Home Blog Page 2

Midseason NASCAR Odds Breakdown: Contenders, Rising Drivers & Long Shots

By
SM
-

The NASCAR Cup Series reaches a pivotal midseason stage, where every race carries greater significance in the championship battle. Established stars defend their status, while emerging drivers work to close the gap through consistent finishes and timely victories.

Examining the current landscape offers valuable insight into which contenders remain firmly in the title conversation, which rising talents are building momentum, and which long shots could emerge as surprises during the postseason as the playoffs draw closer.

Denny Hamlin’s Championship Contender Status

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +750

Denny Hamlin remains one of the Cup Series’ most accomplished veterans. Years at the highest level have kept him near the top of championship discussions. His playoff experience keeps him among the leading contenders entering the second half of the season

NASCAR odds on FanDuel continue to list Hamlin among the strongest championship candidates. That reflects his ability to combine race-winning speed with dependable week-to-week performances. Hamlin remains a benchmark across a variety of circuits.

His résumé includes strong performances on intermediate tracks, short tracks, and superspeedways. Results at Richmond, Martinsville, and Darlington highlight the versatility that has kept him competitive throughout multiple championship campaigns.

Hamlin’s championship hopes depend on maintaining speed, avoiding mechanical setbacks, and maximizing playoff opportunities. Despite his experience, younger contenders continue to apply pressure as the title battle intensifies.

Tyler Reddick’s Case as a True Contender

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +850

Tyler Reddick has become one of NASCAR’s most complete competitors. Regular playoff appearances and recent victories have reinforced his reputation as a championship threat. His aggressive yet calculated driving style keeps him among the sport’s leading contenders.

Championship markets position Reddick among NASCAR’s elite drivers. Strong results across multiple track types reinforce that outlook. Consistent speed, strong qualifying performances, and improved race management continue to support his title hopes.

Different track types often shape championship expectations, and NASCAR analysis can help illustrate driver performance across varying circuits. Reddick’s road-course strength and improving results on intermediate ovals further strengthen his championship credentials.

The continued growth of 23XI Racing strengthens Reddick’s outlook. Competitive equipment and effective teamwork provide a strong foundation. If the organization maintains race-winning pace, Reddick should remain firmly in the championship conversation.

Ty Gibbs’ Emergence as a Rising Threat

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +2200

Ty Gibbs is emerging as one of NASCAR’s brightest young talents. Each season has brought improvements in race craft, decision-making, and consistency. While still developing, he has shown the qualities needed to compete with the Cup Series’ top drivers.

Championship expectations have risen alongside his performances. Continued development will be key to sustaining that momentum. Strong finishes and competitive pace have improved his long-term outlook, even if he remains outside the top tier of title favorites.

Consistency remains the primary factor limiting Gibbs’ championship credentials. Occasional mistakes and difficult weekends are still part of his learning curve. Reducing those fluctuations would strengthen his ability to challenge for victories.

Continued development could quickly elevate Gibbs’ standing as the season unfolds. If he maintains his natural speed while improving consistency, he has the potential to become a serious championship contender over the coming race weekends.

Chase Briscoe’s Breakout Contender Potential

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +1800

Chase Briscoe has enjoyed an impressive rise through the Cup Series with steadily improving performances. Strong finishes and growing confidence have strengthened his standing among NASCAR’s emerging championship contenders.

Recent performances suggest meaningful progress rather than isolated success. Briscoe has increasingly challenged the sport’s established favorites, and maintaining that level would further strengthen his championship credentials.

Consistency remains the key to sustaining contender-level performances in a highly competitive field. Limiting mistakes, maximizing stage points, and converting strong runs into victories will be essential as the season progresses.

If Briscoe continues building on his recent form, he can remain among NASCAR’s leading championship hopefuls. Maintaining consistency will be equally important. Strong performances over the closing races could also strengthen his playoff outlook.

Bubba Wallace’s Underdog Championship Case

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +6500

Bubba Wallace enters the second half of the season as one of NASCAR’s more intriguing long-shot championship candidates. While not among the leading favorites, he has shown enough competitiveness to remain in the playoff conversation.

Improvements in qualifying speed, race pace, and overall consistency have strengthened Wallace’s championship outlook. Strong finishes throughout the regular season have also kept him within striking distance of the playoff field.

Consistency remains Wallace’s biggest challenge. Competitive performances must be matched by reliable execution and mistake-free races over consecutive weekends. Reducing unforced errors will be key to strengthening his championship credentials.

If Wallace continues capitalizing on opportunities, his outlook could improve as the postseason approaches. Every remaining race carries added significance. Strong finishes over the closing races would further strengthen his playoff hopes.

Carson Hocevar’s Long-Shot Championship Outlook

2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds: +13000

Carson Hocevar enters the latter part of the NASCAR season as one of its more intriguing long-shot championship candidates. Although his title outlook remains modest, his performances continue attracting attention against experienced competition.

Raw pace remains one of Hocevar’s biggest strengths. His aggressive driving style frequently produces competitive runs capable of challenging stronger organizations. That speed gives him opportunities to compete near the front.

As Hocevar gains experience, balancing aggression with race management should help him deliver more complete performances against the sport’s top competition. Continued consistency would further strengthen his long-term championship potential.

A breakout stretch featuring several top finishes or a signature victory could reshape expectations for Hocevar. It would also reinforce his potential to become a more consistent contender in future seasons at the Cup Series level.

The Road to the NASCAR Playoffs

The second half of the NASCAR season will continue to shape the championship picture as every race carries greater significance. Established contenders face growing pressure from emerging challengers, making consistency and execution increasingly important.

As the playoffs draw closer, strong performances at key tracks will help define the title race. Drivers who maximize opportunities and adapt to different circuits will be best positioned to carry momentum into NASCAR’s championship-deciding postseason.

Content reflects information available as of 2026/07/13; subject to change.

Window World 450 Commemorative Souvenir Programs Available

By
Official Release
-

OFFICIAL COMMEMORATIVE SOUVENIR PROGRAM CELEBRATING “OUTLAW ROOTS. RACING SOUL.”

AVAILABLE IN PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMATS

Limited number of printed copies available at the track for free on race weekend while supplies last

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (July 13, 2026) – To help race fans enjoy next weekend’s Window World 450 NASCAR Cup Series race at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, track officials are making the 50-page commemorative souvenir program available for free in both printed and digital formats.

The souvenir program will be available in the reformatted Broadway Play “Playbill” style size that is more convenient for fans to carry the program with them while they are at the track. A limited number of printed programs will be available to guests to pick up at a variety of locations on property during the event, including at NWS gate entry locations, ticket booths and guest services locations, while supplies last.

The program features a special cover tribute design celebrating “Outlaw Roots. Racing Soul.” The cover is a tribute to the rich history of North Wilkesboro Speedway, which opened in 1947 and ran its first NASCAR race in 1949. The cover showcases several drivers who had great success at NWS over the years including Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace. Last year’s NASCAR All-Star Race winner Christopher Bell is also featured in the cover mix. A tall moonshine jar looms in the background on the cover, paying tribute to the early day ties between moonshining and the sport of NASCAR.

The program offers a feature on the weekend’s legends honoree Rusty Wallace and also includes the weekend schedule, a section with track news and information, driver rosters and hero pages for the Cup and Craftsman Truck Series teams, a story previewing each race of the weekend, track history, track stats and a track map.

To access the free digital version, please visit the North Wilkesboro Speedway website starting on Monday, July 13, or be on the lookout for email messages from Speedway team members as well as invitations to download the program on any one of the NWS social media channels. To access the digital version of the Window World 450 souvenir program, please click here.

The 2026 commemorative Window World 450 souvenir program was designed by Learfield-IMG College Publishing in Lexington, Ky.

You’ll want to get your copy of the Window World 450 Playbill as a keepsake to remember all the thrills from your visit to the action-packed weekend of racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway that features:

  • a zMAX CARS Tour doubleheader (Late Model Stock Skyline National Bank 100 and Pro Late Model Spears Manufacturing 75) on Friday, July 17
  • the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation; a 250-lap duel under the sun on Saturday, July 18
  • a rocking Pre-Race Concert presented by Raymer Oil, featuring multi-platinum country music hit-makers Sawyer Brown, prior to the NASCAR Cup Series’ Window World 450 under the lights on Sunday, July 19

North Wilkesboro’s showpiece race weekend builds on the excitement of a remarkable reopening in 2022 that preceded three NASCAR All-Star Races – won by Kyle Larson, Joey Logano and Christopher Bell – from 2023-’25.

Prior to the July 17 Window World 450, the most recent points-paying Cup Series race at NWS took place in September of 1996.

Window World 450 tickets, camping and race-day upgrades – including Pre-Race Track Passes – can be purchased online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com. Fans can also purchase tickets directly at Wilkes County IGA Fairvalue Marketplace or Raymer Oil locations with no online taxes or fees.

Race fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding the July 17-19 race weekend by following on X and Instagram or by becoming a Facebook fan.

Christopher Bell left “happy” with runner-up result at Atlanta

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Christopher Bell is on a roll in his latest three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. He extended this streak by notching a strong runner-up result in the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway between July 12-13.

The 2024 Coca-Cola 600 champion from Norman, Oklahoma, took the green flag during this past weekend’s event at Atlanta in 32nd place. Ironically, Bell also started in 32nd place during the spring Atlanta event in mid-February. Compared to the first Atlanta event, where he finished in 21st place, Bell both placed himself in prime position of contending for his first victory of the 2026 campaign and notched a strong result towards the front.

After settling in 15th place during the event’s first stage’s conclusion, Bell withstood a rain delay period that spanned more than three hours to settle in seventh place when the second stage period concluded. By then, he accumulated four stage points. Throughout the final stage period, he contended at the front and led twice for a total of five laps (Laps 197-200 & 203) while dicing it up within the draft with his fellow competitors and Joe Gibbs Racing/Toyota-affiliated teammates.

Restarting in fifth place during an overtime shootout, Bell was locked on the bottom lane, and he was pinned in a tight three-wide battle with Shane van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick for fourth place when the final lap began. After motoring his No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead of the latter two, Bell transitioned to the outside lane through the first two turns and reeled in on pole-sitter Ryan Blaney through the backstretch as Blaney was locked in a three-wide battle with Carson Hocevar and Bubba Wallace for the lead. Over the final two turns, Bell reeled in and gave Blaney a shove through the frontstretch, enabling Blaney to win the event. 

Meanwhile, Bell crossed the finish line in third place after he was edged by Wallace for the runner-up spot. Bell, though, was awarded the runner-up spot when NASCAR penalized Wallace for driving below the yellow line (out of bounds) along the backstretch while attempting to overtake for position, which demoted Wallace to the final competitor on the lead lap in 29th place.

With the runner-up result, Bell jumped from 10th to ninth in the 2026 Cup Series standings. Despite trailing teammate Denny Hamlin by 240 points for the points lead, Bell holds a 113-point cushion above the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Chase with only six regular-season events remaining. In addition, he is one of four competitors, along with Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Todd Gilliland, who are still in contention for this year’s In-Season Tournament.

Overall, Bell’s runner-up result at Atlanta marks his fifth time finishing second in a Cup event through 20 events this season. It also marks his ninth top-five result this season and his third in a row in recent weeks as he continues to recover from his hard accident at Michigan International Speedway in early June that fractured his left wrist. Compared to Chicagoland, Bell was left satisfied with his recent runner-up result at Atlanta while contending for the victory.

No. 20
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“[Atlanta] was a great finish,” Bell, who won at Atlanta in mid-February 2025, said on TNT. “Really, really exciting race. Proud of all of our Cup Series regulars. I feel like they put on an awesome show. We didn’t wreck, which is amazing. I found myself in the right lane, that’s for sure, to be on the outside. [Second place] is really good. [The result] was about as good as I was going to get. Really happy with that. Our Rheem Camry was driving really good. [I] Just had a fun day. It was a really fun race.”

Bell’s next event on the 2026 Cup Series schedule is North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, for the Window World 450. Bell enters the event with momentum as he won the series’ recent event at Wilkesboro a year ago when the event was the All-Star Race. In addition, Bell holds three short track victories to his Cup resume, with his latest victory to date occurring at Bristol Motor Speedway in mid-September 2025. The Oklahoma native continues to pursue his first Cup victory of the 2026 season while also maintaining his position above the top-16 cutline in the standings when the regular-season stretch concludes, and the Chase commences, which would enable him to contend for his first Cup title.

The 2026 Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway is scheduled for this Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, PRN Radio, SiriusXM, and HBO MAX.

SUPER SPECIAL! DRAKE DIGS IN FOR $10,000 USAC MIDGET SCORE AT JEFF.CO

By
Official Release
-
Kale Drake collected on a $10,000 payday for his USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature victory on Saturday night at Fairbury, Nebraska's Jefferson County Speedway. (Ray Hague Photo)

By Richie Murray – USAC Media

Fairbury, Nebraska (July 11, 2026)………Throughout USAC Mid-America Midget Week, it suddenly became apparent that it was only a matter of time before Kale Drake and RMS Racing put it all together to become a winning combination on the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship trail.

That precise time arrived during Saturday night’s Riverside Chevrolet Midwest Midget Championship Presented by Westin Packaged Meats & Schmidt’s Sanitation at Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway.

After he and the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team parted ways at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, Drake joined the RMS team for the full 2026 USAC tour.

Over Drake’s first eight USAC races with RMS this season, he accrued just one top five result. But over his past five outings, he’s strung together results of 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 5th, then culminated with a $10,000 reward at Jefferson County’s 1/5-mile dirt oval and his first USAC victory as the pilot of the RMS Racing/Response Management Services – EnviroFab/Spike/Speedway Toyota No. 4.

“I just lost a lot of confidence there at the end of the year last year,” Drake admitted. “We went through some rough times, and I think that’s just part of racing – the hill you’ve got to climb and the willingness to get down in the nitty-gritty.”

Drake (Collinsville, Oklahoma) led early, and he led late in Saturday’s main. He paced the initial 13 laps from his outside front row starting position before yielding to Justin Grant who led the field for the next eight circuits. But on lap 22, Drake got by for good.

The victory was the fourth of Drake’s USAC National Midget career. Incredibly, it was RMS Racing’s first series win since just a day shy of exactly two years ago in 2024. That one also came at Jefferson County Speedway, but with Justin Grant at the wheel. As fate had it, it was Grant who Drake passed for the win on his super special night.

“It’s super special,” Drake said. “To be able to hear all those fans makes it even more special. We stayed out a little bit later last night, which is something that’s not like me. But we spent time with all the people that put all the hard work into making this event possible. Man, I wanted it bad. Phyl (Zubizareta) and I have been dreaming about this day, and my whole crew that’s been behind me. There’s just so many people who have put so much effort into me.”

One night earlier at Jefferson County, Drake was buried deep in the field with a starting position of 19th. Still, he managed to pass 14 cars to notch an impressive fifth place finish. The charge proved to be crucial as Friday’s finishing order essentially set the starting lineups for Saturday’s program. With an inversion of six, that meant that if everything went to plan for Drake, he would have a front row starting spot for the feature. All of it provided him a blueprint for what it would take to win on championship night

“This track had a lot of different seams,” Drake noted. “But I went back and watched a lot of film and saw that Cannon (McIntosh) got it done on the bottom here last year. With how good we were down here yesterday, I just knew that I needed to hit my marks and it really just came down to that.”

While Drake led the opening lap, the second go around was marred by 19th place running Bradley Cox’s flip in between turns three and four, which prematurely ended his evening. After the stoppage, Drake stepped away from the field to build an eight car length lead while Grant led a train behind him with Gavin Miller and Jakeb Boxell close in tow in third and fourth.

Shortly following a lap 13 restart, with the gap between first and second shrunken, Grant capitalized on his new surroundings by sweeping underneath Drake in turns one and two to get the spot on the 14th lap.

But an interesting thing happened for the next eight laps. Drake never left Grant’s side, quite literally. For the next several trips around Jeff. Co., the two were attached at the hip, with just a wheel separating the two at the stripe for several consecutive laps.

Finally, on lap 22, Drake surged to the inside of Grant on the back straightaway to assume the lead. That said, Grant fired a couple of punches right into Drake’s gut, sliding past Drake in turn one on both lap 23 and 24, but to no avail. Each time, Drake absorbed the blow and turned his wheel back under to deny Grant from taking away his golden opportunity.

“When he got by me, I was able to search around and I stayed right on his bumper,” Drake explained. “That’s when I knew we were in good shape. This car was really good and super easy to drive. I just had to put it in the right places.”

Next, Drake has to contend with Jacob Denney, winner of each of the two most recent USAC National Midget events this week. From the sixth spot, Denney first went to the bottom past Miller for third on lap 28. The second spot went to Denney on lap 31 as he drove under Grant.

That said, Drake’s lead was a commanding 1.564 seconds at that moment, but that was quickly erased on the 33rd lap when the red flag was displayed for an incident involving Zach Daum (6th) who spun in between turns one and two, then slid up the racetrack directly into the path of Kyle Jones (11th) and Colton Robinson (13th). The resulting skirmish sandwiched Jones’ ride on its side in between the two other cars. All drivers were just fine.

While Drake mostly ran a differing line through the middle of turns three and four and on the bottom of one and two, Denney was committed to the very bottom. Although Denney was able to get within two car lengths or so at certain times, Drake always seemed to have just enough oomph off the exits of turns two and four to thwart any attempt by Denney.

When all was said and done, Drake crossed under the checkered flag 0.922 seconds ahead of Denney, while Grant took third and Miller fourth with Drake Edwards rounding out the top five after starting 11th.

By leading a race-high 32 of 40 laps, Drake not only won the race but was also the recipient of the K & N Filters Clean Air award.

Garrett Benson advanced 23rd to 11th to pick up Rod End Supply Hard Charger honors. In what was just his sixth career feature start with the series, he also equaled his best career USAC National Midget result to date.

USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: July 11, 2026 – Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, Nebraska – 1/5-Mile Dirt Oval – Riverside Chevrolet Midwest Midget Championship Presented by Westin Packaged Meats & Schmidt’s Sanitation / Mid-America Midget Week

K1 RACEGEAR FIRST QUALIFIER: (10 laps, top 5 transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kyle Jones (#7TX Engler) (1), 2. Kevin Thomas Jr. (#14 4 Kings) (3), 3. Kale Drake (#4 RMS) (5), 4. Jacob Denney (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian) (6), 5. Garrett Benson (#27B Bourke) (9), 6. Bradley Cox (#45 Mason) (2), 7. Cale Coons (#85 Central) (4), 8. Brandon Carr (#98K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian) (7), 9. Cole Vanderheiden (#15v Vanderheiden) (8), 10. Dylan Doyle (#37 Doyle) (10). 1:55.853

TJ FORGED SECOND QUALIFIER: (10 laps, top 5 transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Jakeb Boxell (#54 4 Kings) (6), 2. Haidyn Hansen (#27 Joyner) (2), 3. Adam Trimble (#5D Matejka/Heffner) (3), 4. Brecken Reese (#20Q Reese) (4), 5. Justin Grant (#87 CBI) (5), 6. Hank Soares (#22 Soares) (1), 7. Matt Sherrell (#21AJ Huddleston) (7), 8. Lance Bennett (#44x RKO) (8), 9. Sean Cleaveland (#84 Cleaveland) (10), 10. Shyla Ernst (#42 RKO) (9). 1:56.529

K & N FILTERS THIRD QUALIFIER: (10 laps, top 5 transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Drew Sherman (#19 Reinbold-Underwood) (2), 2. Gavin Miller (#97 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian) (6), 3. Zach Daum (#14x Rosenboom) (5), 4. Ethan Mitchell (#19m Bundy Built) (4), 5. Mack Leopard (#40L McDermand) (3), 6. Trey Zorn (#00 Chandler) (1), 7. Wout Hoffmans (#81F Rosenboom) (10), 8. Colby Sokol (#71T Henry) (7), 9. John Klabunde (#77J Klabunde) (8), 10. Mikey Blackard (#71 Henry) (9). 1:56.618

INDY POWERSPORTS FOURTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps, top 5 transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Gaige Weldon (#35L Ledger) (2), 2. Hayden Reinbold (#19AZ Reinbold-Underwood) (4), 3. Colton Robinson (#67K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian) (3), 4. Drake Edwards (#40D McDermand) (5), 5. Cannon McIntosh (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian) (6), 6. Levi Hinck (#21H TKH) (7), 7. Zack Merritt (#43m, RKO) (1), 8. Blaze Bennett (#10B Bennett) (9), 9. Caiden Warren (#12w Warren) (8), 10. Shaun Shapel (#84s Shapel) (10). NT

COOK OUT C-MAIN: (10 laps, top 4 transfer to the semi, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Colby Sokol (2), 2. Brandon Carr (1), 3. Cole Vanderheiden (5), 4. Lance Bennett (3), 5. John Klabunde (6), 6. Shaun Shapel (12), 7. Dylan Doyle (11), 8. Mikey Blackard (10), 9. Shyla Ernst (9). 1:59.865

FIVE STAR BODIES SEMI: (12 laps, top 4 transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Bradley Cox (2), 2. Trey Zorn (4), 3. Cale Coons (1), 4. Wout Hoffmans (8), 5. Hank Soares (3), 6. Colby Sokol (9), 7. Matt Sherrell (7), 8. Brandon Carr (10), 9. Levi Hinck (5), 10. Cole Vanderheiden (11), 11. Zack Merritt (6), 12. Lance Bennett (12). 2:25.301

FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kale Drake (2), 2. Jacob Denney (6), 3. Justin Grant (1), 4. Gavin Miller (4), 5. Drake Edwards (11), 6. Kevin Thomas Jr. (16), 7. Ethan Mitchell (14), 8. Jakeb Boxell (5), 9. Cannon McIntosh (3), 10. Brecken Reese (13), 11. Garrett Benson (23), 12. Hayden Reinbold (15), 13. Cale Coons (12), 14. Colton Robinson (19), 15. Haidyn Hansen (21), 16. Brandon Carr (25-P), 17. Mack Leopard (18), 18. Drew Sherman (7), 19. Adam Trimble (17), 20. Wout Hoffmans (24), 21. Trey Zorn (22), 22. Zach Daum (10), 23. Kyle Jones (9), 24. Gaige Weldon (8), 25. Bradley Cox (20). NT

(P) represents a provisional starter

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-13 Kale Drake, Laps 14-21 Justin Grant, Laps 22-40 Kale Drake.

**Blaze Bennett flipped during the fourth qualifier. Bradley Cox flipped on lap 2 of the feature. Kyle Jones flipped on lap 33 of the feature.

USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Jacob Denney-842, 2-Kevin Thomas Jr.-774, 3-Kale Drake-767, 4-Justin Grant-762, 5-Gavin Miller-746, 6-Jakeb Boxell-726, 7-Cannon McIntosh-712, 8-Hayden Reinbold-585, 9-Brecken Reese-572, 10-Colton Robinson-522.

USAC PARALLAX GROUP NATIONAL PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1-Hayden Reinbold-102, 2-Kevin Thomas Jr.-101, 3-Jacob Denney-84, 4-Robert Ballou-74, 5-Justin Grant-70, 6-Briggs Danner-65, 7-Cale Coons-64, 8-Chase Stockon-56, 9-Kyle Cummins-46, 10-Brady Bacon-44.

NEXT USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: August 14-15, 2026 – Coles County Speedway – Mattoon, Illinois – 1/8-Mile Dirt Oval – Lake Land College King of Coles

CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:

Dirt Draft Hot Laps Fastest Driver: Hayden Reinbold (11.064)
K1 RaceGear First Qualifier Winner: Kyle Jones
TJ Forged Second Qualifier Winner: Jakeb Boxell
K & N Filters Third Qualifier Winner: Drew Sherman
Indy Powersports Fourth Qualifier Winner: Gaige Weldon
Cook Out Semi Winner: Colby Sokol
Five Star Bodies Semi Winner: Bradley Cox
K & N Filters Clean Air Award: Kale Drake (32 laps led)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger: Garrett Benson (23rd to 11th)

RYAN BLANEY SWEEPS ATLANTA WEEKEND, DELIVERING FORD’S HISTORIC 750TH CUP WIN

By
Official Release
-
Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images

HAMPTON, GA – July 13, 2026 – Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney won Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway, claiming his second win of the 2026 season and 19th NASCAR Cup Series career win. The victory also marks Team Penske’s 108th series win and Ford’s milestone 750th in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

“Congratulations to Roger, Mike, Jonathan, Ryan, and everyone at Team Penske on the win at Atlanta,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “This victory is a major milestone as Ford celebrates its 750th NASCAR Cup Series win. Ryan and the No. 12 team were fastest in qualifying, won the stages, and raced their way for the win. Our team at Roush Yates Engines is proud to partner with Ford Racing to power this Ford Mustang to victory lane.”

“It was definitely, honestly, a pretty awesome night. I mean, having a really fast car and sitting on the pole, winning both stages and leading a ton of laps and just in a position to win the race. You never know how these things are gonna end, honestly. There are a couple of things I probably could have done better, but we were able to stick around and just how the last couple laps played out we were able to get the lead back and just barely hold on. It’s a pretty cool day when you have weekends like that. You can’t ask for a better weekend – sit on the pole, sweep the stages, win the race. That’s a dream weekend right there. These guys are great. They brought a rocket ship and it was nice that we were able to close it out.” commented Blaney.

Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Team Penske Ford set the tone from the start of Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway, earning the pole award before sweeping both stages and the race. Blaney led all 60 laps in Stage 1 from the pole, fending off late pressure from Tyler Reddick to claim the stage victory. Following the stage break, Reddick briefly took the lead off pit road before Blaney quickly worked his way back to the front. Carson Hocevar took his turn at the point during Stage 2, but Blaney regained control before inclement weather brought out a red flag at Lap 109. After more than a three-hour delay, Blaney maintained the lead through the remainder of the stage to complete the sweep of the opening two stages.

Blaney continued to battle at the front throughout the final stage as the lead changed multiple times. An overtime restart set up a dramatic three-wide race for the win, with Hocevar leading at the white flag before Blaney surged to the outside through the final corners. Blaney won by 0.068 seconds over Christopher Bell at the finish line to earn his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and complete a dominant weekend after leading a race-high 171 of 263 laps, the most laps led by a race winner at a drafting track since Richard Petty’s 1964 Daytona 500 win. The victory also marked Ford’s milestone 750th victory in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano finished ninth, while RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher brought home a 10th-place finish.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, this week for the highly anticipated return to North Wilkesboro Speedway, where the historic short track will host its first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race since its return to the schedule.
42 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 487 WINS – 451 POLES

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Racing in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Dollar Tree Named Entitlement Sponsor for EchoPark Speedway’s Summer 2027 NASCAR Cup Series Race

By
Official Release
-
  • The Dollar Tree 400 will be the headline event for EchoPark Speedway’s summer NASCAR weekend beginning in 2027.
  • The multi-year race entitlement is the latest development in the partnership between Speedway Motorsports and Dollar Tree, the Official Value Retailer of Speedway Motorsports.
  • Dollar Tree is one of North America’s largest and most-loved value retailers, operating more than 9,300 stores and 19 distribution centers with more than 150,000 associates across the United States and Canada.

HAMPTON, Ga. (July 13, 2026) – Value retailer Dollar Tree has been named the new entitlement sponsor of EchoPark Speedway’s summer NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race beginning in 2027.

Under the multi-year agreement between Dollar Tree, the Official Value Retailer of Speedway Motorsports, and EchoPark Speedway, the Dollar Tree 400 will be the headline event of the summer NASCAR weekend in Atlanta.

“Partnering with Speedway Motorsports as the Official Value Retailer is an exciting milestone for Dollar Tree as we celebrate our 40th anniversary,” said Mike Creedon, Chief Executive Officer at Dollar Tree. “The Dollar Tree 400 is a fitting way to mark this milestone, bringing together two brands that connect with millions of passionate fans across the country. Through this partnership, we’ll introduce even more shoppers to the value, convenience, and sense of discovery that make every Dollar Tree visit unique. We look forward to engaging racing fans in new and meaningful ways while continuing to deliver incredible value to the communities we serve.”

Through its partnership with EchoPark Speedway, Dollar Tree will activate through several speedway assets, including VIP hospitality on race weekends, venue signage and branding, and race dignitaries, selected in collaboration with the speedway.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Dollar Tree for our summer NASCAR event beginning next year,” said EchoPark Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “EchoPark Speedway is renowned for the quality of its racing product, and we’ve prided ourselves on complementing that with an inviting race day atmosphere fueled by great fan entertainment delivered at a value price for our fans. Dollar Tree has already helped us deliver more affordable and convenient options for race day attendees. We’re looking forward to furthering those efforts under this new partnership to create an exceptional race day experience for our fans at the Dollar Tree 400.”

The multi-year sponsorship of EchoPark Speedway’s summer NCS race is the latest development in a blossoming partnership between Dollar Tree and Speedway Motorsports. Earlier this year the retailer branded the “More Fun. More Value” pages across all Speedway Motorsports track websites and became the presenting partner for ticket offers that include a $10 Dollar Tree gift card with purchase of at least two tickets. Dollar Tree has also activated in the Fan Zones of Speedway Motorsports venues, most recently at EchoPark Speedway this past weekend. The value retailer is also the entitlement partner for the upcoming Dollar Tree 301 NCS event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 23.

The 2027 Dollar Tree 400 will be the second of two NCS events held on EchoPark Speedway’s 1.54-mile oval next year. The schedule for these events will be announced at a later date.

Tickets and camping accommodations for both 2027 NASCAR weekends at EchoPark Speedway are available for purchase at www.EchoParkSpeedway.com or by calling the ticket office at 770-946-4211.

About EchoPark Speedway:
EchoPark Speedway is a premier entertainment venue located about 30 miles south of Atlanta, Ga.

Since 1960, EchoPark Speedway has been a staple of the NASCAR calendar and currently hosts two weekends of racing in the spring and fall each year. When NASCAR isn’t in town, EchoPark Speedway’s versatile facility hosts an assortment of events that attract visitors from near and far, from Monster Jam to the Georgia State Fair and everything in between.
For more information on EchoPark Speedway and to see upcoming events at the facility, visit www.EchoParkSpeedway.com.

About Dollar Tree, Inc.:
Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR), headquartered in Chesapeake, Va., is one of North America’s largest and most-loved value retailers, known for delivering great value, convenience and a “thrill of the hunt” discovery shopping experience. With a team of approximately 150,000 associates, Dollar Tree operates more than 9,300 stores and 19 distribution centers across 48 contiguous states and seven Canadian provinces under the brands Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada. The company is committed to being a responsible steward of its business – supporting its people, serving its communities and creating lasting value. Additional information about Dollar Tree can be found at www.DollarTree.com.

SimpleTire Joins RFK Racing as Official Partner

By
Official Release
-

Online Tire Retailer to Become Primary Partner of Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford Mustang at North Wilkesboro

CONCORD, N.C. (July 13, 2026) – Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing announced today that SimpleTire has joined the organization as an Official Partner of RFK Racing. As part of the new partnership, SimpleTire will serve as the primary partner on Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford Mustang for the NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on July 19 before continuing as an associate partner throughout the remainder of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The partnership marks SimpleTire’s first involvement in NASCAR and brings together one of the sport’s premier organizations with one of the tire industry’s fastest-growing online retailers. The debut comes during one of the most anticipated weekends of the season as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first points-paying race at the historic venue since 1996.

SimpleTire’s platform makes tire shopping simple by connecting customers with a nationwide network of tire manufacturers, distributors, and trusted local installers. Customers can compare hundreds of tire brands with unbiased insights and expertise, find the right fit for their vehicle using SimpleTire’s intuitive search tools, purchase with confidence using timely deals and promotions, and schedule installation at a trusted shop near them all on SimpleTire.com. This seamless e-commerce network simplifies and brings transparency to the tire replacement experience, taking customers from step one to “step done” with no surprises.

“We’re excited to welcome SimpleTire as an Official Partner of RFK Racing,” said Chip Bowers, President of RFK Racing. “They’re an innovative company that’s changing the tire buying experience, and we’re proud they’ve chosen RFK Racing for their first foray into NASCAR. We look forward to building a successful partnership both on and off the track.”

The partnership gives SimpleTire an opportunity to introduce its brand to one of the most passionate fan bases in professional sports. It also showcases how its digital tire-buying experience makes it easier for people to confidently find and buy the right tires for their vehicle.

“This is a special year for SimpleTire as we celebrate 15 years of helping drivers find the right tires with confidence,” said Nikhil Soares, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer at SimpleTire. “To begin our first NASCAR partnership alongside RFK Racing at North Wilkesboro—a track that holds such an important place in the sport’s history—makes this moment even more meaningful. We’re proud to support Ryan Preece and can’t wait to see the bright orange No. 60 Ford Mustang on track.”

The historic North Wilkesboro Speedway hosted 93 NASCAR Cup Series races between 1949 and 1996. While the track returned to the schedule for NASCAR’s All-Star Race, a non-championship exhibition, from 2023 through 2025, this month’s event will be the first race there in three decades to count toward the Cup Series championship. Preece will drive the SimpleTire Ford Mustang in the landmark event as RFK Racing continues its 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign.

“It’s great to welcome SimpleTire to our team,” said Preece. “Any time you can kick off a new partnership at a place like North Wilkesboro, it’s pretty special. The history of this track and the passion of the fans make it one of the coolest weekends on the schedule, and hopefully we can put together a strong run for everyone at SimpleTire.”

RFK Racing looks to build upon its North Wilkesboro success. In 30 starts at the challenging .625 mile track, the organization has led over eleven thousand laps. That includes two victories by Mark Martin in 1990 and 1995.

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.

About SimpleTire

Based in Philadelphia, SimpleTire is an online tire retailer dedicated to relentlessly reinventing tire replacement to make it “way simple, way better.” The company’s business model connects independent tire distributors and 25,000+ installation partners nationwide into a seamless e-commerce network, offering customers access to an unparalleled inventory of tires from hundreds of brands and a comprehensive tire replacement experience. SimpleTire sells tires in all categories, including Passenger, Light truck, Commercial, Agriculture, OTR, Industrial, ATV, Antique, and various specialties. For more information, visit www.simpletire.com.

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team Winward Racing Secures Victory in Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech GTD Race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

By
Official Release
-

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team Winward Racing and Mercedes-AMG Are the First Team and Manufacturer Repeat Race Winners of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) Season After a Convincing and Much-Needed Victory Sunday in the Two-Hour and 40-Minute Race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Russell Ward and Philip Ellis Co-Drove the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the Team’s First GTD Victory Outside of the United States and Moved Back into the Fight for a Third-Straight IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship with Four Races Left on the 2026 Schedule of Events.

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada – Two-time and reigning IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GT Daytona (GTD) Champions Winward Racing and Mercedes-AMG became the first team and manufacturer to secure a repeat 2026 GTD class victory Sunday with a competitive and convincing victory in the two-hour and 40-minute race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) just outside of Toronto. Starting driver Russell Ward held in tight formation in a close group of GTD leaders from the drop of the green flag before pitting from the top-five to hand off the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to co-driver Philip Ellis late in the race’s opening hour.

Pitting during a well-timed full-course caution just past the 45-minute mark, Ward stopped with the other GTD front runners and Ellis took over for the run to the finish. Top pit work by the Winward Racing crew moved the No. 57 back into the race in the top four and, on a restart a few laps later, Ellis went right to work and quickly moved up to second in the GTD running order. Closely tracking the leader for the next 25 minutes, Ellis pulled off a pass for the lead on lap 51 and quickly opened up to a three-second plus lead.

Ellis maintained the comfortable lead for the next 15 laps and dashed into the pits for the final time with just over an hour to go. Another spot-on stop by the Winward Racing crew quickly put the No. 57 back into the race and – as the other GTD leaders made their final stops – Ellis cycled back into a lead he would hold to the finish less than five minutes later.

From there, Ellis maintained a close but steady one to two second gap on the second-place challenger straight to the checkered flag. He crossed the finish line with a 1.886-second margin-of-victory for Winward’s first win since capturing the team’s third-career Rolex 24 At Daytona GTD triumph in January. Ellis had the No. 57 in the lead for a GTD-class high 65 laps, including the final 50 around the 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course.

The victory moved the Winward drivers and the No. 57 team back into the mix for the season championship after a string of bad luck following the Daytona victory. More gains need to be earned in the season’s final four races, but the No. 57 squad has moved to fourth in the respective GTD team and driver championship standings with 1,618 points, 207 markers shy of the class-leading drivers and team.

Sunday’s win in part made up for a frantic and full-contact IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) race on Saturday that saw both the sister No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 and the No. 24 Murillo Racing with P1 Motor Club Mercedes-AMG GT4 both take more than one hard hit or shove off course in the two-hour battle.

For the Winward No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT4, and co-drivers Bryce Ward and Daan Arrow, the hard hits began in Saturday morning’s qualifying session. Ward was sideswiped by another competitor in a frantic finish to the session that derailed the qualifying effort and forced the No. 57 to make a rare start from the back of the pack.

Uncharacteristically racing deep in the field, Ward continued after being forced off course early in his stint while closing driver Arrow sustained front-end damage when he in turn was forced to battle in heavy traffic deep in the field. Despite several late pit stops for repairs, the No. 57 still finished high enough to earn points that keep Ward in the top-five of the GS championship standings with 1,420 points, just 50 shy of the fourth-place competitors.

The Murillo No. 24 picked up the fight after Winward’s setback following another strong race-opening stint by Aurora Straus, who advanced half a dozen positions before pitting to hand the car off to her husband and race-closing driver Kenny Murillo.

Murillo, a past polesitter and podium finisher in GS competition at CTMP, held steady in the hard-fought race but lost the chance to make a late charge on the top-10 when he was spun out by an experienced but overly aggressive competitor in the race’s closing minutes. Murillo quickly continued but the damage from the incident – for which the competitor was penalized – ultimately made parking the No. 24 a few laps from the finish the smart move.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in IMSA competition is the WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, July 30 – August 2.

“We had some pretty poor luck the past couple of races. Now, we had a clean race, not a lot of yellow flags, and this is just a great team. We have great strategy, the guys just did an amazing job on the pit stops, and we were able to work our way up to the front. You just have to rely on what you have accomplished and really try to push on every single lap. Philip did a great job on that restart and managed to get a couple of spots. I did some fuel saving on my stint, I think that really paid off, and we were able to jump one or two cars. We need a little bit of this luck to continue through the rest of the year, and I think we can claw back some of that points lead.”

Russell Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

“It was perfect execution by the team. We were a bit unlucky at the race start and got bottled up a bit, but Russell and the team did a great job getting us back to where we needed to be to fight for the win. All props to the team and him. The team did a perfect job on the pit stops and also on the strategy calls. You couldn’t ask for more. I am happy with it, taking the win home and closing the gap.”

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

“Having a better car than our results show is the theme of our 2026 season! The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is really strong here and has been for a while. Murillo Racing has had some really good results here at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca before that, so I have felt extraordinarily supported by this entire team, particularly for tracks I haven’t been to or only been to once. Unfortunately, the results don’t reflect the pace we had, but the starting stint was great, and Kenny did a bang-up job driving the Mercedes-AMG GT4 right up until the point where he was put in a position outside of his control.”

Aurora Straus, Driver – No. 24 Murillo Racing with P1 Motor Club Mercedes-AMG GT4

“Aurora had another great opening stint, and it’s a testament to the hard work she puts into this. As a team, we work really hard to make sure that we hit our potential. We know that if we’re just clean and consistent, we will get some good results. Unfortunately, it was a little bit out of our hands at the end, but the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was great. It was pretty difficult when we didn’t take front tires when we pitted, so it was two hours on that same fronts. It was tough, but overall, we are super happy with the crew. We had some blazing fast pit stops. I mean, just incredible work from the team. One of the first things I said on the radio to the crew at the end was that there were a lot of positives and we will string it all together. It’s just going to take a little time, but there’s no other group of people I would want to do this with. The most exciting thing is that we will have the P1 Motor Club up and running soon, and that will give us a track to test and develop on, which will hopefully allow us to show up to races a little bit more prepared.”

Rick Ware Racing: Quaker State 400 from EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta

By
Official Release
-

RICK WARE RACING
Quaker State 400
Date: July 12, 2026
Event: Quaker State 400 (Round 20 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia (1.54-mile oval)
Format: 260 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/100 laps/100 laps)

Note: Race extended three laps past its scheduled 260-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Finish:

● Cody Ware (Started 35th, Finished 32nd / Running, completed 259 of 263 laps)

RWR Points:

● Cody Ware (35th with 169 points)

Race Notes:

● Ryan Blaney won the Quaker State 400 to score his 19th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his second at EchoPark Speedway. His margin over second-place Christopher Bell was .068 of a second.

● There were seven caution periods for a total of 49 laps.

● Twenty-nine of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Denny Hamlin remains the championship leader after EchoPark Speedway with a 24-point advantage over second-place Tyler Reddick.

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Window World 450 on Sunday, July 19 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. The race begins at 7 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by TNT and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Atlanta 2

By
Official Release
-

Quaker State 400
Hampton, Ga. – July 12, 2026

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 8TH STAGE 1: 5TH STAGE 2: 4TH FINISH: 14TH POINTS: 14TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang Dark Horse came home 14th in Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. After qualifying eighth, Cindric quickly worked his way toward the front as the Team Penske trio established themselves as the class of the field early. Within the first 20 laps, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Cindric occupied the top three positions, with the No. 2 running third in line. Cindric remained a fixture around the top five throughout the opening stage despite reporting his Ford Mustang was on the tight side. He crossed the line fifth at the end of Stage 1 before making a scheduled four-tire stop under the stage caution. After restarting seventh to begin Stage 2, the race was interrupted on Lap 108 by weather in the area, resulting in a red flag that lasted more than three hours. When competition resumed, Cindric restarted near the front and once again worked his way into contention, finishing fourth in Stage 2 after another strong run. During the stage break, the No. 2 team made adjustments before Cindric restarted from the front row, where he traded the lead with Ty Gibbs over several laps as the battle at the front intensified. As the laps wound down, Cindric was left battling an increasingly loose race car and gradually lost track position while working to keep the car under control. A series of late-race cautions created several restarts, but Cindric avoided the incidents that unfolded throughout the field and ultimately crossed the finish line 14th.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “We had a really fast Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang early on and put ourselves in position to contend. Late in the race, we got really loose and just never fully got the balance back where we needed it. It’s disappointing because we were capable of a much better finish, but we’ll take what we learned and move on to the next one.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 BODYARMOR FLASH I.V. FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 1ST STAGE 1: 1ST STAGE 2: 1ST FINISH: 1ST POINTS: 3RD
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Ford Mustang Dark Horse team led a race-high 171 laps and prevailed in a three-wide battle to the checkered flag in an overtime finish to come away with their second win of the season – and 19th of Blaney’s Cup Series career – Sunday night at EchoPark Speedway. The victory also marks Ford’s 750th Cup Series win while Blaney’s 171 laps led on a drafting track stands as the second-most in Cup Series history. The No. 12 team’s win marks the ninth for Team Penske all-time at EchoPark Speedway and third in the 10 races since the track’s reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. After winning the pole Saturday, Blaney swept the first two stages – marking the fourth time in his career he has done so – before going on to secure his fourth-consecutive season with multiple victories while also notching his second-career win from the pole (Daytona 2, 2025). Blaney led all 60 laps of a caution-free Stage 1 and was scored the leader when the caution flag flew on lap 108 for lightning, ultimately resulting in a rain delay that lasted just over three hours. Once the red flag was lifted, Blaney continued to be a mainstay at the front of the field to pick up his second stage win of the night. After the 12 team made an extended stop on pit road to pack the BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Ford full with fuel, Blaney was in unfamiliar territory back in traffic but began to make his move back towards the top-10. A caution on lap 194 saw crew chief Jonathan Hassler make the call for fuel only to make it to the end – gaining eight spots on pit road in the process – as Blaney took the ensuing green flag from the inside of row two with 60 laps remaining. After battling back-and-forth for the lead over the final run, the caution flag flew with six to go with Blaney scored second on the leaderboard, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Blaney took the green flag from the inside of row one alongside the No. 77 and came around to take the white from took car lengths back of the lead before making his move to the high side in turn one. The move resulted in a three-wide battle at the front going into turn three with Blaney in the top lane as he was able to get the run he needed out of turn four to win the drag race to the line and secure his second win of the season.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It was definitely, honestly, a pretty awesome night. I mean, having a really fast car and sitting on the pole, winning both stages and leading a ton of laps and just in a position to win the race. You never know how these things are going to end, honestly. There are a couple of things I probably could have done better, but we were able to stick around and just how the last couple laps played out we were able to get the lead back and just barely hold on. It’s a pretty cool day when you have weekends like that. You can’t ask for a better weekend – sit on the pole, sweep the stages, win the race. That’s a dream weekend right there. These guys are great. They brought a rocket ship, and it was nice that we were able to close it out.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 HUNT BROTHERS PIZZA FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 2ND STAGE 1: 4TH STAGE 2: 3RD FINISH: 9TH POINTS: 17TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang team reeled off a pair of top-five stage finishes en route to a ninth-place effort Sunday night at EchoPark Speedway. After starting from the inside of row one, Logano was part of a four-car breakaway at the front along with teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric as the trio worked to control the race in the early going. The entirety of the opening, 60-lap stage was caution-free as Logano maintained top-five pace to pick up a fourth-place finish in Stage 1. Following the 22 team’s first stop of the night, Logano restarted from eighth and was scored ninth when the caution flag flew for lightning on lap 108 which led to a three-plus hour rain delay. Once the red flag was lifted, crew chief Paul Wolfe made the call for fuel only to jump to fourth on the leaderboard heading into the restart with 37 laps remaining in Stage 2. Logano and Blaney led the way out front before the gap from first through fifth began to shrink in the latter moments of the segment as the Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford crossed the line third at the completion of Stage 2. Varying strategies on pit road prior to the restart saw Logano line up 13th to take the green flag following a four tire stop as he battled through traffic to regain track position. Logano was mired outside the top-20 before going on a late charge back towards the top-10 after a restart with 14 laps remaining and was scored 12th when the final caution flag of the night flew with six laps to go, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Logano went on to pick up three more positions in the final two laps to secure a ninth-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “That was a battle. We got some good stage points and then a top-10, so we got the points we need, which is very crucial right now, especially when you come to a track like this because you just don’t know what’s going to happen. I wish I had something to go win with, but once we got back there I couldn’t get back to the front. That’s about as good as I could have done there.”

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, July 19 for the Window World 450. Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

123...6,766Page 2 of 6,766