1. Austin Dillon: Dillon overtook Aric Almirola on Turn 3 of the final lap and captured the Daytona 500 in the No. 3 car made famous by the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. "I got a tattoo of the Daytona 500 logo and the word 'champ' on my backside," Dillon said. "I've always wanted a tattoo but was afraid of getting one. I guess you could say I finally 'cracked.' Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led the final 51 laps at Homestead and held off Kyle Busch to capture the win at Homestead and his first Monster Energy Cup championship. "No offense to Joey Gase," Truex said, "but nice guys don't finish last, they finish first. I am a nice guy, and as champion, I reserve the right to be called 'Mister Nice Guy.'"
1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Phoenix as the field of four was finalized for Homestead. "I think the consensus is that I'm the favorite to win the Cup," Truex said. "I totally agree. I'm a big favorite of my odds to win because I like my chances."
1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second in the AAA 500 and clinched a spot in the Chase final four at Homestead. "The pressure is on for five drivers looking for that final spot," Truex said. "I'm just glad I can sit back and relax, and watch frustration boil over for other drivers. So, while they're going 'postal,' I'll be going 'coast-al.'"
1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second at Martinsville as Kyle Busch took the win. "We didn't win," Truex said, "but it was a good points day for us. And points get me very excited. You know what I get when I see my points pile up? A huge bonus."
1. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex started on the pole and won at Kansas, posting his series-best seventh victory of the season. "The phrase heard most often in NASCAR this year is 'Truex wins,'" Truex said. "I'm just hoping to add 'it all' to the end of it."
1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex crashed out at Talladega with 17 laps to go when he made contact with David Ragan, setting a chain reaction crash that victimized Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch.
Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started 17th and Charlotte, but the handling on his No. 78 Toyota finally came around at the right time, and he pulled away to win the Bank Of America 500.
Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Dover and passed Chase Elliott with two laps to go to win at Dover. "I stood for the American flag," Busch said, "but I was sitting for the checkered flag."
Four-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown picked up his second win of the season on Sunday at Texas Motorplex, defeating standout rookie Maddi Gordon in the final round of the Texas NHRA FallNationals.
The 2026 Daytona 500 champion from Corning, California, utilized a two-tire pit stop to drive from fifth to first in two laps during a 19-lap shootout and be within 56 points shy of the points lead with his sixth Cup victory of 2026 in the desert state.
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.
Tyler Reddick used a key two-tire stop by crew chief Billy Scott late in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway and held off several other front-runners to earn his series-leading sixth win of the season.
