outside of a Chase Position in 2026
Driver
Rank
Points behind
Ross Chastain
20
4
Denny Hamlin
23
8
Christopher Bell
24
9
Chase Briscoe
27
22
Josh Berry
28
23
Austin Cindric
31
29
Austin Dillon
34
33
Alex Bowman
36
45
Stats courtesy Racing Insights
Something has to give, and it could happen in the next set of races on more typical tracks (Phoenix, Las Vegas, Darlington, Martinsville). After that stretch, we’ll pull up to the Easter break with a better understanding of where things stand.
However, what’s amazing right now is that if The Chase started today, Joe Gibbs Racing would be shut out of any championship hopes. That’s right, the best JGR driver in the standings happens to be Ty Gibbs in 17th place, three points behind RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece for the final Chase transfer spot.
Where are Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, you say? They’re 126, 127 and 140 points behind leader Tyler Reddick.
The good news is Bell, Gibbs and Hamlin are coming off top-10 finishes at Circuit of The Americas. Plus, the team has a strong track record at Phoenix; JGR has led 56% of the laps there over the last four races (701 of 1,255), and Bell has won each of the last two spring races.
Briscoe, who has only one top-10 finish in the last five Phoenix races, has a win there; his first in Cup back in 2022 for Stewart-Haas Racing. Meanwhile, Hamlin has two wins at Phoenix, albeit in 2012 and 2019, as he tries to exorcise the demons from last fall’s championship heartbreak at the track.
On the other side of the equation, everything is coming up desert roses for 23XI Racing. That’s what happens when your average finish is 1.0 through the first three races, like it is for Reddick.
With race wins worth more this season (55 points), the gap of 70 points between Reddick in first and teammate Bubba Wallace in second is the same as the gap between second (Wallace) and 27th (Briscoe) in the standings.
Wallace has been strong in his own right, though, with his 9.7 average finish trailing only Reddick and Chase Elliott (7.3) thus far. Wallace is also tied with Ryan Blaney for the most stage points this season at 34.
But there are others who are enjoying high times as well. The biggest improvement in average finish compared to last year is by Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger: 13.3 versus 28.3.
Daniel Suârez’s 14.3 average finish for Spire Motorsports through three races is much better than last year’s 27.3 with Trackhouse Racing. Suárez and Allmendinger sit seventh and eighth in the standings.
Best Average Finish in 2026 (through three races)
Driver
Average finish
Tyler Reddick
1.0
Chase Elliott
7.3
Bubba Wallace
9.7
Joey Logano
12.0
Shane van Gisbergen
12.7
AJ Allmendinger
13.3
Brad Keselowski
14.0
Daniel Suárez
14.3
Stats courtesy Racing Insights
As they say, though, enjoy the fun while it lasts. This week could be a case of returning to normalcy. Several big names come into Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) wielding big numbers.
Ryan Blaney won last November here and has finished in the top two in five of the last seven races at Phoenix.
The Hendrick Motorsports duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson also could get back into business this week. Byron has an average running position of 4.9 at Phoenix in the Next Gen car, and Larson has three straight top-five finishes at Phoenix, which is the longest active streak.
This might be the perfect time for the sport’s heavy hitters to swing their big bats down in the land of Spring Training, where the tools of ignorance apply to a catcher’s equipment but certainly not to this statistical exercise, which has formed a baseline for future comparisons.
It took about 15 minutes for NASCAR to grant Hendrick Motorsports’ request to replace Alex Bowman with Myatt Snider in the No. 48 Chevrolet at Circuit of The Americas.
The driver approval process normally takes much longer, but given the extenuating circumstances of Bowman falling ill during Sunday’s race, time wasn’t an option.
“Obviously, we would have loved to take hours, but we didn’t have that luxury,” NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde said during the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast. “And so the conversation wasn’t a lengthy one by any means.”
The unusual swap started with a text to NASCAR executives from Hendrick Motorsports vice president of competition Chad Knaus, who had asked for an expedited approval of Snider to relieve Bowman.
Snider, who was working at COTA as a spotter for Fox Sports pit reporter Jamie Little, has 112 starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (including a 2021 win at Homestead-Miami Speedway). But he wasn’t approved for Cup and has no experience in the series.
Snider was licensed to race O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, which made him eligible for Cup consideration.
An impromptu in-race approval meeting in COTA race control took place between Chad Little (who heads up the driver resume committee), chief racing development officer John Probst, Cup Series director Brad Moran and senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer.
The executives used the Riedel intercom system, which has mics and headsets that provide efficient communication despite the trackside noise.
“Those (radios) were a lifesaver,” Forde said. “We could pretty much have a meeting on the spot with all the key decision-makers. The four people that needed to weigh in were all in the same room, all wearing these Riedel headsets and could break down and look up what needed to be discussed as far as Myatt Snider’s resume, which is pretty robust.”
Snider also has 11 starts (and a win) in the ARCA Menards Series and made 13 starts in 2019 on the NASCAR Euro Series, which primarily races on road courses. His most recent NASCAR start was last October at Martinsville Speedway in the O’Reilly Series.
Snider now is approved to run road courses and short tracks in Cup.
“Looking at his resume, we decided in race control that he would be OK to race a road course in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Forde said. “When you’re going through each of the series, the first approval typically is for road courses, next is short tracks, then intermediates and then superspeedways.”
Noting that some Cup rookies made their debuts without testing, Forde said Snider’s lack of time behind the wheel of a Next Gen “didn’t really come up,” but he added the type of track made the approval easier.
“If this was anywhere but COTA or Martinsville or maybe even Phoenix, he probably would not be qualified to run,” Forde said. “If this was Darlington or Homestead, certainly Daytona or Talladega, we would probably would have had to tell Hendrick Motorsports that they needed to find someone else.”
Dustin Albino | For NASCAR Digital Media
David Green, a NASCAR technical inspector who helps oversee safety, also joined the podcast to discuss his role in ratifying the No. 48 driver swap.
Before cars are on track each race weekend, Green ensures that a few dozen safety devices — seat belts, headrests, seats, steering wheels, roll bar padding, window net, roof hatches — are certified and in compliance with NASCAR regulations.
For an in-race driver swap, Green checks that the relief driver has the proper firesuit, helmet and head-and-neck restraint.
He was called on twice at COTA. After ensuring Legacy Motor Club reserve driver Harrison Burton had the proper safety gear to potentially replace an ailing Erik Jones (who was able to finish the event in the No. 43 Toyota), Green scurried to the No. 48 stall in time to meet Snider and check his firesuit, helmet and HANS device.
“So all those boxes were checked before Myatt ever got to the car,” Green said.
Once Snider was in the cockpit, the next step was ensuring a proper field of vision.
“Before he ever put his helmet on, I’m kind of looking at his eyesight line compared to the headrest and then his shoulder belt angle, stuff like that.
“Now, the big question would be what happens if none of this lines up, and we’re in a bad spot? Then we start digging a little bit deeper (on) do we really need to change the insert to get Myatt lower in the seat. But we didn’t have to go that path because he almost looked perfect sitting in that car. HMS and all the teams do a great job on the Cup side of making sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. I really had no concerns with Myatt getting in the car other than the simple height of Myatt vs. Alex. He fit right in there like a glove and it was really a smooth transition.”
Green, who won the 1994 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship before joining NASCAR, estimated he usually encounters approving relief drivers a few times annually — but rarely during the same race.
“We have a plan in place, but hope we don’t have to use that plan, and the teams obviously do the same thing,” Green said. “The 48 situation was probably the most spur-of-the-moment deal that we ever got thrown at us.”
Other topics covered by Forde and senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis during the 44th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:
— The multiple cool suit failures that arose during the COTA race;
— How inserts are used to improve driver safety and comfort;
— What’s new this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, where NASCAR will share an oval with the IndyCar Series for the first time.
Click on the embed below to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.
Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.
Two members of Trackhouse Racing’s pit crew for the No. 1 Chevrolet have been suspended through the next two NASCAR Cup Series races, NASCAR officials announced Tuesday.
Rear-tire changer Kenneth Pozega and jackman Josh Appleby will be sidelined after the No. 1 car, driven by Ross Chastain, had its right-rear tire detach from the vehicle on the race track on Lap 75 under green-flag conditions. The penalties come under Sections 8.8.10.4 A&D in the NASCAR Rule Book, which states in part that a “lost tire beyond pit road will result in [a] two race suspension for two pit crew members [and] a two-lap penalty.”
Chastain and his team were also issued a two-lap penalty during the event for the infraction. Chastain ultimately finished the event in 35th place, two laps down.
Pozega and Appleby will be sidelined for the races at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as well as the March 15 event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The duo will be eligible to return on March 22 at Darlington Raceway.
SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Ubisoft and NASCAR released a major content update in The Crew Motorfest, highlighting a new officially licensed release. Starting tomorrow, this update will be available on Ubisoft+, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Amazon Luna, Steam Deck and PC through the Ubisoft Store, Epic Games Store and Steam. In Season 9, The Crew Motorfest offers players its most exciting lineup yet: a high-powered collaboration with NASCAR, the launch of its biggest UGC feature to date and the buzzing energy of RC cars later in May.
On March 4, experience the ultimate blend of speed and fun with the NASCAR Motorfest Tour Playlist. Players will compete for the title of NASCAR Motorfest Tour Champion through ten select events, from qualifications to finals, powered by special gameplay features to navigate the tracks and immerse themselves in the iconic NASCAR energy. Alongside this narrative arc, celebrate the arrival of 16 authentic NASCAR vehicles that can be driven anytime, anywhere across Motorfest.
“We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest,” said Mitch Rasmussen, senior director, interactive at NASCAR. “This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next-generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.”
Year 3 Season 9 also brings the game’s most in-depth UGC track creator, Trackforge. With Trackforge, players can design their dream circuits using two distinct templates: Motorsports and Coaster. Whether it’s precision handling, gravity-defying loops, or pure speed, Trackforge empowers players to create tracks suited to their preferred racing styles. Once developed, tracks can be published and shared with others, allowing the Motorfest community to drive together on the islands of Moloka’i and Lanai in a new, dynamic way.
On May 6, get ready to break the rules and stretch open-world freedom to its limits with the RC Frenzy Playlist. A premium addition to Season 9, the playlist delivers pure, and sometimes, old-school fun during dedicated events as players traverse the Island on wild RC Cars. Slip throughimpossibly tight gaps, uncover hidden gems, and rediscover the Hawaiian archipelago from a new point of view via the playlist events, but also in the open world.
Season 9 also brings other major updates to the player experience, including a new Island Playground filled with tracks of all shapes and forms, Summit Contest events where skill and style can compete against one another, and new activities dropping in the Main Stage, where participants can engage in weekly themed activities.
A total of 31 new vehicles will roll out across Season 9, including:
March 4: NASCAR’s iconic Next Gen Ford Mustang Dark Horse Cup car (2024), Next Gen Chevrolet ZL1 Cup car (2025) (through the Year pass 3), and the Next Gen Toyota Camry XSE Cup car (2025) (as a shop addition).
April 1: Porsche 935 Racing car (2019) (Year Pass 3).
May 6: Two RC Cars, Phazr General Rally Raid (2026) and Phazr Trickshot Street Tier 1 (2026) (Year Pass 3).
NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 Cup Series drivers competing for the 2026 championship after Tyler Reddick’s win at Circuit of The Americas — an unprecedented third straight victory to open the season — and before Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell enters as the defending winner.
Analysis: We’re witnessing history here, folks. Reddick has gotten off to as blazing a start as we’ve ever seen — while perhaps already building a potentially insurmountable and crucial regular-season points lead under this revamped Chase format. If that buffer, already at 70 points, continues to grow after Phoenix — where he has a 9.0 average finish in the last four spring races — and this team maintains any semblance of this pace, look out.
Analysis: A “thin” P7 for Elliott at COTA, with minimal stage points and no laps led, but it was enough to keep him afloat the “everyone-but-Tyler Reddick” tier atop the standings in a near tie with Bubba Wallace. His name doesn’t get brought up as often among the Phoenix standouts, but he’s certainly a sleeper to watch that could break through this weekend — seven of his last 11 starts there yielded a top 10, including a win.
Analysis: Blaney continued flexing his unsung road-course chops once again at COTA, leading 11 laps en route to a top 10, and he looks to be every bit the championship contender this year as we’ve come to expect from him annually. Phoenix is where it could all come together for his first win of 2026, as it’s been a lights-out Penske track this decade — and he happens to have won there just a few short months ago in the 2025 finale.
Analysis: How big are wins now? Larson finished just five spots short of race victor Reddick, yet scored 30 fewer points. Larson still had a solid day, but it’s clear that Victory Lane carries even more added weight each week now. Larson will likely take plenty of trips there himself this year, and it could come this weekend at Phoenix, where he’s been one of the best since taking the reins of the No. 5 Chevrolet.
Analysis: Hamlin has been on an unbelievable heater as a team owner, and things are starting to simmer for him as a driver, too, with his first top 10 of the year coming at COTA. The fact that he’s only won at Phoenix twice in his career comes as a surprise; he’s consistently in the mix there and owns a 10.5 average finish over an incredible 41 races. He may also be returning with a bit of extra motivation from how the last trip went, too.
Analysis: If not for the shadow cast by his teammate’s radiance to open 2026, Wallace’s sizzling start would be generating all the headlines, but it’s still worth acknowledging that before 2026, Wallace had never been as high as second in points — and he has now remained there for consecutive weeks. In other words … perfect time for a heat check! If the sun is going to keep shining on Wallace in the desert, it will massively buck his history there, with just three top 10s, a 20.7 average finish and four total laps led across 16 starts.
Analysis: Just a single lap led and no top 10s for the preseason champion pick of many, but no cause for concern just yet — Byron could be about to clean up over the coming weeks. A winner at each of the next four tracks, he’s been pouring on the laps led at Phoenix the past several years as well, and it’s only a matter of time before he adds a second win there.
Analysis: A mechanical mishap ended Briscoe’s day at COTA, an unfortunate end to a potentially competitive day (eight laps led) that resulted in a last-place finish. He’s becoming so well-rounded that a rebound is never too far away, however, and the one-time Phoenix winner would love to right the ship there after a few recent rough races in the desert.
Analysis: A decent start to the season with plenty of room for improvement for Logano, who is in the mix near the top of the standings but led no laps and scored no stage points at COTA. The three-time champ has, of course, been one of the best at Phoenix over the past decade, pouring on four wins there since 2016.
Analysis: It’s a slow climb back up the standings, but Bell’s 34 points at COTA nearly doubled his output from the first two races as we’re now about to get into the thick of it. He enters as the defending winner … again … and should once again be in the mix to defend his Phoenix win like he was this past weekend in Austin.
Analysis: Say what you want, but we’re a trio of races into the season, and SVG has led in all three of them, while we’re now in March and he’s fifth in points. He’s clearly going to be a factor this year, and he appeared to be significantly more comfortable at Phoenix last fall than Phoenix last spring, so look for more continued improvement this weekend.
Analysis: Walking away with a P35 at a track you’ve won at after out-qualifying your teammate SVG on a road course and picking up a Stage 1 win is … tough. Phoenix, where he had finishes of first, second and third from 2022-23, could in theory be a rebound spot for Chastain, but he’s finished outside the top 10 in three straight there.
Analysis: Buescher not walking away with a solid finish at a road course in the Next Gen era just seems weird, and it feels like he’s yet to really have a proper result that matched his in-race competitiveness. Phoenix was a tough track for him early in his career, but something has clicked for him over the past five or so races, and he should be able to squeeze at least a top 10 out of Sunday.
Analysis: Like his RFK teammate, Preece has felt like he’s put in better showings than the sum of his results so far, which will likely net out positively over the long haul of the season. Though he was P9 there in the fall and led 34 laps last spring, Phoenix will still be a bit of a test for him as those are his only such metrics there across 13 starts.
Analysis: We knew Allmendinger was good at road courses, but did you know he was jump-10-spots-in-the-standings-good at road courses? He did just that on Sunday with a lucrative, 43-point P9. Will he keep it going at Phoenix, inarguably his most consistent track? Perhaps, but it’s only his most consistent because he’s netted a middling 19.4 as both his average start and average finish.
Analysis: Three races with his new team, three races inside the top 10 in points for Suárez, who is off to a solid start at Spire Motorsports. Phoenix could be a challenge, though. While he’s had a couple of decent blips over 18 starts, he owns just four top 10s and has never led a lap.
Analysis: Three top-20 finishes, including a Daytona 500 top five and gutting out a full race in the brutal Austin, Texas, heat, have been remarkably impressive in the physical condition that the 42-year-old Keselowski is in, which makes one think he could actually be extremely competitive once he’s at full health. A first win at Phoenix this weekend could feel like a bit of a long shot, but after a runner-up there last fall — and the 2012 champ’s clear desire to compete — never say never.
Analysis: Hocevar spun out at the very end and missed out on a few extra points, but COTA overall wasn’t a banner weekend for the young No. 77 driver, compared to his otherwise roaring start to 2026. Phoenix hasn’t gone tremendously well for him thus far, either, with just one finish better than 19th and a 23.2 average result in five starts.
Analysis: McDowell remains one of the best at maximizing his spots, and he continues to round out his skills across the other tracks, as well as he really takes the reins on his leader-in-the-shop role at Spire. There’s perhaps no better example of that than his home track in Arizona, where he has three top 10s in 30 starts, and they’ve all come in the past five races.
Analysis: Gibbs more than tripled the amount of points he scored in the first two races with his COTA output, tossing in a Stage 2 win for good measure. He could keep it rolling, too — we’ve seen Gibbs look great in the spring race at Phoenix as recently as 2024, when he led 57 laps from the front row and finished third.
Momentum swings smiled on several drivers after the NASCAR Cup Series’ first road-course race of the year Sunday, but none more than Tyler Reddick, who is now 3-for-3 in Victory Lane trips in this young season. Circuit of The Americas became the latest stop on his triumph tour as he held off road-race ace Shane van Gisbergen, and he’ll have a chance to extend his record in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Phoenix Raceway.
Other drivers had reason to savor satisfying results from the season’s first dose of road-course rambunctiousness. Here’s a glance at three drivers on the right side of momentum’s favor and three others seeking better days in the desert this weekend.
1. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Started: 6th
Finished: 5th
What happened: McDowell marked his first top-five finish of the season, his first top five since the series’ most recent road-course run at the Charlotte Roval last season. The Spire veteran led five laps in the late going, and he was setting the pace when Reddick took command for the final time on the 76th of 95 laps.
What’s next: The result meant an 11-position leap up the order to ninth in the early Cup Series standings for McDowell, who heads to his hometown for this weekend’s race. He has three Phoenix top 10s in his last five Arizona outings.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
2. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Started: 5th
Finished: 7th
What happened: Elliott lamented an ill-handling No. 9 Chevrolet in Stage 1, telling crew chief Alan Gustafson, “we are in a lot of trouble” as he fought for grip. After an extended stop for adjustments, Elliott also found himself on pit road during the final caution period with 20 laps remaining after making his own call for a strategy opportunity. He posted his second top-10 finish in three races, slipping by old friend Ryan Blaney to take seventh place with a last-lap, last-turn pass.
What’s next: Elliott has finished 11th or better in all three events this year, a performance bar that puts him third in the standings behind 23XI Racing’s Reddick and Bubba Wallace. He’s heading to Phoenix, where he has a victory and a pole position at the site of his 2020 championship celebration.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
3. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Started: 19th
Finished: 10th
What happened: It’s a slight righting of the ship for Hamlin, who grabbed his first top-10 finish of the season. The No. 11 team opted to stay out when others pitted during the final yellow flag, and Hamlin held on, battling through his lingering shoulder ailment at a road course with high demands on shifting and turning. “It’ll definitely be sore tomorrow,” Hamlin said post-race. “But first mistake-free road course for me in six years. It’s freaking amazing. It’s like a win. I’m telling you, this is a win.”
What’s next: Hamlin rose four spots to 23rd in the early Cup Series standings, and he’s heading to the site of his championship heartbreak from last season’s finale. But he’s also Phoenix-bound with plenty to be proud of on the team co-ownership side, with his 23XI team sweeping to three Reddick-led wins so far.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
THREE DOWN ⬇️
1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Started: 2nd
Finished: 35th
What happened: A roller-coaster of a day hampered Chastain, a former COTA winner. The 33-year-old vet started from the outside of the front row and secured a Stage 1 victory, but calamity struck with 20 laps left when he veered off course and his No. 1 Chevy returned to the track without its right-rear wheel. Chastain was held in the pits for two laps as a penalty.
What’s next: Chastain fell nine positions in the Cup Series standings to 20th, but he did salvage one extra point for turning the race’s fastest lap. He turns his attention to Phoenix, where he’s a former race winner in the 2023 season finale.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
2. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Started: 3rd
Finished: 37th
What happened: Briscoe started with promise as he bolted past the front-row starters with a three-wide move on the initial green flag, then held the lead for the first eight laps. The potential unraveled, however, when the No. 19 Toyota’s transaxle failed, ending Briscoe’s race 33 laps early in last place.
What’s next: It’s been a feast-or-famine type of season in the early going — 36th at Daytona, second at Atlanta, 37th at COTA — and the standings reflect that with double-digit swings each week. Next up is Phoenix, the site of his first Cup Series victory back in 2022.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
3. Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Started: 11th
Finished: 33rd
What happened: Like Briscoe, Smith was on the “up” side in this space a week ago, and even a week before that with a pair of top-10 outcomes to start the year. Sunday at COTA was an adventure, as Smith continued after contact with Erik Jones and Carson Hocevar exiting Turn 1 on Lap 52, then went spinning in the same corner 27 laps later with rookie Connor Zilisch.
What’s next: Smith tumbled nine spots to 14th in the Cup Series standings, but has some positives to lean on at Phoenix. The Front Row Motorsports driver was ninth at Phoenix last March, and he’s won at the 1-mile track in Craftsman Truck Series competition.
After a date at Circuit of The Americas, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series continues westward for a contest at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The 1-mile Avondale, Arizona, venue will be the first non-superspeedway or road course event of 2026. Jesse Love won the most recent contest at the track, clinching the 2025 championship as a result.
Cup Series regular William Byron will make an appearance, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet as Rajah Caruth makes his first start for Jordan Anderson Racing this year. Brent Crews will additionally make his second career O’Reilly start this weekend. The 17-year-old Crews tallied a sixth-place result in his series debut last weekend at Circuit of The Americas.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads west for a date in the desert on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The 1-mile Avondale, Arizona, facility will be the first non-superspeedway or road course event on the 2026 regular-season schedule. Ryan Blaney won the most recent contest at the track in November, while Christopher Bell is the defending spring victor.
Austin Hill will race in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Hill piloted the No. 33 machine five times in 2025, tallying one top-10 finish (ninth, Chicago).
Thirty-seven cars are entered into this week’s event.
