Nascar news

• Christopher Bell: New format brings "more pressure" and believes he has to start winning

  02-09-2026 23:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoThe 'win and you're in' may be gone, but the importance of winning remains critical in the battle to become a NASCAR Cup Series champion. Ryan Preece showed just how valuable a win can be last than a week ago at Daytona International Speedway.And while there is one point between each position on track, that abruptly jumps to 20 points between the runner-up spot and the race winner. That means the gap between P2 and P22 on the track is identical to first and second.Unfortunately f
  
  Read more

• NASCAR Veteran Defends ‘Rich Kids’ in Racing With Unpopular Take

  04-09-2026 16:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe “rich kid” or “pay drivers” debate has been part of NASCAR for generations. But former Cup Series driver Landon Cassill has just offered an argument that many fans will not want to hear: maybe having a wealthy family does actually put more pressure on you.The issue came back into the spotlight after a heated incident involving CARS Tour drivers Landon Huffman and 19-year-old Tyler Reif at Anderson Motor Speedway. Huffman confronted
  
  Read more

• Joey Logano Promises ‘Trash Talk’ if He Wins His Fourth NASCAR Title

  04-09-2026 16:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectJoey Logano already knows exactly what he wants to say if he wins his fourth NASCAR Cup Series championship.The Team Penske veteran isn’t hiding the motivation behind his 2026 title chase. After years of hearing critics and haters question his championships and the playoff format that helped deliver them, Logano sees another title as a chance to answer everyone at once.And he admits the celebration could get loud.During The Teardown podcast, Logano was asked
  
  Read more

• Spire hits back at Carson Hocevar's loudest critics

  04-09-2026 16:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoCarson Hocevar has established himself as one of the largest personalities in NASCAR.Between his aggressive driving on the track and self-assured attitude off the track, he's made plenty of fans and enemies in his still young career in the Cup Series.Spire Motorsports leaned into the controversy of their star driver on Thursday with a post highlighting the many criticisms that have been levied against Hocevar. In the post, Hocevar is seen with words like "MORON," "iPAD KID," and
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• NASCAR Cup Series Driver Has Had Enough After Penalties, Critics and a Bitter Fight for Respect

  04-09-2026 16:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 02: Ryan Preece, driver of the #60 RFK Racing Ford speaks to the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 02, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) GettyRyan Preece reached the 2026 NASCAR Chase in the most dramatic way possible. The RFK Racing driver won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 29, taking his first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series
  
  Read more

• 5 Bold NASCAR The Chase Predictions, including Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson

  04-09-2026 15:42 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectNASCAR’s the 10-race chase begins this weekend at Darlington Raceway, with 16 drivers all competing in a points battle to determine the Cup Series champion in 2026. Chaos and disappointment are a given, but we’re going to attempt to make a few NASCAR The Chase predictions for what happens in the next 10 weeks.Let’s dive into some quick bold NASCAR predictions for The Chase.HEADINGMandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesThe reigning champion hasn
  
  Read more

• How to watch NASCAR Southern 500 at Darlington: Weekend schedule, start time, TV

  04-09-2026 15:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoNASCAR Cup drivers must prepare for 500 miles of grueling racing at Darlington Raceway, which will host the 77th running of the Southern 500 and the opening round of the 2026 Chase for the championship.Chase Briscoe is attempting to become the first driver in nearly three decades to win three consecutive Southern 500s, while Denny Hamlin enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the championship fight.In this story, you can find all the information you need to watch all the acti
  
  Read more

• Chase Briscoe Is One Win Away From Joining Jeff Gordon in Southern 500 History

  04-09-2026 14:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Aug 31, 2025; Darlington, South Carolina, USA;NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe (19) and his son Brooks celebrates his win at the Cookouts Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesBack-to-back Southern 500 victories have Chase Briscoe chasing a piece of Darlington history that only Jeff Gordon has accomplished before.Winning one Southern 500 is enough to put a driver’s name alongside some of NASCAR’s greatest. On Sunday, Chase Briscoe has a ch
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• NASCAR Qualifying Order This Weekend at Darlington: Cup Series Qualifying Info for Cook Out Southern 500

  04-09-2026 14:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSunday night’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is the first race in NASCAR’s The Chase for the Cup Series. It adds to the importance of Cup Series qualifying on Saturday, with starting positions potentially going to influence who is the eventual champion.Let’s take a look at the NASCAR qualifying order this weekend at Darlington for the Cup Series. You can find info on Cup Series qualifying further below.Related: NASCAR Weekend Schedu
  
  Read more

• Tom Cruise's teammate or rival? NASCAR drivers pitch for 'Days of Thunder' sequel

  04-09-2026 14:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There isn’t another active NASCAR driver that has a list of film and television credits as long and as diverse as Ryan Blaney.The mustached driver of the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske has been in racing movies like “Cars 3” and “Logan Lucky,” but he’s also popped up in roles on television shows like “Taken,” “Magnum P.I.,” and as a voice in the animated “Spider-Man.” Back in June, ahead of NASCAR’
  
  Read more

• Carson Hocevar on 'fun' 2026 campaign entering The Chase: 'We're playing with house money'

  04-09-2026 11:09 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No momentum? No problem for Carson Hocevar.The lightning rod of the NASCAR Cup Series enters as the No. 12 seed in The Chase presented by Mobil 1 ahead of Sunday’s opener at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 (5 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).MORE: Chase standings | Darlington scheduleHocevar made The Chase without a worry, but a dismal stretch of results has his No. 77 Spire Motorsports team fighting a far more uphill
  
  Read more

• Analysis: Does Denny Hamlin still need to win a championship?

  04-09-2026 11:09 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The question dogging Denny Hamlin for virtually the entirety of his NASCAR career — When will he finally win the Cup Series championship? — has been surprisingly supplanted by another.Why does it even matter if he does?Considering the notion now might seem odd.Hamlin will enter the 2026 Chase presented by Mobil 1 as the top seed and the unquestioned title favorite.With the demise of the elimination playoffs that denied him the grand prize several times (most cruelly last year, when h
  
  Read more

• Analysis: What opening Chase race trends say about championship aspirations

  04-09-2026 11:08 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The goal over the next 10 weeks is simple — accumulate the most points to win the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship.But with the return of The Chase presented by Mobil 1, where eliminations, rounds and a winner-take-all finale are a thing of the past, this year will require teaching new dogs some old tricks.No. 1 seed Denny Hamlin and fellow Chase competitor Joey Logano are the only drivers with experience in the first iteration of The Chase from 2004-2013, and neither was successful in
  
  Read more

• Kurt Busch talks grief with CNN's Anderson Cooper and the loss of brother Kyle

  04-09-2026 07:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoNASCAR legend Kurt Busch recently joined CNN anchor Anderson Cooper on his podcast, All There Is, which explores themes of loss and grief. They spoke for nearly 30 minutes about his brother Kyle -- the winningest driver in NASCAR national series history -- who died tragically at the age of 41 earlier this year.It was an emotional interview, with Kurt struggling to hold back tears as he remembered racing with his brother, the sudden nature of his passing, and dealin
  
  Read more

• Southern 500 Preview: NASCAR’s Chase Begins at Darlington

  04-09-2026 06:10 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Photo by: Greg AtkinsThe NASCAR Cup Series is officially entering championship mode.After 26 races of regular season competition, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase begins Sunday at one of the toughest tracks on the schedule: Darlington Raceway. The Cook Out Southern 500 will serve as the opening race of the 10 race championship battle, putting 16 playoff drivers under the microscope from the moment the green flag flies.The race is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. ET and will be broadc
  
  Read more

• Every Real NASCAR Driver Who Appeared in ‘Days of Thunder’

  04-09-2026 02:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  More than three decades after “Days of Thunder” first brought Cole Trickle to the big screen, Tom Cruise is officially preparing to climb back behind the wheel.With a second “Days of Thunder” movie now in the works, NASCAR fans have plenty of reasons to revisit the 1990 original. And while Cruise, Robert Duvall and Michael Rooker played fictional characters, several real NASCAR stars were hiding in plain sight.So, which NASCAR drivers actually appeared in “Days of T
  
  Read more

• NASCAR Darlington Betting Odds: Favorites, Sleepers and Longshots for Sunday’s Race

  04-09-2026 02:33 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NASCAR Cup Series Darlington betting odds. GettyDarlington Raceway is the site of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase opener. The Cook Out Southern 500 at “The Track Too Tough to Tame” is the final Crown Jewel race of the 2026 season. Oddsmakers are favoring three Toyota drivers to take the checkered flag on Sunday night. While the odds lean towards the Chase contenders, it is worth looking at some sleepers and longshots to win Darlington. NASCAR betting odds for the Cook Out South
  
  Read more

• O’Reilly Series Driver to Watch at Darlington

  04-09-2026 02:19 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Feb 14, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR OÕReilly Auto Parts Series driver Parker Retzlaff (99) during qualifying for the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesWhat a step forward it’s been for Viking Motorsports in getting its driver, Parker Retzlaff, into the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase. The 99 team will have its back against the wall as the lights shine the brightest with the first race at Da
  
  Read more

• NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to racing in South Carolina

  04-09-2026 01:48 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Drivers in NASCAR’s Cup Series will begin the postseason Chase on Sunday at the Southern 500 in Darlington, South Carolina — one of the sport’s crown jewel races.But other races are happening in the Palmetto State this weekend, too. One particular competition might have a lot of eyeballs on it Friday night.About 13 miles south of Darlington at Florence Motor Speedway on Sept. 4, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return to the racetrack to run a late model in the seri
  
  Read more

• Chase Elliott reacts to meeting Tom Cruise as Days of Thunder sequel comes to Daytona

  04-09-2026 01:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Photo by David Jensen/Getty ImagesChase Elliott has backed the Days of Thunder sequel and hopes Hendrick Motorsports get a part in it. The NASCAR star met Tom Cruise at Daytona ahead of the announcement.Cruise confirmed the follow-up to the 1990 classic at the speedway, waving the green flag hours before the Cup Series regular-season finale. He will return as Cole Trickle, with Anne Hathaway joining as a team owner and engineer.The film is scheduled for release on June 2, 2028, with production e
  
  Read more

• 2026 NASCAR Darlington Betting Odds: Favorites to Win the Southern 500

  04-09-2026 00:47 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of its most demanding tracks Sunday, and the betting market sees two familiar Darlington names at the top.The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway will open NASCAR’s 10-race Chase on Sunday, Sept. 6. Denny Hamlin arrives as the regular-season champion and No. 1 seed, but he’s sharing the top of the latest race-winner odds with the driver who conquered the Lady in Black earlier this season.Tyler Reddick and Hamlin are both listed at +500 to wi
  
  Read more

• Why the Southern 500 Has Earned Its Place Among NASCAR’s Crown Jewels

  03-09-2026 23:42 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Sep 1, 2024; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) leads NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe (14), NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick (45) out of turn one during the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY SportsA win at Darlington counts the same in the standings as any other NASCAR Cup Series victory. But the Southern 500 has never been just another race.Fir
  
  Read more

• Kyle Larson Jokes He Could Give NASCAR a Reason to Change Its Championship Format Again

  03-09-2026 23:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kyle Larson believes Hendrick Motorsports is close.How close? Close enough that he can envision the No. 5 team ripping off three or four victories during NASCAR’s 10-race Chase.But Larson also wouldn’t mind winning the championship another way. A much funnier way.During NASCAR’s Chase media day, Dirty Mo Media asked Larson about his outlook entering the championship fight. Despite going winless since May 2025, Larson made it clear he hasn’t lost confidence in what his tea
  
  Read more

• The Chase Begins at the Lady in Black

  03-09-2026 23:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Mar 22, 2026; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; Team Penske Joey Logano (22) and Haas Factory Team Cole Custer (41) drive in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn ImagesAfter 26 races, NASCAR’s Cup Series championship fight officially begins with 500 miles at one of the most unforgiving tracks on the schedule.There are certainly easier places NASCAR could have chosen to start a championship fight, but the 2026 Chase opens with the Southern 500 at Darli
  
  Read more

• Joey Logano Has a Message for His Critics If He Wins the NASCAR Championship

  03-09-2026 22:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Joey Logano has won three NASCAR Cup Series championships. Winning a fourth would apparently bring out a side of him that everyone might want to hear.Or, depending on what comes out of his mouth, perhaps not.During NASCAR’s Chase media day, Dirty Mo Media asked Logano what his Victory Lane speech would sound like if he emerged from the next 10 races as the Cup Series champion. Logano didn’t need much time to consider how satisfying that moment would be.“The sweetest one. Oh gos
  
  Read more

• Daniel Suarez on Baby Watch as NASCAR Chase Begins

  03-09-2026 22:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Daniel Suarez is set to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the third time in his career. Off the racetrack, the driver of the No. 7 has a major development in his personal life as his wife, Julia, is expecting to give birth to the couple’s first child in a few weeks.With the implications of The Chase, the Spire Motorsports driver is hopeful the birth of his first daughter falls on a weekday. Of course, that is something out of this year’s Coca-Cola 600 winner’s hands. I
  
  Read more

• Matt DiBenedetto Set to Return to NASCAR at Las Vegas

  03-09-2026 22:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Photo by: Mark J. RebilasMatt DiBenedetto is set to make his return to NASCAR competition next month, giving the veteran driver another opportunity to get back behind the wheel.DiBenedetto will drive the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 3. Magnesium Performance Wheels will sponsor the effort.The announcement gives DiBenedetto another chance to compete at the national level after spending much of
  
  Read more

• IndyCar sets new driver licensing criteria for 2027

  03-09-2026 21:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoIndyCar has notified teams of an updated driver qualification and licensing process, offering team owners, managers, and prospective drivers an objective pathway to compete in the IndyCar Series starting in 2027 and beyond.The framework defines advancement standards from Indy NXT by Firestone while establishing formal criteria for international competitors. Here's how the changes break down for next year.Indy NXT advancement pathwayStart actionStart actionTo establish object
  
  Read more

• RCR Retires No. 8, Saving It for Brexton Busch

  03-09-2026 21:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Photo by: Steve RobertsRichard Childress Racing has made an emotional decision regarding one of the most recognizable numbers in its NASCAR history, announcing that the No. 8 will be set aside and reserved for Brexton Busch, the son of the late Kyle Busch.RCR announced in May that it would suspend the use of the No. 8 following Kyle Busch’s death. The organization immediately moved its second Cup Series entry to the No. 33, with Austin Hill taking over the car. RCR said the No. 8 would rem
  
  Read more

• Riley Herbst joins Legacy Motor Club in No. 84 for 2027 NASCAR Cup season

  03-09-2026 21:39 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoLegacy Motor Club has announced plans to expand into three full-time entries for the 2027 NASCAR Cup season. Riley Herbst will drive the No. 84 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, leaving 23XI Racing.The team already has two full-time entries with the No. 42 and the No. 43. John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones are their current drivers, but Nemechek and the team will part ways at the conclusion of the 2026 season. Josh Berry is the leading candidate to replace him.“I’m ex
  
  Read more

Follow @NewsNascarUSA on Twitter!