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The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

Carson Hocevar rises at Talladega for emotional first NASCAR Cup Series victory
 

getty images
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Fitting for his first career NASCAR Cup Series win, Carson Hocevar turned in an ultra-original victory celebration sitting on the window ledge of his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet while driving around the massive 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway soaking up the emotions that will forever define and reward his first victory lap. 
The huge crowd loved the unique celebration and the 23-year old Michigan native deservedly soaked it all in after earning a .114-second victory over Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing veteran Chris Buescher in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at the iconic Talladega track completing a solid, no-holds-barred three-lap run to the checkered flag for his first trophy in NASCAR’s premier series.
It marks the second time in the last three races a driver earned his first career victory – matching the work of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs two weeks ago at Bristol, Tenn.
“I’ve had this thought up for a while,’’ Hocevar said of his winning salute. “And I’ve messed it up every which way to not be able to do it. And I don’t care if I took me 20 minutes or whatever I was going to figure out how to do it.
“I’m just so thankful,’’ he said, the grandstand crowd roaring in approval. “This is the biggest dream I’ve ever thought of. Thank you everybody. I couldn’t have done it any better way. Hopefully my grandfather is watching. My grandmother died last year and I’m just so thankful I can give my grandfather a trophy now.’’
“Just unbelievable, I’m just so thankful,’’ he added. “I knew we were going to win. I really did.’’
Over the three years he’s competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, Hocevar has taken some criticism for his bold – at times imprudent – driving style. But on Sunday, Hocevar proved his metal in the big leagues leading 19 of the final 37 laps in the 188-lap classic and holding the field off on three late race restarts.
“He deserved it for sure and this is a perfect place for him to get it,’’ third place finisher, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman said of Hocevar.
Buescher, who also scored his career-best finish at Talladega said, “That was a fun race all the way until the end.
“Man, it was close. … awesome day and it was a good race.”
Hendrick’s Chase Elliott, a two-time Talladega winner, finished fourth in the No. 9 Chevrolet with Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith rallying to an impressive fifth place finish in the No. 38 Ford, also setting the fastest lap of the race.
Another former Talladega winner, Hyak Motorsports’ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished sixth, followed by Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, Front Row’s Noah Gragson and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, whose 10th place showing Sunday was the first top-10 of the season for the venerable Richard Childress Racing team.
There were 16 leaders and 52 lead changes on the day, with JGR’s Christopher Bell leading a race-high 31 laps despite finishing 17th. RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece and Ross Chastain were the race’s two stage winners.
Half the field – literally – was eliminated from legitimate winning contention in a wild 26-car melee in Turn 3 on lap 115 that included championship leader Tyler Reddick among the two-dozen collected. And it all started up front. 
Contact between the front cars of leader Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain triggered the chain reaction incident and brought out a 10-minute red flag stoppage. A handful of those involved – including 23XI Racing’s Wallace and fellow past Talladega winners and Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano - were no longer able to continue but a sizable number of those involved were able to return to the track.
“Got wrecked there, unfortunately,’’ Wallace offered in an understatement after leading three times on the day. “Our Xfinity Toyota Camry was a little unstable getting pushed, but manageable. Maybe that hard of a hit was too much, so unfortunately, we wiped out a bunch of cars.
“Got to debrief, got to be better. Just kind of riding around, not doing much in the first stage – nothing to show for it at Talladega. Unfortunate, it is a place we come to with a lot of confidence, and it is what it is. We will put this one behind us and go on to Texas and have some fun.” 
Blaney was equally as frustrated, but like so many of those caught up in the incident, also philosophical about the close-quarter brand of speedway racing that has so often produced NASCAR’s version of the “the big one.’’
“I feel like we all just got pinballing off each other there,’’ Blaney said, adding, “It’s not like there’s any blame on anybody. It’s what this thing is. We see each other. We all just kind of get bumping and banging and one guy eventually gets turned with the car being as unstable as it is. It definitely stinks to be out early.”  
A five-time race winner this season, Reddick was also among those whose cars suffered damage in the massive mid-race incident. Hoping to win his fifth race from pole position this season, instead the Californian had to recover from damage in both the big accidents and then again after his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota clipped the wall with 27 to go.
He stayed on the lead lap and managed a 14th place finish in the 40-car field and maintains a commanding lead atop the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings, 110 points over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin – one of Reddick’s 23XI Racing team owners. 
The NASCAR Cup Series moves west for its annual stop at Texas Motor Speedway for next Sunday’s Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY (3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Joey Logano is the defending race winner.
 
NASCAR Cup Series Race - Jack Link's 500
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega, Alabama
Sunday, April 26, 2026
 
          1. (12)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 188.
          2. (10)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 188.
          3. (20)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 188.
          4. (8)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 188.
          5. (30)  Zane Smith, Ford, 188.
          6. (22)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 188.
          7. (24)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 188.
          8. (13)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 188.
          9. (29)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 188.
          10. (34)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 188.
          11. (19)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 188.
          12. (16)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 188.
          13. (35)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 188.
          14. (1)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 188.
          15. (3)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 188.
          16. (28)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 188.
          17. (14)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 188.
          18. (11)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 188.
          19. (18)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 188.
          20. (33)  Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 188.
          21. (36)  Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 188.
          22. (23)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 187.
          23. (21)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 187.
          24. (40)  Daniel Dye(i), Chevrolet, 186.
          25. (17)  Riley Herbst, Toyota, 186.
          26. (32)  Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 185.
          27. (37)  Jesse Love(i), Chevrolet, 185.
          28. (38)  Chad Finchum(i), Ford, 182.
          29. (5)  Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 180.
          30. (39)  Joey Gase(i), Chevrolet, 177.
          31. (6)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 166.
          32. (31)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 149.
          33. (26)  Josh Berry, Ford, Accident, 124.
          34. (9)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, Accident, 122.
          35. (7)  William Byron, Chevrolet, Accident, 119.
          36. (4)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, Accident, 114.
          37. (15)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, Accident, 114.
          38. (27)  Cole Custer, Chevrolet, Accident, 114.
          39. (25)  Joey Logano, Ford, Accident, 114.
          40. (2)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Accident, 114.
 
Average Speed of Race Winner:  147.504 mph.
Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 23 Mins, 25 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.114 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  6 for 30 laps.
Lead Changes:  52 among 16 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   T. Reddick 0;D. Hamlin 1-2;A. Dillon 3;C. Briscoe 4-5;D. Hamlin 6-7;C. Briscoe 8;D. Hamlin 9;*. Finchum(i) 10-17;D. Hamlin 18-40;R. Preece 41-46;T. Reddick 47-48;T. Gibbs 49-60;M. McDowell 61;T. Gibbs 62-63;A. Dillon 64;T. Gibbs 65-67;A. Dillon 68-69;C. Bell 70-87;R. Preece 88-100;R. Stenhouse Jr. 101-102;B. Wallace 103;R. Chastain 104-105;B. Wallace 106;R. Chastain 107-110;J. Logano 111-113;B. Wallace 114;R. Preece 115-116;C. Bell 117-121;R. Chastain 122-131;C. Bell 132-135;R. Chastain 136-137;C. Bell 138;R. Chastain 139;C. Bell 140-142;R. Chastain 143-145;N. Gragson 146-147;C. Buescher 148-150;C. Hocevar 151-155;C. Buescher 156;C. Hocevar 157-160;C. Buescher 161-165;C. Hocevar 166;C. Buescher 167-172;C. Hocevar 173-174;C. Buescher 175;C. Hocevar 176-177;C. Buescher 178;C. Hocevar 179-180;C. Buescher 181-184;C. Hocevar 185-186;C. Buescher 187;C. Hocevar 188;A. Dillon 189.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Christopher Bell 5 times for 31 laps; Denny Hamlin 4 times for 28 laps; Chris Buescher 8 times for 22 laps; Ross Chastain 6 times for 22 laps; Ryan Preece 3 times for 21 laps; Carson Hocevar 8 times for 19 laps; Ty Gibbs 3 times for 17 laps; * Chad Finchum(i) 1 time for 8 laps; Austin Dillon 4 times for 5 laps; Chase Briscoe 2 times for 3 laps; Joey Logano 1 time for 3 laps; Bubba Wallace 3 times for 3 laps; Noah Gragson 1 time for 2 laps; Tyler Reddick 1 time for 2 laps; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 time for 2 laps; Michael McDowell 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 60,6,22,17,12,21,45,4,34,1
Stage #2 Top Ten: 1,20,17,47,34,60,51,48,9,38

 

 

Tyler Reddick on pole for Talladega after qualifying rainout

 

April 25, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

TALLADEGA, Ala. – With light but steady rain showers forecast for the morning, NASCAR cancelled Saturday’s Busch Light Pole Qualifying session at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and set the 40-car field line up for Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) according to a pre-determined metric.

 

The current NASCAR Cup Series points leader, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick will start his No. 45 Toyota from pole position according to the rule book. He has earned four of his five race wins from pole position this season and if he wins Sunday, would become the first driver since the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt to win three consecutive races on drafting style tracks. He’s previously won the Daytona 500 season-opener and at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.

 

Two-time and reigning series champion Kyle Larson will start his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet alongside Reddick on the front row in pursuit of his career first Talladega trophy. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin will start third in the No. 11 Toyota, with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and JGR’s Chase Briscoe rounding out the top-five.

 

The current winningest driver on the 3.66-mile Talladega high banks, Brad Keselowski will roll off sixth in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford racing for his seventh 'Dega victory and first anywhere since 2024. Defending Talladega race winner, Penske Racing’s Austin Cindric will roll off 13th in the No. 2 Ford.

 

“I think it [qualifying] provides you an advantage on pit road and I think anytime you come to these tracks with a 500-mile race you’re going to have to come from behind at some point, come from the back foot at some point, so from a track position standpoint, ideally you’d like to start up front,’’ Cindric said.

 

“Otherwise having a good pit stall is critically important. We see pit road execution being absolutely critical at these races – all races – but behind able to have an opening or pick who you’re around in a more “earned scenario, I see that as the most important thing missed today.”

 

There have been 11 different race winners in the last 11 Talladega races. Briscoe won in the series’ last trip to Talladega and would be the first driver since Ryan Blaney (2019-2020) to win in consecutive races here.

 

 

---30---

David Jensen/Getty Images

  

 

April 19, 2026

 

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

 

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—Tyler Reddick scraped the outside wall in the closing laps. His fuel system stumbled at a critical moment. He collided with fellow Toyota driver Christopher Bell in overtime. He fell behind defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson on the final restart.

 

Yet, in a magical season for the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, Reddick won Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in spite of all the adversity.

 

The catalyst was Cody Ware’s spin on Lap 266, the penultimate circuit of the scheduled regulation distance. That incident caused the third caution of the race one lap after Denny Hamlin had retaken the lead from Reddick, who switched to pump 2 in his Camry after the car sputtered with two laps left.

 

Ware’s spin sent the race to overtime, and all 16 cars on the lead lap came to pit road for tires, with Hamlin, Reddick, Larson, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace and five cars behind them taking right-side tires only.

 

Moments after the overtime restart on Lap 273, Larson steered to the inside of Hamlin on the bottom row and charged into the lead. Reddick fell back after his contact with Bell’s Toyota forced Bell into the outside wall.

 

But the outside lane opened up for Reddick, whose handling was superior to Larson’s in the overtime. Reddick mustered a huge run in the top lane, then drove to the inside of Larson’s Chevrolet, which tightened up on corner entry.

 

Reddick cleared Larson through the final two corners and crossed the finish line 0.118 seconds ahead of the reigning champion.

 

“Just really blessed with the late caution,” said Reddick, who won for the fifth time this season, the second time at Kansas and the 13th time in his career. “Was that nuts or what? I couldn't believe it.

 

“I mean, first off, I feel like I have to say obviously just for how I feel. I never like being on the inside of it—really hate that for Christopher Bell. Good, hard racing. The 11 (Hamlin) came up. I mean, I took off tight. Not thrilled I got Christopher there. I hate that for him because he was having a good, solid day.

 

“Man, these late race restarts get crazy. I obviously had a run on the 5 (Larson). I was shocked I was able to get to his inside there. An incredible SupplyHouse Toyota Camry all day long.”

 

Reddick is the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987—and fourth all-time—to win five of the first nine races of a season in NASCAR’s top division. His series lead increased to 105 points over second-place Hamlin, who won the first stage.

 

NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Hamlin, was elated with the victory.

 

“This kid is on fire,” said Jordan, who has witnessed all five of Reddick’s victories this season in person. “I don’t know how I can ever cool him down. He is unbelievable. Unbelievable last couple laps. I'm proud of the whole team.”

 

Larson, who led 78 laps and won the second stage, executed the overtime restart to perfection but couldn’t hold the lead.

 

“I got to the lead, and I thought I could cruise right there to the checkered flag, but my balance on two tires was just super, super tight,” said Larson, whose winless streak grew to 33 races. “I didn’t get through (Turns) 3 and 4 fast enough, and then the No. 45 (Reddick) had such a big run on me from behind.

 

“I thought I could go to the top to get some load into my front tires, but it still didn’t turn there. That was a bummer, but just overall happy with the day we had.”

 

Chase Briscoe finished third on four new tires, with Hamlin and Wallace running fourth and fifth, respectively. Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher completed the top 10.

 

Bell, who led 47 laps, spun coming to the white flag in overtime and finished 20th.

 

Hamlin led a race-high 131 laps and was positioned for the victory until Ware’s spin.

 

“I mean, obviously it's not winning,” Hamlin said of the way the race played out. “It's Cody Ware, six laps down, wrecking. I don't know. It just added up.

 

“I fell for the same move that the 5 (Larson) got me a couple years ago when I was on the inside. I got to learn from those mistakes that I make, not executing those last few laps.”

 

The NASCAR Cup Series races next in the Jack Link’s 500 next Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway (3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, HBO Max and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Reddick won the spring race at Talladega in 2024.

 

NASCAR Cup Series Race - AdventHealth 400

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kansas

Sunday, April 19, 2026

 

                      1. (1)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 274.

                      2. (4)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 274.

                      3. (5)  Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 274.

                      4. (2)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 274.

                      5. (10)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 274.

                      6. (21)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 274.

                      7. (14)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 274.

                      8. (13)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 274.

                      9. (3)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 274.

                      10. (7)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 274.

                      11. (12)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 274.

                      12. (34)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 274.

                      13. (6)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 274.

                      14. (22)  Riley Herbst, Toyota, 274.

                      15. (24)  Corey Heim(i), Toyota, 274.

                      16. (20)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 274.

                      17. (26)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 274.

                      18. (33)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 274.

                      19. (8)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 274.

                      20. (11)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 273.

                      21. (16)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 273.

                      22. (32)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 273.

                      23. (19)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 273.

                      24. (9)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 273.

                      25. (29)  Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 273.

                      26. (31)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 272.

                      27. (30)  Josh Berry, Ford, 272.

                      28. (28)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 272.

                      29. (36)  Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 272.

                      30. (15)  Joey Logano, Ford, 272.

                      31. (27)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 271.

                      32. (25)  Zane Smith, Ford, 271.

                      33. (37)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 271.

                      34. (18)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 271.

                      35. (23)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 270.

                      36. (17)  Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 270.

                      37. (35)  Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 268.

 

Average Speed of Race Winner:  146.22 mph.

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 48 Mins, 39 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .118 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  3 for 20 laps.

Lead Changes:  17 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   T. Reddick 0;D. Hamlin 1;T. Reddick 2-3;D. Hamlin 4-37;C. Hocevar 38-40;D. Hamlin 41-88;K. Larson 89-123;C. Buescher 124;C. Hocevar 125-127;K. Larson 128-169;D. Hamlin 170-174;C. Bell 175-221;D. Suarez 222;D. Hamlin 223-257;T. Reddick 258-264;D. Hamlin 265-272;K. Larson 273;T. Reddick 274.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Denny Hamlin 6 times for 131 laps; Kyle Larson 3 times for 78 laps; Christopher Bell 1 time for 47 laps; Tyler Reddick 3 times for 10 laps; Carson Hocevar 2 times for 6 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 1 lap; Chris Buescher 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,5,45,54,20,9,19,77,23,67

Stage #2 Top Ten: 5,11,45,9,20,23,6,54,17,77

Tyler Reddick claims third 2026 pole position in Kansas time trials

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

 

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service 
 
KANSAS CITY, Kan.—A fourth victory from the pole position would suit Tyler Reddick just fine, after the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota prevailed in Saturday’s highly competitive qualifying session at Kansas Speedway.
Reddick toured the 1.5-mile speedway in 29.142 seconds (185.300 mph) to claim his third Busch Light Pole Award of the season, his second at Kansas and the 14th of his career.
In doing so, Reddick edged his car owner, Denny Hamlin (185.179 mph), by 0.019 seconds for the top starting spot in Sunday’s AdventHealth 400, the ninth NASCAR Cup Series race of the year.
The pole was the fifth in the last six Kansas races for Toyota drivers.
The 2026 season already has been a remarkable one for Reddick, who won the first three races and added a fourth victory March 22 at Darlington Raceway. Reddick’s last three wins have come from the pole position, at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta (starting on metrics after a qualifying rainout), Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and at Darlington.
Should Reddick win on Sunday, he would become the fourth driver in Cup Series history—and the first since Dale Earnhardt in 1987—to win five of the first nine events of a season. Reddick currently tops the series standings with a 62-point edge over second-place Ryan Blaney.
“We had a lot of good handling in our car for Atlanta,” Reddick said of his and his team’s ability to convert qualifying speed into race wins. “COTA obviously I felt like the 12 (Blaney) and Shane (van Gisbergen) were really strong. I think just good handling, handling that you can trust, handling that stays with you in the long run. So, Darlington, same thing.
“Here, the speeds were a bit higher, and I didn't know if we'd be able to get the pole, but it was really nice to see that the handling that we have, the short-run speed that we have appears to be all there today.”
Bristol winner Ty Gibbs and defending series champion Kyle Larson posted identical times (29.192 seconds for 184.982 mph) and will start third and fourth, respectively, with Gibbs getting the nod on owner points. Larson is the two-time defending winner of the spring race at Kansas.
Chase Briscoe qualified fifth at 184.938 mph, as Toyotas claimed four of the top five starting positions. Carson Hocevar was sixth, followed by Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez, Blaney and Bubba Wallace.

 

  

 

Ty Gibbs holds off Blaney in overtime, scores first Cup Series win at Bristol

By Reid Spencer

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

BRISTOL, Tenn. — When Chase Elliott spun to cause the eighth caution in Sunday‘s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, driver Ty Gibbs had an emphatic message for crew chief Tyler Allen.

“I don‘t want to give up track position — at all,” Gibbs asserted over the team radio.

Allen acquiesced, and Gibbs restarted in the lead on Lap 486. He held that track position through a ninth caution that sent the race to overtime and beat Ryan Blaney to the finish line by 0.055 seconds to claim his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

The margin of victory was the closest at Bristol since Rusty Wallace beat Ernie Irvan by one foot in April of 1991.

Race results

One of four leaders in the eighth race of the season, Gibbs was out front for only the final 25 laps, as reigning series champion Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney combined to dominate the proceedings before the decisive caution.

But it was Gibbs‘ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that found its way to Victory Lane at the 0.533-mile short track — the first Cup victory for a car numbered 54 since Lennie Pond won the only race of his career in 1979 at Talladega.

After he climbed from the car, Gibbs‘ immediate thoughts turned to his father, Coy Gibbs, who passed away the night after Ty won the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series (then Xfinity Series) championship in 2022.

“Yeah, it’s awesome,” Gibbs said. “It’s awesome to be with great people. To be in this position is great. I’d love for my father to have seen this. I knew he knew it was going to happen and expected it as well.

“Yeah, it was great day for us. My boys didn’t give up. Pit crew is just amazing. This is our family. It’s been great. So it’s just such great deal. Very honored to be in this situation.”

 

Under the caution that proved decisive, Gibbs, Carson Hocevar, Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick stayed out on old tires — an option Allen said he had discussed with Gibbs as they considered possible scenarios during the final stage.

Larson restarted sixth after a two-tire call and Blaney took the green flag in seventh on four new tires.

With the benefit of fresh rubber, Blaney and Larson charged into second and third, with Gibbs holding the lead from the top lane. Gibbs was still in front on Lap 497 of a scheduled 500 when Kyle Busch spun Riley Herbst in payback for an earlier incident to cause the final caution.

Gibbs held his own on the two-lap overtime shootout and narrowly beat Blaney to the finish line, with Larson just 0.229 seconds behind in third.

“Gave it my best shot the last restart,” said Blaney, who started from the pole position, led 190 laps and posted his best career finish at Thunder Valley. “Got a good restart. Was close, but just couldn’t get it done. Proud of the effort by all the (No.) 12 (Team Penske) folks. Gave me a real fast car, fast car in qualifying. Got it better through the race, honestly. Halfway through the race, I thought we got to be the best car, which is really good.

“Gosh, I really wanted to win at Bristol here. I came close. But congrats to Ty. He’s been really close. Nothing is more special than your first Cup win. It’s pretty cool to win at this place.”

Larson led 284 laps and swept the first two stages at Bristol for the third time in his career but saw his winless streak grow to 32 races, dating to May 11, 2025 at Kansas Speedway.

“Blaney had by far the best car,” Larson acknowledged. “His pit crew just kept putting him behind all day, which really allowed us to lead a lot of laps, get those stage wins. Yeah, so that was good. Happy about all of that. Just knew it was going to be difficult to hold him off. Seemed like every restart he could just plow right through the field and get to second. Was just really fast.

“Then Ty got strong there the last run, too. That was probably my worst run, I think. We were making some adjustments at that point. I just got a little bit out of the track. Yeah, they were just better than me.”

Reddick finished fourth but saw his series lead over Blaney shrink to 62 points. Chase Briscoe was third, followed by Todd Gilliland, who parlayed a two-tire call into his sixth-place finish.

Joey Logano ran seventh, followed by Ryan Preece, Hamlin and Hocevar.

Alex Bowman‘s return from a four-race absence because of a vertigo diagnosis came to an early end when Shane van Gisbergen spun in Turn 4 and collected the cars of John Hunter Nemechek and Bowman.

Attempts to repair the car proved futile, and Bowman exited the race in 37th place after completing 163 laps. Even before the accident, though, Bowman had been fighting an ill-handling No. 48 Chevrolet.

“I thought we were OK in practice, but to start the race, we were in trouble,” Bowman said. “It‘s a bummer that we didn‘t get a chance to work on it. I know (crew chief) Blake (Harris) and this No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team would have liked some pit stops to try and make the car better and get going back in the right direction.

“We were just struggling and then got caught up in somebody else‘s mess. I hate it for this team, but we‘ll move onto the next one.”

Christopher Bell, who ranked among the pre-race favorites after his Bristol win last fall, finished 27th after a pair of issues in the race’s first half. Bell was penalized for speeding on pit road during the Stage 1 break, knocking him back to 27th place in the order. On the 144th lap, his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota scraped the outside retaining wall and later spun to the apron, prompting the race’s third caution period. Further contact on Lap 270 also slowed his progress.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ next race is scheduled Sunday, April 19 at Kansas Speedway (2 p.m. ET, FOX, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Post-race inspection was completed in the Cup Series garage without issue, confirming Gibbs as the winner. Competition officials indicated that two cars will return to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for further inspection — the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Larson, and the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota driven by Reddick.

Contributing: Staff reports

 
 

 

Bristol Cup Qualifying Lead\

 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

 

April 11, 2026

 

Ryan Blaney charges to NASCAR Cup pole position at Bristol

BRISTOL, Tenn.—Ryan Blaney, seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, got off to a flying start in Saturday’s time trials at the 0.533-mile high-banked concrete track.

 

Finding the speed he needed on the second of two qualifying laps, Blaney covered the distance in 15.101 seconds (127.064 mph) to edge Tyler Reddick for the top starting spot in Sunday’s Food City 500 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

Driving the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, Blaney was 0.023 seconds faster than Reddick (126.871 mph), who will try to win his fifth race of the season in the No.45 23XI Racing Toyota.

 

The Busch Light Pole Award was Blaney’s second at Bristol, his first of the season and the 13th of his career.

 

“I just kind of got free on Lap 1, landing into (Turn) 1,” said Blaney, who recovered through Turns 3 and 4 to set up his second lap. “Luckily, the rear tires came in better the second lap in (Turns) 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4 I thought was a really good corner…”

 

“Good start to the weekend. Now we’ve got to do 500 laps.”

 

Blaney has finished sixth or better in his last three starts at Bristol, but on Sunday, Cup Series drivers will be adjusting to both a new tire combination from Goodyear and a new short-track competition package featuring higher horsepower and lower downforce.

 

“I think just being ready for the track to change is the biggest thing for me,” Blaney said. “It’s going to run one way for a little bit, but it’s going to change eventually…”

 

“Tomorrow, we’re going to be everywhere, ‘cause the top (lane) is going to come in tomorrow, and that’s going to be completely different from what you need to run the bottom. It’s been a pretty decent place for us. Hopefully, tomorrow we can contend for the win.”

 

Chase Briscoe qualified third at 126.779 mph in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Riley Herbst (125.679 mph), the third driver to make a qualifying run, was fourth, giving 23XI two of the top four starting positions.

 

Ty Gibbs, who led 201 laps in his last Bristol start, was fifth, followed by Ross Chastain in the fastest Chevrolet. Chris Buescher, three-time Bristol winner Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric and Carson Hocevar filled out positions seven through 10 on the grid.

 

The cars of Larson and Chastain—along with those of Cole Custer and Chad Finchum—failed pre-race inspection twice, resulting in the ejection of their respective car chiefs and loss of pit selection for Sunday’s race.

 

The No. 71 Chevrolet of Michael McDowell also failed twice, resulting in the ejection of an engineer and loss of pit selection.

 

–30–

 

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – Food City 500

Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol, Tennessee

Saturday, April 11, 2026

 

1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 127.064 mph.

2. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 126.871 mph.

3. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 126.779 mph.

4. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 126.679 mph.

5. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 126.537 mph.

6. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 126.445 mph.

7. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 126.320 mph.

8. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 126.303 mph.

9. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 126.237 mph.

10. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 126.229 mph.

11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 126.030 mph.

12. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 125.980 mph.

13. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 125.963 mph.

14. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 125.732 mph.

15. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 125.601 mph.

16. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 125.584 mph.

17. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 125.559 mph.

18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 125.535 mph.

19. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 125.486 mph.

20. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 125.322 mph.

21. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 125.313 mph.

22. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 125.224 mph.

23. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 125.158 mph.

24. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 125.052 mph.

25. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 124.889 mph.

26. (88) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 124.857 mph.

27. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 124.857 mph.

28. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 124.776 mph.

29. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 124.686 mph.

30. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 124.565 mph.

31. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 124.058 mph.

32. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 123.810 mph.

33. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 123.682 mph.

34. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 123.364 mph.

35. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 123.055 mph.

36. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 122.898 mph.

37. (66) Chad Finchum(i), Ford, 122.131 mph.

 

 

Carson Hocevar’s first win highlights surge of young talent in NASCAR

 

April 27, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Carson Hocevar’s career first win in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway was impactful not just personally for the 23-year-old but also for his Spire Motorsports team.

 

And frankly, also for the NASCAR Cup Series as a whole.

 

He is the second first-time winner in the last three races, earned the second victory for the high-expectation three-car Spire Motorsports team and provided an unmistakable shining moment in the sport, which has celebrated a pair of 23-year old NASCAR Cup Series race winners who not only bring massive talent but also big personality to the sport.

 

A new generation of next-level talent has arrived and Hocevar, with his unique “victory lap” and unapologetic bold demeanor Sunday afternoon really brought the point home. It was a win so popular in the garage that other drivers – including former champions Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch – made a point to congratulate the young driver on pit road.

 

A win important enough to the sport that newly-named NASCAR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve O’Donnell was all smiles watching Hocevar and his team in all the post-race pageantry and interviews. Asked if he was okay with Hocevar sitting on the window ledge of his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and driving it in front of an absolutely ecstatic Talladega front grandstands, O’Donnell grinned and nodded in approval.

 

The afternoon and the celebration really transcended a single driver and represented a new generation of talent bringing an equally high wattage dose of star power.

 

“That personality connects," said Spire Motorsports executive Jeff Dickerson.

 

Indeed it did Sunday and likely will in the future. Many people from inside the industry conceded they hadn’t heard a crowd reaction to a race outcome like the one Hocevar received for many years. The fans were loud and stayed as long as possible to watch the young driver get his trophy.

 

Even one the weekend’s other big stars – YouTube mega-personality Cleetus McFarland (who finished runner-up competing in Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega) - called into Hocevar’s press conference hours after the checkered flag to offer his congratulations.

 

The happiness for Hocevar was surpassed only by the genuine gratitude the young driver showed. As fellow 23-year-old, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs did after claiming his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol, Tenn. three weeks ago, Hocevar got emotional in the moment.

 

He reiterated throughout his time with the media that he was careful to take in everything – the sound of the crowd, the confetti blowing through the air, the heartfelt congrats from other competitors, the embraces he received from so many teammates during his trophy hoist.

 

In fact, Hocevar didn’t even throw a big soiree at a fancy hotel to celebrate that milestone, life-changing work Sunday. He instead shared that he was headed to a Chili’s restaurant near his home in North Carolina once he got back home – a perfect opportunity to highlight his sponsor and also a telling reflection of his humble heart.

 

“I think it’s huge," Hocevar’s crew chief Luke Lambert said of the recent wave of young winners.

 

“It’s a great thing to see a new class of superstars come in and usher themselves into the sport. … it’s impressive to see these young guys go up against people that are in that class [of more experienced competitors]. It takes their talents, the right team and atmosphere around them, then the right amount of experience to be able to go toe to toe with those guys, truly Hall of Famers that have years of experience and still have all the talent and all the makings of a phenomenal race car driver.

 

“To see the young guys start to be able to break into that, I think it means great things for the sport."

 

Does this change Hocevar’s competitive reputation? Once considered a “raw” talent with tendencies to make mistakes in overly-aggressive moves on track, this victory in one of the most competitive venues on the circuit stands to go a long way toward establishing Hocevar’s evolving credibility.

 

And the feel-good quotient he produced is undeniable.

 

“I was happy for Ty [Gibbs]," Dickerson said. “You see these kids get their first one (win) and it takes you back to your first one. There’s no feeling like it."

 

“They’re going to see the happiest kid in the world," Dickerson said of the inevitable post-victory attention.

 

All the joy of sport’s big moments.

 

 

nascar reviews & NOTEBOOKS

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Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series™, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series™) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series™, NASCAR Mexico Series™, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series™). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

  
 

 

   nascar cup series

NASCAR Cup Series schedule 2026

(All times Eastern)

Date Race Track Time
Feb. 1 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Bowman Gray Stadium 8 p.m.
Feb. 12 Duel 1 at Daytona Daytona International Speedway 7 p.m.
Feb. 12 Duel 2 at Daytona Daytona International Speedway 8:45 p.m.
Feb. 15 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 22 Autotrader 400 EchoPark Speedway 3 p.m.
March 1 DuraMax Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas 3:30 p.m.
March 8 Straight Talk Wireless 500 Phoenix Raceway 3:30 p.m.
March 15 Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 4 p.m.
March 22 Goodyear 400 Darlington Raceway 3 p.m.
March 29 Cook Out 400 Martinsville Speedway 3:30 p.m.
April 12 Food City 500 Bristol Motor Speedway 3 p.m.
April 19 AdventHealth 400 Kansas Speedway 2 p.m.
April 26 Jack Link's 500 Talladega Superspeedway 3 p.m.
May 3 Wurth 400 Texas Motor Speedway 3:30 p.m.
May 10 Go Bowling at the Glen Watkins Glen International 3 p.m.
May 17 All-Star Race Dover Motor Speedway 3 p.m.
May 24 Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway 6 p.m.
May 31 Cracker Barrel 400 Nashville Superspeedway  7 p.m.
June 7 FireKeepers Casino 400 Michigan International Speedway 3 p.m.
June 14 Cup Series race at Pocono Pocono Raceway 3 p.m.
June 21 Anduril 250 Naval Base Coronado 4 p.m.
June 28 Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sonoma Raceway 3:30 p.m.
July 5 Cup Series race at Chicagoland Chicagoland Speedway 6 p.m.
July 12 Quaker State 400 EchoPark Speedway 7 p.m.
July 19 Window World 400 North Wilkesboro Speedway 7 p.m.
July 26 Brickyard 400 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2 p.m.
Aug. 9 Iowa Corn 350 Iowa Speedway 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 15 Cook Out 400 Richmond Raceway 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 Cup Series race at New Hampshire New Hampshire Motor Speedway 3 p.m.
Aug. 29 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Daytona International Speedway 7:30 p.m.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff race schedule 2026

(All times Eastern)

Date Race Track Time
Sept. 6 Southern 500 Darlington Raceway 5 p.m.
Sept. 13 Enjoy Illinois 300 World Wide Technology Raceway 3 p.m.
Sept. 19 Bass Pro Shops Night Race Bristol Motor Speedway 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 Hollywood Casino 400 Kansas Speedway 3 p.m.
Oct. 4 South Point 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 Bank of America ROVAL 400 Charlotte Road Course 3 p.m.
Oct. 18 Freeway Insurance 500 Phoenix Raceway 3 p.m.
Oct. 25 Yellawood 500 Talladega Superspeedway 2 p.m.
Nov. 1 Xfinity 500 Martinsville Speedway 2 p.m.
Nov. 8 Cup Series Championship Race Homestead-Miami Speedway 3 p.m.

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