REDDICK WINS AGAIN, CLAIMS VICTORY IN DARLINGTON Toyota first OEM to win five of the first six Cup races since 2007
DARLINGTON, S.C. (March 22, 2026) – Tyler Reddick added to his incredible start to the 2026 season as he overcame alternator woes to drive through the field and claim his fourth victory in six races to start the year. Reddick, who won the pole and finished second in the first stage, was forced to have an extended pit stop at the end of stage one to change a battery, and it took until the final stage, but Reddick was able to pass race leader Brad Keselowski with 30 to go in the race and set sail, winning by more than five seconds. Reddick now leads the point standings by 95 points.
Reddick’s fourth victory, along with Denny Hamlin’s triumph in Las Vegas, has given Toyota wins in five of the first six races to start the season – the first time any OEM has done that since 2007.
Ty Gibbs (sixth) and Erik Jones (10th) also placed their Camrys in the top-10, continuing recent strong performance. For Gibbs, it is his fourth consecutive top-six run, while Jones earned his second top-10 in the last three races.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Darlington Raceway Race 6 of 36 – 400.24 miles, 293 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1sr, TYLER REDDICK 2nd, Brad Keselowski* 3rd, Ryan Blaney* 4th, Carson Hocevar* 5th, Austin Cindric* 6th, TY GIBBS 10th, ERIK JONES 11th, DENNY HAMLIN 12th, CHASE BRISCOE 19th, CHRISTOPHER BELL 27th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 34th, BUBBA WALLACE 35th, RILEY HERBST *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 Xfinity Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
What does it mean to win here at Darlington?
“It means everything. Some of the guys and I were talking about – we have it pretty good as Cup drivers, but it seemed like today, it was going to be a blue-collar type of day – we were going to have to really work for it. From lap 1, to have the alternator problems we were having, and just be cutting fans and not to be able to run things that I was counting on to keep me cool all day was tough. Just an incredible Xfinity Camry. So proud of this team, and everyone that is a part of it.”
Can you talk about your race? “It wasn’t a bad day. I thought we had a decent top-10, top-five AdventHealth Camry. Got turned around at the end or stage two and had to fight back from that. Strategy worked out good at the end, and the car was good the last two runs, which allowed us to get back to the front. We needed some long runs, which we had. Long day, lot of sliding around and a lot of guys wrecking and making mistakes, so to come home 10th is good.”
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
NASCAR Cup Series Darlington Raceway Goodyear 400 Team Chevy Post-Race Report March 22, 2026
Carson Hocevar Makes Late-Race Charge to Earn Career-Best Finish at Darlington Raceway
Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar made an impressive late-race charge to take home his career-best NASCAR Cup Series finish at Darlington Raceway – driving his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish in the Goodyear 400. The Portage, Michigan, native led the Bowtie brigade to three top-10 results at the ‘Track Too Tough To Tame’. Spire Motorsports’ Daniel Suarez and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron each drove their Chevrolet’s to points in each stage en route to a seventh- and eighth-place finish, respectively.
Race Recap:
Stage One:
A pair of Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, led the Bowtie brigade in Saturday’s qualifying session – sweeping the second row of the starting lineup for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. With the opening stage turning into a long green flag run, the field quickly approached its first trip to pit road as the stage closed in on the halfway mark. Larson, who maintained a top-four running position throughout the run, was called to pit road on Lap 39 for a fresh set of four tires and fuel. The green flag pit sequence expanded over the next 10 laps, with the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team making their way back up into the fourth position. Among those who made a gain in position during the green flag pit cycle included Team Chevy’s William Byron, who jumped five spots to make his first appearance in the top-10 of the race. Despite struggling with the handling of his No. 5 Chevrolet, Larson held onto a strong points run in the opening stage – taking the first green-white checkered flag in the fifth position.
Stage Two:
With track position at a premium, the No. 5 pit crew delivered – earning the reigning champion three positions to win the race off pit road and a position on the front row to start Stage Two. Electing the outside lane, a masterful restart and clean air was enough for Larson to take over the top position and lead his first laps of the race. Settled into the lead, the first natural caution of the day flew. With the lead pack hitting pit road, the No. 5 pit crew led the way once again. Losing the battle on the restart, Larson overcame similar handling issues to maintain a top-three running position en route to the second green-white checkered flag – leading fellow Team Chevy drivers, Byron and Daniel Suarez, with back-to-back top-10 stage points.
Final Stage:
Under the stage break, the Cliff Daniels-led team continued to go to work on their Chevrolet-powered machine with the pit crew continuing to give Larson valuable track position during their visit to pit road. But a caution near the 200-lap marker saw a shakeup in pit strategy. With the leaders opting to make another stop, a handful of cars chose track position, including Suarez – a decision that ultimately led the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team to their highest running position of the race. Holding strong among those with fresher tires, Suarez settled into the sixth position as the field approached what ended up being the final green flag pit cycle of the race. As the lap countdown hit 54 to go, the field began to hit pit road, with Byron and Larson among the first group of cars to make their stop. With the cycle deemed complete just after 10 laps around the ‘Lady in Black’, the Hendrick Motorsports duo re-entered the top-10. But it was Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar that was making a monstrous charge in the closing laps. With seven-lap fresher tires, the Portage, Michigan, native was clicking off the fastest laps among the leaders – climbing up to the fourth position to earn his career-best Darlington finish.
Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 Results
Pos. Driver
4th – Carson Hocevar 7th – Daniel Suarez 8th – William Byron
Chevrolet’s season statistics with six NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Martinsville Speedway with the Cook Out 400 on Sunday, March 29, at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Post-Race Driver Quotes:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 16th
“An up and down day for our No. 1 Moose Chevrolet team. We had a loose handling car, but were pretty good on the long runs. The guys had a few good pit stops and gained some track position to race around the top-10. We had a couple mishaps that set us back with an issue on the right side during a stop, and around halfway through race, I got a speeding penalty on pit road. The guys worked hard to give us a lead lap finish, but we just didn’t have enough in the end to contend for more. I felt that we had a top-10 car today, just not the result to show.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 25th
“Our No. 3 team had another solid start to the weekend with qualifying inside the top-10, which puts us in a better spot to start the race and have a better pit stall selection. Once the race started, we just went to battle with our Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet. Tires are key at this place with the fall off and we tried to play strategy in Stage 3, hoping for a quick caution. Unfortunately that didn’t fall our way but we netted out where we were before, maybe a few positions lower. The balance was extremely tight at the end so we powered through to the checkered.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 7th
This was your career-best Cup Series finish here at Darlington Raceway. How important are these strong runs early in your tenure with Spire Motorsports?
“Listen, from the outside, I was looking at Spire Motorsports, and in my mind, they were the fastest-growing team. I was always curious — what are they doing to grow that quick? But as the year went along and we put a deal together, I started to understand more and more. The culture of the team is pretty incredible. There are great people here; the structure’s solid, and I’m just really happy and proud to be a part of this organization. And the best part is that they just continue to grow. We’re not even close to our full potential, so we just have to keep doing our thing; keep building, and get better and better.”
That last run, you were in the top-10, then dropped back a little, but climbed up to seventh. What was that final run like?
“Really, that was about all that we had. Maybe we could have found it a little sooner, but we got a bit too tight at the end. Just so proud of this No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet team. They did an incredible job all day long. I feel like every single week, if we look at our numbers and we can get a little bit better, that’s all I can ask for. We’re not trying to hit home runs right now, we’re just putting one step in front of the other, and that’s how progress happens.”
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 21st
“Today wasn’t our day. We had a good practice and qualifying session with the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet, but that didn’t convert once we got out on Darlington Raceway this afternoon. With that said, the team never quit and we made some adjustments that at times let us race inside the top-15. It’s time now to focus on Martinsville and continuing to make strides with the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.”
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 8th
“Man, I was working hard in there. That was tough. We’re still trying to figure things out with this body, but we definitely are making baby steps. This is just a tough race in general, though, but this No. 24 Raptor Chevy team fought hard.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 4th
You captured your career-best Darlington result with a fourth-place finish. Do you walk away today satisfied with what you and your team did?
“Super proud of this No. 77 Chili’s Marg Machine Chevrolet team. It hasn’t been a lack of effort, but just a lack of luck that takes us out of finishes, so it’s nice to take one today. Chili’s put a lot of effort into this throwback scheme, so it’s great to give it a good run.”
There were a lot of unknowns about the package and the tire going into this race. What do you make of it?
“I had fun. Our Chevy was good. It didn’t feel crazy different, but it seemed like it was way different for everyone else and we were able to pass a lot of cars. That was beneficial for us, for sure.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 18th
“It was a solid day in Darlington for this No. 88 Red Bull Chevrolet team. We got a lap down early, but we were able to get the wave around and get our lap back. We stayed on the lead lap for the rest of the day, so that was a positive way to end the day. It’s definitely a little unfortunate that we weren’t able to make up as much ground as we would have liked there at the end, but a top-20 is a solid day. It’s good to at least get the ball rolling in the right direction after a few bad weekends.”
“Decent result! We didn’t qualify very well but the guys did an awesome job tuning up my WeatherTech Chevrolet and as the race went on, it got better and better. Good day, onto Martinsville next weekend.”
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
Ford Racing Notes and Quotes NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 — Darlington Raceway Sunday, March 22, 2026
Ford Finishing Results:
2nd – Brad Keselowski 3rd – Ryan Blaney 5th – Austin Cindric 9th – Chris Buescher 13th – Ryan Preece 17th – Josh Berry 22nd – Zane Smith 23rd – Todd Gilliland 26th – Noah Gragson 33rd – Joey Logano 37th – Timmy Hill
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT DID YOU NEED AT THE END? “A lot. Tyler was really, really fast. Those problems earlier in the race that he got kind of buried and he was just methodical. He did a great job. He took the fastest car and ran an amazing race. When he was by me he was way faster. We had to fall into racing the track and even at the end I think he was managing it pretty hard, so, all in all, it’s a great day for us. We won two stages, led a lot of laps, scored a bunch of points, so a lot to be proud of.” WHAT KIND OF ENERGY DOES THIS INJECT INTO THE TEAM? “It’s great. I was joking when we walked out of the garage area last night after qualifying that we’re on the right side of the garage area. Our hauler is parked to the right side and we’re just showing ourselves as a team that is highly capable.” HOW IS YOUR LEG? “I feel my best in the car. You get a little adrenaline pumping and that position is not so bad on my leg. It sucks standing up. It sucks getting out of the car, but in the car I feel great.” HOW MUCH FUN DID YOU HAVE WITH THIS PACKAGE? “It was a lot of fun. The cars were fair to drive. You really had to be careful. You couldn’t be a foot offline and I thought our team did a good job with that today.”
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Delta Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU OVERCAME SOME PIT ROAD ISSUES, BUT HOW CHALLENGING IS THAT? “Really challenging. Having that deal after the first stage and then honestly didn’t really have good stops the rest of the day, so that’s something we’ve got to work on, but we had a fast enough car to get back to third. I’m proud of that effort. We’ll take it and move on, but definitely stuff to work on.” WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF YOUR DAY? “I’m proud of the fight back to run third. I thought our car was pretty good, we just got set back too many times and it was hard to make it back up. I’m proud of our effort. We made gains on it all day, so that’s good. I was third and Austin was fifth, so a good showing for the Penske cars and I’m proud of that comeback.” PIT ROAD? “It’s something we’ve got to work on.” WHAT ABOUT THE PACKAGE? “It’s a handful. You can crap the bed quickly if you were kind of rough on your stuff, which was good, so that part was good. There was tons of fall off. I think you saw guys kind of get too much early and then they were done. Very rarely in my Cup career have I just let guys go, whether it’s on restarts or green flag runs and say to myself, ‘I’m gonna see you in about 20,’ and that was kind of the way it went today, so I think it was good. I’m looking forward to running it at more places that are a little bit bigger.”
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DID THIS PACKAGE RACE FOR YOU? “It was a difficult weekend for the teams to kind of decide what to bring and the right things to do. My group proves time and time again that they come prepared, whether it’s changes or practice to race, things like that, so we really had a solid package to work with all day, something that we could adjust with and change with the conditions. We were overdue for this group to have a good run and I’m proud to be able to deliver it and get us to the finish line for the first time, it feels like all year without an issue, so I’m proud of the team and something to build on.” HOW MUCH WAS THIS A LEARNING WEEK FOR YOU GUYS? “It definitely is. I mean, you can’t replace on-track data and on-track feedback. We only have so many tools to help make decisions throughout the week, whether that’s the driving inputs that I make or just what the setup of the race car is when it leaves the shop on a Wednesday. Like I said, I’m just proud of the team. Total execution, no mistakes all day and it comes with a good results.”
CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a fun day. That was fantastic to come down here with this Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse and run that well from practice, qualifying, race, to make improvements. The pit crew was awesome yet again. To be leading laps there late. Obviously, it was a racing deal. That’s straight up all it is. We got caught by the guys that did come and take tires and made an aggressive move to try to get to pit road real fast and kind of jump it and it was a little bit of an aggressive move and it didn’t work out. We’re trying to win races here. That’s what we were after and just came up a little bit short today.” DID YOU THINK ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH THE SAME CAR? DID YOU FLASHBACK? “It’s ironic, but this was a racing deal. I don’t hold any fault for this one. That’s just part of it. We were being aggressive and trying to take our opportunity and roll down. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I can take a pretty good stab at it. They were coming on tires. The 6 had just gotten by us and he probably was gonna go to the bottom and dive through there and pull a slider. That was probably what was on his mind and we kind of turned down last second to take that and it’s hard to check up that fast. I’m assuming that’s what happened. It was nothing intentionally and I know that from where I’m at without ever having to talk to him. We’re all good. It’s just racing, trying to jump those guys and just missed it a little bit.”
USD Parts Funny Car Driver for Jim Dunn Racing FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs March 20-22 | Chandler, Arizona
Event Recap
Todd Lesenko, driver of the Jim Dunn Racing USD Parts Funny Car:
Earned No. 12 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.255 ET at 256.70 mph)
Fell to No. 13 provisional qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q1 run. In Q2 on Friday, Lesenko ran a 4.256 ET at 256.41 mph.
Fell to No. 17 provisional qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q1 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Lesenko ran a 8.511 ET at 79.04 mph.
Secured No. 17 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q1 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Lesenko ran a 6.356 ET at 110.33 mph, which failed to qualify for the event.
Notes of Interest
Lesenko represented USD Parts this weekend in Phoenix. For more than 50 years, their mission has been to fulfill your original equipment auto parts needs. As an authorized distributor of Motorcraft, AC Delco and Mopar parts, they support their customers as they work to provide the best ownership experience possible for those that drive Ford, GM and Chrysler vehicles. Their corporate headquarters and largest warehouse is located in Phoenix, Arizona. They have branch warehouses in Albuquerque, Denver and El Paso.
The Arizona Nationals is one of five races in which a Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car has started from the No. 1 qualifying position. Kenji Okazaki was the No. 1 qualifier for the 1997 Arizona Nationals (5.008 seconds, 290.88 mph on Feb. 22, 1997), an event in which he was ousted in Round 2 by Del Worsham.
Todd Lesenko, Driver of the Jim Dunn Racing USD Parts Funny Car
“The weekend did not go as planned, but we are more motivated than ever as we go into Jim Dunn Racing’s home track in Pomona. Before the race season began, Jim Dunn told me it’s going to take three races to get this thing going. We have lots of new parts on this car and a new driver. After testing, Florida and Phoenix, that makes three! The team and car have come a long way since we started and we are confident moving forward to the next event. As the season progresses, we will continually make strides into being a highly competitive car for our sponsors, fans, and all involved with this legendary team. Thank you to all who believe in us.”
Next Up The next event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule is the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals April 9-12 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, California.
Haiden Deegan Finishes First in 250SMX Class East/West Showdown, Penalized One Position for Cutting Track
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 21, 2026) – After the lone off weekend of the season, the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship made its anticipated return to action for Round 10 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship from Protective Stadium. It proved to be a statement night for 450SMX Class points leader Hunter Lawrence, who enjoyed arguably the single-best performance of his career with Honda HRC Progressive in a dominant ride that netted the Australian back-to-back victories and three wins over the past four races.
450SMX Class
The 20 Minute + 1 Lap Main Event for the 450SMX Class got underway with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine of Jorge Prado out front for the holeshot ahead of Lawrence. The Honda rider went on the attack immediately and seized control of the race while Prado settled in ahead of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Eli Tomac. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, the reigning champion, and Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen gave chase.
With a clear track, Lawrence was able to build a multi-second lead in the opening laps as Tomac engaged in an extended battle with Prado, which allowed Roczen, who came out the gate in 16th, to join the fight from fourth. Tomac made the move on his teammate for second and brought Roczen along into third. It wasn’t long before Roczen then went after Tomac and made quick work to take control of second. From there, the lead trio remained unchanged as Lawrence managed a lead of about four seconds over Roczen, while Tomac dropped well back and lost touch with his rivals. While Roczen did make inroads on Lawrence at times, heavy lapped traffic hindered any significant gains of momentum.
Lawrence took his third career win by a margin of 2.3 seconds over Roczen. Tomac followed more than 30 seconds back in third but made the most of a challenging evening that saw him navigate his first LCQ since the 2019 season after an incident with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in their Heat Race.
Lawrence extended his lead in the 450SMX Class standings over Tomac to nine points, while Roczen’s sixth podium finish of the season allowed him to take hold of third, 31 points behind Lawrence.
Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence captured his third win in the last four races with arguably the best performance of his career.
Hunter Lawrence – 1st Place – 450SMX Class “It feels good [to win for the third time in four races]. I’m just taking it one race at a time. It’s easy to think about the end result, which is the title, but I’m just trying to stay focused in the moment. Anything can happen, as we’ve seen tonight, so I’m just happy to be up here.”
Ken Roczen – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class “I’m ecstatic, honestly. I think I rode really well, but you can’t start 15th and expect to win a race. Inconsistency on the start [is something] I’m not happy with. I rode so good tonight. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, but with racing like that I’m totally fine with it.”
Eli Tomac – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class “I just wasn’t as good tonight as the front two. That’s it. Of course, the LCQ was very stressful and a high-pressure moment, but I got myself out there to a good start [in the Main Event] on the outside gate and just got beat tonight. Just a little bit off. It’s tough, one of those nights, but we’ll try to regroup next week and see if we can get back up front.”
250SMX Class
The 250SMX Class came into Birmingham with heightened tension as the first East/West Showdown of the 2026 season brought together the best of both the Western and Eastern Divisional Championships. The 15 Minute + 1 Lap Main Event began with Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen alongside Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies, the Eastern Divisional points leader. Kitchen edged out the young New Zealander for the holeshot and the pair then defined the first half of the race by trading for the lead three times before Davies appeared to assert his control of the Main Event with just over seven minutes remaining.
The battle behind the lead duo was exceptional as well between Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, the Western Divisional points leader and reigning champion who started well back of his rivals in 10th place. Shimoda compiled an impressive march to the front that saw him pass Kitchen for second and challenge Davies for the lead late in the race. Deegan, meanwhile, mounted a charge of his own that carried him by both Hammaker and Kitchen into third to establish a three-rider fight for the win. Shimoda came up short on several attempts to pass Davies for the lead in the waning minutes, which played into Deegan’s hands. The Yamaha rider made the move on Shimoda for second and moments later surged past his teammate to grab the lead with about a minute left on the race clock.
Deegan sprinted away in the closing laps to take an impressive come-from-behind victory. Davies battled back from a last lap pass by Shimoda to finish second, 3.6 seconds behind Deegan, while Hammaker took advantage of a miscue by Shimoda with two turns remaining to steal third. Kitchen rounded out the top five.
Following the conclusion of the race, AMA officials reviewed a moment during the Main Event that saw Deegan make an illegal lane shift through a split-lane section of the racetrack that required riders to commit to a single lane. As a result, Deegan was penalized one position for cutting the track, which ultimately gave the win to Davies.
With the penalty and subsequent win, Davies now leads the Eastern Divisional Championship by six points over Hammaker, with Shimoda nine points behind in third. In the Western Divisional Championship, Deegan’s healthy lead in the standings sits at 42 points over his teammate Max Anstie, who finished seventh, with Kitchen 47 points out of the lead in third.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies (37) was awarded the East/West Showdown victory after a penalty was assessed to teammate Haiden Deegan.
Cole Davies – 1st Place – 250SMX Class East/West Showdown* “Looking at the positives, I [gained] points tonight, but I’m not exactly happy with that. I rode terrible, to be honest. I was just overriding. We still made [gains] in points so I’m happy with that, but I’m not happy with my riding. It is what it is and we’re on to the next round.”
Haiden Deegan – 2nd Place – 250SMX Class East/West Showdown* “I heard a lot of things coming in here making it seem like the battle for the win would be close. I came out here to whoop everyone’s butt for these Alabama fans. That was a good time [coming from 10th to first]. I sent it for sure.”
Seth Hammaker – 3rd Place – 250SMX Class East/West Showdown “I’m a little disappointed [with my result]. You always want to come out and win at the showdowns, but I didn’t have it tonight. Those other guys were riding good. Early on and midway through the race I didn’t really have the pace. I felt better at the end but that’s not when you need it. It’s good to know I have the endurance, but I need to be better at the beginning. Other than that, solid night.”
SMX Next
The fourth and final qualifying race of SMX Next – Supercross served as an exciting addition to the action in Birmingham, as 22 of the most elite A and B class prospects in amateur motocross gathered one more time before the AMA National Championship on April 25th in Philadelphia. Three different racers had claimed victory at the first three events, which set the stage for a wide-open battle for the win inside Protective Stadium. A multi-rider incident in the first turn of the Main Event eliminated two top contenders off the start as the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing duo of Kayden Minear, the Anaheim winner, and Landen Gordon, the fastest qualifier, came together and dropped out of contention. Out front, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Vincent Wey took full advantage of a stellar start to turn a holeshot into a wire-to-wire performance in which he never faced a serious challenge. Wey, the son of former SMX racer Nick Wey, was consistent and continuously added to his race lead throughout the 8 Minutes + 1 Lap Main Event to capture his first SMX Next victory and continue the exceptional parity that has defined the development division all season. Fellow Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green racer Kade Johnson finished second for a 1-2 sweep, while ClubMX Yamaha’s Ryder Malinoski finished third.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Vincent Wey became the fourth different SMX Next winner of the season with his first victory in the development division.
Vincent Wey – 1st Place – SMX Next – Supercross “That was the sickest race of my life. I got a great start and hit my marks every single lap. That was so much fun. Me and my dad have had a lot of long days, just logging laps. We came here last year, and I think I crashed every single time I went on the track. I came in here with the mindset to do better than last year and I think I did that.”
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship and Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will continue next Saturday, March 28, with Round 11 from Detroit’s Ford Field. Live broadcast coverage on Peacock will begin at 1 p.m. ET with Race Day Live, followed by the Gate Drop at 7 p.m. ET. Additionally, a domestic Spanish language broadcast is available on Peacock while international viewers can choose from dedicated English, French, and Spanish broadcasts via SMX Video Pass (www.SMXVideoPass.com).
All 17 rounds of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SMX World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final are now on sale at SuperMotocross.com. Saturday FanFest will take place at all postseason races, Friday FanFest and camping will be available in Columbus and Ridgedale, additional details to follow.
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 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 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 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.
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.
CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: Podium for No. 4 Corvette Methodical march forward for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD PRO
SEBRING, Fla. (March 21, 2026) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R raced its way to the podium in GTD PRO on Saturday as Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg and Nico Varrone placed third in class at the end of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
It was the second podium finish in three races for the No. 4 Corvette trio dating back to last year’s Petit Le Mans to close the 2025 season. They finished just off the podium in this year’s opener at Daytona, and with Saturday’s results are effectively second in the Drivers Championship among all full-season teams. The podium finish was the team’s first in the 12 Hours since winning the 2022 race in GTD PRO.
Catsburg crossed the finish line ahead of Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports teammate Alexander Sims in the No. 3 Z06 GT3.R. He and teammates Antonio Garcia and Marvin Kirchhöfer rebounded from a tough finish at Daytona, and Chevrolet earned second-place points for the Manufacturers’ Championship with the result.
The No. 3 Corvette started the race fifth and the No. 4 was seventh. Despite not being able to match the pace of most of the rest of the GTD PRO teams, the Corvette and Pratt Miller squad instead relied on the trusted formula of strategy and execution in the pitlane to gain a combined five spots at the end.
In GTD, the No. 13 Corvette of 13 Autosport teammates Matt Bell, Orey Fidani and Lars Kern placed sixth in class and claimed the race’s Bob Akin Award as the highest-finishing GTD entry with a Bronze-rated driver. The team marched up the order from 17th at the start to contend for the class podium late before two late full-course yellow periods in the final 90 minutes.
DXDT Racing’s Charlie Eastwood, Mason Filippi and Salih Yoluc placed ninth in class after leading the race for a majority of the race’s middle hours. The No. 36 Corvette rebounded from a pitlane penalty inside the final four hours to get back into the top-10 by race’s end.
DragonSpeed’s second race with the Corvette came to an unfortunate early end after Henrik Hedman was pushed off track and into the tire barriers by an LMP2 car just shy of the two-hour mark. Instead of folding, the team and the Corvette Racing customer support team worked tirelessly to return the Corvette to the track nearly three hours later so the team could log additional laps and data going into the rest of the season.
The next event for Corvette Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday for GTP and GTD cars only. NBC will broadcast the race live at 4 p.m. ET with a live stream of the race on Peacock. IMSA Radio will provide live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A good surprise. Going into the race and with what we were seeing from practice, we didn’t expect to be that far up. I wouldn’t say our expectations were low, but lately we’ve had some very fast cars here and we felt like we could race for the win. Today, we didn’t feel like that was going to happen. But as always, it doesn’t matter who has the fastest cars or the slowest cars. We still try to find a way to make something happen. Things definitely fell in our favor today. The Corvette was a little bit quicker and more competitive than we were expecting. Nicky and Nico did a phenomenal job – Nicky, at the end, especially. This race is always so messy at the end, and he did a great job. So a really, really good job and I’m super proud of the team. The 3 car guys did an amazing job too. We were sort of in front of each other at different stages of the race, and it just kind of fell in our favor at the end there.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A pleasant surprise, definitely. It didn’t seem like we had much pace all week, and then luckily when we needed it, when the temperatures went down, the car came alive. Some of the restarts kind of went in our favor and the strategy, as well, because we were a bit on the back foot after getting an unlucky drive-through penalty. Then we had pace and I could fight. I think I passed the Ferrari, I passed the board, I passed the McLaren today, and then eventually the sister car. I could see that their tires were just a little bit outside of the window and mine were in the window. It’s really nice because the past couple of years we always had bad endings here. So it was nice to finally have a positive result.”
NICO VARRONE, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a great weekend and result for us. In practice and in qualifying, we thought we were a bit far behind the other manufacturers, but we mostly had a clean race and had a great racecar. The whole Corvette Racing team and Pratt Miller, they really nailed our setup. The car was flying, and I think we kept the race clean. A lot of others had issues and mistakes, so at the end it put us forward on the grid. Tommy and Nicky did a fantastic job. They were flying today, especially Nicky… his pace was amazing. So yeah, we maximized the points even more than we thought we could do with the pace we had. So that’s great… third and fourth for the team on a weekend where we weren’t so strong is amazing. I’m really happy for all the guys.”
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I think we have to be happy. After how it started with trying to hang on to match everyone out there, I think we carried on well with our car. We were not that far off setup-wise at the end of the race. So P3 and P4 is good for the Corvette team. It’s a shame that we didn’t really have a chance to go for the win. But these are the cases where, as we know from the past, that you take the best you can achieve. If that’s third, then we should take those. And whenever you have a chance to win, that’s the one you need to go for. But today was very good for points and I’m happy with that.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It felt like we had more pace in our car during the day. Then as the night fell, it felt like the operating window on the 3 car was just really quite narrow. It was very tough to get right consistently lap after lap. So our pace wasn’t so strong, to be honest. But I’m really pleased for the 4 guys. Nicky was absolutely flying out there. They had it hooked up, so I’m pleased for them to get a podium and good team points. Obviously after Daytona, it’s just nice to get good solid points. Well done to the entire team.”
MARVIN KIRCHHÖFER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I think if anyone would have told us before the race that P3 and P4 was going to be our result today, I think we would have all said yep, we would take that. So I’m very pleased with the result and very happy for the team. Scoring a podium is always nice so well done on the podium for the No. 4 car guys. Also a good result for us with P4 and definitely good for the championship run. So I hope the guys will continue in a strong way for the next races coming up. Obviously, we could not quite match the other manufacturers today, so definitely this is a result you will take and be happy with.”
GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s obviously a huge disappointment. Our race was effectively ruined early on by a shocking move on Henrik – there is no word for that – and there was nothing he could do. The consequences could have been far worse.
“The team did an incredible job to get the car back out on track. People can’t imagine what they accomplished in such a period of time. We were able to rely on the support of Corvette and Pratt Miller throughout.
“When we returned to the race, our pace was strong even though we were clearly not in the best conditions. We have to take the positives from this pace and use it to build future success. Sebring is always a tough race, and we saw that again today. We’ll come back even stronger — we have everything we need to shine.”
ELTON JULIAN, DRAGONSPEED TEAM PRINCIPAL: “Most important from today is that Henrik is OK. It was a big incident and a big hit, but we know the Corvette is a very strong car and this is more proof. The team’s efforts to get the car back out were amazing. This is no surprise as I think everyone knows what our group is made of. Big thanks also to Corvette Racing and the Pratt Miller group for helping out. Everyone pulling together like that is really impressive, even in just our second race with Corvette. We’re back out there to complete as many laps as possible and keep learning about the car. You never know how things will play out at the end of the year so every lap and point is important.”
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team, develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single-seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
SEBRING, Fla. (March 20, 2026) – Filipe Albuquerque, Will Stevens and Ricky Taylor, drivers of the No.10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R finished third in the 74th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.
Cadillac Racing now has 106 podiums (22 GTP, 84 DPi) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017. They have also won or finished on the podium five of the last six races at Sebring.
The race was dominated by the Penske Motorsports team with them finishing first and second.
Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber and Fredreick Vesti from the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R for Action Express Racing finished fourth, while the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R driven by Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta and Jordan Taylor finished eighth.
Ricky Taylor passed Jack Aitken for third late in the event to get the final podium spot. The last podium finish for the No. 10 Cadillac V-Series.R was in September 2025 in the six-hour race at Indianapolis.
Early in the race, Bamber was driving the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R under caution when the car was hit in the back by the No. 6 Penske Motorsports car, which forced the team to replace the damaged engine cover and tail.
IMSA officials reviewed the incident but said it was inconclusive, so no penalties were handed down.
The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R was coming off two wins to end the 2025 season (Indianapolis and Road Atlanta) and then a second place effort in the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The next IMSA GTP event is the Grand Prix of Long Beach (California) on April 18. The 100-minute race starts at 4:05 pm EDT (1:05 pm PDT) and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed live on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
What they’re saying
No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
Filipe Albuquerque: “Really happy with the results and for the Cadillac WTR team. At Daytona we had something like this in the pocket, but unfortunately we weren’t there. The race was up and down, typical IMSA with a lot happening, but in the end, it was a great result for us. We were the best of the race. P3 feels like a win. Ricky in the end was a star, coming back, just a star. I loved it. The motivation is super high and we can’t wait for the next one.”
Will Stevens: “Super good result for the team. I think it shows the progress we are making, race by race. I think this whole weekend we had a good feeling. We had a strong package from the start and always felt that we were in contention to be upfront. We had a few setbacks in the middle of the race, but stuck with it and pushed to the end. Ricky did an awesome job in the final stint to make his way to third. Really happy for the Cadillac WTR team. I think this podium feels very good for everyone and is helpful to build the confidence going forward.”
Ricky Taylor: “Really excited for the Cadillac WTR team. I think the result was the best we could hope for. The whole 10 car group and all of Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing are really hitting their stride in our second year with the Cadillac V-Series.R. I think we feel much more confident going into race weekends. I think we proved this weekend that we can make adjustments to the car for qualifying and the race. That momentum is going to build through the season even more, and now we’re looking forward to Long Beach.”
No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
Jack Aitken: “Bit of a tough one for us. The team put us in a position to be up front and we had good work in pit lane. I think we had good strategy today but at the end of the day we just didn’t have the pace for whatever reason. We saw hints of it at the start of the race with dropping a couple of places off the bat, but it didn’t seem too bad, but then we weren’t able to make steps forward when the rest of the field increased the pace. We’ve got some work to do, but solid points and it could have been a lot worse.”
Earl Bamber: “We just sort of battled all day and tried our best. Honestly, we had a good car at the start, but we didn’t have anything at the end. I don’t know if we had damage from our impact earlier in the race. We got torn up, no penalties accessed from race control which was surprising and that was about it.”
Frederik Vesti: “Fourth place at Sebring for the second year in a row I think. Very frustrating end of the race but to be honest looking at the pace of the day we were fighting for a podium with P3 and it’s frustrating not to be there but we were close. But good points. On my personal side it been an awesome race with a lot of action. I was actually quite surprised how hard people were racing in a 12-hour race. We still have eight hours to go, and people were already banging doors and going for it. I got to drive into the night and see the sunset and then at night and had some good battles with a few cars. Thank you to Cadillac Racing and to Whelen for another good race and we see everyone at Long Beach.”
No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R
Louis Deletraz: “Disappointing result, only P8. I think we had a tough race. We spent a long time at the back, finally got the yellow we needed, got back close to the field and moved up to P5 before. Stayed there a long time, but yeah, we need to look for some answers; in the last 20 minutes, we just had slow pace, a lot of oversteer, and struggle to keep up. Not what we wanted. Congrats to the 10 for a podium! I think we actually had good pace a lot of time of the race. So we just need to put it all together next time.”
Colton Herta: “Well today didn’t quite go the way we had expected. It was a tough day, especially during my stint. The improvements the team has continued to make since Daytona is there, just a few untimely yellows in the heat of the day made it tough to gain positions on track. The way the Cadillac V-Series.R drives on the bumps at Sebring was awesome and I enjoyed my time with the Cadillac WTR team to start the year and look forward to being back at Petit.”
Jordan Taylor: “Obviously, a tough day for the 40 car; it seemed like none of the yellows went our way. They were always poorly timed, which was unfortunate. So it always felt like we were on the back foot, but, I think we had showed better pace than last year, which is a positive. Great to see the 10 car fighting for the podium there at the end, kind of the best of the rest. So we can leave here knowing that, we’re in the hunt now, in the mix in these races – just need to have some things go our way.”
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.
Exotic cars used to feel like relics from another world. You might see them on posters or in movies, but they rarely appear on local streets. Most people assumed these vehicles were reserved for the ultra-wealthy or professional drivers. Times are changing rapidly in the automotive world. High-performance cars are becoming a visible part of daily life. This shift is turning a once-exclusive hobby into a culture that anyone with a passion for engines can join.
Changing Perceptions of Luxury
The idea of what makes a car special has moved past just the price tag. Modern enthusiasts care about the experience and the sound of a fine-tuned machine. It is no longer about sitting in a garage and watching a car appreciate in value. Drivers want to feel the torque and see the engineering in action on the open road.
Owning a vehicle is no longer the only way to participate in this world. Many people find that sharing the thrill is more rewarding than maintaining a private collection. This change in mindset is fueling the growth of social clubs and track day events. It makes the lifestyle more social and less about status symbols.
The Growth of Performance Accessibility
The financial barriers to entering the world of supercars are dropping. Many enthusiasts now look to Apex Exotic Rentals to fulfill their dreams of driving a high-end machine. These options provide the excitement of a luxury vehicle without the stress of ownership costs. Most people find that a temporary experience is more rewarding than dealing with depreciation.
You can choose a different car for every occasion. Maintenance on a private supercar can cost over $10,000 a year. One weekend might involve a convertible for a coastal drive. The next trip might require the raw power of a mid-engine track beast. This flexibility keeps the passion alive without the boredom of driving the same car every day.
Modern Efficiency Standards
Engineering has improved so much that even the fastest cars are becoming more efficient. A report by a national environmental protection group found that new vehicles hit a record high of 27.2 mpg in 2024. This trend shows that performance does – surprisingly – go hand in hand with better fuel economy. You can now drive a powerful car without stopping at the gas station every few miles.
Engineers use turbocharging and hybrid assist to squeeze more power out of smaller engines. These advancements mean you get the speed you want with a smaller carbon footprint. It is a win for the driver and the environment. Modern supercars use lightweight materials to help with these gains. Carbon fiber and aluminum are common in high-end builds. These materials keep the car agile and help the engine work less hard.
The Future of High-End Power
Photo by Brandon Atchison on Unsplash
The shift toward new energy sources makes its mark on the exotic market. Performance is no longer tied strictly to gasoline. Electric motors provide instant torque that rivals the fastest traditional engines.
Hybrid systems are standard in many top-tier models.
Battery technology allows for better weight distribution in the chassis.
Digital controls help drivers manage 1,000 horsepower with ease.
These changes are reflected in global sales data for alternative energy vehicles. An international energy agency noted that electric car sales passed 17 million units in 2024. This growth suggests that the next generation of car culture will be powered by a mix of volts and octane. High-performance brands are leaning into this change to stay relevant in a changing market.
The world of exotic cars is no longer a closed club for the elite. Technology and new business models have opened the gates for everyone. Car culture is growing stronger as more people get the chance to experience the pinnacle of automotive design. High-performance driving is truly within reach for those who want it.
Justin Allgaier made the outside lane work on the final restart of the race, pulling away from Brandon Jones to win Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway.
This is Allgaier’s second win of the season, 30th of his career, and the fourth straight for JR Motorsports.
“All of these guys right here,” said Allgaier. “We have not been the best on pit road all year, but these guys have never quit. They have gone to work and never given up, and they were on top of it all day on pit road. Huge thank you to these guys, and Andrew Overstreet (crew chief), and this entire No. #7 team.
He continued, saying, “Kyle was obviously amazing; he had us covered. Andrew told me on that last restart to ‘never give up, if we can get the lead, we got clean air, and we’re going to win this thing,’ and we did.” “Nobody will ever know, the later you get into your career, how much these victories mean. “And to come at Darlington, a place I’ve loved for so long, is really special.”
Kyle Larson started on the pole, dominated the two stages, and led 107 of the 147 laps before a slow pit stop on the final stop, leaving Larson restarting in fifth place, causing his dominating day to end without the win.
“It became tougher to pass,” said Larson. “At the end, the pace picked up, and you’re stuck. Unfortunate, but that’s the way racing is sometimes. That sucks, but I had a lot of fun today.”
Brandon Jones finished second.
“The 7 (Allgaier) just kept getting just barely better launches than I could on that second lane,” Jones said, “and he had just a little more juice in the tank on the short run today. We were matching, if not slightly better, on the long run, but just ran out of laps there at the end, but this is what we needed with the 20 group.
“That’s the 20’s team mentality – getting better in the races, and staying in contention to have a shot. That is all I can ask for. I think this is how you are going to see our season change, and this is how you begin to start winning races again – is running up front like we did. To beat two of the very best here, Justin (Allgaier) is one of the best here – we are going against some really heavy hitters. I’m proud of that effort. Really big points day as well to tack on it.” Jones said.
Christopher Bell finished third, Larson fourth, and Carson Kvapil rounded out the top-5 finishers.
“Yeah, we definitely lost the handle of it in stage two and fell back,” Bell said. “We had a couple of good pit stops and good adjustments that got us back up to the front. It just felt like we were on the wrong side of the track. Really loose in the daylight, and then really tight when it got shaded up. I don’t know. It was a lot of fun out there. I’m really happy to Sport Clips Supra home third. I know that’s not what they are looking for, but I got a good finish out of it.”
After Darlington, Justin Allgaier holds the series points lead over Jesse Love by 52 points, 84 points over Carson Kvapil, 88 over Sheldon Creed, and 96 over Austin Hill.
The race featured three caution flags for 25 laps, and six lead changes among four drivers.
Next, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for the NFPA 250 on Saturday, March 28, at 3:30 pm ET on the CW Network.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race Results for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 – Saturday, March 21, 2026 Darlington Raceway – Darlington, SC – 1.366 – Mile Paved Total Race Length – 147 Laps – 200.802 Miles
Tyler Reddick will lead the field to green for Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. He topped the speed charts with a 169.152 mph lap in his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota.
He described his qualifying lap, saying, “It felt more stable than practice, for sure, kind of the same sort of thing here the last two weeks. Like, I’ve been really on the splitter in practice and then go qualify. My balance feels great,” Reddick continued, “so yeah, hopefully we can learn from that, from the last two weeks and have a smoother race later on.”
This year, the drivers will be dealing with the unknown, particularly at a track as unpredictable as Darlington. The increased horsepower, reduced downforce, and redesigned tires will likely present new challenges.
“I just feel like we’re going to be out of control, and I think you’re going to be screaming and wanting tires way more than we’ll physically be able to put them on,” said Chris Buescher. “I hope that the passing opportunities go up. If somebody is really struggling, we’ve got a couple of different lanes to look for fresh race track, and I hope it makes great racing.”
Buescher’s teammate, Bubba Wallace, will start beside him on the front row at Darlington, followed by Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski in the top-5. Chris Buescher, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Austin Dillon rounded out the top-10 in the qualifying session.
Starting Line Up: Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway
