Nascar news

• Why Does Phoenix Raceway Have a Jimmie Johnson Drive?

  16-10-2026 01:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Thousands of NASCAR fans will make their way to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500. Along the way, some might notice a familiar name on the street signs leading to the track.Jimmie Johnson Drive isn’t a coincidence. The road leading to Phoenix Raceway was named in honor of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, whose remarkable career included one of the most dominant stretches in the track’s history.And there’s a story behind w
  
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• Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar Have Surprising Update Weeks After NASCAR Brawl

  19-10-2026 23:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 19: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet, (L) and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 WABASH Ford, get into an altercation after the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 19, 2026 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) GettyWhat a difference a few weeks can make.Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar made headlines for all the wrong reasons after their heated confrontation at Bristol M
  
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• Chris Gayle on Denny Hamlin’s Title Hopes: ‘It’s Not Over’

  19-10-2026 23:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Denny Hamlin left Phoenix Raceway fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings, 31 points behind leader Kyle Larson. His crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Gayle, says the title fight is not finished.Jeff Gluck, who covers motorsports for The Athletic, shared Gayle’s comments on X after Sunday’s race.Chris Gayle comments after Phoenix pic.twitter.com/jpk2LAOU9u— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 18, 2026“It all plays out in the next three. It’ll play out. But i
  
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• Larson finally stumbles in NASCAR's championship. Was it just a bad day or sign of serious trouble?

  19-10-2026 20:32 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Larson climbed out of his beat-up No. 5 Chevrolet with a dejected look on his face, stewing about a 34th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway after a flat front right tire caused him to hit the wall.Six weeks of excellence in NASCAR's playoffs had disappeared in the span of a few miserable hours in the desert on Sunday.Even before the tire mishap, Larson struggled at Phoenix Raceway, qualifying 22nd on Saturday. He wasn't any better during the race, limping around th
  
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• NASCAR Results: Freeway Insurance 500 At Phoenix Raceway

  19-10-2026 19:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  After a phenomenal start to the 2026 season, followed by an agonizing dry spell, Tyler Reddick returned to Victory Lane on Sunday—and simultaneously did NASCAR Cup Series leader Kyle Larson a significant favor.Snookering the top contenders in the Chase presented by Mobil 1 after a restart on Lap 294, Reddick surged past Chase Briscoe into the lead a lap later and pulled away to beat runner-up Ryan Blaney by 0.801 seconds in the Freeway Insurance 500, as Briscoe faded to eighth on older tir
  
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• Winners and losers from a Chase-altering NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix

  19-10-2026 18:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoWith the championship leader crashing into the wall, his closest pursuer suffering a tire failure, and some of the biggest point scorers of the day sitting 5th-7th in the standings, the title fight only got tighter at Phoenix Raceway.Tyler Reddick's first NASCAR Cup win in six months put him just 56pts out of the championship lead, even though he is still seventh in the standings. Entering Phoenix, there were 49 points between first and second alone.This race ended up being pivot
  
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• “It’s Not Over”- JGR Crew Chief Points to Impending Talladega Chaos as Denny Hamlin’s Championship Lifeline

  19-10-2026 18:52 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireImagine entering the Chase as the driver everyone needs to beat, only to find yourself scrambling for a way back into the championship fight with three races left. That is the position Denny Hamlin finds himself in after Phoenix, where a costly afternoon left the No. 11 driver fourth in the standings, 31 points behind the leader. The title is still within reach, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. Fortunately for Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gayle
  
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• 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entry list for Talladega Superspeedway Chase race

  19-10-2026 18:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series continues its Chase presented by Mobil 1, transitioning from Phoenix Raceway to Talladega Superspeedway for a Friday bout at the 2.66-mile track (4 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).The Love’s RV Stop 225 is the fifth of seven Chase races of the Truck campaign and the 23rd points-paying event overall. Gio Ruggiero is the defending Talladega winner.ENTRY LISTS: Cup Series | O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | Craftsma
  
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• The Chase still has NASCAR chasing its former viewership

  19-10-2026 18:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesWhile NASCAR reintroduced its final stretch run, The Chase, to rekindle postseason interest, viewership for the races has remained lackluster.Over six races, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase averages 1.62 million viewers, up just 1% year over year (1.61 million), per NASCAR Communications. So far, The Chase hasn’t delivered the viewership renaissance NASCAR hoped for.Last Sunday’s Cup Series race at Charlotte drew 1.48 million viewers on USA Networ
  
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• The Chase Report presented by Mobil 1: Where we stand after Phoenix

  19-10-2026 18:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Tyler Reddick rose like a phoenix, scoring his sixth win of the season and first since April with a rousing victory at Phoenix Raceway. Suddenly, Reddick sits just 56 points behind series leader Kyle Larson after the standings significantly tightened in The Chase presented by Mobil 1.Here’s where we stand in The Chase after the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix and before Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).RELA
  
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• “There Was Nobody Better Today”- Bubba Wallace Confronts Self-Inflicted Agony Over Missed Phoenix Triumph

  19-10-2026 16:46 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 21: Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing Xfinity Toyota talks to the media after finishing second at the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Anduril 250 Race the Base on June 21, 2026, at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, CA. Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUN 21 NASCAR Cup Series Anduril 250 Race the Base EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon788260621104250 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireBubba Wallace had everything he needed to turn Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500 into a sta
  
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• Wife of NASCAR Cup Series Driver Zane Smith Openly Taunts His Critics

  19-10-2026 15:53 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Zane Smith had an interesting Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series world.The veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver, who drives the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports, finished in 15th place at the Freeway Insurance 500. He had some serious contact with rival Carson Hocevar. There was a serious collision between the two drivers and there was some tension following the race, as well.A chain reaction in the closing laps causes tempers to flare post-race. pic.twitter.com/iuWGk0ONqb&mdash
  
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• Jesse Bernhagen secures NASCAR Local Racing Series Rookie of the Year honors by schooling the competition at Dells Raceway Park

  19-10-2026 14:43 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Jesse Bernhagen has been racing for more than 20 years, but he certainly felt like a rookie in 2026.He’s used to driving with his dad serving as crew chief, which has been the case since he started racing at age 5. But this season, for the first time, Bernhagen served in both roles.“This was the first year that I ran the show myself, and I did all the shop work on the car,” Bernhagen said. “Everything was me. That made it feel like a little bit of a rookie season. It made
  
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• “Nothing Surprises Me Anymore”- Denny Hamlin Admits Hitting the Panic Button as Must-Win Reality Strikes After Phoenix

  19-10-2026 13:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireDenny Hamlin arrived at Phoenix knowing he needed a big result to keep his championship hopes alive, sitting 49 points behind leader Kyle Larson. By the time the checkered flag fell, that gap had shrunk to 31 points, giving the veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver a reason to look for a silver lining. But the points only told part of the story. Just when Hamlin appeared to have a hold over Larson in the race, a late tire failure derailed his charge and left him searching fo
  
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• Joey Logano Pulls Off NASCAR Feat He Hadn’t Accomplished in 6 Years

  19-10-2026 07:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  AVONDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 17: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway on October 17, 2026 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) GettyJoey Logano didn’t leave Phoenix Raceway with the trophy Sunday, but he did accomplish something he hadn’t pulled off in more than six years.The Team Penske driver swept both stages of the Freeway Insurance 500, marking j
  
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• Denny Hamlin Doesn’t Hold Back After NASCAR Phoenix Tire Incident

  19-10-2026 04:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Denny Hamlin reacts to a tire incident during NASCAR's Phoenix Cup Series race. Here's what the Joe Gibbs Racing driver had to say. GettyDenny Hamlin finished 28th at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday after a blown right-rear tire ended his top-five run, according to the official NASCAR race results, and after the race he did not hold back in offering views on what happened.Hamlin still sits fourth in the Chase standings, 31 points behind leader Kyle Larson with three races left, and he says a single vi
  
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• Bubba Wallace Left Heartbroken After NASCAR Win Slips Away at Phoenix

  19-10-2026 04:26 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Bubba Wallace spent much of Sunday looking like a driver who was finally going to get his moment.By the time the checkered flag fell at Phoenix Raceway, he was sitting on the door of his No. 23 Toyota with his head in his hands.That was how Wallace’s afternoon ended. Not in Victory Lane, where he had looked capable of finishing, but in 17th place after a pit-road mistake wiped out his chance at his first NASCAR Cup Series win of 2026.And the hardest part? He knew he had nobody to blame but
  
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• Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Championship Hopes Take Another Hit at Phoenix

  19-10-2026 03:29 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Denny Hamlin had exactly the opportunity he needed Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Kyle Larson was struggling, the championship lead was within reach, and Hamlin had worked his way into contention.Then, in a matter of laps, his afternoon unraveled.A flat tire and a costly pit-road speeding penalty left Hamlin a lap down in Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500, turning what could have been a major breakthrough in the NASCAR Cup Series championship battle into a frustrating 28th-place finish.The Joe Gi
  
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• Toyota clinches 2026 NASCAR Cup manufacturer championship early after dominant season

  19-10-2026 03:21 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoWith three races still to go in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Toyota has clinched the manufacturer championship. This is their fourth manufacturer title in the Cup Series, previously winning in 2016, 2017, and 2019 as well. Toyota supports Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI Racing, and Legacy Motor Club in the Cup Series with nine full-time entries."Our team members at TRD, along with our partners at 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Legacy Motor Club, have delivered at the highest
  
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• Tyler Reddick really needed NASCAR Phoenix win for several reasons

  19-10-2026 03:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoTyler Reddick walked into the room for his post-race press conference and said bet you weren’t expecting me and it’s hard to argue with him.For all the success the 23XI Racing No. 45 had at the start of the season, they have gone winless over the past six months and suffered through a catastrophic second half until their sixth victory on Sunday at Phoenix.“Oh, man, yeah; it's been a long time,” Reddick said. “To go six months without getting it done
  
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• Phoenix Misfortune Hits Hamlin in Another NASCAR Cup Title Fight

  19-10-2026 02:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Fate seemingly doesn't want Denny Hamlin to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship and his fortunes didn't improve Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.Hamlin finished 28th, one lap down, after a series of events tossed aside a promising day for him and his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team. Hamlin started the day in fourth and fell back to sixth before the first caution of the race. Then, a two-tire call by crew chief Chris Gayle lifted him to the lead. By the end of the stage, he was sec
  
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• Bubba Wallace laments mistake after heartbreaking Phoenix loss

  19-10-2026 02:26 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoBubba Wallace has been brushing shoulders with Victory Lane throughout the 2026 NASCAR Cup season, but he has yet to reach Victory Lane. Phoenix was just the latest close call for Wallace and the No. 23 team, which haven't won a race since the summer of 2025 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Along with two runner-up finishes, he has led over 300 laps this year, which is more than any other driver without a 2026 win.At Phoenix, everything was falling into place and Wallace was i
  
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• Tyler Reddick Wins As Larson and Hamlin Falter in Phoenix

  19-10-2026 02:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick (45) during the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSunday's Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway served as the official flipping of the script for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase. Heading into the day, Kyle Larson held a 49-point advantage over the field. Leaving Sunday's race, which was won by Tyler Reddick, five drivers are now within that 49-point threshold of Larson's point lead.It was
  
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• Tyler Reddick returns to Victory Lane in Chase-changing race at Phoenix

  19-10-2026 02:09 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  By Reid Spencer
  NASCAR Wire ServiceAVONDALE, Ariz. — After a phenomenal start to the 2026 season, followed by an agonizing dry spell, Tyler Reddick returned to Victory Lane on Sunday—and simultaneously did NASCAR Cup Series leader Kyle Larson a significant favor.Race Results: Freeway Insurance 500 at PhoenixSnookering the top contenders in the Chase presented by Mobil 1 after a restart on Lap 294, Reddick surged past Chase Briscoe into the lead a lap later and pulled away to beat run
  
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• NASCAR is getting the championship finish it has pursued since 1992

  19-10-2026 02:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoNASCAR has been chasing the ghost of the 1992 Winston Cup season finale for 34 years, and while there are still three races to go, this appears to be the closest it has gotten short of outright manufacturing it.In the aftermath of a consequential race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, there are seven drivers within one race, and next up is the wildest of wild cars at Talladega Superspeedway.Kyle Larson
  Christopher Bell -5
  Chase Briscoe -24
  Denny Hamlin -31
  Ryan Blaney -40
  Joey Logano
  
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• Tyler Reddick reenters NASCAR title fight with win at Phoenix

  19-10-2026 01:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Tyler Reddick returned to form at Phoenix Raceway, preventing a pair of three-peat attempts and effectively keeping his championship hopes alive with a statement win in the Freeway Insurance 500.The driver for 23XI Racing bested pole sitter Ryan Blaney — who was in pursuit of his third consecutive victory in the Valley of the Sun — by 0.801 seconds for his series-leading sixth win of the season and first of his career at the 1-mile Arizona track.Reddick won by optimizing two fresh ti
  
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• Zane Smith furious as he slams into Carson Hocevar after NASCAR Cup race

  19-10-2026 01:53 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoWith 15 laps to go following the final restart at Phoenix Raceway, there was a chaotic moment at the backend of the top ten.Zane Smith was running eighth in Sunday's NASCAR Cup race as he raced off into Turn 3 with Josh Berry on his back bumper. Suddenly, the black No. 77 of Carson Hocevar slid up the track, colliding with the side of Berry's No. 21 and the back of Smith's No. 38.All three cars lost several positions, but the culprit was actually a fourth player -- the No. 1
  
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• NASCAR Cup Series Points Standings Update After Phoenix

  19-10-2026 01:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kyle Larson’s points lead in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase shrunk from 49 points to five points following the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix. The driver of the No. 5 suffered a 34th-place DNF after a right-front tire failure in the final stage caused him to crash into the wall.Latest standings: These were the standings when this story was published. For the current order after every race, see MotorBiscuit’s live NASCAR Cup Series standings, which update automatically.Larson did not e
  
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• Complete NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Phoenix II

  19-10-2026 01:20 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoThe championship picture has completely changed with just three races left in the 2026 NASCAR Cup season. Championship leader Kyle Larsonwrecked out of the race due to a cut tire, finishing 34th and scoring just three points.Christopher Bell is now second, just 5pts back of the lead while the top seven in the championship have just 56 points between them all. Chase Briscoe is third, 24 points behind.Denny Hamlin suffered a flat tire and a speeding penalty at Phoenix, dropping dow
  
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• Kyle Larson's points lead vanishes with costly Phoenix crash

  19-10-2026 01:01 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Motorsport photoPhoenix was never going to be a good day for Kyle Larson. He started 22nd, struggled to make up ground, failed to score any stage points, and even went a lap down at one point.But things got a lot worse for the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after 281 of 312 laps. While battling for 16th with Austin Cindric, Larson's right-front tire blew on entry into Turn 1 and he slammed the wall.The damage was terminal and his race was over, leaving Larson with just three points for his
  
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