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Hunter Lawrence Endures Dramatic, Tensioned Filled Pro Motocross Championship Finale at Ironman for First Premier Class Title

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Cole Davies Claims First National Championship in 250SMX Class on 19th Birthday

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (August 29, 2026) – The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a historic conclusion at Ironman Raceway where, for the first time, a trio of champions were crowned at the season finale. Perfect weather conditions and the largest crowd ever in the event’s 13-year existence were on hand for the U.S. Army Ironman National Finals Presented by Tucker Freight Lines, the 28th and final round of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season. One of the sport’s most compelling storylines in more than five decades headlined the day as the Australian siblings from Honda HRC Progressive, Hunter Lawrence [#96] and Jett Lawrence [#1], came in separated by a single point. After an uncharacteristically unpredictable afternoon of 450SMX Class racing, it was Hunter who endured through adversity to prevail with his first premier class title and the prestigious Edison Dye Cup.

In the 250SMX Class, a season-long battle between Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies [#37] and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen [#47] was ultimately decided in the first moto when heartbreak befell Kitchen and allowed Davies to clinch before the final gate drop. On his 19th birthday, the New Zealander became the first Kiwi to capture the Gary Jones Cup in 55 years.

In the battle for victory in each respective division, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing enjoyed a banner afternoon by prevailing in the 450SMX Class with Spaniard Jorge Prado [#26], who broke through for his first win on U.S. soil, as well as the 250SMX Class with a second career victory for Julien Beaumer [#13].

450SMX Class

Qualifying

  • The final qualifying sessions of the summer started the breakthrough afternoon for Prado, who paced each respective session for the first time. The Spaniard’s time of 2:07.134 in the first session ended up being fastest overall, placing him just a tenth ahead of Hunter Lawrence’s time of 2:07.253, with Jett Lawrence a half-second back in third at 2:07.915. 

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The tension-filled first moto kicked off with Hunter Lawrence and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38] out front. While Lawrence had the holeshot, Deegan surged into the lead but went down right in front of the Honda rider. With nowhere to go, Lawrence ran into Deegan and their motorcycles locked together. As they looked to get back into action, Deegan and Lawrence resumed at the tail end of the field.
  • As all this unfolded, Jett Lawrence was mired outside the top 20 following a bad start. He passed his brother while Hunter was on the ground and looked to work his way through the field.
  • With drama at its peak with the championship contenders, Prado positioned himself at the front of the field after passes around Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire [#24] and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb [#2].
  • Deeper in the field, Hunter Lawrence worked his way through the running order and valiantly fought his way into 20th with 20 minutes left in the moto. Jett Lawrence, meanwhile, sat a handful of positions ahead in 15th. A few laps later, the siblings ran alongside one another in 14th and 15th, respectively nearing the halfway point.
  • As the Lawrences engaged in battle, Prado’s lead extended to double digits over Hampshire, while 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup [#31] moved into third. Further back, Hunter made the pass on Jett.
  • As the moto entered its final five minutes Prado’s lead sat at 14.3 seconds. Deeper in the top 10, Hunter Lawrence broke into the fight and continued to move forward. Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence’s progression slowed as he was unable to keep pace with his brother.
  • Prado was never challenged and broke through with the first moto win of his U.S. career by a margin of 11.5 seconds over Hampshire. Webb was able to take advantage of a miscue by Haarup in the final turn to claim third over the Dane, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger [#7] rounded out the top five. Hunter Lawrence made a charge from 39th to eighth, while Jett Lawrence finished in 11th.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • Four points separated the Lawrence brothers entering the season’s final moto as the field stormed out the gate one last time with Prado leading the Lawrences to the holeshot, with Hunter in second and Jett in third. Soon, Deegan pressured Jett for third and made the pass.
  • After a tense opening lap, the top three settled in, with Prado opening a 2.1 second advantage over Hunter Lawrence, who looked to fend off pressure from Deegan. Jett Lawrence gave pursuit from fourth and kept the lead trio in sight.
  • While running second, Hunter Lawrence lost traction and turned sideways but didn’t go down. As Deegan slipped past into second Hunter resumed in third, just ahead of his younger brother.
  • As the moto reached its halfway point, Prado’s lead extended to more than eight seconds over Deegan. Behind them, Jett and Hunter Lawrence exchanged positions, as Hunter went down and lost the spot, but remounted quickly.
  • With less than eight minutes to go Hunter applied pressure on Jett for third. Jett countered and fended off the threat, but it wasn’t over. Hunter mounted another attack, but once again, Jett kept him at bay. In terms of the championship, it wasn’t a pass Hunter needed to make, so he tactfully managed his position on the track.
  • Back up front, Prado was in a class of his own and managed a lead of more than 15 seconds over Deegan. The Spaniard slowed his pace on the final lap and wrapped up a dominant afternoon by a margin of 6.6 seconds over Deegan, with Jett Lawrence in third and Hunter Lawrence in fourth.

Overall

  • Prado’s dominant afternoon served as the culmination of a season of progression, with an emphatic 1-1 performance for his maiden U.S. victory in his 22nd start.
  • Hampshire’s quiet but consistent day landed him on the overall podium for the second time in his career (2-6), equaling the runner-up effort he earned at Ironman last season.
  • Webb made a long-awaited return to the overall podium in third (3-8), landing inside the top three for the first time since the 2023 season in what was his final full-time start in Pro Motocross.
  • Hunter Lawrence finished just off the podium in fourth (8-4), which secured the title over Jett Lawrence, who finished sixth (11-3), by a slim margin of two points. After winning every moto and overall leading into Ironman, it was the first time neither Lawrence finished on the podium. 
  • The Lawrences became the first siblings in history to win premier class championships, as Hunter became the 29th different series titleholder. He’ll also enter the SMX World Championship postseason at the top seed.

Results & Standings

450SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM (1-1 // 50)
  2. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (2-6 // 38)
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (3-8 // 34)
  4. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (8-4 // 32)
  5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM (7-5 // 32)
  6. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (11-3 // 31)
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (6-7 // 31)
  8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-9 // 30)
  9. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (16-2 // 28)
  10. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph (4-14 // 26) 

450SMX Class Final Championship Standings (Race 11 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 474
  2. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 472
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 404
  4. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 401
  5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 346
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 296
  7. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 269
  8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 264
  9. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph – 246
  10. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Ducati – 226

SMX World Championship Final Regular Season Standings (Round 28 of 28)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 820
  2. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 590
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 579
  4. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 472
  5. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 445
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 438
  7. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 404
  8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM – 396
  9. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 384
  10. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki – 349

Quotes

1st Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1)
“It was a perfect day. Fastest in Qualifying and P1 in both motos. We made so much progress the past few weeks and we’re in such a good place with the bike. I’m so happy with all the hard work from the team. This is why I came here to the United States, to win.”
 
2nd Place – RJ Hampshire | #24 Rockstar Energy Factory Racing (2-6)
“This is awesome [to be on the podium]. Just a solid day. I didn’t do anything special. I got decent starts and made it happen. Huge thanks to the team at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, what a way to go out.”
 
3rd Place – Cooper Webb | #2 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-8)
“This is a dream ending to a racing career at my last ever National. I got called up to Team USA earlier this week and ended a Cinderella weekend on the podium. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. This feels like a win. What a dream come true to be up here one last time.”
 
450SMX Champion – Hunter Lawrence | #96 Honda HRC Progressive (8-4)
“I can’t even [put it into words]. I just knew I had to finish behind Jett [in Moto 2]. Most of my work was done in the first moto. It was a tough day for the Lawrences, as you can see, a pretty uncharacteristic day. Thank you to the team, my brother, my family, everyone that supports us. We’re living the American dream and couldn’t do this anywhere else.”

250SMX Class

Qualifying

  • The morning qualifying sessions began Davies’ journey to the title, as he set the tone for the afternoon by setting the fastest time of the first session at 2:10.092, followed by Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas [#29] with a 2:10.505. Each of those times held through the second session, which was paced by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Drew Adams [#35] and his time of 2:10.559, which ultimately ended up third on the combined sheet. The top six riders in qualifying sat within one second of one another. 

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The first moto of the afternoon started with Beaumer out front with the holeshot, followed by Hymas and Davies. Hymas went on the attack and made the move for the top spot. Kitchen, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but quickly moved his way forward. Just before the completion of the opening lap Kitchen went down and dropped to the tail end of the field.
  • Five minutes into the moto the top three settled into their respective positions, with Hymas managing about a one-second lead over Beaumer as Davies pursued from third.
  • Hymas went down and gave up the lead with a more than 23 minutes left on the race clock, which allowed both Beaumer and Davies to move into first and second, respectively, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Landen Gordon [#180] slotting into third as Hymas remounted in fourth.
  • As the moto surpassed its opening 10 minutes, Kitchen was seen on the side of the track’s steepest hill, with his Kawasaki in the middle of the track. While he eventually got back on the bike, he endured through an extended period to get back into the race and eventually pulled out of the moto with a 40th-place finish.
  • Back out front, Beaumer built a lead of more than six seconds over Davies at the halfway point as Hymas regained control of third.
  • Hymas’s comeback effort continued as he eventually closed in on Davies, who didn’t put up much of a fight, to take control of second. As the moto entered its closing stages Hymas dropped the hammer and was able to erase a deficit of more than seven seconds to Beaumer.
  • The Honda rider closed in quickly on his KTM counterpart and after a brief battle Hymas completed his recovery from the early crash to reclaim the lead as time ran out on the race clock.
  • Hymas pulled away over the final two laps and stormed to his third moto win of the season by 26.2 seconds over Beaumer, who went down on the final lap but didn’t lose a position. Davies followed nearly 30 seconds back in third, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Daxton Bennick fourth and Gibson fifth.
  • Davies’ third-place finish, combined with Kitchen’s DNF, clinched the championship for the Yamaha rider.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • Prior to the field returning to the track, Kawasaki announced that Kitchen would sit out the final moto following his incident in Moto 1 and was slated to undergo further evaluation next week.
  • With the championship decided, the final gate drop of the season was an all-out battle for victory that started with Gordon leading the field to the holeshot ahead of teammates Kayden Minear [#99] and Davies. Further back, Beaumer started in ninth, while Hymas went down and started outside the top 20.
  • Davies put in a charge on the opening lap to pass both of his teammates and seize control of the race lead, with Gordon in second and Minear in third.
  • Five minutes into the moto. Davies extended his lead to just over two seconds over Gordon, while Minear came under fire from Beaumer. Soon, the KTM rider made the pass to break into podium position.
  • The leaders settled in as the moto reached its halfway point, while Hymas battled his way back into the top 10. Moments later, Beaumer made the pass on Gordon for second and put in a charge to track down Davies. Further back, Hymas was posting the fastest laps on the track and closing in quickly on the top five.
  • Beaumer caught Davies and made the move for the lead with just over 12 minutes to go. Behind them, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34] moved into third. He continued his forward progression and closed in on Davies, easily taking over second. Moments later, Hymas’ hard charge carried him around Davies for third.
  • With less than five minutes remaining in the moto Beaumer sat more than 12 seconds clear of the field, but DiFrancesco and Hymas engaged in a tight battle for second. DiFrancesco fended him off briefly, but Hymas made the move.
  • Beaumer put an exclamation point on the season with his second career moto win. He took the checkered flag 7.2 seconds ahead of Hymas, with DiFrancesco in third. With the title in hand, Davies dramatically dropped his pace over the second half of the moto and finished a distant 13th place.

Overall

  • Beaumer’s emphatic performance in the final moto put him atop the overall standings with 2-1 finishes and the second win of the season and his career. The win also moved him into second in the championship standings.
  • Hymas’ equaled Beaumer’s results with a 1-2 effort but lost out on the second moto tiebreaker. It capped off a torrid second half for the Honda rider, with five straight podium finishes to end the season.
  • DiFrancesco completed the best season of his career with his third podium finish (7-3).
  • Davies ended up seventh overall (3-13) in his championship winning performance, finishing 38 points ahead of Beaumer in the final standings, while Kitchen dropped into a tie with Hymas for third.
  • In addition to his distinction as the first AMA National Champion from New Zealand, Davies became the third-youngest rider to win a 250SMX Class title in Supercross and Pro Motocross in the same season. He’s the 35th different champion in 250SMX Class history and also secured the top seed in the SMX World Championship postseason.

Results & Standings

250SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (1-2 // 47)
  2. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (2-1 // 47)
  3. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna (7-3 // 35)
  4. Landen Gordon, Atascadero, Calif., Yamaha (5-6 // 33)
  5. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, Yamaha (6-7 // 31)
  6. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (9-5 // 30)
  7. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (3-13 // 29)
  8. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha (8-8 // 28)
  9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (15-4 // 25)
  10. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha (10-9 // 25) 

250SMX Class Final Championship Standings (Race 11 of 11)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 407
  2. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 369
  3. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 364
  4. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 364
  5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 326
  6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 297
  7. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 244
  8. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 194
  9. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 187
  10. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki – 181

SMX World Championship Final Regular Season Standings (Round 28 of 28)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 638
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 541
  3. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 490
  4. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 402
  5. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 369
  6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 324
  7. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 316
  8. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 314
  9. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 314
  10. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Husqvarna – 302

Quotes

1st Place – Julien Beaumer | #13 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-1)
“It’s been a bit of a rough stretch the last few rounds, but that [second moto] was me. I felt amazing and the bike was perfect. I couldn’t be happier. Buckle up, it’s SMX [Playoffs] time. I’m fired up, let’s go.”
 
2nd Place – Chance Hymas | #29 Honda HRC Progressive (1-2)
“Earlier in the season I’d be super stoked to be in this position [in second], but today I’m bummed. I rode my butt off in the second moto. If it wasn’t for that mistake. I’ve got to ride that roller coaster [of emotion] and in the grand scheme of things, I’m doing alright.”
 
3rd Place – Ryder DiFrancesco | #34 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (3-7)
“I’ve got a real shot at the Playoffs. I need to lock in these next few weeks and try to fight for it. Given all the experience I have now I think I can keep the momentum going and carry it into that. I’m looking forward to it.”
 
250SMX Class Champion – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-13)
“I expected nothing less than holding this [#1] plate at the end of the year. Man, what a journey it’s been. I worked my whole life to be where I am now. It was an up and down season, but it was all worth it, and to do it on my birthday is unreal.”

The Ironman National also hosted the final round of the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony [WMX] and the SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine.

The sixth and final WMX round saw a championship-deciding showdown between season-long rivals Lachlan Turner, the reigning back-to-back champion with Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha, and Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon. A Moto 1 win by Cannon, combined with a sixth-place finish for Turner, set the stage for a dramatic second moto where Cannon completed the 1-1 sweep as Turner once again overcame misfortune but did enough to secure her third-straight WMX title.

The Moto Combine contested two motos on Friday, from which Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson claimed each individual win. However, Wood’s 1-2 effort landed him atop the overall standings and netted him a sweep of this summer’s Combine events.

With the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season complete, the series will enter the postseason Playoffs and Final, where a combined $1.5 million championship bonus will be up for grabs across the 450SMX and 250SMX Classes. The two Playoff rounds will also feature the SMX Next World All-Stars, while the Final will host the showcase WMX SMX Invitational.

Playoff 1 – Historic Crew Stadium / Columbus, OH – September 11-12
Playoff 2 – Dignity Health Sports Park / Los Angeles, CA – September 18-19
Final – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena / Ridgedale, MO – September 25-26

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Instagram: @supermotocross
Facebook: @supermotocross
X: @supermotocross
YouTube: @supermotocross
TikTok: @supermotocross

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship:
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Pro Motocross Championship:
The Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the Pro Motocross Championship.
For more information, visit ProMotocross.com.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide.
For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.:
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

About Feld Motor Sports, Inc.:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

RCR NCS Race Recap: Daytona International Speedway

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Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Deer Season XP Chevrolet Team Survive Thrilling Overtime Finish to Earn Seventh-Place Result in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway

Finish: 7th
Start: 29th
Points: 25th

“Really proud of the entire No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Deer Season XP Chevrolet team at Daytona International Speedway, but we still have some work to do on speedway racing. It was pretty tough out there tonight. Track position does seem to be key with this package. Our Chevy was tight on exit to Turn 4 to start the race, but still very drive-able. In the final stage crew chief Richard Boswell had us pit early and it helped give us the fuel and track position needed to go home with a Top-10 finish.” -Austin Dillon

Austin Hill and the No. 33 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Lead Laps and Show Speed at Daytona International Speedway Before Ultimately Finishing 27th

Finish: 27th
Start: 3rd
Points: 32nd

“Our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet was really fast tonight and I wish the finish showed that. Just missed the mark a bit tonight with strategy. We had a great qualifying effort with us starting third, and after the green, we quickly got to the lead. The car was way too loose to make moves with the steering wheel and I couldn’t make the hard turns to block the runs at the end of that stage. We made good adjustments, drove back forward, and finished inside the top-10 at the end of Stage 2. We pitted with five other cars under green in the last stage, and unfortunately, we came off pit road last of the group and ended up losing the draft. A timely caution let us get our lap back for the overtime finish, but there wasn’t enough time to make up ground. Proud of all the prep the guys put in to bring a fast car to the track.” -Austin Hill

Wood Brothers Racing – Race Report: Daytona International Speedway

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Official Release
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Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Start: 24th
Finish: 9th

Josh Berry and the No. 21 eero team extended their streak of consecutive top-10 finishes to five with a ninth-place finish in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Berry and the eero team started the regular-season finale from 24th place and elected to ride near the rear of the field during the early stages, avoiding the potential trouble that came with a tightly packed field frequently running three-wide.

Berry finished 36th in Stage 1 and 25th in Stage 2. During the second stage break, the eero team elected to pit later than many of its competitors, allowing Berry to rejoin the field in 28th place with a full tank of fuel.

Berry briefly worked his way forward to 15th before falling back as far as 38th. As the laps wound down, however, he began a steady charge through the field and broke into the top 10 with 10 laps remaining in the scheduled 160-lap distance.

Berry was running seventh when a late caution for an incident involving Carson Hocevar sent the race into overtime.

On the ensuing restart, Berry made a move to the outside line and surged to fourth on the final lap before several cars ahead of him became involved in a multi-car incident. Berry was collected in the melee, leaving the front of the No. 21 eero Ford Mustang Dark Horse heavily damaged.

Despite the damage, Berry was able to make it to the finish and secure a ninth-place result – his third consecutive ninth-place finish at Daytona – while extending his current streak of top-10 finishes to five races.

Berry and the Wood Brothers team now turn their attention to Darlington Raceway and next Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Daytona Coke Zero Sugar 400

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Official Release
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Coke Zero Sugar 400
Daytona Beach, Florida – August 29, 2026

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/MAYTAG FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 8TH STAGE 1: 9TH STAGE 2: 13TH FINISH: 6TH POINTS: 15TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang Dark Horse team secured their spot in The Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship with a sixth-place finish in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Cindric took the green flag from the eighth position and settled into the draft as the field spent much of the opening segment racing two-and-three-wide. He was scored 15th after 20 laps before working his way forward to finish Stage 1 in ninth, earning two stage points. Cindric reported that the No. 2 Ford started on the free side before building tight over the course of the run. The Menards/Maytag team called him to pit road for four tires and fuel during the stage break, and he lined up 14th for the start of Stage 2. The field continued to race in tight packs throughout the second segment, with Cindric maintaining position among the lead group. He finished Stage 2 in 13th while continuing to battle a similar handling condition, reporting that the car fired off loose before progressively building tight. Following another stop for four tires and fuel, Cindric lined up third for the start of the final stage. As the laps wound down, Cindric remained within striking distance of the leaders while positioning himself for a late push. He was running just outside the top 15 with 10 laps remaining before advancing to sixth when the caution came out with five laps to go. Cindric and the No. 2 team elected to stay on track under the late caution, putting him fifth for the overtime restart. He held his position among the lead pack over the final two-lap sprint and crossed the finish line sixth, securing his place in the postseason and recording a strong finish in the regular-season finale.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Obviously, we had a strong Maytag/Menards Ford Mustang. We were able to get to the front when we needed to at times. I hate we weren’t able to capitalize and lead as many laps as we did in stage two to give ourselves a larger buffer for the final stage, but the guys did a great job of keeping me informed with what I needed to do to keep ourselves out front and get back to the front. Everything we needed to do we checked the boxes tonight.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 ADVANCE AUTO PARTS FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 19TH STAGE 1: 31ST STAGE 2: 1ST FINISH: 33RD POINTS: 2ND

RACE RUNDOWN: The finishing result was not indicative of the speed that Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang Dark Horse team showed in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The defending race winner methodically worked his way through the field early in the race to contend for the lead at race’s end. After running outside the top 25 for much of the first 20 laps, Blaney advanced through the field by Lap 23 and reported that his car was a little tight and difficult to maneuver in traffic. Blaney narrowly avoided a multi-car crash near the end of Stage 1 and finished the stage in 31st position. Following the stage break, the No. 12 team continued making gains while working a fuel strategy. Blaney climbed to 15th by Lap 74 after spending time inside the top 10 earlier in the stage. With help from Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano, Blaney surged to third on Lap 81 before taking the lead one lap later. After a fuel-only stop under caution, Blaney went on to win Stage 2. After topping off prior to the beginning of the final stage, Blaney steadily worked his way back toward the front while balancing fuel strategy, running 12th on Lap 127 and eighth by Lap 146. Unfortunately, Blaney was spun on the final lap during overtime, preventing a stronger finish. Despite the setback, the No. 12 team secured the No. 2 seed for the NASCAR Cup Series Chase, which begins next week at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I think we had a really good Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang. The end was unfortunate. I’m looking forward to the Chase. It will be different from what we’ve had the last little bit. I really don’t think you’re just going to have to know that you’re not going to be able to really afford any mistakes. Things are going to fluctuate up and down, for sure.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 AUTOTRADER FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 9TH STAGE 1: 3RD STAGE 2: 21ST FINISH: 18TH POINTS: 9TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse team battled through a fuel-saving strategy, and late-race chaos in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway to earn an 18th-place finish. After running inside the top 20 for much of the opening stage, Logano reported that his car was neutral but had the potential to gain speed as the race progressed, advancing to 17th by Lap 24. Logano crossed the line ninth at the end of Stage 1. The No. 22 team made significant gains in Stage 2, climbing into the top five by Lap 46 before falling back to 19th later in the run. Logano worked his way forward once again, running seventh on Lap 81 while drafting with Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney before advancing to third one lap later. After restarting fourth to begin the final stage, the team’s focus shifted to fuel conservation as Logano maintained his position while saving fuel. Crew chief Paul Wolfe made the call to keep the No. 22 Ford on track despite fuel concerns, and Logano successfully stretched his fuel load to the finish while skillfully avoiding late-race carnage. The three-time Cup Series champion ultimately brought the No. 22 Ford Mustang home in 18th place following an overtime finish. Logano will enter the NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the Championship as the No. 9 seed when the postseason begins next Sunday at Darlington Raceway.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “I thought we had a really fast Autotrader Ford Mustang. I felt like the new package gave us more opportunities to pass and contend for the lead. The finish isn’t indicative of the speed we had today. I’m incredibly proud of the No. 22 team, and I’m looking forward to starting the Chase on a strong note.”

The NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the Championship kicks off at legendary Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Catch coverage of the Cook Out Southern 500 beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

RFK Racing Daytona II Executive Summary

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Official Release
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RFK RACING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: August 29, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5 mile Super Speedway) – Daytona Beach, FL
Format: 400 miles / 160 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 35, Stage 2: Ends at lap 95, Stage 3: Ends at lap 160

RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: On a day when movie star Tom Cruise was at the track, Ryan Preece’s race had a Hollywood ending. It could not have been more of a Cinderella story Saturday night as Preece came through with a clutch victory for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing. Preece overcame a Stage One spin to rally for the win. The victory, the first points paying win of his career, came on the hallowed grounds of Daytona in the regular season finale’, and launched him into the Chase. Co-owner Brad Keselowski celebrated with Preece in victory lane after leading 10 laps and finishing 14th. Chris Buescher, who clinched his own Chase berth in New Hampshire, led 6 laps but was spun in Stage One, and damage sustained there relegated one of the race’s fastest race cars to an extremely misleading 40th place finish.

DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS

Ryan Preece – No. 60 Kroger / OIKOS Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: RACE WINNER
Start: 4th
Laps Led: 5
Stage Results: S1-8th, S2-2nd
Headline takeaway: Ryan Preece turned in a dramatic fairy tale like performance, scoring is first career points paying win on NASCAR’s most prestigious track, and in the process erasing a 31 point deficit to claim the final Chase berth.

Preece Quote: “Unreal. The Northeast is gonna burn it down tonight because when we won the Clash all I heard was, ‘That was a non-points race.’ Well, now we’ve won a points race and now we’re in the playoffs. We came with our back against the wall and we fought. That was a heavyweight fight and we were never out. Thank you to OIKOS, Kroger, Fastenal, Mr. Jack Roush, everybody at RFK, Brad Keselowski, Tad Geschickter, all our friends and family, Ford for the awesome race car, Doug Yates for the awesome motor. I’m just super, super proud. I’m proud to be a Northeast guy.”

FULL RYAN PREECE TRANSCRIPT ATTACHED

Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Consumer Cellular Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 14th
Start: 21st
Laps Led: 10
Stage Results: S1-15th, S2–20th
Headline takeaway: Brad Keselowski’s knack for drafting track racing was on full display as he worked his way through the field to sometimes lead at Daytona Saturday night. Though he was shuffled back in the race’s late laps, he contended much of the night. As a team leader, he celebrated his 7th win as the co-owner of RFK Racing

Keselowski Quote: “Two cars in the Chase. It’s a big deal for us. To put two cars in that position is a big mark for us. We want to be a Tier I team. Tier I teams put their cars in the Playoffs. There’s no way around that,” said Keselowski. “Winning races, putting your cars in the Chase, that’s what it takes to get there. We did that today. Ryan did that today.”

Chris Buescher – No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 40th
Start: 2nd
Laps Led: 6
Stage Results: S1-11th, S2-40th
Headline takeaway: Chris Buescher had a dominant first stage, leading 6 Laps and appearing to have a lock on winning the segment before being spun on the final Stage One circuit. The spin altered the course of his race, though he returned to action the damage hampered his ability to compete.

Buescher Quote: “That was hard. I’m curious what today what have looked like had I not wrecked at the end of Stage One. Grateful to this 17 team for patching me up, getting me back out there to still finish even if not on the lead lap. Yeah, just disappointing. We were really strong there. Happy for Ryan though and that group. Darlington is next and I really like going there. See what we can do next weekend.”

Point Standings:

Buescher: 10th – Chase Contender
Preece: 16th – Chase Contender
Keselowski: 18th

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is September 6 at Darlington Raceway (1.3 Mile egg-shaped oval – Darlington, SC). The race begins at 5:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Sports and the Motor Racing Network.

About RFK Racing 

RFK Racing, in its 39th season in 2026, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit https://www.rfkracing.com/ and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Front Row Motorsports: Daytona International Speedway NCS Race Report – Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith

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Official Release
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Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Daytona International Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Race Report
Daytona International Speedway 400
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Event: Race 28 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
Length of Race: 166 laps over two hours, 40 minutes, 58 seconds

FRM Finish:

● Todd Gilliland (Started 33rd, Finished 19th / Running, completed 166 of 166 laps)

● Noah Gragson (Started 37th, Finished 26th / Running, completed 166 of 166 laps)

● Zane Smith (Started 34th, Finished 32nd / Running, completed 165 of 166 laps)

FRM Points Standings:

Todd Gilliland (22nd)
Zane Smith (24th)
Noah Gragson (31st)

Todd Gilliland Key Takeaways

Stage One: 12th / Stage Two: 5th / Race Result: 19th

“An unfortunate result to a promising night,” said Gilliland. “Our Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse ran up front for a lot of the race, even leading a few laps, but it didn’t work out in our favor. We’ll take what we can from it and hopefully have it translate at Talladega, or even a mile-and-a-half.”

Noah Gragson Key Takeaways

Stage One: 26th / Stage Two: 28th / Race Result: 26th

“We had a really fast No. 4 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse today and were able to run inside the top five at one point,” said Gragson. “The fuel strategy didn’t work out for us in the end, but having the fastest lap in the race shows the speed we had. We’ll take the positives and keep building.”

Zane Smith Key Takeaways

Stage One: 25th / Stage Two: 3rd / Race Result: 32nd

“They knew we were there; we’ll get one of these soon,” said Smith. “Really proud of my guys and the car we brought, the strategy we had, everything went good except the last lap there. The finish isn’t what we want but we have a lot of good takeaways from tonight.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Rick Ware Racing: Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona

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Official Release
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RICK WARE RACING
Coke Zero Sugar 400
Date: Aug. 29, 2026
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)

Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (35 laps/60 laps/65 laps)

Note: Race extended six laps past its scheduled 160-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Ryan Preece of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Shane van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Finish:

● Cody Ware (Started 25th, Finished 35th / Accident, completed 165 of 166 laps)

RWR Points:

● Cody Ware (35th with 201 points)

RWR Notes:

● Ware led twice for eight laps to bring his laps-led total at Daytona to 31.

Race Notes:

● Ryan Preece won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 to score his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

● Preece became the 13th different driver to win his first NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona. In fact, five of the last nine summer races at Daytona have seen a first-time winner: Erik Jones (2018), Justin Haley (2019), William Byron (2020), Harrison Burton (2024) and Preece (2026).

● There were four caution periods for a total of 23 laps.

● Thirty-one of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship to lead the Chase standings.

Sound Bites:

“Daytona gives and she takes. We had a really stout Super.com Chevrolet tonight. I always say it, but my boys build some of the best superspeedway cars out there, and we showed that by getting up front and leading the pack. Really happy that we put on a good show for our partners and our fans. Just wish we had the result to show for all the effort.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Super.com Chevrolet

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The first race in the 10-race Chase starts at 5 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

TOYOTA RACING – NCS Daytona Post-Race Report – 08.29.26

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REDDICK SCORES THIRD-PLACE RESULT IN DAYTONA
Six Camry Drivers Set to Compete in 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 29, 2026) – Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick earned a third-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway after finding himself leading the field late in Saturday night’s race.

Reddick is one of six Camry drivers to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series championship that begins next Sunday at Darlington Raceway. Denny Hamlin is the No. 1 seed heading into the 10-race championship run and is joined by fellow Toyota drivers Reddick (third), Ty Gibbs (fourth), Chase Briscoe (fifth), Christopher Bell (sixth) and Bubba Wallace (14th).

TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Daytona International Speedway
Race 26 of 36 – 400 miles, 160 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Ryan Preece*
2nd, Daniel Suarez*
3rd, TYLER REDDICK
4th, Michael McDowell*
5th, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
11th, DENNY HAMLIN
12th, HARRISON BURTON
13th, CHASE BRISCOE
15th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
16th, COREY HEIM
17th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
20th, BUBBA WALLACE
34th, TY GIBBS
39th, ERIK JONES
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 Jordan Brand Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your race today?

“I was just really hoping we were going to be better than third there. It’s going to be close on points with the 54 (Ty Gibbs) so I don’t know if we got him or not. I was hoping something good would happen there — I either wanted to win the race or pass the 54 in points. When the 38 (Zane Smith) threw that block, it’s just so late, if you lift, you’re not going to have the push and the momentum you need to stay with the front row. I was just in a spot where it’s like I couldn’t lift. Either I’m going to hit him or I’m going to get clear of him. Clipped him and lost some momentum there and lost some help.”

Are you ready to go and run for a championship starting next weekend at Darlington?

“That’s a nice positive to come out of the weekend for our Jordan Brand Toyota Camry. For us, I just would’ve loved to take another trip to victory lane here at Daytona. The thing that we were going to try and accomplish in a way I guess came to because we were up there in the mix. I just wish – I know Zane (Smith) got crossed up there and I’m guessing that’s where the 21 (Josh Berry) went – some of the help that I had behind me. You can’t lift in those moments, and you just hope if the blocks are thrown that you’re able to get square. If you can’t get clear, obviously the best thing possible is to be able to dodge the block and get alongside him. Just can’t lift in those moments. You try to keep the momentum going whether you’re pushing the winner or trying to be the winner.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Progressive Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 11th

Did you feel like you had a car that could come up toward the front at the end of tonight’s race?

“I thought we were going to be in a little better position because we saved so much fuel throughout that last run and was still able to get some track position, but I saw the car spinning and the field got jumbled up. Just a great job by NASCAR as a team for coming up with something different here. I thought it definitely was a change. Our car felt a little different. I didn’t think it was quite as log jammed as what it was in the past. If you wanted to get to the front I felt like you could. Just the way the stages worked out was interesting. In stage 2 and 3 fuel saving came into play. Just a decent, clean night overall for us. Had a few small things with the car that we’ve got to make sure we get right from a details perspective. Impressed with the team for all the hard work this season.”

Do you feel that sensation of a reset heading into the Chase?

“Oh, it’s reset. There’s many that have gained a lot of points here tonight. This is the time though that you’ve got to step up and find the next level and next gear. So, it’s on us to go out there and perform. We’ve got a great final 10 weeks ahead of us. This is the grind of the season, but you’ve gotta go give a little more now.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 13th

How was the new superspeedway package tonight?

“I thought the package was way better. Who knows if there’s still more to go, but I thought compared to what we had it was really good. You could make moves and make passes. It was more like traditionally how you would race here. The fuel saving was still there, but it was just how the stages wind up. You have to save fuel to not have to pit so I don’t know what they can do to fix that part of it. If the stages were short enough, I think we would just run as hard as we could and it would be really, really good. Not sure how to fix that, but definitely interesting how it all plays out.”

What is your outlook heading into the Chase?

“I’m really excited. Obviously, I feel like it’s some great tracks for us to be able to get to fifth in points from being 37th I think in week four or five, I think it shows how strong we’ve been. I’m really looking forward to it. I feel like we’re definitely going to be in contention and just have to put 10 really good weeks together. I feel like if we can do that, we’ll be in the mix.”

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 17th

Did you accomplish what you wanted to today heading into the Chase?

“I mean, not really. We obviously wanted to maintain the fifth position in the standings. We were vulnerable to a couple of the guys tonight. Just wasn’t competitive tonight. In the second stage, I got up there in position for stage points and I just made a couple bad moves that took us out of stage points. Then, there at the end, we were still in position to finish ahead of (Chase) Briscoe and then the yellow flag worked in their favor. Could’ve been worse, but it’s five points in the grand scheme of things.”

BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 Columbia PFG Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Finishing Position: 20th

How was your race and what is your outlook heading to Darlington and the start of the Chase?

“Kind of an uneventful day. It got really sketchy there at the end. Good to be in the Playoffs – obviously wanted to be higher than 14th. Our team is way stronger than what the picture paints right now. I’m excited for the next 10 weeks. Some really good tracks coming up for us. I’m really excited to go back to Darlington after the speed we had in the spring. Just for tonight though, our Columbia Toyota Camry was I thought really good. It was just kind of when we needed to bob everyone else weaved and just didn’t play our cards right so it’s unfortunate. Just trying to get a better understanding of what I need to do in the car.”

ERIK JONES, No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Finishing Position: 39th

What happened in the incident that took you out of the race?

“I couldn’t tell. The 77 (Carson Hocevar) just spun up the track there. I knew he was coming back across the track, and I was just trying to get down but it’s tough with all the traffic and as fast as you’re going. I hate it. I thought we were in a good spot – trying to put ourselves in a good spot – and just where we needed to be and it didn’t work out. That’s superspeedway racing. The Dollar Tree Camry was fast – it just didn’t work out.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

CHEVROLET NCS AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY 2: Post-Race Report

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Official Release
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NASCAR Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
Coke Zero Sugar 400
Team Chevy Post-Race Report
August 29, 2026

Suarez Leads Chevrolet to Runner-Up Result in a Dramatic Overtime Finish at Daytona
Five Team Chevy Drivers Set to Compete for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship

 RACE RECAP:

Stage One:

Recording his first career pole at “The World Center of Racing”, Ross Chastain and the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team led the NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag of the regular season finale. A strong start by the Florida native saw the No. 1 top the leaderboard for the opening lap of Stage One, but it was his Team Chevy teammate, Kyle Larson, that turned a 10th-place qualifying effort into a battle for the lead within just two laps around the 2.5-mile superspeedway. While early in the run saw a shuffle of different leaders, the superspeedway king – Austin Hill – capitalized on a burst of momentum to take his turn at the point of the field just prior to the halfway point of the stage. While the closing laps of the stage saw Chastain try to build the bottom lane into a run for the lead, it was the Hill-led top lane that continued to take charge of the lead pack. But dicey moves among the leaders saw Chris Buescher make a brief appearance at the lead to take the white flag of the stage. While it looked like Buescher was going to take the stage win, contact saw the No. 17 spin just before the start-finish line, ultimately opening up the door for Shane van Gisbergen to maneuver his No. 97 Chevrolet to the lead to capture the all important 10 stage points.

Stage Two:

A two-position gain in the race off pit road kept Hill in the top-10 for the start of Stage Two. But to no surprise, the Georgia native put his speedway prowess on full display – making his way back to the top of the leaderboard within the first three laps of the stage. By the midway point of the stage, it was a mix bag of new faces at the front of the pack, including Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, who made an impressive charge through the the field from a 24th-place finish in the opening stage to the top of the leaderboard to pace his first laps of the evening. With 13 laps to go in the stage, the Penske teammates found each other on the bottom lane to make a run at the front of the pack. While stellar moves put Elliott back to the lead in the closing laps, typical last-lap efforts saw his teammate, William Byron, shake out in the fourth position to lead the Bowtie brigade to the end of Stage Two.

Final Stage:

Austin Dillon reached his highest running position thus far of the race when he cycled up into the seventh position to lead Chevrolet to the green flag of the final stage. While familiar faces quickly returned to the front of the pack, a fellow ECR-powered Chevrolet of Cody Ware entered the picture – adding his name to the laps led category with 40 laps to go just prior to the start of a green flag pit cycle. Shortly thereafter, a pack of Chevrolet drivers dove to pit road to make an early start of a green flag pit cycle, with the group returning to the track with 38 laps to go. The strategy saw a trio of Hendrick Motorsports-powered Chevrolet’s take over the command position and continue to stretch their fuel mileage until receiving the call to hit pit road for a quick fuel-only stop with 17 remaining. With the second group hitting pit road, the leaderboard saw a pair of Spire Motorsports Chevrolet’s at the front of the Bowtie brigade as they hovered around the top-five as the race hit a single-digit countdown. While taking a shot at the lead, Hocevar remained in a tight battle among the top-five before losing control of his No. 77 to bring out the caution and set up for an overtime finish. In typical superspeedway fashion, an overtime finish saw chaos ensue throughout the field with a multi-car incident midway through the pack. For the second-consecutive Daytona summer race, it was Daniel Suarez that survived to claim a runner-up finish.

 
Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 Results

Pos. Driver

2nd – Daniel Suarez
4th – Michael McDowell
5th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
7th – Austin Dillon
8th – Alex Bowman
10th – Cole Custer

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 26 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 6
Poles: 6
Top-Fives: 43
Top 10s: 89
Stage Wins: 18

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase will get underway at Darlington Raceway with the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Post-Race Driver Quotes:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 24th

“Our Wendy’s Watermelon Lemonade Chevrolet was pretty loose tonight. We worked on it throughout the race but it was tough in traffic. Unfortunately, we ended the night with a damaged car but I’m looking forward to Darlington next weekend. It’s one of my favorite race tracks.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 7th

“Really proud of the entire No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Deer Season XP Chevrolet team at Daytona International Speedway, but we still have some work to do on speedway racing. It was pretty tough out there tonight. Track position does seem to be key with this package. Our Chevy was tight on exit to Turn 4 to start the race, but still very drive-able. In the final stage crew chief Richard Boswell had us pit early and it helped give us the fuel and track position needed to go home with a Top-10 finish.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 2nd

“We had a really fast No. 7 Coke Zero Sugar Chevrolet. We were so close, two years in a row with a second-place finish. I’m super proud of everyone at Spire Motorsports. All the men and women have worked really hard on these racecars. The power under the hood from the Hendrick Engine Department has been incredible. All my teammates, we got to race together for a little bit. We were so close, man. I feel like if we got to race all the way to the end, we were going to have a shot at it.

Super happy and proud to make it to the Chase with this team. This team deserves it. I feel like in the past, I’ve had runs in the postseason where I didn’t think we were strong enough to really contend. But this team deserves to be in the Chase. We are a Chase team. There’s so many people and partners that have helped us get here and put this kind of performance together.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 23rd

“It’s all eyes on Darlington (Raceway) now. We got through tonight. We had a couple shining spots, I feel like. We led some laps and we were in an okay spot there a time or two. We got caught out there on the strategy there at the end, and I felt like we were in a lot of trouble there pretty quickly. Unfortunately, that ended up being true; we got behind and the caution came out. Hopefully, we can put this one behind us, reset for next weekend – have a good week of preparation and get ready to start the Chase at Darlington.”

Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 27th

“Our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet was really fast tonight and I wish the finishing result showed that. Just missed the mark a bit tonight with strategy. We had a great qualifying effort with us starting third, and after the green, we quickly got to the lead. The car was way too loose to make moves with the steering wheel and I couldn’t make the hard turns to block the runs at the end of that stage. We made good adjustments, drove back forward, and finished inside the top-10 at the end of Stage 2. We pitted with five other cars under green in the last stage, and unfortunately, we came off pit road last of the group and ended up losing the draft. A timely caution let us get our lap back for the overtime finish, but there wasn’t enough time to make up ground. Proud of all the prep the guys put in to bring a fast car to the track.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 5th

“It wasn’t a pretty day for the No. 47 Onin Staffing Chevrolet team. We stuck to our strategy of riding around. I felt like the strategy that we had there in the final stage with the No. 1 (Ross Chastain), No. 3 (Austin Dillon), No. 41 (Cole Custer), No. 88 (Connor Zilisch) and the No. 33 (Austin Hill) was the strategy to win the race. We were catching the lead pack. I felt like the four of us were going to race it out if it went green, but the caution didn’t help us and it helped those guys make it on fuel. Obviously, they didn’t let us race back to the line, which at the DAYTONA 500, they did, so it’s kind of disappointing. Other than that, it’s cool to get a top-five. That’s a positive for us and what our team needed after the last few weeks.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 4th

“We just needed a couple hundred feet more there at the end. I don’t think I would have won, but I think Daniel (Suarez) would have had a shot. We had a good run, and I had just picked him up when the caution came out. The timing was unfortunate, but you know how these races end here (at Daytona International Speedway). If you make it to the finish line, you feel very fortunate. I’m proud of everyone at Spire Motorsports to get two of the three cars into the Chase. To have a strong night like we did tonight and get two Spire Chevrolet’s in the top-five is a great run.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 38th

He did a good job at Talladega with your win. It was looking like it was shaping up for that here in Daytona, but a big moment in the turn three. Did it catch you off guard or was it that edge you could drive all night?

“Yeah, I was always super tight behind people, it seemed. And so, I just changed from top to bottom there and that was the first time I really got a ton of air on my nose into three and I just lost it. It just kept going. I had the wheel straight, man, it just kept going with all the air and something down on the nose. I’m shocked that it did that. It caught me off guard, for sure. It was nice to ride around all day like we’d kind of planned, and then we gave ourselves a shot to win it at the end. We were up front, had track position and led laps, and that’s all I can really ask for from a team standpoint. Overall, I thought we did a pretty good job here tonight.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 28th

“It’s pretty fresh now, but congratulations to the No. 60 (Ryan Preece). One night doesn’t sum up the year for this No. 97 Red Bull Chevrolet team. We just weren’t good enough tonight, but it’s been cool to be this close. Bit of the regular season has been good, but as a team, obviously we’ve struggled. But I’m proud that I’ve been able to match my teammates on the ovals. I think I’ve stepped it up this year. Obviously, you want to be in the Chase, but we were just short.”

 

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Preece’s Dramatic Daytona Win Puts Five Mustangs in the Chase

By
Official Release
-

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Coke Zero Sugar 400 — Daytona International Speedway
Friday, August 28, 2026

RYAN PREECE PUNCHES TICKET TO THE CHASE WITH DRAMATIC DAYTONA WIN

  • Ryan Preece registered his first NASCAR Cup Series win with tonight’s victory.
  • Five Ford Mustang drivers will compete in the Chase: Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece.
  • Ford has won five of the last seven Cup races: Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney (2 each), and Preece (1)
  • The win is the 144th NASCAR Cup Series triumph for car owner Jack Roush and the seventh under the Roush Fenway Keselowski banner.
  • Preece is the 92nd different driver to win a Cup race with Ford, and the first new winner since Josh Berry won at Las Vegas (2025).
  • Today’s win is Ford’s 754th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

RYAN PREECE, No. 60 Kroger/OIKOS Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WINNER IN A POINTS RACE? “Unreal. The Northeast is gonna burn it down tonight because when we won the Clash all I heard was, ‘That was a non-points race.’ Well, now we’ve won a points race and now we’re in the playoffs. We came with our back against the wall and we fought. That was a heavyweight fight and we were never out. Thank you to OIKOS, Kroger, Fastenal, Mr. Jack Roush, everybody at RFK, Brad Keselowski, Tad Geschickter, all our friends and family, Ford for the awesome race car, Doug Yates for the awesome motor. I’m just super, super proud. I’m proud to be a Northeast guy.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN HERE AT DAYTONA, A PLACE WHERE YOU’VE HAD SOME SCARY MOMENTS? “I don’t know, man. I thought I was dead three years ago. My wife thought I was dead. To come here and win at a place that almost ended my career means a lot.”

HOW DO YOU REGROUP NOW AND GO TO DARLINGTON? “We’re gonna fight. We’re gonna fight hard like tonight.”

MORE RYAN PREECE POST-RACE QUOTES:

YOUR CREW CHIEF, DERRICK FINLEY, SAID YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO WIN ALL 10 CHASE RACES. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? “That’s the confidence I want to see out of the D-Rock! We started off consistent. We had a bit of a slump there in May and June and we sort of found our way over the past few weeks, especially last week. We were a contender at Loudon. We were a contender tonight. Denny and those guys have been really fast, but it would be great to go on one hell of a run.”

YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE AT THE DRIVER’S MEETING TODAY. YOU WERE READY FOR TONIGHT. TAKE US THROUGH THOSE FINAL LAPS. “I watched the movie The Replacements and I forgot what his first name was, but Falco and at the end he said, ‘Winners want the ball.’ So give me the ball. Derrick gave me the ball tonight and I gave the ball to him, so, for me, yeah, we were locked in. There’s just no ifs ands or buts. It was 100 percent about doing nothing other than putting ourselves in position and if we wrecked for the lead, we wrecked for the lead. If I rode around in 30th and didn’t have a chance to win, I’d be mad at myself right now.”

WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN THE CAUTION CAME OUT FOR OVERTIME? “I actually liked it. Part of me liked it because sometimes there are only so many moves you can make. I didn’t like it because the Fords were obviously gonna be taking allegiance to the bottom and I was gonna be the odd man out, but sometimes being the odd man out isn’t a bad thing and you just have to be a racer and you’ve got to use your instincts and do the things that are right.”

WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN THEY TOLD YOU THAT YOU HAD WON AND MADE THE CHASE? “I’m not gonna have a voice tomorrow. Before the race, part of me – even last week – I thought we had a contending car that was capable of winning. I even kind of got choked up last week, and I’m not an emotional person. I am but I’m not. I don’t cry. I’m really shocked right now that I can even speak because there’s really no words to truly tell people how difficult this road has been. How many times people doubt you, but then I have a group of supporters, people that are from the northeast that have 100 percent been behind me all the way, so to stand here in Victory Lane and be able to share this moment with them even though they’re not here is amazing. This is a big win for the northeast. This is a big win for Connecticut. I’m a diehard New Englander, so it’s a big deal.”

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET REVENGE ON THIS TRACK AND COME OUT OF HERE ON TOP? “I’m just glad that Daytona decided to love me the way I loved it. A big day for us at RFK. A big day for me. A big day for my family and I’m gonna drink quite a few beers and celebrate it with my friends and family and have a lot of calls tomorrow, but Monday the work is looking forward to trying to make a playoff run.”

WHAT DID IT MEAN TO HAVE YOUR WIFE AND THE KIDS AND THE DOG UP THERE TO GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN IN VICTORY LANE? “To be able to bring my kids to Victory Lane and my wife to Victory Lane – Heather has been there from when I was broke and trying to win a Stafford race on a Friday night so I can get my 25 percent and make $400, to her not knowing that I borrowed money and I had to pay it back somehow, to using her credit card to go get shoes at Iowa because I forgot my shoes and they were wore out that time in 2017, to moving down to North Carolina away from her friends and away from her family to chase a dream with me. Man, this is what racers dream of. It wasn’t given. It was earned. A lot of risk involved and I’m damn proud to be doing it with Mr. Jack Roush, Brad Keselowski and the Fenway Group at RFK, and with Ford.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Obviously, we had a strong Maytag/Menards Ford Mustang. We were able to get to the front when we needed to at times. I hate we weren’t able to capitalize and lead as many laps as we did in stage two to give ourselves a larger buffer for the final stage, but the guys did a great job of keeping me informed with what I needed to do to keep ourselves out front and get back to the front. Everything we needed to do we checked the boxes tonight.” HOW DID YOU VIEW THE FINAL RESTART? “For us, it was fairly simple on how to control our destiny and obviously dodge the wrecks. That was the huge part, but as far as I understand it’s a best-case scenario for Ford tonight. I’m super proud of everybody and we’re ready to go chase for a championship.” YOU’VE MADE THE POSTSEASON FOUR TIMES IN YOUR FIVE YEARS. YOUR THOUGHTS? “I think, for us, we’ve got to absolutely kill it to think we have a shot at a championship with the way that the points reset, but this team is capable of a lot and I want to see how far we can go.” HOW NERVE RACKING WAS TONIGHT? “Honestly, less than you’d think. I think there’s a lot of variables and I don’t mean to downplay it, but there were certainly a lot of variables going into the night. We weren’t all on top of each other, so I felt like in a lot of ways it was somewhat more simplified of how the race was gonna play out after I was able to watch and observe. I thought our car was good enough to charge back through when needed and obviously we got ourselves in position. The guys did a great job of giving me information all night, whether it was points or fuel and how to adapt. That’s what it takes to be a contender at a minimum, but definitely look for a strong 10 weeks from us.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang Dark Horse – NO RESETS NOW IN THE CHASE. WHAT IS THIS GOING TO BE LIKE? “It will be different from what we’ve had the last little bit, but I think everyone was kind of used to that growing up or prior or things like that, so I really don’t think you’re just gonna have to know that you’re not gonna be able to really afford any mistakes. Things are gonna fluctuate up and down, for sure.”

ZANE SMITH, No. 38 Aaron’s Dream Machine Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU WERE LEADING AND THEN IT ALL WENT WRONG. WHAT HAPPENED? “I just got wrecked. I haven’t really seen a replay to break it down, but it’s just unfortunate to come that close and have it not work out.” WAS IT JUST A CASE OF EVERYBODY GOING FOR THE WIN IN OVERTIME? “Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. I haven’t seen a replay. It felt like I didn’t even get a shot to survive with the 45 and just got wiped out.”

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