This week, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for its first series points race there in 30 years on Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field. Ryan Blaney will clinch with 35 points, and Ty Gibbs can only clinch with some help.
The Chase For The NASCAR Cup Series Standings Outlook Following the EchoPark Speedway
| Rank | Driver | Points | Ldr | Next | +/- Chase Cutoff | Starts | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 791 | 0 | 0 | 353 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 5 |
| 2 | Tyler Reddick | 767 | -24 | 24 | 329 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 13 | 6 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney | 726 | -65 | 41 | 288 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 2 |
| 4 | Ty Gibbs | 665 | -126 | 61 | 227 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 1 |
| 5 | Chase Elliott | 610 | -181 | 55 | 172 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 6 | Kyle Larson | 594 | -197 | 16 | 156 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 0 |
| 7 | Chris Buescher | 568 | -223 | 26 | 130 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| 8 | Carson Hocevar | 563 | -228 | 5 | 125 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| 9 | Christopher Bell | 551 | -240 | 12 | 113 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 1 |
| 10 | Chase Briscoe | 542 | -249 | 9 | 104 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| 11 | Daniel Suarez | 529 | -262 | 13 | 91 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 12 | William Byron | 520 | -271 | 9 | 82 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| 13 | Bubba Wallace | 493 | -298 | 27 | 55 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| 14 | Austin Cindric | 470 | -321 | 23 | 32 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | Shane Van Gisbergen | 469 | -322 | 1 | 31 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 16 | Erik Jones | 446 | -345 | 23 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Nine different manufacturers have won in the NCS at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Chevrolet leads with 32 victories, followed by Ford (20), Plymouth (13), Oldsmobile (8), Dodge (6), Buick (5), Hudson and Pontiac (4), and Chrysler (1).
Five active organizations have won in the NCS at North Wilkesboro: Richard Childress Racing (5), Hendrick Motorsports (4), Wood Brothers Racing (2), RFK Racing (2) and Team Penske (2).
Track & Race Information for the Window World 450
Season Race Number: 21 of 36 (July 19, 2026)
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Track Size: 0.625-mile
Banking/Turns: 14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 3 degrees
Layout: Paved Oval, with unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch
Race Schedule, Length and Stages for the Window World 450
Race Length: 450 laps (281.25 miles)
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps (Ends on Lap 80)
Stage 2 Length: 185 laps (Ends on Lap 265)
Final Stage Length: 185 laps (Ends on Lap 450)
FRIDAY, JULY 17
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice
3:05 PM – 4:00 PM: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice Qualifying (Impound)
SATURDAY, JULY 18
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Autograph Session (Fan Zone)
12:10 PM: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Driver Introductions
12:30 PM: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Faith Fest 250 Race (Stages 70/140/250 Laps = 156.25 Miles)
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: NASCAR Cup Series Practice
6:10 PM – 7:00 PM: NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying (Impound)
SUNDAY, JULY 19
6:30 PM: NASCAR Cup Series Driver Introductions
7:00 PM: NASCAR Cup Series Window World 450 Race (Stages 80/265/450 = 281.25 Miles)
2026 In-Season Challenge Bracket – Week 4 North Wilkesboro Speedway
The In-Season Challenge is a 32-driver, single-elimination tournament contested during the NCS season. The higher finisher in each matchup advances to the next round until a champion is crowned at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This week features Todd Gilliland versus Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell versus Ryan Blaney. The winner will be crowned after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and receive one million dollars.
| DATE | ROUND | LOCATION | TIME | NETWORK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 28 | Round 1 | Sonoma Raceway | 3:30 p.m. ET | TNT Sports |
| July 5 | Round 2 | Chicagoland Speedway | 6 p.m. ET | TNT Sports |
| July 12 | Round 3 | EchoPark Speedway | 7 p.m. ET | TNT Sports |
| July 19 | Round 4 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | 7 p.m. ET | TNT Sports |
| July 26 | Champions Round | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. ET | TNT Sports |
The Driver Picks for the Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway
- Chase Elliott
- Ryan Blaney
- Denny Hamlin
- Christopher Bell
- William Bryon
