Circle Tracks

It’s still a longshot but Denny Hamlin might not be able to say he ‘beat your favorite driver,’ much longer because in a twist of irony, he’s now becoming one of them. For the first time in his career, the polarizing veteran cracked the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Awards finals, meaning the 44-year-old is one of the five highest vote getters as of this ...Keep readingView the full article

While battling for tenth place with 55 laps to go, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driver Dillon and his former team-mate Reddick made contact entering Turn 1 as they ran three-wide with Brad Keselowski to their outside. Dillon was the only one who lost out, spinning across the track and slamming the outside wall. The 2018 Daytona 500 winner was able to climb from the car under his own ...Keep readingView the full article

On the final overtime restart at Talladega Superspeedway, Hendrick Motorsports controlled both lanes with William Byron and Kyle Larson. On the final lap, they ended up leading the bottom together, with Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe to their outside. Suddenly, Larson ran out of fuel and the outside line surged ahead, opening the door for Briscoe to cut under Wallace and snatch the lead away ...Keep readingView the full article

Despite all the changes, Dover still largely feels like Dover according to NASCAR Cup Series drivers this weekend. The changes include, primarily, the first race at The Monster Mile, in which the new short track rules package and increased horsepower have been affixed to the NextGen car. Additionally, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports have applied a light coating of resin across the entire ...Keep readingView the full article

“There is an expectation that the (Driver Ambassador Program) will be a part of the future charter structure and that the drivers, through the (Driver Advisory Council, will have their voice heard on important issues that impact the drivers.” That is the most important line of a legal filing issued by the Driver Advisory Council in the form of an amicus brief included in the 23XI Racing and ...Keep readingView the full article

It's hard to explain what happened on the final lap of the Daytona 500, but it was pure mayhem. Carson Hocevar was leading at the white flag, but he got turned from the lead. The race stayed green, and Chase Elliott surged ahead with a push from Zane Smith. But then came Tyler Reddick with a helpful push from teammate Riley Herbst, passing Elliott at the exit of Turn 4. The field fanned out ...Keep readingView the full article

Just like everyone predicted, BJ McCleod Motorsports and Garage66 made it into the Daytona 500 over cars fielded by RFK Racing, Front Row Motorsports and a Richard Childress Racing affiliate. In the words of Casey Mears, driving the Garage66 for Carl Long, anything can happen at Daytona. It’s the reason McLeod and Mears signed up to drive figurative knives to a figurative gunfight. When ...Keep readingView the full article

In addition to the ARCA Menards Series race on the same day, Dystany Spurlock is set to make her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Watkins Glen International on May 8. She will drive the  No. 69 Foxxtecca Toyota for MBM Motorsports/Garage 66. “I’m excited for Watkins Glen,” Spurlock said in a release from the team. “It’s been a while since I’ve raced on a road course, so ...Keep readingView the full article

The Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet driver missed out on the playoffs for the first time since joining the Cup Series in 2016 after failing to secure the win he needed to progress. Bubba Wallace therefore secured the 16th and final spot on points, leaving 2020 champion Elliott unable to end this year higher than 17th. Elliott holds the fifth-best average finish among full-time drivers this ...Keep readingView the full article

Even Kurt Busch is surprised that NASCAR didn’t penalize his brother, two-time Cup Series champion, Kyle Busch. The 2004 Cup Series champion, who won his title with Roush Racing, appeared on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast this week and was asked about the penalty to Ryan Preece due to the incident with Ty Gibbs two weeks ago at Texas but also the non-penalty for his brother’s contact with ...Keep readingView the full article

There was minimal movement throughout the NASCAR Cup Series garage during the off-season, but still enough to talk about. Beyond driver moves, there were also a couple of manufacturer changes and a flurry of crew chief swaps that will be notable stories to follow during the year. Here's a look at what's different for 2026: Drivers on the move Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing ...Keep readingView the full article

Talladega Superspeedway is one of the most unpredictable races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, so it should be no surprise that a dozen different drivers have secured their first -- and in many cases only -- Cup win at the iconic track. It hasn't happened yet in the Next Gen era, but several drivers have been close to becoming the 13th first-time winner at Dega. Of the 41 drivers on the ...Keep readingView the full article

For some, their Daytona 500 dream will end on Thursday night at the end of the Daytona Duel races. Along with the 36 chartered entries that are guaranteed a spot in the race, nine open entries have also entered the Daytona 500 – bringing the entry list to 45 cars. The problem is that there are only 41 spots available on the grid for NASCAR's biggest race. Through time trials on Wednesday and ...Keep readingView the full article

Denny Hamlin has been racing in the NASCAR Cup Series for 20 years, ending the year inside the top five in the championship standings ten times. That impressive career includes 60 career wins (tied for tenth on the all-time wins list), three Daytona 500 trophies, three Southern 500 triumphs, and a Coca-Cola 600. He's even won the All-Star Race. And while Hamlin has never won a NASCAR Cup ...Keep readingView the full article

In 68 editions of the Daytona 500, NASCAR has seen plenty of surprise or unexpected winners. However, it wasn't until 2017 that the victor in stock car racing's crown jewel event only led the final lap of the 200-lap battle. While it did not happen once between 1959 and 2016, the phenomenon has now occurred four times in the last decade. It showcases just how unpredictable modern superspeedway ...Keep readingView the full article

"I am once again amazed at the effort going on to burn this house down over everyone's head but I’m a fire marshal and I'll be here in December if need be." That was a warning, expressed on June 25 by Judge Kenneth D. Bell, to both parties involved in the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v NASCAR antitrust lawsuit over what could happen if a settlement is not reached in advance of a ...Keep readingView the full article

At Motorsport.com, you can find expert analysis, on-site reporting and breaking news from all around the racing world, but this article is tailored specifically for those who are just wading into the waters of the NASCAR world. This is your comprehensive overview of what you can expect, and many answers to the pressing questions you are likely to have. We'll try not to get too in-depth, offering a ...Keep readingView the full article

It was one of the most epic victory celebrations in the history of motorsports on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Carson Hocevar, who stands 6'4", sat on his door against the B-post and was able to work the clutch and throttle to be able to drive both ways around the track while personally waving to the attending fans following his win in the Jack Link’s 500. In fact, someone even ...Keep readingView the full article

Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez spent the last four years as teammates at Trackhouse Racing, but they aren't teammates any longer. Suarez now drives for Spire Motorsports after being let go from Trackhouse, and he has had a solid start to the 2026 season. But on Sunday, Suarez and Chastain were running at the backend of the top 20. Battling for 17th, Chastain passed Suarez to the outside with ...Keep readingView the full article

Chevrolet is updating the Camaro that they race in the NASCAR Cup Series for 2026 and bringing the most drastic changes to the body since the launch of the Next Gen car. While it may appear similar to the outgoing car at first glance, the Camaro ZL1 Cup car sees updates to every available body panel that NASCAR allows and is poised to be faster at short tracks and intermediates along with ...Keep readingView the full article

Button will join Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller behind the wheel of the Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet Camaro at the 24 Hours of Le Mans later this year as a Garage 56 entry. The 43-year-old didn't say no to the prospect of potentially running NASCAR Cup races in the future, though says he would only be interested in road courses - and due to recent schedule changes at NASCAR's ...Keep readingView the full article

The house fired that claimed the life of Dennis Hamlin, the father of NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin, has been ruled accidental with the precise cause of the December 28 incident remaining unknown. This is according to a final report in the aftermath of an investigation by the Gaston County Fire Services. The fire started in a bedroom but the report also stated that the heat source, type ...Keep readingView the full article

As Kyle Larson claimed an unexpected title without leading a single lap, Denny Hamlin was forced to settle for second in the championship standings. Ryan Blaney claimed the checkered flag with a pass on Brad Keselowski in the final corner, while newly crowned two-time Cup Series champion Larson finished third. This year, 60 different drivers started NASCAR Cup races, but only 44 were ...Keep readingView the full article

The final NASCAR Cup Series practice session of the year, for the championship race at Phoenix Raceway, contained no shortage of drama and intrigue. Overall, there were numerous left side tire failures, and that included a championship finalist. The first was Chase Briscoe and then two straight left side failures by AJ Allmendinger, the second of which caused a crash that will send him to a ...Keep readingView the full article

Next season, Shane van Gisbergen will get to drive the No. 97 in the Cup Series for the first time -- a number that means a lot to the three-time Supercars champion. The team announced the number change in an emotional video that was released earlier this month. Now, Trackhouse has offered a first glimpse at the the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 wrapped in Red Bull colors. The team also showcased ...Keep readingView the full article