Crashes are common in NASCAR. But the safety car being wrecked is not something fans see every day. But that’s exactly what happened south of the border, in the Amateur Truck Series finale at the Autódromo Miguel E. Abed. Naturally, the incident sent shockwaves through the stock car racing community, with many fans taking to social media to cast fresh doubts about racing in Mexico in the distant future.
The Puebla circuit, a staple since 1985 with its 2.06 km oval, hosted the amateur truck series finale, where Santiago Tovar’s car slid into a tire wall. Moments later, a safety truck slammed into his car to make things worse. Mexican fans, already rooting hard for NASCAR’s Cup comeback in 2027, now face a stark reminder that high-stakes speed demands highly protective surroundings. These setbacks hit harder when history shows an old pattern.
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A wake-up call from Puebla’s oval
The season finale at Autódromo Miguel E. Abed turned chaotic when Santiago Tovar lost control and slid into a tire wall, which was angled sharply toward the racing line. While he was buried deep in the tire barriers, his car took another brutal blow when a safety truck smashed right into it.
Tovar walked away unharmed, but this crash exposed big safety flaws with walls still being blunt and unprotected, barriers not aligned parallel to the track, and the unprofessional skills of response vehicle drivers. These aren’t new problems; this track has a history of incidents that have lingered for over a decade.
Flash back to June 14, 2009, when champion Carlos Pardo met a tragic end on the same oval. Leading on lap 97 of the NASCAR Mexico Corona Series race. In that series, Jorge Goeters jabbed Pardo, and because of that jab, Pardo spun sideways and slammed into a concrete retaining wall at over 200 km/h. His car was shredded on impact despite water drums being strategically placed to cushion the impact. He was subsequently airlifted but passed away 45 minutes later.
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That day shook the series, yet little has changed since then, as just a tire stack has been added in the name of safety upgrades. Walls remain untouched, too. This shows the racetrack priorities shifted toward the road course. Another comment by the same viewer nailed it: “They’re still racing at this track with blunt, unprotected walls. They just had a yellow where a driver hit two Jersey barriers and knocked them over while being flung into the air.”
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With fans rooting for a 2027 Cup return to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but without fixes like SAFER barriers and better alignments, that vision feels shaky. This underscores how safety must be the priority if Mexico wants NASCAR to return. Such close calls have fans fired up online, with many sharing their takes on what needs to change before the country hosts stock car racing again.
Fan voices echo the unease
One comment captured the blunt shock. “Holy shit, that’s entirely unacceptable,” a fan posted, summing up the disbelief at a response vehicle making things worse for an already flipped car. It’s a gut punch, especially knowing Abed’s oval has seen little upgrade since Pardo’s 2009 wreck, where a simple sideways spin resulted in fatal consequences. This proves that even the most skillful drivers aren’t safe without modern walls.
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Talk soon turned to the track’s tough setup. “I was about to say, I thought this track looked familiar. Sadly, I was right. Unbelievable that those walls are still unchanged since Pardo’s crash (besides more tire barriers). Does nobody even care?” This comment feels to the point, as the 2009 impact of the Pardo crash exposed concrete risks that the recent addition of tire barriers barely touches, leaving the series vulnerable to risks.
Budget issues came up next, explaining why fixes lag. A commenter put it plainly: “Amateur Series is amateurish. Not saying it’s a good thing. But there simply isn’t the money in a lot of these tracks/series to do much better.” True enough; unlike NASCAR’s deep pockets, these small racetracks have limited resources to maintain the tracks. Yet fans are not arguing for any bigger upgrades; they are asking for the basics like parallel barriers, which will increase the drivers’ safety significantly.
“Flat out embarrassing. I hope Tovar is okay and they need to stop racing there bc it seems like nothing has changed since Carlos’ fatal accident,” a fan urged. This is a valid point, as Pardo’s fatal incident happened 16 years ago, but still, drivers are facing the same old safety concerns.
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One viewer who was watching on his TV captured the raw frustration, “Santiago Tovar just slid into a tire wall that is acute to the racing line. While he’s buried in tires, a safety truck slammed into his car! This track needs a lot of work to be safe, and NASCAR should insist upon it.” The recent finale’s chaos demonstrates why racetracks need a minimum safety standard, and no tracks should operate until they meet those criteria. After all, safety is paramount, and compromises can have disastrous consequences.

Love it or hate it, the playoff format has been the hottest topic in NASCAR all year. The elimination-style, winner-take-all setup didn’t swing in Denny Hamlin’s favor as he came heartbreakingly close to clinching his elusive Cup Series championship, adding even more fuel to the ongoing playoff debate. As the postseason takes over, the NASCAR community impatiently waits for the promised playoff changes.
For those who are longing for the old point system, it’s worth remembering that it was Matt Kenseth’s 2003 championship that sparked the first major changes. From the introduction of the chase format for today’s high-stakes elimination rounds, the playoff system has evolved through controversy, drama, and debates, always keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
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The championship that changed everything
It all happened 20 years ago on November 9, 2003. Matt Kenseth finally claimed his first NASCAR Winston Cup championship after a tense fourth-place finish in the Pop Secret 400, giving both himself and car owner Jack Roush the long-awaited glory they had chased for years. Kenseth had grabbed the points lead in just the fourth race of the season and never let it go. Even as his lead grew, he admitted the pressure kept building, each race feeling heavier than the last.
Behind the wheel of the No. 17 DeWalt Power Tools Taurus, he posted one win, 11 top fives, and an impressive 25 top-ten finishes. Bill Elliott might have won the race that day, but all eyes were on Kenseth as he became the first Ford driver to win the championship since Dale Jarrett in 1999.
When he finally locked in the title with a race remaining, Kenseth’s words reflected both relief and awe. He said, “It’s unbelievable. This is beyond my wildest dreams. I never thought I’d ever have the opportunity to sit in one of these cars, much less be the champion. I’m just so appreciative to my team, my owners, my sponsors, everybody that puts this thing together. I’m just real lucky.”
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What made Kenseth’s season historic wasn’t just his steady climb; it was how it reshaped the sport. Winning a championship with just one race victory sent NASCAR’s new CEO, Brian France, rethinking the point system, leading to the creation of the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.
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Suddenly, a playoff-style showdown over the final 10 races became the new norm. Fans grumbled at first, missing the old, straightforward point system, but Kenseth’s consistent brilliance closed out the Winston Cup era and kicked off the NEXTEL Cup era, with Roush Racing bookending the transition, Kenseth with the final Winston Cup crown, and teammate Kurt Busch taking the first NEXTEL Cup in 2004.
Even years later, Kenseth’s 2003 season resonates. It was a story of consistency of flash, a quiet dominance that shook up NASCAR. The evolution of the playoff system has since gained a lot of criticism. The winner-take-all finale has been scrutinized by veterans like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, and many more who believe that season-long consistency should be rewarded.
Would Denny Hamlin have won the title this year had it not been for the playoff system? It’s hard to tell, but what we do know is that he had the most consistent season, claiming victory 6 times this year. NASCAR fans came together, regardless of their support for him, as they sent out heartfelt messages for Denny Hamlin, and even his wife penned down a heartbreaking note. But with Kyle Larson winning the 2025 NASCAR Cup Championship, the 33-year-old also shared his opinion on the 2026 playoff format.
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Kyle Larson speculates on the 2026 playoff changes
By September 2025, the playoff committee had wrapped up a series of meetings and hinted at a likely end to the single-race championship format. NASCAR is expanding a broad sample of races to determine the champion, moving away from a one-race, winner-take-all showdown between four drivers. Details such as the size of the championship field, the number of races included, or elimination round changes remain unannounced, leaving drivers and fans eager for clarity.
Now, Kyle Larson is at the center of speculation over potential changes to the playoff system for 2026. Larson shares his thoughts on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, addressing what an ideal championship format might look like. On the topic of changes, he admitted honestly, “I don’t think there’s ever a clear 100 % … perfect format that everybody in the world is going to agree on…could win 20 races and not win the championship. But I think what we can all agree on, Sunday maybe it proved, we need more than one race … whether that is 36, or 10, or 4, or whatever the number is. It should be more than one.”
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The NASCAR committee has suggested that a larger set of places would offer a fairer and more comprehensive test for title contenders. Larson, while unsure of the exact format, acknowledged the inevitable compromise, saying, “I haven’t heard exactly what the for sure format is, but I think whatever it’s going to be, it’s going to be a compromise, a good compromise to what everybody sort of wants.”
Officials have confirmed that no major announcements will come until after the 2025 season concludes. For now, drivers, teams, and fans are cautiously optimistic, hoping for a balanced system that rewards seasonal excellence while keeping the intensity in the drama the playoffs are known for.

Claim: Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have already won their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, with the court ruling fully in their favor.
On October 2, 2024, Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports officially filed their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR in federal court in Charlotte, North Carolina, as reported by Courthouse News Service.
The lawsuit alleges that NASCAR monopolizes premier stock-car racing and imposes unfair, anticompetitive conditions on race teams. The filing claims that NASCAR’s ownership of most top-tier racetracks, restrictive charter agreements, mandatory use of costly single-source Next Gen components, and bans on participation in other racing series combine to stifle competition.
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Exactly one year later, in October 2025, the official 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Charter Agreement became public through court filings in the ongoing case. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered, as reported by Motorsport.com. The document was unsealed after issuing a summary judgment ruling in favor of the two teams on specific legal issues. The full, unredacted charter agreement—central evidence in the case—was released to ensure public transparency around NASCAR’s charter system and its financial structures.
As noted by motorsport.com reporter Matt Weaver, the unsealing followed Judge Bell’s partial summary judgment in favor of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR, which also led to “a number of documents” being opened to the public, including the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Charter Agreement itself. Weaver highlighted that while some details were previously known, the updated payout formula—now based on a two-year rolling average instead of three—was made fully transparent only after the release.
NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass shared sections of the document on October 29, 2025, highlighting its key financial provisions and explaining their role in the ongoing antitrust dispute. Motorsport.com initially posted the full 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Charter Agreement but later removed it from its site.
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November 4, 2025: Judge Bell Rules NASCAR Holds Monopoly Power
On November 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell issued a landmark pretrial ruling that marked a major development in the lawsuit. The judge found that NASCAR holds monopoly power over the market for premier stock-car racing, defined specifically as the NASCAR Cup Series. As Reuters reported, this decision sided with 23XI and Front Row’s argument that the Cup Series represents a distinct marketplace within motorsport.
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The New York Times’ The Athletic also confirmed that Judge Bell rejected NASCAR’s claim that teams could simply compete in other series like IndyCar or Formula 1. The court instead recognized that NASCAR’s Cup Series constitutes a unique and exclusive market under U.S. antitrust law.
This ruling established two legally critical points:
NASCAR’s Cup Series qualifies as a distinct and protected market.
NASCAR holds monopoly power within that market.
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As a result, the case now proceeds to trial, where the court will examine whether NASCAR’s conduct—including its charter rules, racetrack exclusivity, and restrictions on external participation—violates federal antitrust law. The trial is scheduled to begin on December 1, 2025.
What the Ruling Means
Judge Bell’s decision was a summary judgment on key legal questions, not a final verdict. It denied NASCAR’s motion to dismiss the case, allowing the lawsuit to advance. While the ruling represents a significant victory for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, the broader case remains unresolved. The upcoming trial will determine whether NASCAR’s business practices constitute unlawful monopolistic behavior.
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In essence, the court has already determined that NASCAR operates a monopoly within the top-tier racing market, but it has yet to decide whether that monopoly is being abused in violation of U.S. antitrust law.
Summary Judgment Explained
A pretrial summary judgment is a legal decision issued before a full trial when there are no genuine factual disputes and one side is clearly entitled to win based on the law. Under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the court may grant summary judgment when “there is no genuine issue of material fact, and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”
This process can resolve entire cases or settle specific legal issues—such as market definition or monopoly status—before trial, saving time and resources. The complete, official text of Rule 56 is available in the December 2024 edition of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure published by the U.S. Courts: https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure-dec-1-2024_0.pdf (see Rule 56, pages 48–52).
Our Rating: Partially True
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell on November 4, 2025, confirming NASCAR’s monopoly power in premier stock-car racing, has been widely reported by ESPN Coverage, Motorsport Tribune, and EssentiallySports.
While the ruling marked a major legal milestone, confirming NASCAR’s monopoly power over the Cup Series market and denying NASCAR’s motion for summary judgment, it was not the final verdict. Judge Bell’s pretrial decision delivered a significant procedural victory for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, but did not resolve the case entirely. The full antitrust trial begins December 1, 2025.
In short: 23XI and Front Row achieved an important legal win, but the final outcome remains pending.
Our Fact-Checking Sources

It looks like the 2026 NASCAR season will be among the most thrilling in recent memory. There’s already a lot to talk about, including the return of Chicagoland Speedway, possible changes to the playoff format, and horsepower increases to 750 for some tracks. However, the new street race in San Diego is the main attraction.
This event, which is set against the backdrop of the Naval Base Coronado, promises to combine fast racing with stunning scenery and a touch of patriotism. It’s a unique spectacle for fans and an entirely new task for drivers. For recently crowned champion Kyle Larson, it’s even more significant. It will be a race that is a combination of his California heritage, the excitement of racing alongside an open coast, and the thrill of a new layout.
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Kyle Larson raves about the San Diego-Sonoma 2026 schedule
Recently, NASCAR released a computer-generated virtual lap of the upcoming circuit. Kyle Larson, unfortunately, wasn’t part of the drive-through. However, when asked on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, he expressed excitement about racing on such a famous and historic location, calling it “one of the coolest NASCAR events, if not the coolest, ever.”
A combination of quick, tricky turns and an aesthetically spectacular setting unmatched in NASCAR is what fans can anticipate at NASCAR’s brand new track. However, what excites Larson the most isn’t just the race itself but the perfect lead-in it provides to the following weekend’s Sonoma Raceway event. “What I really love about it, too, is not only just getting to race at San Diego and being on that awesome facility, but like it leads into Sonoma the next weekend,” Larson said.
One of the most exciting and distinctive events on the itinerary is expected to be the 2026 NASCAR race at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado. The venue honors the U.S. Navy while providing a stunning background of downtown San Diego. It is situated on a 3.4-mile, 16-turn street circuit that winds through the active military installation.
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The San Diego race, Anduril 250, is scheduled for June 21st, whereas the Sonoma race, Save Mart 350, is scheduled for the following week, June 28th. Larson, being an Elk Grove, California native, emphasized the unique opportunity for fans to explore California’s scenic Highway One, traveling from San Diego up the coast through San Francisco and reaching the famed Sonoma track. This back-to-back racing adventure along one of America’s most beautiful coastlines adds a compelling dimension to the 2026 NASCAR calendar.
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For Larson, the San Diego-to-Sonoma stretch represents more than just two races. Instead, it’s a celebration of NASCAR’s growing West Coast legacy. With military pride, scenic beauty, and back-to-back road challenges, the 2026 schedule promises both spectacle and substance. And for fans and drivers alike, it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable California summer.
Jimmie Johnson’s emotional connection with the San Diego race
With the intention to participate in the first NASCAR race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego in 2026, Jimmie Johnson is preparing for an emotional and momentous comeback to NASCAR racing. Johnson, who grew up only 20 miles from the military installation in El Cajon, California, finds great personal significance in this particular event.
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His first Cup Series race in his hometown is a full-circle experience that combines excitement, pride, and nostalgia. The No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE will be driven by Johnson, a 50-year-old seven-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, for his team, Legacy Motor Club, with Carvana serving as the main sponsor.
Johnson expressed amazement that NASCAR managed to bring a race to the city, stating, “Being able to race in San Diego at this level feels like my career has come full circle. Starting out on two wheels, racing motorcycles throughout the West Coast, and now being able to race on four in the same region is something I never thought I would see. Additionally, my grandparents were military and are buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery nearby the base, so it’s an honor to race there – this is going to be very special.” He sees this as a huge opportunity to connect with his community, the military, family, and friends. Truly, a lifelong dream come true.
Johnson has also hinted at a potential 2026 schedule expansion beyond the event in San Diego. He stopped racing full-time in 2020, but he still feels driven and competitive. He intends to try competing in the Truck and Xfinity Series events during the San Diego race weekend after finishing third at the 2025 Daytona 500.
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Fans eagerly anticipate seeing Johnson back on the track and wonder what other races he might compete in next year, adding excitement to the ever-changing NASCAR landscape.

Kyle Larson has been there, done that. Two NASCAR championships, trophies at crown jewels, such as the Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500, Brickyard 400, and even the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship. His trophy cabinet tells the story of a driver who can win anywhere, especially when the stakes are high and the lights are the brightest. Perhaps that’s why Mark Martin has described ‘Yung Money’ as a “generational talent“.
Yet, even for someone with a résumé that glittered in NASCAR, there’s one glaring omission that keeps him hungry. As Larson recently revealed, there’s a single crown jewel that has somehow eluded his grasp. Despite all his talent, patience, and persistence behind the wheel, Larson’s still searching for that fabled win.
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Kyle Larson’s elusive Daytona win
Recently, on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, Kyle Larson revealed that the Daytona 500 trophy remains the one elusive prize in his illustrious NASCAR career. “Daytona. I mean, that’s that’s really the only uh that I can think of like Crown Jewel NASCAR race that I haven’t, you know, been able to win yet. So, yeah, hopefully someday,” he said.
Despite 11 starts at the Daytona 500, Larson has yet to claim a victory in “The Great American Race.” His best finishes include four top-10s, one pole position, and leading 31 laps. However, he has yet to cross the finish line first at this crown jewel event. The Daytona 500’s unpredictable nature and intense superspeedway racing have so far denied Larson this coveted win.
Larson’s difficult past with Daytona dates back to his Xfinity Series debut in 2013, when he was engaged in a horrific collision that destroyed his car and sent it into the fence. The young driver, who had quickly advanced from sprint cars to the national stage of NASCAR, had a difficult introduction. The Daytona 500, however, has continued to elude him despite his 2018 Xfinity victory at the track.
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However, Larson is optimistic, given his growth in his superspeedway performances. “We’ve been getting a lot better at the Superspeedway. I feel like it’s not out of reach to get it,” he said. For instance, Larson managed to grab second place in the Jack Link’s 500 race at Talladega in April this year. Similarly, he came third in the Ambetter Health 400 at the EchoPark Speedway in February.
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However, Larson emphasized the importance of getting “lucky at the right time” amid the chaotic racing conditions usually witnessed at Daytona, including the one leading to the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001. As Kyle Larson continues to refine his approach and capitalize on team improvements, racing fans eagerly anticipate the moment Larson finally conquers this iconic race. Will 2026 be the year Larson captures the Daytona 500 trophy and completes his NASCAR legacy?
The crown jewel that eludes NASCAR greats
Kyle Larson isn’t the only NASCAR star who has been denied a Daytona victory. Many greats have grappled with the challenges and unpredictability of Daytona’s superspeedway racing, where luck and strategy are as critical as raw speed. One of the most popular drivers, who faced issues in winning the Daytona 500, was the legendary Dale Earnhardt.
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“The Intimidator” raced at Daytona for over 20 years. However, no matter how hard he tried, a win continued to elude him until he finally secured his sole Daytona 500 win in 1998. His long quest for the trophy became a defining story of perseverance and tenacity in NASCAR history.
As he made his way inside the press box post-race, a fan handed a stuffed monkey to his PR representative, J.R. Rhodes. Earnhardt tucked it into the back of his fire suit, and upon entering the room, dramatically pulled it out, tossed it to the floor, and declared that he’d finally gotten the monkey off his back.
However, unlike Earnhardt, many NASCAR greats weren’t that lucky and didn’t secure a single win at the crown jewel in their glorious career. These include names like Kyle Larson (currently active), Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Kyle Busch (currently active), Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, and others. Busch and Larson have a chance of changing that narrative in the coming years.
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Daytona has a way of humbling even the sport’s greatest, turning dominance into despair in a heartbeat. Yet, for racers like Larson, that unpredictability is exactly what makes the chase so intoxicating. Because when (or if) they finally capture that elusive Daytona 500 trophy, it won’t just be another win. It’ll be a milestone after years of relentless pursuit for the biggest prize of them all.

Kyle Larson heads back to dirt racing only days after winning his third NASCAR Cup Series title in Phoenix. The title became official less than two weeks ago. Now Larson is preparing for the Hangtown 100 at Placerville Speedway in California. The event begins a nine-race USAC swing across California and Arizona.
Placerville Speedway shaped Larson during his teenage years. His parents worked at the pit gate. He chased veteran racers and learned aggressive short-track habits. He returns as a two-time Cup champion and also a co-promoter of the Hangtown 100.
“It’s really special to me to be part of an event that means so much to me. Placerville Speedway is a place where my family and I grew up going to, not as fans, but to race. Larson told Floracing. Teaming up with Scott and Kami to continue growing this event is incredibly important to me, and I’m excited to not only help promote, but also to compete.”
Placerville Speedway co-promoter Scott Russell also spoke about the partnership. “We are excited to continue growing the Hangtown 100 and working with Kyle Larson to make that happen,” commented Placerville Speedway Scott Russell. “Matt Wood had the original vision of getting the Hangtown 100 going, and I want to thank him for making it possible, because without Matt, it wouldn’t have even happened. Moving into the future, he is allowing us to take things over by partnering with Kyle.”
The Hangtown 100: A Big Event on a Small Track
The Hangtown 100 follows USAC National Midget rules. The format places a premium on quick reactions. Drivers race on a tight quarter-mile dirt oval. Limited space forces aggressive moves. A hundred laps decide the winner.
Short track dirt racing demands clean entry points, strong exits, and constant focus on grip. The surface changes throughout each run. Ruts form. The cushion beats down. Every lap requires a new decision. A strong start matters. A driver who gains track position early protects tires and stays out of traffic.
The field includes drivers from different backgrounds. Ty Gibbs enters select West Coast events while adding dirt experience during the offseason. Corey Day enters as one of the strongest young sprint car drivers in the region. Each driver studies track changes and commits to quick decisions. USAC midget racing rewards precision and constant movement.
Why Larson Chooses Dirt Racing After a Long NASCAR Season
Kyle Larson runs a heavy race load during each season. His 2025 calendar included 38 NASCAR Cup starts. The approach reflects a trend taken by manufacturers.
Chevrolet and Toyota encourage young drivers to race multiple types of vehicles. More surfaces produce stronger reflexes. Each surface requires a different driving approach.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series delivered some edge-of-your-seat action, which started from the Daytona 500 and ended in Phoenix. Drivers pushed their limits to complete those 9,580 laps in 36 races amid all kinds of hurdles that came their way, be it wrecks or tire issues. Yet, as the dust settled, a simple stat from NASCAR has added some fresh hate to the already disliked playoff system.
NASCAR Insights dropped a bombshell stat on their X post, which shows a list of drivers with the most laps completed for the 2025 season. The max laps possible to complete were 9580. Tyler Reddick tops that list, completing 9,565 laps of them. But the kicker is, most of these top-10 grinders, like Ryan Preece (9,530) or Michael McDowell (9,425), missed the playoffs entirely, while only three of them even entered the playoffs.
Most laps completed in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season pic.twitter.com/Ex7aQhuaPB
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— NASCAR Insights (@NASCARInsights) November 8, 2025
The top-10 order was: Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon, and Ty Gibbs. Out of these, only Reddick, Logano, and Austin Dillon entered the playoffs. And what’s more, only Reddick and Logano were the two drivers out of these ten who won a race this year.
These facts and numbers reveal how consistency is considered less important than unpredictability in the chase for the title. Veterans like Denny Hamlin snagged six wins but watched others win the title on single-race heroics, fueling debates on fairness.
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It exposes a troubling trend that the format rewards occasional or random brilliance over steady performance, sidelining reliable runners who avoid trouble all year. It’s no wonder fans are calling for tweaks, especially after the Christopher Bell case, where he was among the top contenders in the playoff 8 but got eliminated from playoff 4 because he could not snag a win in playoff 8, despite three consecutive top-three finishes in Kansas, Charlotte Roval, and Las Vegas.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. nailed it on his podcast, where he shared that he had a quick chat with NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell post-Xfinity finale: “A lot of people are talking about the Cup stuff; we know that’s probably coming in terms of a change to the format, but nobody ever says a thing about the Xfinity or Truck… whatever happens to Cup, something similar will happen.”
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Coming from a guy whose JR Motorsports team just missed out on the Xfinity title with three contenders in the final four, this shows the chain reaction that started from the Cup Series Playoff debate. Now, NASCAR fans and even team owners like Dale Jr. crave a system where all-season consistency pays off. Earnhardt’s words echo the garage heartaches, like after Hamlin’s six victories couldn’t overcome a late Phoenix caution, proving one bad moment in a last race could erase a season’s edge.
He added excitement for 2026 tweaks. “I’m excited about next year… we’re going to have four drivers, hopefully, driving for a championship,” hinting at broader access that could fix this playoff pitfall.
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The fans don’t like this, and they piled up on the X thread, rallying cries for a desperate reform.
Fans’ firestorm unleashed
“None of the Champ 4.” It’s a gut punch since Larson, Hamlin, Briscoe, and Byron logged far fewer clean laps than backmarkers like Todd Gilliland (9,407). Picture Chase Briscoe, who snagged three regular-season wins but wrecked often in the playoffs, versus Gilliland’s quiet consistency at Front Row Motorsports. This mismatch fuels the fire, showing how the “win-and-in” setup ignores the marathon of 36 races.
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Diving deeper into the thread, another fan cut straight, saying, “Half these guys didn’t even make the playoffs.” Spot on, as seven of the top 10, including Ty Dillon (9,348), could not qualify in the playoff-16 despite near-perfect attendance. Dillon’s effort kept him completing one lap after another, but no victory meant no qualification in the playoffs, unlike van Gisbergen, whose 8,897 laps alone punched his ticket for the playoffs. It’s a system where one win overpowers 9,000+ laps of reliability.
Then came the big-picture burn, “I think this also proves how bad the playoffs are. None of these guys were close to a title. Just win a race and coast to the playoffs. All these guys had to push to try and get wins.” This comment stated the core flaw of this playoff system. As non-playoff aces like Michael McDowell chased points weekly, drivers like Logano with a single win locked their spots early, freeing them from points-chasing pressure.

Back in 2019, Racing Wives was often remembered by fans as NASCAR’s attempt at reality TV stardom. It brought viewers a glimpse of life beyond the track. Airing on CMT, the show followed Samantha Busch, Whitney Dillon, Mariel Swan, and Amber Balcaen as they navigated the chaos of racing life, family, and friendship in the fast-paced NASCAR world. The fans watched it religiously, believing what they saw about the lives of the racing wives. But Samantha has just broken that bubble.
Although it only ran for one season before being quietly canceled, Racing Wives still holds a nostalgic spot for viewers who remember the excitement around NASCAR finally getting its own “reality moment.” Eight years later, the wives have reunited, and they have secrets to spill about it.
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Staged drama ruled Racing Wives
Samantha Busch did not hold back when reflecting on her experience filming the short-lived CMT series Racing Wives. “I want to talk about this. That was the most staged reality show, and it drove me nuts,” she said on her Certified Oversharer podcast, joined by Whitney Dillon, Mariel Swan, and Amber Balcaen.
Busch recalled how she repeatedly urged producers to focus on the genuine, behind-the-scenes drama that NASCAR families face, such as Kurt Busch’s major team switch and sponsorship uncertainty. However, she said those storylines were ignored in favor of manufactured conflict. “There was real drama in our lives,” she said. “One big thing was Kurt switching teams. That was huge, but all they wanted was the girl drama.”
Busch’s comments echoed earlier frustrations she had shared about how Racing Wives was produced. The show, which aired on CMT in 2019, was marketed as a candid look at the women behind NASCAR’s biggest stars. However, according to Busch, it prioritized scripted tension over authenticity. Reports at the time also noted that scenes were heavily edited to create interpersonal conflict, a hallmark of the “reality TV formula” CMT aimed for.
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Busch’s husband, two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, was transitioning between major team partnerships around that same period. That offered plenty of natural storylines, but few of them ever made it to air.
Mariel Swan, who co-starred on the show and joined Busch on the podcast, backed up those claims with her own experience of producer manipulation. “They gave us all different times to show up to set,” she explained. “They told you guys to get there around 3:45, but told me to come at 6:00. Then they said I was drunk the night before and late to filming.” Swan said she was stunned to learn how something as simple as staggered call times became the basis for a completely fabricated storyline.
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“I was like, wait, how did we concoct this just from me getting a different call time?” she recalled. Her revelation highlighted how producers often created false narratives by engineering misunderstandings between cast members. It was a classic example of “frankenbiting,” a common reality TV tactic where editing and out-of-context audio clips create drama that never actually happened.
Busch admitted that many of those behind-the-scenes manipulations did not become clear until years later. “Now thinking about that, I bet that’s what happened,” she said. “I went and got yelled at by a producer. But I’ve learned now, especially talking to Trish and Ashley, that they told us all very different things.”
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Her comments suggested that the cast was not just misled individually but strategically kept apart so producers could build conflicting narratives. This aligns with other accounts from reality TV participants who have since revealed they were given selective or false information to provoke emotional reactions during filming.
At the time, Racing Wives was hyped as NASCAR’s crossover moment into mainstream entertainment. It was seen as a chance to showcase the glamor and grit of life in the sport’s inner circle.
Instead, it delivered a more Real Housewives-style portrayal that, according to Busch and Swan, left out the sport’s real challenges. Those included the constant travel, sponsor negotiations, and emotional toll of supporting their partners in such a high-pressure environment. “We wanted to talk about the real stuff,” Busch said. “But they only cared about the girl drama.”
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Looking back eight years later, Busch’s candid remarks have reignited debate among NASCAR fans about the authenticity of sports reality television. What was once billed as a window into the lives of racing families now stands as an example of how entertainment priorities can distort the truth.
Is Kyle Busch again behind NASCAR’s series-capping rule?
For a long time, Kyle Busch raced almost everywhere he could, including Cup, Xfinity, and Truck. Even when he was already a top Cup Series driver, he regularly entered the lower series and often won.
By 2017, NASCAR capped the number of races Cup veterans could run, first 10 in Xfinity and seven in Trucks, then gradually cutting it to just five each by 2020. Fans called it the “Kyle Busch rule” since he was the main driver affected.
Busch still made the most of his limited entries, winning at least one Truck Series race every year since 2013. After selling his Kyle Busch Motorsports team in 2023, he kept running five Truck races a year, sticking to that pattern even after his Xfinity exit in 2021, when he reached 102 career wins.
Now, NASCAR plans to ease those limits in 2026. Cup drivers with three or more years of experience will again be allowed up to 10 Xfinity and eight Truck races, though they still can’t race in playoff or championship events.
The change comes as Busch’s participation has dropped, as he has run just one Xfinity race in the last two seasons, and a few others have been taking advantage of the old limits. It’s clear NASCAR’s tougher rules were largely a reaction to Busch’s dominance, and with him scaling back, they’re ready to relax them again.

If you’ve been a NASCAR fan for a while and remember when drivers still smelled faintly of leaded fuel and engine grease, you’ve probably heard of the 1958 film Thunder Road starring Robert Mitchum. Its tie to the sport’s early days is undeniable.
The plot centers on outlaw drivers running moonshine in highly modified Chevys and Fords through the twisting backroads of the South in the 1940s and ’50s. Put someone like Junior Johnson in the lead role, and it would read like a documentary. Those same moonshine runners, half criminal, half folk hero, took their souped-up cars and raw driving talent from the hills to the dirt ovals, and eventually to the paved tracks that gave birth to NASCAR. Johnson himself reportedly served as an unofficial technical advisor for the film, because, frankly, he’d lived it.
Now, a new Thunder Road is being fired up, this time as a scripted series for AMC. Unlike its 1958 predecessor, it won’t focus on just moonshine runners but will instead expand to stock car racing itself and the families who live in it.
This marks another NASCAR attempt at a scripted series, following the short-lived Netflix comedy The Crew starring Kevin James. But this time, it’s not laughs they’re after — it’s legacy. The project will be a long-form drama written and executive produced by John Fusco, whose credits include Young Guns, The Highwaymen, and Netflix’s Marco Polo. He’ll be joined by Cliff Roberts and Mark L. Smith — the latter known for The Revenant, Twisters, and American Primeval — along with NASCAR’s own Tim Clark and John Dahl as executive producers.
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According to Deadline, Thunder Road “follows the multi-generational saga of the Whitlock family, whose legacy in stock car racing is as deep as the family’s ties to the southern hill country roots that shaped them. It features family dynamics, fierce rivalries, and the untold stories behind one of America’s most iconic sports.”
So, imagine Yellowstone with a pit crew — or Days of Thunder reimagined as a family drama where the rivalries don’t end when the engines cool, and everyone still smells faintly of race fuel and barbecue smoke. It’s Sons of Anarchy in NASCAR country, only this time the engines are legal, the grudges are generational, and the names might as well be Petty, Allison, Earnhardt, and Waltrip.
The project is being steered by Dan McDermott, AMC Networks’ President of Entertainment, and Ben Haigh, co-head of domestic programming, as part of AMC’s push into Americana-driven storytelling. Thunder Road is not part of the network’s upcoming Great American Stories franchise; that new anthology will debut separately with an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath — but the two share the same ambition: exploring uniquely American stories rooted in family, conflict, and legacy.
It’s also another sign that NASCAR’s media strategy is evolving. The sport has spent the past few years focusing on unscripted storytelling — from Netflix’s Race and two seasons of Full Speed, to Race for the Championship on USA Network and Peacock. Later this month, NASCAR will debut Rising, a YouTube docuseries spotlighting young drivers Jesse Love, Carson Hocevar, and Rajah Caruth.
If those projects put a human face on today’s garage, Thunder Road looks ready to dig into the mythology — the roots, rivalries, and family dynasties that have powered stock car racing for generations.
For a sport born on the backroads, this might be the most fitting return to its storytelling roots yet.

There has been a lot of buzz lately among the car-obsessed crowd in GTA Online. The newly released Tampa GT muscle car dropped with a striking package called “The Monarch,” and what makes it really stand out is the homage built into its livery.
Designers at Rockstar Games created the scheme with clear nods to stock-car legend Richard Petty’s No. 43 car, adding a fun piece of motorsport history to the virtual streets of Los Santos. According to the GTA Wiki, the “Monarch” paint job pays homage to Richard Petty’s #43 stock car, with hood stripes based on the original factory model.
The Tampa GT itself is already one of the most sought-after rides in the game. The Wiki entry notes that it was introduced in the Money Fronts update for GTA Online on June 26, 2025, and sells for about $1,311,000 through Southern San Andreas Super Autos.
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Its design blends muscle-car styling cues from the 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX and the 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, giving it an unmistakably retro feel. That makes the “Monarch” livery even more fitting. When players put that Petty-inspired scheme on a vintage-styled muscle car, it becomes a layered tribute that blends racing nostalgia, classic design, and gaming speed.
The homage to Richard Petty makes sense. Petty is one of the most celebrated figures in NASCAR history, and his No. 43 car, its iconic blue-and-red STP paint scheme, and his larger-than-life persona as “The King” make him a cornerstone of American motorsport culture. In GTA Online, adopting an aesthetic inspired by his car creates a bridge between virtual customization and real-world racing heritage.
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What also excites players is how these custom vehicles integrate into gameplay. The Tampa GT, complete with the “Monarch” livery, joins an expanding catalogue of vehicles that can be purchased, customized, and used in races or free-roam sessions. Because of its throwback styling, it appeals not only as a performance machine but also as a statement piece.
For players who love blending aesthetics with performance, this release stands out as something special. It encourages creativity while paying respect to motorsport history. Ultimately, the story of the Tampa GT’s “Monarch” livery in GTA Online is a fascinating mix of gaming innovation and real-world racing iconography.
It’s a muscle car built for virtual high performance, dressed in a paint scheme that nods to NASCAR royalty. Whether players are into car mods, racing scenes, or simply want a show-stopping ride in Los Santos, this addition hits multiple notes. For fans of racing history, it serves as a respectful wink to Richard Petty and the golden age of stock-car racing.
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Fans on Reddit have taken the conversation even further, coming up with creative and sometimes hilarious ideas inspired by the release.
NASCAR in GTA before GTA 6
One fan imagined, “They should have a side mission in GTA 6 where you get along with a mafia boss to prop up a new team to run in NASCAR, but all of that is just a cover-up to run a moonshine or drug cartel for the owners.”
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While that type of two-layer narrative has not been confirmed, it perfectly matches the GTA tradition of blending criminal enterprise with real-world cultural references. Given Petty’s legacy as a “legit” racer and NASCAR’s early ties to bootlegging, the idea of combining racing heritage with underground crime storylines in a future game feels like a clever and authentic fit.
Another fan wrote, “I hope the theories of GTA 6 featuring Homestead or Daytona are true. A GTA version of the Gen 6 or Next-Gen would be amazing.” That sentiment reflects the hopes of many players who want the next GTA installment to include real motorsport-inspired locations.
Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway are both deeply connected to NASCAR’s history, with Petty’s 1966 Daytona 500 victory still regarded as one of his most famous wins. If GTA 6 were to incorporate real tracks and authentic racing physics, it could blur the line between arcade fun and serious simulation.
The third comment gets more tongue-in-cheek: “That 48 isn’t the real 48, the 5 is the real 48. Ally wanted 48 because that is the exact percentage of Ally auto-loans that are in default.” While the financial jab is clearly a joke, it shows how seriously fans take the symbolism of car numbers and liveries. In NASCAR, a number like 43 or 48 carries legacy, and the same holds in GTA Online’s car community.
The “Monarch” livery’s respectful nod to Petty’s history has sparked conversation about brand authenticity and creative licensing. Everything about the design seems legally safe and intentionally reverent, even if some fans jokingly call it a “war-crime level” homage.
One player summed it up by saying, “Time to add this to the list of things we got before GTA 6.” That comment reflects how fans often treat every new update in GTA Online as a sneak peek at what the next major release might bring. Each new vehicle, mission, or livery serves as fuel for speculation about what GTA 6 will include. The Tampa GT’s release, with its nostalgic roots and meticulous detail, fits perfectly into that trend.
Finally, one of the most creative fan comments reads, “My pipe dream racing game is basically just the RDR2 online moonshiner missions, but you’re in a car and eventually you start racing.” This comment captures the same spirit as the earlier mafia storyline.
The fantasy of merging Red Dead Redemption 2’s narrative-driven missions with high-stakes street racing connects directly to NASCAR’s bootlegging origins and modern-day outlaw culture. With Rockstar continuing to blur the lines between narrative and gameplay, a future that combines those elements does not feel too far-fetched.
In all, the “Monarch” livery on the Tampa GT represents more than just a stylish addition to GTA Online. It’s a small but meaningful tribute to Richard Petty’s enduring legacy, one that shows how video games continue to celebrate and reinterpret real-world icons in imaginative ways.

Yet, a law expert recently examined the case and deduced that a recent courtroom mistake from NASCAR might have turned the tide against itself.
NASCAR’s counterclaim trap can backfire
On a recent episode of Bloomberg Law, NYU Law professor Harry First unpacked how a bold move by NASCAR has shot them back, handing 23XI and Front Row a critical edge just weeks before trial. First zeroed in on the counterclaim NASCAR filed, accusing the teams of price-fixing during charter talks.
“They (NASCAR) define a market, which was pretty much the same as the market that Michael Jordan defined… So they basically define the same markets,” First explained. “And the judge says, sorry, you’ve already admitted it… I mean, I think it’s pretty supportable on appeal, and there would have been ways to handle the complaint that didn’t fall into this trap, but they were sort of too clever by half.”
This admission sealed NASCAR‘s fate on market definition, with Judge Bell ruling the relevant space is strictly “premier stock car racing” with no room for IndyCar or F1 as substitutes. Back in 2024, charter negotiations between NASCAR and teams were not happening smoothly, and it got even more bitter when NASCAR arrogantly offered a “take it or leave it” offer, which eventually resulted in the October 2024 suit.
The counterclaim by NASCAR was meant to flip the script, but it proved that NASCAR is a 100% single buyer who dominates and has significant power over other sellers’ shares. In simple words, NASCAR itself agrees that it has a monopoly over the sport.
First noted the fallout, “It was a very clever counterclaim, but there was no requirement that they even needed to file it.” Now, with the monopoly power debate off the table, the matter shifts to anticompetitive acts like purchases and exclusive deals, which potentially maximize damages and pressure a pre-trial deal.
Michael Jordan doubled down in an August 2025 hearing, stating his stand as a supporter of the betterment of the sport. “Look, I’ve been a fan of the game for a long period of time. I’ve always said that I want to fight for the betterment of the sport… The point is that the sport itself needs to continually change for the better, for the fans as well as for the teams, as well as for NASCAR, too.”
These words echo Jordan’s entry into NASCAR in 2020, aiming to elevate the sport’s diversity and Black people’s representation in the sport. But now it’s a battle over revenue splits, where teams claim that the revenue they are getting now is not enough to maintain cars amid soaring costs.
First added on power dynamics, saying, “You have to have a monopoly power… as the sole buyer, and there have to be high barriers to entry… The judge found all of those things… It’s very hard to have a competing league.” A jury verdict could reshape charters, boost team payouts, or even invite appeals that drag into 2026, leaving the series in an unknown future.
As the trial date comes closer, these twists underscore the fragile balance between control and collaboration.
Teams trim suit to sharpen trial focus
As the trial date approaches, 23XI and Front Row dropped one of their claims (Section 1) so they can focus just on accusing NASCAR of monopolizing the sport. This clears the way for arguments about NASCAR’s market control.
The original lawsuit came from the 2024 charter talks, where 13 of 15 teams signed deals under pressure. It originally included complaints about NASCAR abusing its power and buying teams or tracks. Now, the case is simplified to focus mainly on NASCAR’s acquisitions, like the 2019 International Speedway purchase, which gave the France family more control over tracks and the sport.
Attorney Jeffrey Kessler acknowledged the shift, saying it keeps the jury laser-focused, “We are very pleased with the court’s decision today, ruling in our favor… This means that the trial can now be focused on whether NASCAR has maintained that power through anticompetitive acts and used that power to harm teams.”
This echoes the team’s running uncharted since July 2025, which was reversed post-appeals court, where drivers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick raced without the safety nets of revenue. Dropping Section 1 avoids legal debates over whether NASCAR has a monopoly and lets courtrooms save time and debate directly over how the monopoly power of NASCAR damages the sport from a fair split of revenues and charters.

For years, Young’s Motorsports has carved out its place in NASCAR’s national series, steadily growing its footprint and reputation. Known for its truck-series efforts and smaller-team grit, the organization has built up experience, partnerships, and infrastructure that suggest it may be ready to take a step up.
On X, the team recently teased that they’re considering a second car in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, and this signals its ambition. On Reddit, fans picked this up, stating, “Young’s Motorsports teasing a second entry in the NASCAR O’Reillys Series for 2026. Number will be 02.”
What makes the potential move especially interesting is the timing and the environment in which NASCAR’s development ecosystem is evolving. With the series rebranding from Xfinity to O’Reilly Auto Parts in 2026, the grid and team landscape are going to change, likely opening space for entry-level teams with strong resources and partnerships to make bold moves.
Secondly, Kaulig Racing is also exiting its Xfinity program. This gives them the perfect chance to fill that gap.
Young’s positioning itself for exactly that kind of expansion. If the No. 02 car becomes reality, it could mark a turning point for the team, from part-time or supportive roles to a full-fledged second entry, maybe even vying for its own championship path.
Of course, starting a second car at the national level isn’t just about throwing a number on a door; it means securing sponsorship, building a competitive crew, acquiring equipment, and ensuring performance doesn’t suffer. The No. 02 would have to operate in sync with the team’s existing efforts so that both cars can perform well.
Young’s will likely lean on its existing experience in the lower-series ranks, but this move will test whether the team can scale successfully. Observers will watch closely to see how they allocate resources, manage two programs, and whether they expand engineering, strategy, and sponsor relationships accordingly.
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Beyond the team itself, this news adds to a growing broader narrative in NASCAR: smaller teams gaining ground, new sponsorship models, and more opportunity for up-and-coming drivers. Suppose Young’s Motorsports launches the No. 02.
In that case, it might also open a pathway for young talent or developmental drivers to step into a national series ride without having to join the largest powerhouse teams. For fans of grassroots racing, this type of expansion is encouraging; it means the field may get deeper and the stories more diverse. Fans on Reddit have all their theories lined up.
Fan reactions
“It’s wild how Ellis has more money behind him than dudes like Heim.” This comment reflects a common frustration among fans. It’s the perception that some drivers have stronger financial backing than others, which can influence seats and opportunities.
Although this particular claim (“Ellis has more money…”) isn’t directly documented in team announcements, NASCAR’s financial realities are well-known, like driver funding and sponsorship often determine who gets opportunities. Smaller teams, like Young’s, sometimes rely on pay drivers or funded drivers to facilitate expansion, especially when transitioning into a new series or launching a second car. Given Young’s hint at a new No. 02 entry, speculation that funding played a key role is in line with the industry model.
“Makes sense, there is a huge inventory of Kaulig cars on the market. Will probably see a few teams pop up.” Here, the fan connects two trends. First is the availability of former Kaulig Racing equipment, and second is the rise of smaller teams expanding.
Kaulig is indeed shifting its focus, with recent news showing the team pausing its Xfinity program in 2026 while focusing on Trucks and Cup. This creates the possibility that used Kaulig-spec cars and chassis will make their way into the market, allowing emerging teams like Young’s to step in. The fan’s prediction of “a few teams pop up” aligns with this cadence of technical realignment and asset availability.
“Not surprised. Wouldn’t be shocked if they’re getting out of Trucks completely.” Young’s Motorsports has been a mainstay in the Truck Series for years, but the suggestion that they might pivot or reduce their Truck Series commitment gains plausibility if they plan a new national-series car for 2026.
“Why? Focus on making the 42 better first.” This comment questions the logic of fielding a second car before improving the primary car, likely the team’s existing No. 42 truck or entry. For fans, it’s a sound demand: make your main entry competitive before spreading resources.
This echoes a recurring theme in NASCAR, that depth requires strength at the core. If Young’s is indeed launching a No. 02 entry, the comment underscores a strategic viewpoint: prioritize quality over quantity.
“Probably went down something like this: Mario says, ‘Hey Ryan, I need $4M. Tyler Young comes along and says, ‘Why are you paying him 4 mil when I can run you 30th for 3?’ Ryan says, ‘Deal.’ That’s not a move one makes for performance, lol.”
This speculative quote paints a vivid scenario about how drivers’ deals and team budgets might work behind the scenes. It implies that financial decisions, choosing a less expensive driver to free up resources, drive team strategy more than performance ambition.
While there’s no public evidence of this exact negotiation, the comment reflects the capitalist realities of racing: budget limits, sponsor expectations, and performance trade-offs all factor in. With Young hinting at a new entry, the fan simply translates those mechanics into a hypothetical conversation that resonates with many.

“I am not going to own a team in NASCAR ever again.” Those were the words of Tony Stewart, who recently shuttered down Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024 because of increased operational costs and a difficult economic landscape. The news sent shockwaves through the stock car racing community, with many believing ‘Smoke’ was gone for good, diverting his energy and resources to the NHRA and other ventures. But now, it seems like the 54-year-old might make a sensational return, but fans aren’t buying it just yet.
According to the latest rumors, several legends are being linked to Ram’s return in the NASCAR world, with Tony Stewart leading the list. But for a driver who made his last Cup Series appearance in 2016, the prospect of the Hall of Famer returning is hard to believe, and fans aren’t being shy about expressing their skepticism on social media.
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Reports claim that Tony Stewart is interested in running a Truck
Even though Ram’s return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has been officially confirmed for 2026, there has been plenty of speculation about which teams and drivers will be involved in the operation. According to rumors, the reported plan includes a potential legends setup featuring familiar names such as Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, and Kasey Kahne sharing driving duties. According to the report on SiriusXM, Mike Skinner and Angie also mentioned hearing that Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne might be interested in running races in the All-Star truck, adding more fuel to the fire
RAM CEO Tim Kuniskis recently addressed Tony Stewart’s rumored involvement, saying that there are no formal talks about acknowledging that Tony’s name continues to come up. In fact, earlier in the year, Kuniskis had said, “People said when I was at MIS and made this announcement, ‘Are you just fishing for a team to see who stands up?’ I didn’t hear anything from Tony, but we’ll see where this all ends up.” His comment suggests RAM is open to working with recognizable veterans rather than the current drivers already tied to other manufacturers.
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The idea wouldn’t be out of place. After stepping away from NASCAR following the 2024 season, ‘Smoke’ is focused on his NHRA and sprint car operations, both of which are connected to Dodge. Earlier this year, he told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that he still plans to attend NASCAR events, saying he misses the people and the environment.
Tony Stewart said, “I’m definitely planning on coming back to NASCAR races. As a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I get a hard card. I don’t know if NASCAR has the ability to revoke that or not, but until they do revoke it, I’m going to take advantage of having a hard card, and I definitely want to come back and see everybody. I miss a lot of things about NASCAR, and most of all the people. The people are what I enjoyed about it and the relationships I had there. Definitely looking forward to coming back and seeing everybody.”
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With his wife, Leah Pruett, making a comeback to full-time NHRA competition next year, Stewart could have more flexibility to make occasional NASCAR appearances. Kasey Kahne has also been back in the mix, running the Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway in April 2025, his first national start since 2018. He qualified fourth and finished after an early setback, showing he still has the competitive speed. With all these reasons in place, the rumors are only growing stronger, and now the fans are more than excited to see it play out.
Fans are split over a possible Tony Stewart Truck run
When the rumors first broke, fans could hardly contain themselves. “Kasey Kahne Fridays have never been more back,” one wrote, echoing the collective joy of longtime supporters who had waited years for this kind of news. Another added, ” Kasey Kahne in a Dodge(RAM) again? Things are looking right in the Motorsports world. If this works out, I hope Kasey will use some old Evernham/Dodge Throwbacks!” The idea of Kasey Kahne in a Dodge Ram sent waves of nostalgia through the sports community; it felt like the world of racing was aligning again.
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But then came the second half of the rumor mill, Tony Stewart. The Internet split almost instantly. Some fans were stunned: “⁠⁠⁠I’d really be shocked if Tony is gonna run some truck races, he’s been so distant from NASCAR and has been having a good time with NHRA,” one admitted, pointing out how far away he’s been from NASCAR lately by thriving in NHRA. Another refused to buy into the prospect of Smoke’s sensational return, saying, “I will believe Tony gets in a truck when I see it.”
Others sharply noted with instant skepticism, with one fan writing, “⁠⁠I’m gonna need a better source than ‘I’ve heard.’ Tony has been very clear that he hates plate racing.” The train of shock followed with one fan writing, “No shot Tony Stewart races a truck. None.” The prospect of Kahne or Stewart behind the wheel is sending ripples of excitement within the NASCAR community, and with the off-season well and truly underway, it gives stock car racing enthusiasts something to look forward to in the coming months.

Under the bright lights of Phoenix Raceway, what was meant to be Connor Zilisch’s coronation turned into a cruel twist of fate. The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity finale had all the makings of a perfect ending. It had a rookie phenom leading the charge, a season stacked with ten victories, and a car that looked untouchable for most of the night. But as the laps wound down, Zilisch’s tires began to fade, his grip slipping away just as Jesse Love closed in.
With 25 laps to go, the championship slipped through his fingers. Zilisch crossed the line third, and while his face was calm, his heart shattered. Yet, amid that heartbreak, one moment of unexpected sportsmanship would leave an impression far deeper than the trophy itself.
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Jesse Love praises Connor Zilisch’s class and composure
In the heat of a championship battle, emotions often run high. But for Jesse Love, what stood out most wasn’t the win; it was Connor Zilisch’s grace in defeat. Moments after the checkered flag waved at Phoenix, Zilisch walked over to Victory Lane to congratulate the new champion. “He got to see me in Victory Lane after the race, and that was very cool,” Love revealed on the NASCAR Live podcast.
“It’s something I did not expect out of him. I thought he was gonna come see me, but I wasn’t gonna expect it,” he added further. And Love is right. Zilisch had a dream 2025 season. Ten victories. The most top fives, the most poles, the most laps led. The 2025 season was almost perfect.
To lose the championship in the final moments was surely heartbreaking. Zilisch was visibly emotional after the race. Tears welled as he whispered on the radio, “I’m sorry,” as the chequered flag fell. He was later seen slouching by his car, tears still rolling down his face. And then to go talk to Love to congratulate him after all this showed maturity beyond his years. At that moment, he wasn’t a 19-year-old in his first full-time season.
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That mutual respect deepened later that weekend. “I can imagine the emotions he was going through, must be really tough. We had a good conversation at the AirBnB on Sunday night after the Cup race,” Love revealed. “Had a good talk about it. I wanted to hear what he had to say, and he wanted to hear what I wanted to say…I am really proud of the way he handled it.”
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Well, this shouldn’t come as a surprise as their friendship goes back years, long before the championship stage. Jesse Love and Zilisch first crossed paths in 2021 through Toyota’s development program at Trackhouse Motorplex, where Zilisch was coaching young go-kart drivers, including Love. At first, Love admits he wasn’t sure what to make of him.
But once he saw Connor Zilisch’s lightning pace on the karting circuit, that skepticism turned into respect. From there, their connection only grew stronger. Off-track, they’re genuine friends; on-track, fierce rivals. Whether pushing each other to be faster or checking in after tough moments, like when Love reached out after Zilisch’s crash at Talladega, their relationship is built on mutual admiration.
Love believes Zilisch’s maturity will carry him far. “I’m proud of the season he had and the seasons he’s going to have in the future in the Cup deal,” Love said. With Zilisch set to move full-time into the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse in 2026, his story is far from over. In fact, it’s just entering its next chapter.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s heartfelt send-off to Connor Zilisch
After a season spent under Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports banner, Zilisch is moving up to the NASCAR Cup Series. And he’ll do so behind the wheel of the iconic No. 88 car for Trackhouse Racing. But before he could officially begin that new chapter, his former boss made sure the handoff meant something.
Dale Jr. sent Zilisch a personal letter – a gesture filled with pride, nostalgia, and symbolism. Shared by reporter Taylor Kitchen on X, the message captured the depth of Earnhardt’s connection to the number and his admiration for Zilisch’s growth. “Dear Connor,” the letter began, “The #88 has always carried a little extra meaning for me. It’s not just a number. It’s a legacy, defined by guys like Darrell Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, and most recently, SVG. I had a lot of great years driving that number. You ignited a new chapter with the 88, one written in your own style.”
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The entire NASCAR community knows that for Earnhardt Jr., the #88 represents far more than digits on a car. It’s the number he carried through some of his proudest moments, from his 2014 Daytona 500 win to his farewell victory at Phoenix in 2015. After Alex Bowman switched to the No. 48 in 2021, the number went dormant until Trackhouse revived it in 2025 for Shane van Gisbergen.
SVG honored it with five wins before switching to the No. 97 for 2026, a nod to his father, Robert, who raced with the same number 97. The announcement featured a voiceover from Robert himself, which made SVG quite emotional. Even Kurt Busch, who once drove the iconic number, sent a heartfelt message to SVG. Now the 88’s legacy is ready for its next torchbearer.
That torch now belongs to Zilisch. After a breakout Xfinity season with 10 wins and a heartbreaking near-miss at the title, he’ll definitely carry the No. 88 into NASCAR’s top ranks. For fans, it’s the return of an iconic number; for Dale Jr., it’s watching the future of his legacy hit full throttle.

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but Shane Van Gisbergen might just be the exception. At 36, the three-time Supercars champion has taken the NASCAR world by storm in his first full-time Cup season. The Kiwi already matched Jeff Gordon’s record for consecutive road course wins. But for the longest time, one thing stood in his way: the ovals.
They were his kryptonite. Yet true to his word, SVG let it take its own course. He said, “It will take time, and I’m not trying to force it or get desperate. Just going to keep working and building.” Fast forward to September, and the Trackhouse racer finally broke through with his first top-10 on an oval at Kansas Speedway. It was a moment that showed fans across NASCAR that SVG’s persistence is paying off and that his climb is only just the beginning.
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Shane van Gisbergen’s upward oval learning curve
Shane van Gisbergen came into NASCAR with a sterling résumé on road and street courses, but the oval tracks proved to be a steep learning curve. The Auckland-native has time and again admitted that the ovals were a major weakness, and after his win in Mexico City, he said, “I’m not here to run last on the oval either.” The transition from dominating road layouts to mastering the continuous left turns, traffic, tire wear, and unique discipline of ovals was proving tougher than expected.
But things changed for the 36-year-old driver mid-season. His oval game started to improve. In the last seven oval races in July, his average finish had improved to about 22nd. He acknowledged the team was making progress and that the Oval results would need to catch up to his stellar road form. Then came a landmark moment. On September 28 at Kansas Speedway, SVG recorded 10th place, his first top 10 finish on a true oval in the Cup Series. That result marked a turning point. The kryptonite of the ovals was no longer entirely invincible.
Moreover, even Bubba Wallace was more than impressed by SVG’s oval growths. The wager was cemented in a lighthearted text exchange that Wallace later shared publicly. Wallace had jokingly told SVG something along the lines of, “If you ever out qualify me on an oval, I’m retiring.” Fast forward to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and SVG set up a blazing 10th-place starting position, while Wallace qualified 14th. Wallace then posted a screenshot of their exchange with the caption, “Ole bloke outqualified me; now I gotta retire @shanevang97.”
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One can’t mention SVG’s oval growth without mentioning his first-ever pavement oval at the grassroots level. SVG participated in the Pro Legends, a feature at the Summer Shootout event in 2025 at Charlotte Motor Speedway late in July, and Bubba Wallace was left stunned. He said, “Not the ending to the shootout that we wanted, but it was cool to see SVG get this first Oval win. He had to go down a couple levels to Legend Car to get it, but all in all, it’s been fun racing with him and Scotty, and Keelan this year. Hope for better results, but all in all, it was good.”
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Although his results haven’t been extremely consistent, Shane van Gisbergen has shown significant improvement. He finished 33rd at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but wrapped up a 14th-place finish at Martinsville on October 26th. Earning Rookie of the Year wasn’t just a fluke. His 5 road course wins, coupled with strong performances on ovals and short tracks, despite not making a deep playoff run but fighting valiantly in the Round of 16, are what make him worthy of the accolade.
Given his pace, skill, and adaptive mindset, many expect his next breakthrough on a short or intermediate oval to come sooner rather than later. He may still be positioned as NASCAR’s king of the road, but the oval race book is increasingly looking like a field he can conquer as well. Recently, amid Trackhouse surprising SVG in the best possible way, NASCAR fans are more than ready to see the Kiwi fire off his jets in 2026.
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NASCAR fans are hopeful for SVG’s first oval Cup win
Reddit fans have been buzzing about SVG’s rapid growth on ovals, and the reactions paint a clear picture of admiration mixed with cautious optimism. One fan summed up the general sentiment perfectly, saying, “I think it goes without saying based on the last half of this past season, absolutely, yes.” That confidence didn’t come out of nowhere; it’s been building steadily as the three-time supercar champion transitioned from road courses to ovals with an unexpected sharpness.
Another fan pointed out the obvious but important truth, “Have you not watched the races? Will he win on those tracks? Probably not. But he has VASTLY improved on ovals. It’s just unrealistic to expect him to compete for wins on those tracks, especially consistently.”
Still, optimism remains strong among the NASCAR faithful. Several fans have noticed his progress firsthand, especially in the latter half of the season. “Well, he improved at Martinsville between the first race and the second race this year. And got a top 10 in the second half of the season so it’s not like he’s been stagnant,” one viewer wrote.
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Meanwhile, another echoed that belief, “SVG has already shown significant improvement; I think he could potentially contend at 1-2 oval races this next season.” The Kiwi isn’t just learning; he is adapting fast, gaining ground with each lap, and steadily proving that his road course brilliance can extend into America’s toughest ovals.
However, progress is never linear, and there will always be setbacks with such a drastic transition in racing styles. That’s why one fan said, “Shane seems to be improving slowly on ovals, if his results are to look at. Kinda unfortunate that he sometimes becomes a victim of crashes there, though.”
Yet even that realism doesn’t overshadow the optimism of another fan confidently predicted, “I think he will. He’s always learned on an exponential scale when getting in a new series.” The overall tone is clear from the fans. Shane van Gisbergen’s story in NASCAR is still being written, and the next chapter might just feature his first oval win.

Hendrick Motorsports is calling upon development driver Corey Day to compete on a full-time basis in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, driving the team’s No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet.
The native of Clovis, California, signed a development contract with Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest organization in NASCAR Cup Series history, last December, and after running significant part-time schedules in both the NASCAR Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, has impressed enough to get a full-season run.
“The opportunity to race full time for Mr. Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports is something I’ve been working toward and feel I’m ready for,” Day said. “I’ve learned so much from everyone here this past year, and I’m grateful for the chance to represent HendrickCars.com every week in 2026. Adam and the No. 17 team have shown the ability to win races, and I can’t wait to build on that foundation and compete for a championship.”
Adam Wall will continue in his position as crew chief of the No. 17 Chevrolet in 2026, after joining Hendrick Motorsports at the start of 2025 from JR Motorsports. Wall served as the shot-caller of the HendrickCars.com-sponsored entry in the 21 events that it contested last season, between several drivers of varying experience levels, including Day.
In 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts behind the wheel of the blue and white No. 17, Day collected a single top-five result – finishing an impressive fourth-place in the October event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Day also earned another top-10 finish at World Wide Technology Raceway.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was also a place where Day found some success throughout the year, with a runner-up finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and another top-five at Nashville Superspeedway.
“Corey impressed us with how quickly he adapted this year,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “He’ll go into 2026 with less pavement experience than anyone in the field, but you’d never know it by watching him drive. The instincts and raw talent are off the charts, and he’s going to keep getting better with more seat time. Corey has a tremendous future, and we’re proud to have him represent HendrickCars.com.”
The 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign will mark the first time since 2007 that Hendrick Motorsports has fielded a full-time entry in NASCAR’s second-tier series. The organization has a total of 27 victories in the series in 380 total starts.
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Shane van Gisbergen’s 2025 season in the No. 88 Cup car of Trackhouse Racing was nothing short of remarkable. Despite being a rookie in the series, he claimed five wins, led over 300 laps, and emerged as arguably the sport’s dominant road-course force. Notably, he swept the weekend at Chicago, powered through the inaugural Mexico City event with a dominant 16-second margin, and followed that with a thrilling win at Sonoma from pole, which made him the quickest driver since the 1960s to win four Cup races.
Alongside his speed came a learning curve on ovals, where he admitted the transition was challenging. Overall, with wins, poles, and top-10s in hand, van Gisbergen demonstrated his elite talent while building the foundation for an even more explosive 2026. And now SVG shifts to his family’s heritage, the 97 car, but Trackhouse did not make a simple announcement.
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Shane van Gisbergen’s emotional homecoming
In an emotional announcement that blended legacy, pride, and family history, Trackhouse Racing revealed its full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup with a touching video tribute that left Shane van Gisbergen visibly moved.
Each Trackhouse driver read a heartfelt letter written by someone significant in their journey, but for Shane van Gisbergen, it wasn’t just a team update; it was a homecoming. The New Zealander will leave behind the No. 88 and return to his family’s beloved No. 97, a number that has defined generations of van Gisbergen racers.
The team confirmed that Ross Chastain will continue driving the No. 1 Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch will make his Cup debut in the No. 88, and Shane van Gisbergen will take over the No. 97, a number deeply intertwined with his family’s motorsport story. In the video, each Trackhouse driver read a heartfelt letter written by someone significant in their journey. For Chastain, it was Justin Marks, Trackhouse owner. For Zilisch, it was Dale Jr. But for Shane van Gisbergen, it was his father, Robert van Gisbergen, whose heartfelt words couldn’t stop his tears.
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“Hello mate, I hear you’re going to run the #97 Cup Series next year. It means so much to our family. Both of us ran 97 in motocross, we both ran it in Speedway, and Mum would have been absolutely proud. Over the years, #97 has had a legacy in New Zealand and Australia across all forms of motorsport. So proud of you for running it in the USA. Even when you won national titles, we are obliged to run #1. You still carried on #97. So proud, mate.”
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The other drivers read their letter aloud, but SVG couldn’t. The emotional weight of that writing kept him mute and teary for some time before he explained why the car was so important in his life.
The number 97 is far more than a decal on a car door. In New Zealand, it’s a number steeped in van Gisbergen family tradition, dating back to SVG’s early days racing karts and dirt tracks alongside his father. It became iconic when SVG carried it into the Australian Supercars Championship, where he won three titles (2016, 2021, 2022) and established himself as one of the most dominant racers of the modern era. Even when he earned the right to run the champion’s No. 1, he kept 97 in honor of his family, a nod to the roots that shaped his career.
For fans who have followed his NASCAR journey, this move feels like a full-circle moment. After making history in 2023 by becoming the first driver in more than 60 years to win in his NASCAR Cup Series debut, capturing the checkered flag on the streets of Chicago, van Gisbergen has continued to adapt brilliantly to American stock car racing. His transition from the No. 88 to 97 isn’t just a change of livery; it’s a reconnection to his identity. When he read his father’s message on camera, his voice cracked slightly. The emotion wasn’t for the cameras; it was for home.
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Meanwhile, Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch also received heartfelt messages that reflected their own milestones within Trackhouse. Team co-owner Justin Marks praised Chastain for his trailblazing accomplishments, reminding him:
“You delivered the first win in Trackhouse history and the first driver to win the Coke 600 from the rear in a backup car. And of course, the first to pull off that wall ride at Martinsville.” Chastain’s relationship with the No. 1 car remains a symbol of Trackhouse’s foundation and grit, from the viral “Hail Melon” at Martinsville in 2022 to his continued championship pursuits.
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As for Zilisch, the youngest of the trio, his letter came from Dale Earnhardt Jr., a man whose name is practically synonymous with the No. 88. Junior said,
“You ignited a new chapter with the 88, one written in your own style, from breaking records to delivering JR Motorsports’ 100th win as an organization.” Zilisch, just 19 years old, has already made waves in the Xfinity Series and is widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in NASCAR’s next generation.
Altogether, the 2026 Trackhouse Racing reveal wasn’t just an announcement; it was a celebration of heritage, mentorship, and growth. The team that has always prided itself on blending performance with personality delivered a message of continuity and culture.
For van Gisbergen, especially, the return to 97 marks a deeply personal chapter, a way of keeping his family’s legacy alive while chasing new victories on American soil. As the video faded out, SVG smiled through tears, whispering, “For Mum.” It was a moment that transcended racing, a reminder that behind every number, every decal, and every win lies a story worth telling.
Trackhouse hearts warm with family ties, Zilisch eyes new horizons. NASCAR Xfinity runner-up Connor Zilisch will drive an LMDh prototype for the first time in the IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona.
Zilisch eyes endurance
The 19-year-old will share the #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R with Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti at the Daytona International Speedway on 14-16 November. The American, who has already scored two LMP2 class victories in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, is being evaluated for a GTP drive with the factory Cadillac squad for next year’s season-opening Daytona 24 Hours.
“Hopefully, we’re going to make the most of it and see if this can lead to more opportunities for me in the Cadillac, because it would be super cool for me to be able to race at the highest levels of endurance racing,” he said. “That’s always been a dream of mine.”
The announcement of the Daytona test comes just days after it emerged that Zilisch was denied a chance to drive the Cadillac LMDh in the World Endurance Championship’s Bahrain rookie test due to a lack of ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee for the United States) license points.
Zilisch was the favorite for this year’s Xfinity title but was denied the top prize by Jesse Love due to NASCAR’s increasingly controversial playoff system. The title loss also led to him failing to accumulate the necessary ACCUS license points required for the Bahrain test.
The teenager is set to move up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing, where he is tipped to replace Daniel Suarez. Cadillac Formula 1 reserve Colton Herta, who is switching to F2 next year to pursue his ambitions in grand prix racing, will also be driving the V-Series.R for the first time in the Daytona test.

In the 2025 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet entries, the team delivered again as a dominant force in the NASCAR Cup Series. At mid-season, they recorded four wins (three by Kyle Larson and one by William Byron), secured 19 top-5 finishes, and five pole positions. They also stood atop the regular-season standings with Byron, Larson, and Chase Elliott all inside the top four heading into the final stretch. But while they did their job, the car didn’t always.
The HMS drivers drive the Camaro ZL1/1LE, and it’s not been flawless with its issues. In recent times, it has seen suspension problems, rubbing noises, and overheating of the transmission, among other things. As their parent brand, GM, has been working in the back end on a new model for 2026, Rick Hendrick didn’t reveal much but hinted enough about the exciting developments in store.
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Hendrick hints big
When Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick hinted recently that Chevy’s 2026 NASCAR Cup Series car will be “better than what we’ve got … closer to what Toyota and Ford have.” It wasn’t just team pride talking. It was a signal of major change.
According to Hendrick, the organization and General Motors have been working on a new body design for the 2026 season to catch up with the Ford Mustang Dark Horse and Toyota Camry XSE, which both underwent redesigns ahead of the 2024–25 seasons.
Rick Hendrick also put focus on power and downforce. He said he is “super excited about the power, more power … and … a new car … that’s got a little more downforce.”
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This aligns with an announcement by Hendrick’s powertrain director, Scott Maxim, that NASCAR Cup cars will increase horsepower from 670 to 750 at many tracks in 2026. Last month, he had said, “I think more horsepower, as builders, we certainly love being able to hone our craft and have it be something our drivers are challenged with on the race track, so we’re looking forward to that.” This was especially for road courses and tracks under 1.5 miles, which gives teams like Hendrick a chance to leverage their engine-building strength.
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Plus, according to other reports, GM is also planning to make multiple variants of new passenger cars built on the Alpha 2-2 platform. Though the identity is still a mystery, the car could be a brand-new Chevy sedan, a next-generation Camaro coup or convertible.
The background is critical here. Chevy has been relatively behind Ford and Toyota in recent Cup car redesigns, and Hendrick’s quote that “they had a shot at the apple … taking our car and getting their car better” shows a competitive edge creeping into manufacturer wars. According to reporting by On3, this new Chevy body will be revealed soon and is designed to close that gap.
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Hendrick was candid about the challenge ahead: “We’ve got to learn the car … it won’t be perfect right out of the gate.” That tracks with how NASCAR introduced the Next Gen car in 2022, which sparked a variety of performance and parity issues early on. With this upcoming body redesign and rules changes, teams are bracing for a learning curve, but Hendrick is betting on his organization’s deep technical resources and experience to shorten it.
A Chevy body and powertrain upgrade that brings increased downforce and engine output could shift the competitive balance in the Cup Series. If Hendrick Motorsports gets this right, it could restore Chevy’s dominance and give their drivers a runway to challenge the reigning Ford and Toyota squads more consistently.
With the horsepower bump and body redesign set for 2026, all eyes will be on how quickly the changes translate on track. Bottom line is that Rick Hendrick’s comments show that this isn’t just a refresh, it’s a strategic reset.
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By emphasizing more power, more downforce, and a revamped car architecture, Hendrick is positioning his team (and Chevy) for a bold new chapter. If the competitive numbers back the hype, 2026 may mark the beginning of a new era in NASCAR manufacturer rivalry.
Meanwhile, as the Chevy car evolves, another Hendrick youth rises.
Day steps up
Hendrick Motorsports is promoting prospect Corey Day to a full-time ride for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Day will drive the team’s No. 17 car, with crew chief Adam Wall at the top of the pit box for the coming season. Day made 11 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this past season, scoring a best finish of fourth at Las Vegas last month.
This announcement marks Day’s first full-time effort in NASCAR, with the dirt racing prodigy entering 24 races across the Craftsman Truck, OAP, and ARCA Menards Series this season.
Rick Hendrick was all praise for the 19-year-old, saying, “Corey impressed us with how quickly he adapted this year. He’ll go into 2026 with less pavement experience than anyone in the field, but you’d never know it by watching him drive. The instincts and raw talent are off the charts.”0
His entry next season will also be the first time HMS has entered a full-time car in the OAP Series since 2006. Day made his name racing on dirt in sprint cars, competing at a high level throughout his young career. Though he has struggled on asphalt, the 19-year-old has shown potential in his limited starts.
“The opportunity to race full time for Mr. Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports is something I’ve been working toward and feel I’m ready for…I’m grateful for the chance to represent HendrickCars.com every week in 2026. Adam and the No. 17 team have shown the ability to win races, and I can’t wait to build on that foundation and compete for a championship,” said the youngster on this opportunity.
This past season, the No. 17 made 21 starts in the Xfinity Series, with Day and six other drivers, including the four HMS Cup Series drivers, sharing the starts. In total, the No. 17 had two wins, nine top fives, and 10 top tens.

Over the past few years, NASCAR has faced mounting pressure from teams, drivers, and fans about whether the current playoff format truly rewards season-long consistency or just helps deliver spectacle. Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself has openly called the existing format “the hardest, most difficult way to win a championship.”
Meanwhile, rumors have floated about the sport testing changes in its lower tiers before deploying anything at the top Cup level. According to media tracking, the sanctioning body is indeed exploring options for 2026, but cautioned that no formal changes will be confirmed for the Cup Series until later.
And amid all this, Dale Jr has intrigued the fans further, as he stepped onto his podcast recently and revealed that the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series are slated for “new championship formats” next year. The twist? He also hinted that the much-rumored “3-3-4” playoff structure, three races in Round 1, three in Round 2, then four in a final stretch, may not be on the table.
That indicates a shift away from the elimination rounds many associate with NASCAR’s modern playoff era. Whether that means a longer final round, more emphasis on cumulative points, or a hybrid model remains to be officially confirmed.
Adding to the story: NASCAR’s own communications echo similar signals. A recent report shows NASCAR has formed a working group including drivers, media, and OEMs to review the playoff/ championship format for 2026 and beyond. And in the schedule release for the O’Reilly Series, while the playoff setup stays “largely the same” for now, it’s noted that the finale returns to Homestead-Miami in 2026 and that tweaks are “not an indication the current system will stay forever.”
But why does it matter? These changes affect how the season flows from Daytona to the finale and how drivers approach strategy. The hint that 3-3-4 is unlikely suggests NASCAR might be testing formats progressively in the lower series before touching the top tier.
In short, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s revelation signals more than just tweaks; it suggests a potential directional shift in how NASCAR crowns champions, starting in the lower national series in 2026. While we wait for formal announcements, one thing is clear: the format conversation isn’t over, and the sport may be inching toward one of its most significant changes in decades. And fans on Reddit are already cooking up their theory.
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Reddit unsold with format rumbles
One vocal fan wrote, “Don’t celebrate too fast. The new championship format doesn’t mean 36 races. It just means NASCAR could throw something even worse out there. Let’s wait until it’s confirmed.”
Earnhardt Jr. recently stated that he believes the current playoff setup is “the hardest, most difficult way to win a championship,” and acknowledged that a conversation about format change is happening. Meanwhile, NASCAR confirmed they’re forming a working group to evaluate potential changes for 2026.
Another comment focused on terminology: “While we’re at it, scrap the name playoffs, nobody’s playing anything, they are Chasing the Cup though.” The fan’s point echoes what Earnhardt Jr. articulated when he lamented the loss of season-long narrative, that under the elimination-style system, the regular season loses some meaning.
Whether NASCAR will rename or restructure the playoffs remains unconfirmed, and this fan’s skepticism reflects a broader unease about cosmetic changes masking deeper issues.
A third fan observed, “Hopefully I am overthinking this, but the fact that he only confirmed these two makes this a little odd. Almost sounds like they’re going to try it down there, then bring it to the Cup. Hope that this is more JR confirming that all the series will be changing formats.”
Indeed, Earnhardt Jr. discussed possible format changes in just Trucks and Xfinity for now, but suggested the conversation could affect how championships are determined across NASCAR’s national series. As of now, no formal announcements have been made regarding the Cup series.
A fourth fan took a more cynical view: “Whatever it is, I am sure it will be stupid and the worst outcome of it will happen immediately, like Cody Ware winning the title somehow.” While hyperbolic, the comment points to real concerns among fans that format reforms could lead to unintended consequences or perceived unfairness.
The frustration stems in part from past championships where consistency took a backseat and elimination luck played a significant role. Earnhardt Jr. referenced those frustrations when he discussed the current system.
Finally, a fan looking ahead predicted: “It will be a 10-race chase. Hopefully they get rid of win-and-in, but I’m not hopeful.” The current Cup Series format features 16 drivers, four rounds, and a final race to decide the champion, a structure in place since 2017.
As NASCAR weighs its options, fans speculate the “chase” could become shorter or more compressed. Earnhardt Jr. himself noted that a season-long points battle remains in the conversation, though he said its chances are “near zero.”
In short, with Earnhardt Jr. opening the door to format change, the discussions are real, but fans remain wary. Until NASCAR reveals specifics, the hope for improvement is real, but confidence is tempered by years of format tweaks and the potential for unexpected consequences.

Over the past few weeks, the rumor mill around Ram’s next move in NASCAR has found fresh fuel. The truck brand recently confirmed a full return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026 via a partnership with Kaulig Racing. With that backdrop, fans and insiders have begun speculating that Ram might go one step further: launching a reality-style competition show tied to driver selection for its upcoming NASCAR program.
Reports indicate Ram “is considering a reality television show on a search to discover brand new drivers” in connection with its re-entry. Now, the buzz has “names on the list” status. On Instagram and Reddit posts, a set of drivers is being floated as potential participants: Landon Huffman, Mini Tyrell, Carson Ferguson, Carson Brown, and Conner Jones.
An IG post stated, “Some names I’ve heard that could be included in the Ram competition show include Landon Huffman, Mini Tyrell, Carson Ferguson, Carson Brown, and Conner Jones.” The inclusion of “rising stars” alongside drivers who have short-track or dirt credentials points to a broad strategy of mixing youth, talent, and storyline appeal.
Conner Jones has become one of the standout young names in the CARS Tour, the Late Model Stock series now co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks. Competing regularly against some of the best short-track racers in the Southeast, Jones has earned attention not just for his speed, but for his composure and steady growth as a driver.
With the CARS Tour now under Dale Jr’s leadership group, Jones’s presence in the series has positioned him as one of Earnhardt’s rising stars. Dale Jr. has repeatedly said the goal of his involvement in the Tour is to “build a bridge for the next generation” of racers, and Jones fits that mold perfectly. He’s young, talented, and already gaining experience that could lead to bigger opportunities.
Whether he’s contending for wins in Late Models or gaining experience in national series like ARCA and Trucks, Conner Jones is emerging as a key name to watch in the next wave of drivers connected to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s developmental vision.
Of course, skepticism remains strong. Some fans point out how quickly the rumors emerged, the vague nature of listings, and the potential for “driver show” fatigue. After all, the sport has tried similar concepts in the past, like Roush Racing: Driver X, which also mixed selection shows with driver opportunities.
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That said, the fact that the platform is tied to a brand revival (Ram’s return to NASCAR) makes this rumor more compelling than most. If true, it means Ram isn’t just entering the sport. It’s trying to engage fans at the intersection of sport, media, and entertainment.
The rumor hints at something more than a sponsorship or manufacturer announcement. It suggests Ram may be looking to reshape how drivers are discovered and how brands connect with NASCAR’s younger fanbase. With names like Huffman, Tyrell, Ferguson, Brown, and Jones already circulating and the backdrop of Earnhardt Jr.’s star power and Ram’s return, this story is one to watch. Whether it becomes reality remains to be seen, but the garage chatter is unmistakable.
Fans on Reddit have already begun sharing their opinions.
Reddit roars with return rips
“If Kyle Larson is ‘Young Money,’ is Conner Jones ‘Just Money’?” one fan joked on Reddit after NASCAR Rumors & Nostalgia claimed that Conner Jones, along with Landon Huffman, Mini Tyrell, Carson Ferguson, and Carson Brown, could appear in a new Ram-sponsored NASCAR driver competition show.
The post quickly gained traction among short-track fans, especially since Ram has been linked to a potential return to NASCAR through a Truck Series program with Kaulig Racing in 2026. Sports Business Journal reported in July 2025 that Ram and NASCAR were discussing a “driver discovery and engagement project” to mark the brand’s first major motorsports push since 2008, potentially including a reality-style driver showcase.
“Huffman and Tyrell would be great picks, but Conner Jones? Not so much,” another fan argued, reflecting the divided perception surrounding Jones’ rapid rise through the ranks. Still, Jones has become one of the standout young names in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Series, now co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks since January 2023.
Competing regularly against elite short-track racers in the Southeast, Jones has earned attention not just for his resources but for his consistency and composure. In 2024, he recorded multiple top-fives and a top-five finish in the overall standings. Earnhardt Jr. has said his involvement in the CARS Tour is meant to “build a bridge for the next generation of racers,” and Jones fits that mission perfectly.
“Conner Jones is a perfect representation of the average brodozer-driving rageaholic douchebag. He’ll do Ram proud,” one fan quipped sarcastically. It is a reflection of how Jones’ confident, sometimes brash personality has drawn both fans and detractors.
While that comment was tongue-in-cheek, Jones’ hard-nosed driving and polished marketing presence have made him an intriguing figure for a brand like Ram, which thrives on blue-collar Americana and competitive grit. His resume includes CARS Tour success, ARCA Menards Series starts, and select Truck Series entries for ThorSport Racing, where he logged a best finish of 14th in limited action.
“This would explain Landon’s cryptic comment about having to miss an upcoming race, certainly,” one follower noted, connecting dots that Landon Huffman, another rumored participant, might have schedule conflicts hinting at filming. Huffman, a fan favorite in the CARS Tour, has built one of the most popular grassroots brands in racing through his YouTube channel documenting his family-run Late Model team.
“Carson Ferguson, whoa, that’s a wild one! Never expected him to leave the dirt,” wrote another commenter, reacting to the inclusion of the 24-year-old dirt late model racer. Ferguson has made his name on the World of Outlaws and XR Super Series circuits, winning marquee regional events and recently testing asphalt stock cars.
His crossover potential mirrors that of Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, both dirt aces turned NASCAR winners. Meanwhile, Carson Brown has competed in everything from ARCA to TA2 Trans-Am, reflecting an ambitious “run-anything” mentality that aligns with Ram’s tough, versatile image.
“Mini is Butterbean 2.0 — more talent than money. I really like him getting a shot,” another fan commented, referring to Mini Tyrell, the 19-year-old CARS Tour racer from Virginia. Tyrell, nicknamed “Mini” since childhood, has become one of the most consistent finishers in Late Model racing. His connection to Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen, another breakout grassroots name, makes him a sentimental favorite among fans who want to see underfunded, high-talent drivers shine on a bigger stage.
If this Ram-backed NASCAR driver reality project materializes, it would mark a refreshing return to showcasing grassroots talent, something NASCAR hasn’t done since the Roush Racing: Driver X series in 2005.
This rumored cast Huffman’s authenticity, Tyrell’s grit, Ferguson’s dirt pedigree, Brown’s versatility, and Dale Jr.’s protégé Conner Jones represents a cross-section of the sport’s evolving identity.
It’s a lineup that blends traditional short-track heart with modern marketing savvy. Whether or not the show hits production, the fan buzz alone shows that NASCAR’s next generation of personalities is already captivating attention both on and off the track.

Whispers have been circulating through the motorsport world that RAM is mounting a major international push, and now one Brazilian city has taken a bold step to support that ambition. Located on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, the city of Cidreira has approved the transfer of the land of the formerly abandoned Estádio Antônio Braz Sessim stadium (nicknamed ‘Sessinzão’) to a private concession.
The plan is to convert the old soccer stadium into an oval racetrack. Councilors voted unanimously for the transfer under a 30-year loan concession, signaling serious intent. The magnitude of the project is not trivial. The rebuild is estimated at R$50 million (roughly US $9.5 million) and could take up to 10 years to complete fully. The responsibility for leading the project falls to the Federação Gaúcha de Automobilismo (FGA), which will seek investors and manage the conversion.
The site’s history adds texture. The Sessinzão opened in 1996 at a cost of around R$2 million (that time 1 BRL=1 USD) and was meant to elevate Cidreira’s profile on the soccer map, yet has sat neglected since 2010 due to lack of use and prohibitive demolition costs.
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Why does this matter for RAM and global NASCAR ambitions? The oval conversion suggests Brazil is preparing to host more stock-car events and possibly a NASCAR-sanctioned showpiece. With the South American market growing and the existence of the NASCAR Brasil Series already established, a purpose-built oval in Brazil would give technical and promotional leverage for manufacturers like RAM seeking to expand in NASCAR’s international footprint. The announcement from Cidreira indicates that the infrastructure is beginning to follow the talk.
For the local community in Cidreira, the impact could extend far beyond motorsports. Converting the stadium into a racetrack has the potential to inject economic activity into the region, attract tourism, and repurpose an abandoned asset into something dynamic. One councilor noted that the stadium “has been abandoned since 2010” and the transfer to a concession model offers a chance to remove the public burden and deliver a private-sector-driven revitalization. The 30-year concession period underscores that this is a long-term project, not merely a short-term event fix.
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That said, the road ahead isn’t without hurdles. The 10-year timeline means any NASCAR-style event in Brazil may be several years away, and as with many such projects, financing, regulatory approvals, and construction logistics remain critical variables.
Moreover, while Brazil has already seen the introduction of oval tracks for NASCAR Brasil (for instance, at the Circuito dos Cristais in Minas Gerais), which debuted for the 2024 season, the Cidreira project is distinct in converting an old stadium rather than building new ground up, which introduces both creative opportunity and unique constraints.
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Fans on Reddit have ideas
Reddit Dreams Big on Brazil Oval “It’s Bowman Gray sized, about a quarter mile all the way around. It’s in rough shape, you can Google Street View on the dirt roads next to it.” The scale fits tight. Sessinzão started as a modest soccer ground, Bowman Gray style quarter-mile vibe rings true for the rebuild. Abandoned since 2010, the neglect shows. There are unpaved roads, crumbling stands seen. Street view shows all the proof that it’s ready for the revamp.
The stadium footprint measures compact, perfect for a high-banked, door-to-door short track. Council documents describe the oval conversion as utilizing the existing bowl structure, preserving the steep seating angles that already mimic Bowman Gray’s intimate, raucous atmosphere.
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Dirt access paths and overgrown lots surround the site, confirming the “rough shape” claim—years of zero maintenance have left concrete cracked, grass overtaking the field, and rust claiming metalwork. Yet that very decay fuels the vision of a purpose-built NASCAR-style oval in South America.
“A little Bristol in Brazil?” Cidreira Oval could aim for that same Bristol energy, short and loud. The half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway is legendary for its coliseum feel, 36-degree banking, 100,000 seats, and night races under the lights.
Cidreira’s plan scales that intensity down to quarter-mile proportions but keeps the stadium walls and steep sightlines. FGA officials have hinted at concrete surfacing and progressive banking to replicate the “Bristol bump and run” style.
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With NASCAR Brasil already running ovals, a true short-track bullring would give the series a signature venue, drawing U.S. drivers for exhibition races and giving RAM a showcase for its Truck Series return.
“They turned Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, for a little while, into a third mile. And there was 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis, a former AAA ballpark.” History supports this. The Toronto Exhibition flipped to a third-mile temp track, and Indianapolis 16th Street rose from ballpark bones. It proved that stadium swaps work. Cidreira could also follow that same book and turn soccer into speed. Both places prove that existing infrastructure can be adapted rather than demolished.
“Here’s an idea for a future site of the Clash. NASCAR is planning on putting on the Clash race in Brazil.” As NASCAR eyes global ambitions, Brazil brings good news for them. Sessinzão’s rebuild fits perfectly in the plan. The Busch Clash (now simply The Clash) has traveled, Daytona, LA Coliseum, and Bowman Gray. A Clash-style event in Brazil could headline the calendar, broadcast on U.S. networks, and showcase RAM trucks on a global stage.
Cidreira’s coastal location, two hours from Porto Alegre’s international airport, adds logistics appeal. Councilors have publicly tied the project to “international motorsport tourism,” leaving little doubt the target includes NASCAR’s pre-season spectacle.
“..10 years to complete…Good luck.” The timeline surely hurts. The work will be done in phases. The official concession agreement splits the build into three phases. First phase will see things like clearing the debris, putting in foundations, and installing basic paving. Second will add banking, barriers, lighting, and grandstand repairs. Third one will finish hospitality suites, media center, and FIA/NASCAR homologation.

If you’re a NASCAR junkie and find yourself already needing a fix now that the 2025 season is over and you’ll be in withdrawal for nearly the next three months, we have prepared a list of five of the season’s most memorable races and the highlight moments contained within.
Obviously, such a list is very subjective. What I pick may be totally opposite of what you may choose. That’s why my five choices should be taken with a grain of salt; I based my picks not so much on the best races overall, but also the most emotional races as well. If I chose against one or more of your personal highlight races, that doesn’t mean my choices were better or yours were.
Regardless, to kick things off, here are five races from this past season – including some of the key moments that made each event so memorable (click on the link for each race name to get the full replay) that will hopefully quench your hunger for speed, crazy passing … and yes, wrecks, sometimes lots of them.
Until next weekend at least, right? And with that, let’s look at some of the most emotional and memorable races from this recently completed season:
NASCAR Cup Championship Race:
We really hate to start with this one because it still hurts – and likely is going to continue to hurt for a long time – but Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin was three laps away from finally winning his first NASCAR Cup championship in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, only to have William Byron blow a tire and wreck, the race went an additional nine laps into overtime, and Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson snuck by to steal the championship away from Hamlin.
Race fans are going to talk about how this one ultimately played out for years. Hamlin dominated with 204 laps led and had it not been for a decision to go with four tires in the final pit stop in overtime – rather than matching Larson taking just two tires, which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two drivers to win the title – he woulda, coulda and shoulda won this one.
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Not to make Denny or his rabid fan base feel any worse than they already are, but the most telling part of the race actually came after it, when, while an ebullient Larson celebrated on the frontstretch, Hamlin meanwhile sat virtually motionless in his car on pit road in shock and disbelief for what seemed like hours, but was only for about two minutes.
With a series high six wins, including a milestone 60 of his lengthy Cup career, what was arguably the best chance Hamlin has ever had to finally break the championship jinx ended like every other time he’s come close: essentially, once again, close but no cigar.
Is it any wonder that he said after the race he doesn’t ever want to touch a race car again? But of course, we know he’ll be back next year to try again.
Coca-Cola 600:
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron had the car to win, led a race-high 283 of 400 laps, and was just six laps away from taking the checkered flag.
But Ross Chastain had other ideas. Even though he started last in the 40-car field of NASCAR’s longest race each season, Chastain passed Byron with those six remaining laps, and then the Florida watermelon farmer held off a last-lap charge by Byron to earn his first and only win of the season
It was Chastain’s sole win of the season, but it was crucially important as it qualified the TrackHouse Racing driver for the Cup playoffs. Unfortunately, Chastain would fail to advance past the Round of 8, ultimately ending 10 in the final standings.
One other key point is that this race was the first ever aired by Prime Sports – part of the streaming service’s five-race part of the overall NASCAR broadcast rights package – and it drew rave reviews for great camera and announcing work. It was indeed a nice job for a NASCAR “rookie.”
Brickyard 400:
From a technical standpoint, this wasn’t necessarily the most exciting race of the season.
But it stood out for a number of reasons, including being Bubba Wallace’s first win of the season (and first since the 2022 season), his third career Cup triumph, and punched his ticket into the playoffs.
Winning one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races showed that the 23XI Racing driver, who had a terrible first two-thirds of the season (finished 19 or worse in 13 of the first 22 races), was able to beat the best of the best in one of the biggest races each season.
Wallace, who started on the outside pole (tied for his best start of the season with his start at Austin), passed best friend Ryan Blaney with 26 laps remaining and then held on to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most renowned racetrack in the world.
Perhaps the most fitting and emotional ending was when Wallace, with tears of joy in his eyes, lifted his 10-month-old son, Becks, above his head in triumph.
Viva Mexico 250 (and “Mas”, which is Spanish for “more”):
This was not only the first Cup race ever to be contested in Mexico, but how winner Shane Van Gisbergen won it was a textbook lesson for all of his fellow Cup competitors on how to win on a road course.
In his first full NASCAR Cup season, the man known with the simple nickname of “SVG” naturally qualified first and led five different times in the 100-lap race, including the final 32 laps around the 2.420-mile Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City.
Van Gisbergen dominated this race like none other that he’s won thus far in his Cup career, winning by an unheard of 16.5 seconds over runner-up Christopher Bell.
But there’s more to the tale of SVG than just this race. In the six road course events on the NASCAR Cup schedule this season, the New Zealand native and former three-time Australian Supercars champ won five of them and also qualified either No. 1 or 2, also in five of them. Even when he failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs, Van Gisbergen still won the second round playoff race on the Charlotte Roval.
One other point to make: had it not been for a poor pit stop late in the Austin race (which ultimately led to a sixth-place finish), there’s a good likelihood that the driver of TrackHouse Racing’s No. 88 Chevrolet would have made it six-for-six wins on road courses this season.
There’s always next season to run a perfect slate – and to come even closer, if not surpass, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon’s record of most road course races in the Cup Series: nine. But SVG is in good company with six career Cup wins thus far, as there are only a few others ahead of him with more (or at least he’s tied with six) wins on road courses: in addition to Gordon’s nine, there’s Tony Stewart (eight), Chase Elliott (seven), and six each by Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison, Kyle Larson and Richard Petty.
We might point out that, aside from Larson, Elliott, and now SVG, all of whom are still active, all the other drivers with six or more career road-course wins are NASCAR Hall of Famers.
South Point 400:
Yes, I concede there likely are several other races that were more competitive or action-packed that could – and perhaps should – be in this top five list, including Atlanta 2, Bristol 2, Daytona 2, and Richmond, among others.
But the second Las Vegas race (and the first one earlier in the year gave Josh Berry his first Cup win and short-lived playoff berth) was among the other most emotional finishes of the season. Normally very measured and even grizzled at times, race winner Denny Hamlin broke down in tears of joy and happiness after taking the checkered flag.
The reasons for Hamlin’s emotional display were several. First, it was his milestone 60 career Cup win (earned from the pole). Kyle Busch (63 wins) is the only other active full-time driver to achieve or exceed the 60-win mark. And given that the next closest behind Busch and Hamlin is three-time Cup champ Joey Logano with just 37 career wins, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see another driver reach 60 wins.
It was also the third time in Hamlin’s career that he earned six or more wins in a season and appeared to finally be on the precipice of earning his first career Cup championship.
Unfortunately, it would ultimately prove not to be in the season finale at Phoenix.
Perhaps the most touching aspect of Hamlin’s win several weeks ago at Las Vegas was how he dedicated the win to his seriously ill 75-year-old father, Dennis. It was Hamlin’s parents who took out a second mortgage and did other things to ensure that their very talented son would not only financially be able to continue racing but also that he’d ultimately become a success, which he definitely has been and will unquestionably be a future first-ballot NASCAR Hall of Famer.

On paper, the NASCAR Cup Series boasts 15 full-time organizations. Now, this makes it look like a seemingly competitive landscape brimming with opportunity. But, if you look beneath that polished surface, it’s the same trio that continues to dictate the pace: Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske. These powerhouses carry decades of legacy, technical depth, and, most importantly, financial muscle, setting them apart from the rest of the grid.
That imbalance is exactly what NASCAR hopes to address with its ongoing parity push. By tightening rules, standardizing parts, and exploring cost-controlling measures, the sanctioning body aims to level the playing field. All to give smaller teams a fighting chance. Yet, not everyone is convinced that parity can be truly achieved. Dale Earnhardt Jr, in particular, believes the sport’s DNA might be too complex to cap or equalize. Here’s why.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s skepticism
While on one hand, NASCAR is pushing aggressively for parity in the sport, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes true parity in NASCAR is an illusion, arguing it’s impossible to achieve equal competitiveness for every team. He said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, “There’s, you know, eight teams that are level or ten teams, right? That everybody that has a charter has an equal opportunity to go win a championship, I just don’t know that you will ever have that. You’re always going to have disparity in talent throughout the entire building,” he said.
He points out that each manufacturer, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, already has its own “A team.” For example, Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and Joe Gibbs Racing. Even if a fourth manufacturer joins (like Dodge in 2026), it will simply add another “A team,” not elevate all charter holders to championship contention.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. insists there will always be a hierarchy determined by differences in talent on the pit box, behind the wheel, and within every staff member, down to the janitor. For him, parity in people and resources is unattainable; there’s a natural disparity that influences outcomes.
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He is also critical of plans to introduce a cost cap, referencing Formula 1’s model to show how easily teams bend the rules. “And there’s this other idea, too, of a cost cap. How do you place that? You can’t do that.” He went on to say, “I believe there’ll be some shady behind-the-scenes things going on, and it’s just going to make it feel ickier and dirtier,” he said.
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And, he is not wrong. We’ve already seen that happen in Formula 1. Teams like Red Bull and Aston Martin have exploited accounting loopholes and gray areas (such as creative interpretations of allowable expense categories) to continue gaining advantages even after the cap’s implementation. These actions prompted both controversy and regulatory tweaks. Thus, Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels that introducing a cost cap will also make NASCAR “ickier and dirtier,” rather than reducing inequality.
Dale Jr. warns NASCAR (and other motorsports) doesn’t need rigid guidelines, arguing that innovation and investment have always fueled the sport’s progress and identity. He believes that authentic performance will always outpace artificial rules, and the pursuit of parity could undermine the natural drama that defines NASCAR’s appeal. “[Motorsports] doesn’t need these guidelines. It just kind of needs to be it. It’s always been about creativity, money buys speed, um, you know, all those things,” he concluded.
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A look at parity in the Next-Gen era
If NASCAR’s goal with the Next-Gen car was to level the playing field, the numbers from the 2025 season certainly make a strong case. A total of thirty-four drivers (thirty-three of them full-time) scored at least one top-five finish, the highest number since 2001. It was one more than last year’s 33 and only the third time since 1972 that the series has seen such a spread of top-tier performances.
The wins were just as evenly distributed. Denny Hamlin led the pack with six victories, while road course sensation Shane van Gisbergen followed with five. Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell also collected four wins each, with 2025 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron each grabbing three. NASCAR Insights posted a season recap on X that perfectly summed up the balance across the grid.
Looking back, the 2024 season featured eighteen different race winners. This tied for the third most in the modern era. For comparison, 2022 saw nineteen unique winners, while 2023 had fifteen. Since the Next-Gen car’s introduction, no driver has managed to win more than six races in a single season.
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Contrast that with the pre–Next-Gen years: in 2021, there were sixteen different winners, but Kyle Larson alone took ten checkered flags. And in 2018, just twelve drivers won all year, with Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. combining for a staggering twenty-two of thirty-six race victories. Over 60% of the season.
So, has the Next-Gen car brought parity? Absolutely! At least in terms of weekly competition. But when it comes to championships, the same powerhouse organizations continue to reign supreme. From 2000 to 2021, every title went to a Tier 1, manufacturer-backed team, with 2017 standing as the lone exception, when Martin Truex Jr. clinched the championship with Furniture Row Racing.

Change has always been part of NASCAR’s DNA. However, lately (since the Next-Gen era), it’s felt more like a full-blown identity makeover. The schedule has turned into a living experiment. New venues are popping up in flashy cityscapes, street circuits are winding through skyscrapers, and fresh audiences are filling grandstands that didn’t exist a few years ago. It’s all part of NASCAR’s mission to modernize, to expand beyond its traditional roots and bring the roar of V8 engines to new corners of America.
Yet, in the process of adding the new, something old (and deeply beloved) has been slipping away. As the sport pushes toward the future, a wave of nostalgia has swept through the fanbase after a recent poll, reigniting emotional debates about what’s being lost in this era of change.
Poll reveals love for abandoned NASCAR race track
It all started with a tweet. A simple chart was shared by veteran journalist Jeff Gluck. “Another cool chart via @Steub_: Four years into the Next Gen car, here’s how every track’s poll average ranks.” What stood out wasn’t the data itself, but what it revealed. Sitting at the very top of the list was Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway, earning a staggering 90.7% positive vote, even though NASCAR no longer races there.
Just below it is Michigan, an active track, with 87.2%. That statistic hit fans hard. How could a demolished track still be rated higher than nearly every modern venue NASCAR still visits? For many, Fontana wasn’t just another stop on the schedule. The two-mile oval carved out its own legacy in Southern California, hosting NASCAR races from 1997 to 2023.
Over those 26 years, it saw the roar of all three national series (the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck), though the Trucks made their final laps back in 2009. The track delivered its share of unforgettable moments, including Jimmie Johnson’s emotional hometown victories and even one of the most dramatic finishes of the Next Gen era in 2023. Remember how Kyle Busch triumphed for his first win for RCR in what would unknowingly become Fontana’s farewell race?
After that final checkered flag, Auto Club Speedway closed its gates for good, slated for a long-discussed transformation into a half-mile short track. But as the years passed, the bulldozers came. But the promises stalled. The iconic two-mile layout is now nothing more than dirt and memory, its future uncertain.
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And as Jeff Gluck’s tweet made its rounds, fans couldn’t help but voice what everyone was thinking: NASCAR’s best racing venue might just be the one it tore down.
Fan outcry as Auto Club Speedway steals the spotlight
The fact that Fontana (Auto Club Speedway) is gone but still ranks as the number one fan-favorite track has left many NASCAR enthusiasts feeling appalled. One fan commented, “The fact Fontana is gone and it’s P1 is sickening.” The Next Gen California project sought to transform the site by building a new half-mile short track. However, as 2025 ends, little progress has been made.
Only a few suites, grandstands, and pit road remnants remain. Since its last NASCAR race in February 2023, redevelopment has been slow. This has, naturally, fueled frustration among longtime fans who remember the thrills the 2-mile, D-shaped oval delivered for decades.
One vocal fan lamented, “It’s crazy how the top track here was sold because the offer was ‘too good to pass up,’ and the replacement short track probably will never be built.” Another echoed the sentiment, saying,“Very telling that the best track we had according to the fans Nascar decided to sell.”
Indeed, NASCAR sold 433 of the 522-acre site for around $544 million, paving the way for warehouses and an industrial park now occupying the land. The replacement track was nowhere to be seen. This has fueled fresh anger among the fans. But now, the long straightaways, high banking, and technical corners, remain just a memory.
Some even claim this move violated NASCAR’s rulebook. “Killing Fontana was a violation of NASCAR rulebook Section 12.1,” one fan said. Section 12.1 pertains to actions detrimental to stock car racing. And the fans feel NASCAR did exactly that by abandoning their beloved track. The growing discontent reflects deep feelings about NASCAR prioritizing financial gains over maintaining cherished racing venues, leaving fans to debate what sacrifices modernizing the sport should entail.
Finally, one fan offered a solution. “Solution? Fontana Street Course, who says no?” However, back in April this year, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps indicated the status of the project (including building the street course) is uncertain, given the cost of the project. “Do I think creating a short track out there would be a cool thing for us? Yes,” Phelps explained. “With that said, it’s $300 million to build that facility. Is that the best use of that money? That is the big question. The cost of capital right now is still really high, so for us to just press pause right now is essentially what we’re doing.”
As 2025 draws to a close, Auto Club Speedway’s ghost still looms large over NASCAR’s “modern” era. The fans’ unwavering nostalgia proves one thing. Progress may bring new venues and opportunities, but it can’t replace history. For now, Fontana remains both a wound and a reminder: sometimes, the heart of racing beats loudest in the past.