RICK WARE RACING Window World 450 Date: July 19, 2026 Event: Window World 450 (Round 21 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway (.625-mile oval) Format: 450 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/185 laps/185 laps)
Race Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford) Stage 1 Winner: Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
RWR Finish:
● Cody Ware (Started 36th, Finished 29th / Running, completed 446 of 450 laps)
RWR Points:
● Cody Ware (35th with 177 points)
Race Notes:
● This was the first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro in 30 years, a span of 10,885 days. The track’s previous points-paying race came on Sept. 29, 1996, when Jeff Gordon beat Dale Earnhardt by 1.73 seconds. After sitting dormant for 27 years, North Wilkesboro was revitalized and hosted the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race from 2023 through 2025. The Window World 450 marked its 94th points-paying Cup Series race.
● Joey Logano won the Window World 450 to score his 38th career NASCAR Cup Series victory and his first of the season. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was .859 of a second. It was Logano’s second overall victory at North Wilkesboro, as he also won the 2024 All-Star Race.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 43 laps.
● Only six of the 37 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Hamlin remains the championship leader after North Wilkesboro with a 68-point advantage over second-place Tyler Reddick.
Sound Bites:
“Overall, we had a pretty solid night here at North Wilkesboro. Team did a great job with strategy and we fought on the lead lap for the first half of the race. We took the same gamble in the final stage that we did early on in the race but, unfortunately, it didn’t pan out. Still, I think it was worth the risk as the upside was pretty high. Proud of everyone on this Rocket Doctor Chevrolet tonight.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Rocket Doctor AI Chevrolet
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by TNT and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Cup Series North Wilkesboro Speedway Window World 450 Team Chevy Post-Race Report July 19, 2026
Van Gisbergen Leads Chevrolet with Top-Five Finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway Matches Career-Best Oval Finish in NASCAR’s Premier Series
In a historic night under the lights at North Wilkesboro Speedway, it was Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen that led Chevrolet to the checkered flag with a fifth-place finish in the Window World 450. The impressive run matched the New Zealand native’s career-best oval finish in NASCAR’s top division, with it also marking his first top-five result on a short-track. The effort was accompanied by 49 laps led – the second highest of the race – and a pair of top-five stage points to leave the North Carolina short-track with a 54-point advantage over the Chase cutline. Spire Motorsports’ Daniel Suarez rallied to a ninth-place finish – his sixth top-10 of the season – to round out the Team Chevy top-10.
RACE RECAP:
Stage One:
With the starting lineup set by the rulebook, Carson Hocevar led Team Chevy to the green flag from the fourth position for a historic night under the lights at North Wilkesboro Speedway. A stellar start for the Michigan native saw the No. 77 Chevrolet reach the second position on the opening lap of Stage One. With a long green flag run to open the race, the leaders were well into lap traffic when the first caution of the day flew right at the halfway mark of the stage for a spinning John H. Nemechek. Early pit strategy came into play as the top-10 saw a split call for two versus four tire stops. Shane van Gisbergen, who maintained a top-10 running position throughout the run, opted for a pair of right-side tires only to jump up into the second row for the restart. Prime track position saw the New Zealand native get to second on the restart and takeover the lead just a few laps later. The top-three drivers pulled away to a 3.5-second lead with Van Gisbergen seeing a hard-charging Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano in his rearview mirror. Continuing to pace the field until the final lap of the stage, a side-by-side battle with Gibbs saw Van Gisbergen just miss the stage win by a mere 0.074-seconds.
Stage Two:
With a four-tire call by crew chief Stephen Doran, a clutch stop by the No. 97 pit crew saw the New Zealand back on the front row to lead the field to the green flag for Stage Two. The restart saw Van Gisbergen on the door of Logano for three laps around the .625-mile circuit before clearing the driver to inherit the lead once again. The effort saw the driver surpass 600 career laps led in NASCAR’s premier series, making him the 126th driver in history to accomplish the feat. With another long green flag run at hand, Logano was able to capitalize on lap traffic to trade positions with Van Gisbergen. In the meantime, his Team Chevy teammate, Chase Elliott, made a quiet climb into the top-five to reach up to the runner-up position near the one-third mark of the stage. While struggling with the handling of his Chevrolet in lap traffic, Elliott fell to the fourth position as the first green flag pit cycle got underway. But amidst the cycle saw the second natural caution of the evening, ultimately resulting in just the top-15 cars remaining on the lead lap. Among those on the positive side of the cycle were Van Gisbergen and Hocevar. Making their stops under the caution, the pair rejoined the top-five for the restart. With 30 laps to go in the stage, Hocevar made a quick report that he was struggling with the handling of his Chevrolet on the long runs. While holding onto a sixth-place finish in the stage, it was Van Gisbergen that continued his impressive run by collecting back-to-back top-five stage points and lead the Bowtie brigade to the second green-white checkered flag.
Final Stage:
The inside lane continued to be a strong suit for Van Gisbergen with the Team Chevy driver quickly finding the top-five once again on the opening lap of the final stage. With the race falling into a long green flag run once again, Van Gisbergen held onto a running position within the top-six as then race leader, Logano, began the green flag pit cycle as the race hit 90 laps to go. Just five laps into the run, Doran made the call to bring his driver to pit road for four tires and fuel, ultimately cycling back up into the fourth position. Going caution-free to the end, Van Gisbergen navigated through lap traffic to lead Team Chevy with a top-five finish and his career-best short-track showing.
Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 Results Pos. Driver
5th – Shane van Gisbergen 9th – Daniel Suarez
Chevrolet’s season statistics with 21 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on TNT Sports and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Post-Race Driver Quotes:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 27th
“We dug ourselves a little hole for tonight by having to serve a pass-thru penalty on Lap One. We worked our way back onto the lead lap at the first stage break, but the handling of the Busch Light Chevy just wasn’t what we needed on the long green flag runs. It makes it difficult when you don’t have much time to make adjustments. The guys worked hard to make some changes and we gambled on some pit strategy that didn’t fall our way. It makes for a tough day of short-track racing.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 23rd
“I’m proud of the fight from everyone on the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Supreme Long Range Chevrolet team tonight at North Wilkesboro Speedway. We had a fast Chevy and raced our way into the top-10 but unfortunately an untimely caution after our first green flag stop put us two laps down. We were battling our way back, making the corrections needed to combat the looseness the car was developing, and were hoping for a caution late in the run, but didn’t catch the break we were hoping for. We’ll leave here with the 23rd place finish and focus on the upcoming short tracks on the schedule.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 9th
It was a quiet night for the No. 7 team. What was it like running 450 laps around North Wilkesboro Speedway?
“It kind of reminded me a little bit like Bristol (Motor Speedway). It was a grind-type of day. The car was never perfect, but you had to get the most out of it that you could. A ninth-place finish, that’s not what we’re here for, but the No. 7 Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation Chevrolet team did a good job and executed all night. We didn’t have a car to win or run top-five, but we had a top-10 car and that’s where we ended up. Proud of the effort by the whole team. Ryan (Sparks, crew chief) did a good job on the strategy and they made good calls on adjustments. We just have to keep pushing.”
With the field as tight as it was, were you surprised that it went green the entire last stage?
“No, not really because everyone is just really good, especially when you start getting into a run. Very few people make mistakes, so I’m not surprised.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 16th
“Honestly, we didn’t do much different than what we’ve been doing. Since the All-Star Race at Dover (Motor Speedway), we’ve just had good execution. We had one little slip up on a pit stop, but we rebounded really well. We had some things go our way. I think that’s why it’s so important to focus on the recipes of success and don’t be so focused on the results because you can’t really control the results. They’ll swing like a pendulum and it’s in our favor right now. This is who we really are when things go right, so it’s nice to see the fruits of our labor.”
Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 33rd
“Tough night for our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen team. Our Chevrolet was tight, really tight, from the start. Andy (Street, crew chief) and the guys kept making adjustments throughout the night but nothing seemed to help get it on the loose side. It was a grind out there, but there will be nights like this in the learning process. We will shift our focus to next week.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 5th
“It was an awesome night for the No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet team. It was pretty cool to get the lead. I just wasn’t good enough on the long run. But overall, I had a lot of fun. Thank you to Wendy’s, Chevrolet, everyone at Trackhouse Racing for the support. Everyone on this team did a great job. It was a good points race, which is what we really needed.
Just like in the Truck race, I could roll the bottom really well. I was loose-in, which hurt. We had one good stage where I could run up in the top lane, but I was married to the bottom for most of it. It just seemed to work for our car.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit like a road course. I tried right-foot braking for a bit. Half of the race, I right-foot braked and I just feel comfortable doing that. It’s a real balance track and you can really effect the car with your driving technique, so I felt comfortable doing that.”
About General Motors
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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 Window World 450 — North Wilkesboro Speedway Sunday, July 19, 2026
JOEY LOGANO CAPS FORD WEEKEND NASCAR SWEEP WITH NWS CUP VICTORY
Joey Logano won his first race of 2026 today and second at North Wilkesboro Speedway after winning the All-Star Race in 2024.
The win is Logano’s 38th of his Cup Series career and 36th with Ford.
Those 36 wins put him third on the all-time Ford win list.
In addition, it’s Logano’s 50th victory with Ford and Team Penske in all three top series combined (36 Cup, 12 NOAPS and 2 NCTS).
Tonight’s victory also marks the 400th points victory for the Roush Yates Engine shop in NASCAR’s top three series combined (208 Cup, 165 NOAPS, 27 NCTS).
Logano’s win completes a Ford weekend sweep after Chandler Smith won Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race for the second year in a row.
Team Penske has now won 110 times in the Cup series with Ford.
Today’s win is Ford’s 751st all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – HOW DO YOU FEEL AFTER GETTING THIS WIN? “It was just a solid race car. I knew in practice that the car had speed and the balance was really loose. When you have that, its like, ‘OK, if we get the balance right, this thing is really fast, I think.’ So, they did a good job dialing it in overnight and putting it in position at the end of the first stage. That’s when we finally got where we needed to be and was able to just set sail up front. It was just a really solid race car. I was lucky to get to drive this one today and really just being able to manage a lot of things inside the car, so I’m proud of Paul Wolfe. He does a good job. We tested twice over the offseason here when they were testing all of the other stuff with the rules packages and stuff, so just a really good tester.” WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS TRACK WITH SO MANY LAPS LED AND THE ALL-STAR WIN? ARE YOU THE WILKESBORO WHISPERER? “I hadn’t heard that one. I don’t want to be a one track wonder, but right now it’s a good one to be good at and last year you feel like you had one taken away there at the end. Even the old pavement I felt like we had a chance of winning that All-Star Race as well. We just have always had fast cars here and was able to manage the short track stuff. That’s definitely in our wheelhouse right now.”
Ford Finishing Results:
1st – Joey Logano
7th – Brad Keselowski
8th – Todd Gilliland
10th – Ryan Preece
11th – Ryan Blaney
14th – Austin Cindric
20th – Chris Buescher
22nd – Zane Smith
25th – Noah Gragson
35th – Chad Finchum
36th – Josh Berry
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Consumer Cellular Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It used to be 500 or so here I’m told by the guys who have been around here for a long time and I respect them after today because 450 is a long time, 500, that must have been grueling. It was a good day for us with the Consumer Cellular Ford Mustang. We got a top 10, seventh here, some stage points. We just executed really well. The car was not the fastest, but we didn’t beat ourselves. We had good strategy by Jeremy Bullins and solid stops. We’re missing our jack man, Dustin Lineback. We’re thinking about him, but the guys stepped up and did a good job.” DO PERFORMANCES LIKE TONIGHT GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE YOU CAN MAKE THE CHASE? “We’re gonna have to earn it. We had a really difficult two month stretch, where we dropped from in the top 10 in points to 19th, and we need to rebound from that. Days like today give us hope that we can do that.” THERE ARE MORE SHORT TRACKS COMING UP. HOW STRONG DO YOU THINK THE FORDS ARE OVERALL AT THIS STYLE OF TRACK? “The short tracks and superspeedways are the best chances for the Fords and we need to capitalize on that for sure. That doesn’t mean we’re gonna throw away the other races, we still have to make the most of those too.”
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I thought we did a really good job of coming from the back and where we got to. Midway through stage two I thought was really, really good and I just settled into the fourth to sixth place. I kind of felt like that’s where I was at and then I just sped getting onto pit road on the green flag stop. That hurt our night. That’s a bummer. I thought we could have run in that fourth to sixth range where we were at, but it’s still a decent day overall. We’re moving on. I didn’t really know out there where the 20 was at, but we’ll go for it at Indy.” YOUR OPPONENT IS TODD GILLILAND, A FELLOW FORD DRIVER. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS? “Ford is gonna get it, so that’s good. The Blue Oval is gonna win the In-Season Challenge. It’ll be a good race. That group at FRM does a really good job and Todd is a really talented race car driver, so it’ll be a tough one. Indy, a lot of strategy goes on there and a lot of things can happen, so we’re gonna have to be on top of our game like every week. But it’s nice that a couple of Blue Ovals have a shot at it.”
TODD GILLILAND, No. 34 Ruedebusch Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Overall, that was just a very solid night for us. I’m pretty happy with how we unloaded. My crew chief felt pretty confident and we worked hard the whole weekend, and I feel like we got it closer to where we needed to be. It was a completely different short track package for us, and I’m excited for here and then something similar maybe like Richmond and places like that. We’ll keep chipping away, but I’m really proud of my team for digging in. What we’ve had here hasn’t been good and just going out on an island and, luckily, it was a little bit better.” YOU ADVANCED TO THE IN-SEASON CHALLENGE FINAL WITH A GOOD EFFORT TONIGHT. “Yeah, absolutely. We definitely caught a big lucky break there at the beginning, but that was strategy. We knew there was a risk with short pitting and everybody did, so I was definitely very proud of the strategy and kind of the way we executed the whole race. That was probably about as good as it could have gone. It’s crazy. We’ve got to beat one more guy for a million dollars.” AND THAT’S ANOTHER FORD GUY IN RYAN BLANEY. “Yeah, the 12 is pretty good. That’s for sure. That’s the reason why they’re at this point in the bracket, so I’m excited about it. That’s the crazy thing is that anything can happen. We have to do what’s best for the 34 team and race all the way to the checkered flag because you never really know. We’ll keep grinding away. It’s pretty wild. I’m pretty excited.”
RYAN PREECE, No. 60 SimpleTire Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a long night. We had a caution go our way, so that was nice. I’m just proud of Derrick’s calls and we had a good day.”
JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It looked like the 20 just got loose and chased it up into us and we wrecked.” ANYTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE TO NOT BE IN THAT POSITION? “I don’t know. I can’t put into words the amount of stuff that’s happened this year. I mean, we drove up to probably just outside the top 10, we had top five lap times, the car was good, and then we pit and the caution of course comes out and we get trapped two laps down, wave around, just back there in the crap and just get wrecked. It’s disappointing. I felt like tonight was the night we certainly could have gotten a good finish like it looks like our teammates are gonna do, but that was tough. I’m aggravated at the 20, but he’s in the same position I am. He was back there and just got loose.” IS THIS THE BEST CAR YOU’VE HAD THIS YEAR? “Yeah, I would say so. Martinsville, we were pretty good too, but I feel like to start where we did and move through the field, we passed a lot of cars. Both pit stops we had early we got blocked in on pit road and lost a bunch of spots and then had to keep re-passing a bunch of cars, too. I felt like our car was pretty good. It definitely had speed and was just a couple tweaks away from being really, really good. We just needed some track position.” HOW HARD IS THIS WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO SELL YOURSELF FOR NEXT YEAR AND YOU’RE NOT GETTING CHANCES TO FINISH RACES? “It’s tough. I’ve worked my whole life to get in this position and now I feel like people view me completely differently after this year compared to what I’ve done up until this point. I’ve never lived through a season like this when it’s just one thing after another. Things that people don’t see that don’t make it on TV. I don’t go on social media every week and post about every little thing that went wrong in our race. We just can’t catch a break, flat out. Even this week, we were eighth in practice and had a good car and, of course, qualifying gets rained out. If we get to qualify, I felt like we would have had a much better starting spot, a much better pit stall. It’s just one thing after another and it’s certainly discouraging.”
Four Camrys in the Top-Six finishers in first points race at North Wilkesboro in three decades
NORTH WILKESBORO, NC. (July 19, 2026) – Denny Hamlin battled eventual race winner Joey Logano over the final 200 laps before settling for second in Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. With the finish, Hamlin extended his points lead to more than 60 points over fellow Team Toyota driver Tyler Reddick with five races remaining in the regular season.
It was a strong night for Team Toyota as a whole with Joe Gibbs Racing finishing 2-3-4 with Hamlin, Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs. Bubba Wallace finished sixth giving Toyota four of the top-six finishers.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) North Wilkesboro Speedway Race 21 of 36 – 450 miles, 281.25 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Joey Logano*
2nd, DENNY HAMLIN
3rd, CHASE BRISCOE
4th, TY GIBBS
5th, Shane van Gisbergen*
6th, BUBBA WALLACE
18th, RILEY HERBST
19th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
21st, ERIK JONES
30th, TYLER REDDICK
31st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Progressive Insurance Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
Did you have anything for the 22 tonight?
“You just have to complement them (Joey Logano) on a great day and a great drive. They were really good. There were a lot of times that I felt like my car was really close to where it needed to be; it was just a smidge off. Great battle. At least was able to keep them honest there, but he had a lot of speed and never gave up on the short run or the long run, so great job to our whole Progressive Toyota team for keeping us in the ballgame, but we will have to go regroup.”
Was that just a sign of respect?
“It was just wildly impressive. I thought it was a really impressive drive from them, and he maneuvered through traffic really well, and he did everything we know Joey (Logano) to do. Really feel good about our day though. Really big improvement of where we were here last year. This Toyota was just one spot short.”
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 WIX Filters Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
How would you evaluate 450 laps at North Wilkesboro?
“It was a long race. There is no doubt about that. It was some really long green flag runs there. We just ran 200 laps straight. It was honestly a lot of fun. The track – you could run in the middle or at the bottom or run the fence. It gave you options. My car drove pretty good, so I had fun. I think if your car wasn’t driving right, it was probably a long miserable night. Our WIX Filters was really, really good. We came through the field quite a few times. We just never could quite get the lead. I felt if we could have got to the lead, we would have been okay, but that last run we kind of lost it again. Great night. What we needed. Hopefully, we will go to Indy and win one there.”
Would you have taken fourth if I told you after you got that penalty?
“Man, I don’t know. We had such a great car. I really appreciate my team and the car they gave me. It is just so unfortunate. The lights were just a pain. I just wanted to rip the dash out of it after that. Just frustrating. We will just keep going. Really appreciative of my team. Thank you to Monster. Thank you to SiriusXM, Toyota and everyone at SAIA.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
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Shane van Gisbergen shined during the NASCAR Cup Series’ return to North Wilkesboro Speedway in three decades. He capped off the 2026 Window World 450 event on Sunday, July 19, where he primarily raced upfront, accumulated a bevy of stage points and even led a good portion by finishing in the top-five mark.
The three-time Supercars champion from Auckland, New Zealand, took the green flag from eighth place, a position in which he started in based on a qualifying metric formula due to the event’s on-track qualifying session being canceled due to inclement weather. After spending the event’s first 40 laps racing towards the bottom half of the top-10 mark, van Gisbergen utilized a two-tire pit stop during the event’s first caution period that flew not long after to move up the leaderboard and muscle his No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry up to second place during the next restart on Lap 47. He then earned his spotlight by overtaking Denny Hamlin to lead for the first time on Lap 52. Van Gisbergen was then in striking position of achieving his first-ever stage victory in a Cup oval event before he was edged by Ty Gibbs on the final lap of the stage period. Nevertheless, he the former accumulated nine stage points.
As van Gisbergen restarted on the front row alongside Joey Logano when the second stage period started on Lap 91, he cycled back as the leader on Lap 94. The former remained atop the leaderboard for the next 19 laps before Logano reassumed the lead. As van Gisbergen continued to race and remain upfront, he was scored in fourth place when a Lap 128 caution for a two-car wreck shuffled up the leaderboard as a handful of front-runners who had just made green flag pit stops dropped out of the lead lap category. For van Gisbergen, he was one of 12 competitors who were scored on the lead lap and he pitted within the group to restart in the top-five category. When the second stage period concluded on Lap 265, he accumulated another six stage points by settling in fifth place.
Restarting in fifth place for the third and final stage period, van Gisbergen, who, like many competitors, battled hot conditions inside the cockpit, primarily raced within the top-five category. Despite not leading throughout this stage period, he was racing as high as third place before he was overtaken by Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs in the closing stretches. When the checkered flag flew, van Gisbergen maintained fifth place in the final running order.
With the result, van Gisbergen notched his fifth top-five result and his seventh top-10 finish of the 2026 Cup Series season. He also recorded the 12th overall top-10 result thus far for Trackhouse Racing as he remains the organization’s highest-ranked competitor in the standings, with teammates Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch mired in 21st and 34th, respectively.
The New Zealander’s fifth-place result at North Wilkesboro matches his career-best result on any oval circuit in the Cup division with his fifth-place result at Nashville Superspeedway that occurred recently in mid-May. His 49 laps led are the most he has ever led on a Cup oval event. While van Gisbergen made his first Cup points-paying start at North Wilkesboro, he competed at the track for the series’ All-Star Race a year ago, where he finished in 19th place.
Prior to North Wilkesboro, van Gisbergen, who has a pair of road course victories at Watkins Glen International and Sonoma Raceway between May and June, was ranked in 15th place in the 2026 standings and scored 31 points above the top-16 cutline to be in Chase contention. After finishing in the top five at North Wilkesboro, he jumped up a spot to 14th place and is 54 points above the cutline with five regular-season events remaining as he continues his strive to make the Cup Series’ Chase for a second consecutive year.
“When I took the lead, I got pretty excited,” van Gisbergen said on TNT. “I don’t know what to do. Thank you to Wendy’s, Trackhouse [Racing], Chevy. Awesome day. Just amazing to get stage points both stages. A bit pissed I threw it away in the last corner on that first stage, but just awesome racing up front all night.”
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season for Shane van Gisbergen and his No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team continue with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis motor Speedway next Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.
Bubba Wallace rallied from a disappointing outcome a week ago at EchoPark Speedway to notch a strong sixth-place run in the 2026 Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on Sunday, July 19.
The reigning Brickyard 400 champion from Mobile, Alabama, rolled off the starting grid in 26th place based on a qualifying metric formula due to the event’s on-track qualifying session being canceled by rain. Throughout the event’s first stage period that spanned 80 laps, Wallace kept his No. 23 Coca-Cola/23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE entry intact as he settled in 21st place at the stage’s conclusion.
After pitting for only two fresh tires during the first stage’s break period, Wallace lined up in sixth place when the event’s second stage period commenced on Lap 91. As the event transitioned into nighttime racing, he was scored in eighth place when a Lap 182 caution for a two-car incident that involved his teammate, Tyler Reddick, flew. The caution served as a big break for Wallace, who had not yet pitted as green flag pit stops had commenced, but allowed Wallace to be one of 12 competitors scored on the lead lap. After pitting with the lead lap field and restarting in sixth place on Lap 192, Wallace remained in the top-10 mark for the second stage’s remainder and claimed seven critical stage points by finishing in fourth place.
When the third and final stage period started with 175 laps remaining, Wallace, who restarted in fourth place, quickly overtook Chase Briscoe to move into third place. He maintained the spot in the early portions of this stage before he was eventually overtaken by Briscoe and Ryan Blaney on the track. During a late cycle of green flag pit stops that struck with 92 laps remaining after the front-runners Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano pitted, Wallace took advantage of the cycle by leading eight laps (365-372) before he pitted with 77 laps remaining.
Despite losing a lap during his green flag pit stop, Wallace used his fresh tires to navigate past the leaders Logano and Hamlin to cycle back on the lead lap. By then, he was scored the final competitor on the lead lap in fifth place. As the laps dwindled, Wallace tried to reel in Shane van Gisbergen for fourth place, but the former would be overtaken by Ty Gibbs. With sixth place in his possession, Wallace maintained the spot and he also remained as the final competitor on the lead lap for the event’s remainder when the checkered flag flew.
With his sixth-place result, Wallace achieved his 10th top-10 result of the 2026 season and his fourth over the previous eight-scheduled events. This year marks the first-ever season where Wallace notched 10 top-10 results through 20-scheduled events in a Cup season. While Sunday night’s event marked Wallace’s first Cup points-paying event at North Wilkesboro, he previously competed at the track for the series’ annual All-Star Race three times (2023-24, 2026). During the latter stretch, he recorded two top-six results and a runner-up result from 2023.
Prior to North Wilkesboro, Wallace was ranked in 13th place in the standings and scored 55 points above the top-16 cutline to be in contention for the 2026 Chase for the Cup. He was also coming off a difficult outcome at EchoPark Speedway after he had a runner-up result stripped due to going below the double yellow line zone on the backstretch on the final lap while making an evasive move while battling for the victory. The outcome demoted Wallace and his No. 23 Toyota team to being the final competitor scored on the lead lap in 29th place.
After North Wilkesboro, Wallace, who remains in 13th place in the standings, is 69 points above the cutline with five regular-season events remaining. As Wallace leaves North Wilkesboro pleased with the outcome, he shifts his focus towards next weekend’s event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400, the site of Wallace’s latest Cup victory to date from a year ago. With an average-finishing result of 11.2 and finishing in the top-nine mark in all but one of five Brickyard starts, including his 2025 victory, Wallace will strive to defend his crown-jewel victory that would enable him to gain even more momentum and build a bigger cushion towards making his third career Chase.
“All in all, a good night for the team,” Wallace said. “No yellow-line infractions. I get to keep my finishing position. It sets us up nice for the Brickyard next week, which we have a lot of confidence and momentum going to, so I’m excited for that. Just another clean race. I keep saying it, clean races, we average finishes of sixth to eighth. We’re not happy with that, but we know that’s good enough to lock ourselves into the Chase and go compete for a championship…Firing on all cylinders.”
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season for Bubba Wallace and his No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota team continue with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis motor Speedway next Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.
Joey Logano erased his feast-and-famine stretch through 20 events of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. His fortunes turned during the series’ 30-year return to North Wilkesboro Speedway by clinching a dominant and momentous victory in the Window World 450 on Sunday, July 19.
The three-time Cup Series champion from Middletown, Connecticut, led five times for a race-high 323 of 450-scheduled laps in an event where he started in 11th place based on a qualifying metric formula and generated competitive pace at the event’s start by navigating his way to the front. After accumulating eight stage points by finishing in third place at the first stage’s conclusion, Logano cycled through as the leader to start the second stage period, where he proceeded to lead 155 laps and capture the latter stage’s victory.
Logano continued to maintain control with a dominant car throughout the event’s third and final stage period. Then, a critical moment occurred for Logano as he pitted under green with 91 laps remaining, one lap after runner-up Denny Hamlin pitted. Following the pit stops, Logano managed to cycle back on the track in front of Hamlin. From there, Logano managed to keep pace in front of Hamlin and methodically navigate his way through lapped traffic as the laps dwindled. With Hamlin unable to execute his late-race challenge, Logano capped off his dominant run by notching a critical victory towards maintaining his 2026 Chase hopes and reigniting his on-track momentum for the remainder of this season.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through a qualifying metric formula after on-track precipitation canceled the event’s qualifying session on Saturday, July 18. As a result, Ryan Blaney, winner of last weekend’s event at EchoPark Speedway, was awarded the pole position. Blaney, however, dropped to the rear of the field due to a power steering issue that needed to be addressed to his No. 12 Team Penske Ford entry. Therefore, Ty Gibbs, who was awarded the second-place starting spot, led the field to the start alongside teammate Christopher Bell.
Prior to the event, Ross Chastain was sent to the tail end of the field due to his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet entry failing inspection three times. In addition, Chastain was assessed a drive-through penalty through pit road at the event’s start and his car chief, David Fero, was ejected from the event.
When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Ty Gibbs, who opted to start on the outside lane, launched his No. 54 SiriusXM Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead through the frontstretch and he proceeded to lead teammates Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar and the field for a full cycle. As Gibbs led the first lap, Hocevar navigated his way into the runner-up spot over Bell while Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick dueled for fourth place in front of the field. Amid a series of early on-track jostling for spots, Ross Chastain served his pass-through penalty and Gibbs led by nearly four-tenths of a second through the fifth lap mark.
Through the first 10-scheduled laps, Gibbs was leading by four-tenths of a second over Hocevar while Bell, Jones and Reddick were racing in the top five ahead of Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Dillon, respectively. Behind, Chris Buescher occupied 11th place in front of William Byron, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez and Michael McDowell while Todd Gilliland, Cole Custer, Ty Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek and Ryan Preece were scored in the top 20 ahead of Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry. Zane Smith, Connor Zilisch and Riley Herbst, respectively. Meanwhile, Noah Gragson, Ryan Blaney, Austin Hill, AJ Allmendinger, Cody Ware, Chad Finchum and Ross Chastain, the latter of whom was a lap down, rounded out the 37-car field.
Fifteen laps later, Gibbs slightly stretched his advantage to seven-tenths of a second over Bell. Behind, third-place Hocevar trailed by nearly two seconds while Jones occupied fourth place in front of Reddick, Loagno and Hamlin. As Gibbs proceeded to lead by a second over Bell by Lap 35, Logano and Reddick overtook Jones for fourth and fifth, respectively, as Elliott, van Gisbergen and Austin Dillon were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Larson, who qualified in 27th place, cracked the top-20 mark as he was racing in 20th place while Blaney, who was trying to carve his way from starting at the rear of the field, was mired in 26th place behind Alex Bowman.
On Lap 39, the event’s first caution flew due to John Hunter Nemechek, who was mired towards the rear of the field in 31st place, spinning in Turn 2 after he was hit in the left-rear area by Zane Smith. During the event’s first caution flew, nearly the entire field led by Gibbs pitted while Denny Hamlin, who was engaged in a tight three-wide battle with Elliott and Erik Jones towards the front, remained on the track. Following the pit stops and with mixed pit strategies ensuing, Gibbs exited pit road first, and he was followed by Bell, van Gisbergen and Michael McDowell, all of whom pitted for only two fresh tires. Logano, the first competitor who pitted for four fresh tires, followed suit ahead of Reddick, Jones, Larson, Hocevar and Elliott. Not long after, Larson pitted for a second time to have his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry addressed after he was hit on the right side by Connor Zilisch while trying to exit his pit stall while the latter was trying to enter his.
As the event restarted on Lap 48, Hamlin, who restarted on the outside lane, motored ahead with the lead for a full cycle as van Gisbergen navigated his way into the runner-up spot. As van Gisbergen proceeded to reel in Hamlin, McDowell occupied third place in front of a stacked field. Then on Lap 51, van Gisbergen dueled and overtook Hamlin through the backstretch to assume the lead. As van Gisbergen led his first lap on Lap 52, Gibbs battled and overtook McDowell for third place on Lap 53 just as Bell battled the latter for fourth place. Bell and Hocevar would overtake McDowell for top-five spots by Lap 55, and Gibbs started to challenge teammate Hamlin for the runner-up spot while van Gisbergen continued to lead in his No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry.
Just past the Lap 60 mark, van Gisbergen was leading by three-tenths of a second over Gibbs while Hamlin, Hocevar, Logano and Bell all trailed by a second from third through sixth on the track, respectively. By then, McDowell slipped out of the top-10 mark and Logano navigated his way into third place ahead of Hamlin, Hocevar, Bell and Reddick. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe raced his way towards the latter half of the top-10 mark while van Gisbergen retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Gibbs by Lap 70.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 80, Gibbs edged van Gisbergen at the start/finish line to capture his fourth Cup stage victory of the 2026 season. Van Gisbergen settled in second ahead of Logano, Hamlin and Hocevar while Bell, Elliott, Briscoe, Cindric and Byron were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 34 of 37 starters were scored on the lead lap.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Under the event’s first stage break period, the lead lap field led by Gibbs returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Gibbs retained the lead as he exited pit road ahead of Logano, van Gisbergen, Hamlin, Hocevar, Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Briscoe, Byron and Buescher. Amid the pit stops, Gibbs was sent to the tail end of the field for speeding on pit road.
The second stage period started on Lap 91 as Logano and van Gisbergen occupied the front row. At the start, Logano, who restarted on the outside lane, motored his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry ahead of van Gisbergen through the backstretch and cycled back to lead the next lap in front of the field. Van Gisbergen then tried to draw alongside Logano from the inside lane and they dueled for the following lap on Lap 93. After dueling with Logano for nearly two laps, van Gisbergen used a strong move in Turns 3 and 4 to reassume the lead. As van Gisbergen led Logano, Hocevar, Hamlin, Elliott, Wallace, Byron, Briscoe, Austin Dillon and Buescher were all racing in the top-10 mark. With a variety of on-track battles ensuing and multiple notables like Gibbs and Larson mired at the tail end of the field, van Gisbergen was leading by two-tenths of a second at the Lap 100 mark.
On Lap 112, Logano used the outside lane to gain a strong launch through the frontstretch and draw alongside van Gisbergen in a battle for the lead. Using the outside lane, Logano used the first two turns and the backstretch to reassume the lead for the following lap. As Logano started to build a steady lead over van Gisbergen, Hocevar trailed by more than a second in third place while Elliott and Wallace were racing in the top five ahead of Hamlin, Byron, Briscoe, Blaney and Buescher. Meanwhile, Bell was mired in 13th place behind Austin Dillon and Todd Gilliland while Reddick was racing in 18th place. Gibbs and Larson were mired in 30th and 32nd, respectively, as Logano extended his lead to more than a second at the Lap 125 mark.
At the Lap 140 mark, Logano had his advantage stand to nearly two seconds over Elliott while van Gisbergen trailed in third place by three seconds. Behind, Hamlin and Hocevar battled for fourth place while Wallace occupied sixth place in front of Briscoe, Blaney, Byron and Buescher. Meanwhile, Gibbs and Larson continued to be mired in 28th and 30th, respectively, while Connor Zilisch, Riley Herbst and Ross Chastain were lapped by the leader, Logano. Logano proceeded to lap 31st-place Cole Custer and had 30th-place Larson within his sights of lapping him. By the latter category, Logano was leading by more than two seconds over Elliott by Lap 150.
Through the Lap 165 mark, Logano added another second to his advantage as he was leading by more than three seconds over the new runner-up competitor, Denny Hamlin. Behind, Elliott trailed in third place by nearly five seconds as the latter also had fourth-place Briscoe slowly reeling in while van Gisbergen occupied fifth place. Meanwhile, Blaney carved his way up to sixth place in front of Hocevar, Wallace, Cindric and Byron while Austin Dillon, Buescher, Josh Berry, Bell and Gilliland were racing in the top-15 mark ahead of Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Brad Keselowski, Reddick and Preece. With more names that included McDowell, Austin Hill, Zane Smith, Noah Gragson, Ty Dillon and Ty Gibbs being lapped along with Larson, Logano continued to extend his lead to more than four seconds as both Bell and Buescher pitted under green.
Shortly after, pit strategies started to ignite as select names that included Byron, Cindric, Berry and Allmendinger, the latter of whom limped to his pit stall with a broken right-rear toe link, pitted their respective entries. Austin Dillon, Zilisch, Elliott and Gragson pitted by Lap 180 before Austin Hill and Briscoe pitted two laps later. Seconds later on Lap 182, the caution flew when Bowman turned down the track and collided into Reddick entering the backstretch while trying to make a move to enter pit road under green. The contact sent the latter two spinning below the backstretch as Bowman made contact with the inside wall. During the latest caution period and with the leaderboard shuffled, the field of 12 competitors scored on the lead lap led by Logano pitted and Logano exited pit road first ahead of Hamlin, Blaney, van Gisbergen and Hocevar. By then, numerous competitors that included Elliott, Byron, Buescher, Cindric, Bell and Austin Dillon were pinned a lap down due to all pitting and trying to cycle back on the lead lap prior to the Bowman-Reddick incident.
For the next restart on Lap 192, Logano rocketed away from Hamlin, teammate Blaney and the field from the outside lane through the frontstretch. Logano led the field for a full cycle for the next lap as Hamlin fended off Blaney, van Gisbergen and Hocevar for the runner-up spot. Van Gisbergen would then outduel Blaney and Hocevar for third place by Lap 195 while Wallace and Keselowski battled for sixth place in front of Gilliland, Suarez, Jones and a stacked field.
Following another caution that flew on Lap 198 when Bell got loose, bumped and sent Josh Berry wrecking backwards into the outside wall in Turn 4, the next restart on Lap 207 featured Logano motoring away from Hamlin from the outside lane for a second straight time, and the former retained the lead for a full lap while van Gisbergen challenged Hamlin for the runner-up spot. Van Gisbergen would then overtake Hamlin through the backstretch before Hocevar battled the former during the next lap. As Hocevar overtook van Gisbergen for second place, Hamlin and Blaney battled for fourth place in front of Keselowski, Wallace, Gilliland, Suarez, Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as Logano led by four-tenths of a second just past the Lap 210 mark.
At the event’s halfway mark on Lap 225, 16 of 37 starters were scored on the lead lap as Logano was leading by more than a second over Hocevar. Behind, van Gisbergen, Hamlin, Blaney, Wallace, Keselowski, Gilliland, Briscoe and Suarez occupied the remaining top-10 spots ahead of Jones, Preece, Stenhouse, Gibbs, Ty Dillon and Cody Ware while McDowell was the first competitor scored a lap down in 17th place in front of Herbst, Byron and Elliott. Meanwhile, Larson, Chastain, Bell, Buescher, Austin Dillon, Bowman and Reddick were all mired a lap down in 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 29th, respectively.
By Lap 235, Logano stretched his lead to four seconds over Hocevar while Hamlin, who overtook van Gisbergen for third place two laps earlier, reeled in Hocevar for the runner-up spot. As Hamlin overtook Hocevar to move into the runner-up spot two laps later, teammate Briscoe was scored in seventh place behind Blaney and Wallace As Briscoe overtook both Wallace and Blaney to move into the top-five mark in fifth place, Logano had his lead over Hamlin slightly decrease to three seconds on Lap 245. Logano proceeded to stabilize his lead to more than three seconds over Hamlin on Lap 255 while Briscoe reeled in Hocevar for third place.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 265, Logano captured his first elusive Cup stage victory of the 2026 season. Hamlin trailed by four seconds in the runner-up spot ahead of Briscoe, Wallace and van Gisbergen while Hocevar, Keselowski, Blaney, Gilliland and Suarez were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 14 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap. Meanwhile, names like Austin Dillon, Elliott, Larson and Byron were scored a lap down while Reddick, Bell, Buescher, Chastain and Bowman were scored two laps down.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
During the event’s second stage break period, the lead lap field led by Logano pitted for service that included four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and any adjustments needed. Following the pit stops, Logano retained the lead by exiting pit road first, and he was followed by Hamlin, Briscoe, Wallace, Hocevar, van Gisbergen, Blaney, Keselowski, Gilliland and Suarez, respectively.
With 175 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Logano and Hamlin occupied the front row in front of Briscoe, Wallace, Hocevar, van Gisbergen and the field. At the start, Logano and Hamlin dueled for the lead through the first two turns. As Logano slightly pulled ahead from the outside lane through the backstretch, Hamlin tried to fight back from the inside lane in Turns 3 and 4, but Logano managed to motor ahead and move in front of Hamlin to lead the next lap.
As Logano transitioned to the inside lane to remain in front of Hamlin, Wallace motored his way into third place as Briscoe, van Gisbergen and Hocevar battled behind. With only 15 competitors scored on the lead lap, Keselowski and Blaney battled for seventh place while Suarez and Gibbs dueled for ninth place in front of Gilliland and Preece. While Wallace retained third place in front of Briscoe, van Gisbergen, Blaney and Hocevar, Logano retained the lead by half a second over Hamlin with 160 laps remaining.
With less than 150 laps remaining, Logano slightly increased his lead to more than a second over Hamlin. Behind, third-place Wallace trailed by more than two seconds while Briscoe and van Gisbergen raced in the top five ahead of Blaney, Keselowski, Gibbs, Hocevar and Suarez, respectively. Meanwhile, Larson was scored as the first competitor a lap down in 16th place while Suarez, Preece, Jones, Stenhouse and Ty Dillon rounded out the 15-car field scored on the lead lap. Amid the on-track battles, Logano retained the lead by nine-tenths of a second with 135 laps remaining. Logano continued to lead by more than a second over Hamlin with 120 laps remaining while Briscoe, Wallace and van Gisbergen remained in the top five ahead of Blaney, Keselowski, Gibbs, Gilliland and Hocevar.
Down to the final 110 laps, Logano maintained the lead by two seconds over Hamlin, and Briscoe retained third place while Blaney overtook Wallace for fourth place. Behind, van Gisbergen trailed Wallace in sixth place ahead of Keselowski, Gibbs, Gilliland, Suarez, Preece and Jones, all of whom were scored on the lead lap, while Hocevar was lapped while dropping to 13th place. By then, Larson, Byron, Austin Dillon and Elliott were also mired a lap down while Bowman, Bell, Buescher and Chastain were pinned three laps behind. In addition, Reddick, who was mired in 32nd place, was scored four laps behind as Logano led by a second over Hamlin with 100 laps remaining.
Then with 92 laps remaining, a late cycle of green flag pit stops commenced as Hamlin, who trailed Logano by a second in the runner-up spot, pitted his No. 11 Progressive Toyota Camry XSE entry. Logano then pitted his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry from the lead a lap later. As Logano managed to blend back on the track in front of Hamlin following their respective pit stops, more names that included Blaney, Hocevar, Preece and Ty Dillon pitted their respective entries. Soon after, Blaney was penalized with a pass-through penalty through pit road for speeding on pit road. While Hamlin tried to reel in Logano on the track, Briscoe and van Gisbergen along with Gilliland pitted with within the final 85-lap mark.
With 80 laps remaining, Wallace, who has yet to pit, was leading ahead of Keselowski, Gibbs, Suarez and Jones, with the latter five being scored on the lead lap. Meanwhile, Logano and Hamlin were mired a lap down in sixth and seventh, respectively, before both overtook Wallace to cycle back on the lead lap two laps later. Wallace then pitted his No. 23 Coca-Cola Toyota Camry XSE entry from the lead another lap later. As Ty Gibbs pitted with nearly 75 laps remaining, Keselowski, who had yet to pit, was leading while Logano retained fourth place in front of a hard-charging Hamlin.
With 71 laps remaining, Keselowski pitted from the lead. Another lap later, Logano overtook Suarez, who had yet to pit, on the track to cycle back as the leader. Hamlin followed suit in second place during the next lap as he trailed Logano by only three-tenths of a second with 68 laps remaining. With Hamlin starting to gain momentum and slowly reel in Logano while diving through the turns to gain strong launches on the straightaways, Logano, who navigated his way through heavy lapped traffic, retained the lead by six-tenths of a second with 60 laps remaining. By then, only the top-five competitors that included Logano, Hamlin, Briscoe, van Gisbergen and Wallace were scored on the lead lap while Gibbs was the first competitor a lap down in sixth place.
As the event reached its final 50-lap mark, Logano continued to lead by half a second over Hamlin as Hamlin continued to struggle to reel in Logano. Behind, Briscoe retained third place despite trailing the lead by four seconds while van Gisbergen occupied fourth place in front of Wallace, with the latter two training by 14 seconds. Meanwhile, Gibbs, who cycled back on the lead lap by overtaking Logano nearly 10 laps earlier, retained sixth place while Gilliland was scored the first competitor a lap down in seventh place. Keselowski, Preece, Suarez, Hocevar and Blaney were mired a lap down while racing from eighth to 12th on the leaderboard while Austin Dillon was scored the first competitor two laps down in 13th place.
Down to the final 35 laps, Logano stretched his lead to a second over Hamlin. Behind, Briscoe continued to trail in third place by six seconds while van Gisbergen, Gibbs and Wallace trailed by double-digit marks within the top-six spots and as the last trio of competitors on the lead lap. As Logano methodically cycled his way through a handful of lapped traffic, he also stabilized his lead to nine-tenths of a second over Hamlin with 25 laps remaining. As Gibbs fiercely battled van Gisbergen to claim fourth place, Keselowski was scored the first competitor a lap down in seventh place while Logano, who was approaching more lapped traffic and having issues navigating past the lapped competitor of Riley Herbst, had his lead decrease to half a second over Hamlin with 15 laps remaining.
With 10 laps remaining, Logano, who managed to navigate numerous lapped competitors that included Herbst, Bell, Nemechek and Bowman, continued to lead by four-tenths of a second over Hamlin. As Logano continued to smoothly and methodically navigate his way around North Willkesboro despite being mired in lapped traffic, Hamlin continued to struggle with executing the mark to reel in and narrow his deficit as the latter led by seven-tenths of a second with five laps remaining.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Logano, who was clear of lapped traffic, remained in the lead by eight-tenths of a second over Hamlin. With Hamlin unable to mount a final lap charge nor reel in his deficit, Logano smoothly cycled around North Wilkesboro Speedway for a final time before he cycled back to the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag by eight-tenths of a second.
With the victory, Logano notched his 38th NASCAR Cup Series career victory in his 636th start, his seventh on a short track venue and his first series’ victory since Texas Motor Speedway in early May 2025. He has also won at least a single event through 16 Cup seasons and recorded the third victory of 2026 for both Team Penske and the Ford manufacturer. While Logano became the first competitor to win at North Wilkesboro Speedway since the track’s return as a points-paying event since September 1996, his victory this season marks his second win at the historic venue after he won at Wilkesboro during the series’ non-points All-Star Race in 2024.
Prior to North Wilkesboro, Logano finished as high as third on the track twice, but was mired with an average-finishing result of 19.75 and had finished 30th or worse seven times through 20 events. He was also ranked in 17th place in the standings and scored eight points below the top-16 cutline to be in Chase contention. After winning at North Wilkesboro and accumulating the stage points through the first two stage periods, he jumped two spots to 15th place and is 49 points above the cutline with five regular-season events remaining on the schedule.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“A win anywhere at this point, would’ve sounded great, but coming here to North Wilkesboro’s awesome,” Logano said on the frontstretch on TNT Sports. “What a great car. [Crew chief] Paul Wolfe, what a great car he put together for us today. I just was able to execute a smooth race. Everyone on pit road did a good job. Engine at Roush Yates was good. Gosh, it just feels good to get back in Victory Lane. It’s been a tough year.”
I just think it’s something that clicks for us [at North Wilkesboro],” Logano added. “Paul put together a good car. I feel like I know exactly what I need to go fast around this place and he’s able to give it to me. I knew coming into this weekend, I said, ‘We got to capitalize on the points.’ A win is great, but we really need the points. [I] really capitalized on those [factors] tonight. The pressure was there, for sure. Denny got really good there the last run. Honestly, it was whoever was out front was gonna win the race that last run. We were pretty dominant most of the race, but as the race went along, Denny got better there that last run. [I] Just did a decent job keeping up the track. They did a good job keeping up.”
Denny Hamlin, who led nine laps, settled in the runner-up spot for his seventh top-two result of the 2026 season. Ironically, Hamlin finished second to Logano during the 2024 All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro. Amid this year’s loss, Hamlin applauded Logano’s dominant performance and congratulated the latter on pit road.
“You just got to compliment [Logano and his team] on a great day and a great drive,” Hamlin said. “They were really good. There was a lot of times where I felt like my car was kind of close where it needed it to be and [I was] just a smidge off. It was a great battle. At least, [I] could keep [Logano] honest there, but he had a lot of speed and never really gave up on the short run or long runs. Great job by our whole Progressive team to keep us in the ballgame, but yeah, we’ll have to regroup.”
Chase Briscoe navigated his way from starting 30th to finish third for his eighth top-five result of the 2026 season. Ty Gibbs, who led 47 laps, finished in fourth place for his ninth top-five result of this season while Shane van Gisbergen tied his career-best result on an oval circuit by notching a stellar fifth-place run while also leading 49 laps in the process.
Bubba Wallace, who led eight laps and started 26th, notched his 10th top-10 result of the 2026 campaign by finishing as the final competitor on the lead lap in sixth place. Brad Keselowski, Todd Gilliland, Daniel Suarez and Ryan Preece, all of whom ended up a lap down, completed the top 10 in the final running order.
Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney finished as the first competitor scored two laps down in 11th place, but he outdueled Christopher Bell on the track by eight spots (Bell finished 19th). In addition, Gilliland outdueled Elliott by nine spots (Elliott finished 17th). As a result, both Blaney and Gilliland will square off against one another for this year’s In-Season Challenge’s prize of $1 million next weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This event featured 17 lead changes for nine different leaders, and five cautions for 43 laps.
Following the 21st event of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Denny Hamlin continues to lead the regular-season standings by 68 points over Tyler Reddick, 87 over Ryan Blaney, 134 over Ty Gibbs and 208 over Chase Elliott.
Results:
Joey Logano, 323 laps led, Stage 2 winner
Denny Hamlin, nine laps led
Chase Briscoe, five laps led
Ty Gibbs, 47 laps led, Stage 1 winner
Shane van Gisbergen, 49 laps led
Bubba Wallace, eight laps led
Brad Keselowski, one lap down, seven laps led
Todd Gilliland, one lap down
Daniel Suarez, one lap down, one lap led
Ryan Preece, one lap down
Ryan Blaney, two laps down, one lap led
William Byron, two laps down
Carson Hocevar, two laps down
Austin Cindric, two laps down
Kyle Larson, two laps down
Ty Dillon, two laps down
Chase Elliott, three laps down
Riley Herbst, three laps down
Christopher Bell, three laps down
Chris Buescher, three laps down
Erik Jones, three laps down
Zane Smith, three laps down
Austin Dillon, four laps down
Michael McDowell, four laps down
Noah Gragson, four laps down
Alex Bowman, four laps down
Ross Chastain, four laps down
Cole Custer, four laps down
Cody Ware, four laps down
Tyler Reddick, five laps down
John Hunter Nemechek, five laps down
Connor Zilisch, seven laps down
Austin Hill, eight laps down
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., eight laps down
Chad Finchum – OUT, Rear Gear
Josh Berry – OUT, Accident
AJ Allmendinger – OUT, Suspension
Next on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event is scheduled to occur next Sunday, July 26, and air at 2 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, SiriusXM, and HBO MAX.
If you have recently decided to buy a vehicle for yourself, then you definitely understand just how important this decision actually is. And how exciting the process can be. Whether you are replacing your old car and investing in something better, or you are buying a vehicle for the first time, there is absolutely no doubt that you will want to make the best choice for yourself. And, well, whether you go for a larger SUV, or perhaps a capable pickup truck for work and recreation, or anything else, you are sure to align the car you choose with your particular needs.
Now, say you want a Chrysler, a Dodge, a Jeep, a Ram, or something similar. Whatever you decide on, one thing will be absolutely for sure. You will want and need to, well, find and choose the right dealership that will offer you the vehicle you are after. And while there are countless of dealerships out there ready to offer you the vehicles you want, the truth is that you should take your time to understand what to look for in order to ultimately make a confident decision.
To put it differently, you need to know how to choose the right dealership, instead of just randomly going for one or the other. And, well, that is exactly what we are going to help you out with today. So, keep on reading to understand what to take into account and what steps to take in the process of choosing the right dealership for your next car purchase. Without much more ado, let us get started.
Identify Your Needs First
Clearly, before you start looking at or visiting dealerships, you will have to carefully think about what it is that you are actually looking for in a vehicle. Think about how many passengers you typically carry, whether you will use the car for family travel, work, commuting or something else, whether towing capability is important to you, whether fuel efficiency is a priority, as well as, naturally, what your budget is realistically. When you have such a clear understanding of your needs, that makes it easier for you to find dealerships that offer those types of vehicles that you are interested in.
Ask Around & Search the Web
Okay, having defined those needs, the next thing you will have to do is start creating a list of potential dealerships. For starters, ask around, and remember those places that the people you know will refer you to. Then, search for them online, and when you come across North Park Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and similar great places, make sure to add them to that list. From here, you will have the opportunity to research North Park CDJR and all of those other dealerships in more detail, so that you can ultimately make the best decision for yourself.
Check the Selection of Vehicles
One of the first things to check here is the actual selection of vehicles offered by different dealerships. Basically, a great quality dealership should offer an extensive inventory of cars, including multiple colors, configurations, and trims. Such a wider selection is sure to allow you to more easily compare different options, instead of just settling for whatever it is that is available at one place or another. The good news is that you may be able to check out the selection online, as that makes things much easier for you.
Check the Reputation
Moving on, checking the reputation of the dealerships you have in mind is also an absolute must. So, take the time to read some reviews that have been written by previous clients, as this is, in fact, one of the easiest ways for you to evaluate a dealership. Remember to look beyond the overall rating and pay attention to those comments related to quality of communication, professionalism, honesty, the delivery process, financing assistance, and anything else you want to know. And always aim at choosing reliable and trusted dealerships.
Assess Customer Service
Naturally, you should never buy your vehicle in a rush. Thus, you should keep in mind that a great dealership is sure to take the time to understand your specific needs, instead of pushing you towards one model or another without really listening to you. So, in short, you should evaluate customer service before making any kinds of decisions, keeping in mind that you should not feel pressured into purchasing a car before you are ready. If you’re curious about the Chrysler, this will help you get a better understanding of it.
Compare Financing Options
Finally, you should also compare the financing options, as financing certainly plays a major role in your decision. A lot of dealerships can often allow buyers to compare different financing solutions, thus getting what works best for them. So, take time to understand those available options, as that could potentially help you save some time.
Car accident cases are often won long before court begins because the outcome is usually shaped by the evidence, strategy, and preparation completed during the weeks and months after the crash. While many people imagine a courtroom battle deciding the fate of a case, the reality is that most successful claims are built well before a trial date is ever scheduled. The strength of a case often depends on how effectively the facts are gathered, documented, and presented from the start.
Austin is the capital of Texas and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. Its expanding population, busy roadways, and heavy commuter traffic contribute to thousands of motor vehicle accidents each year.
When these accidents occur, an Austin accident attorney typically begins building a case immediately, knowing that early actions can have a major impact on the final outcome.
Insurance Companies Start Evaluating the Case Right Away
Many people assume the legal process begins when a lawsuit is filed. In reality, insurance companies begin evaluating a claim almost immediately after an accident is reported.
Adjusters review police reports, photographs, medical records, witness statements, and vehicle damage to determine liability and assess risk. Their goal is to understand the strength of the claim before deciding how much compensation they may be willing to offer.
The stronger the evidence appears during this early review, the more seriously the insurance company is likely to treat the claim.
Strong Cases Create Leverage Before Trial
The majority of car accident cases never reach a courtroom. Instead, they are resolved through negotiations.
What drives those negotiations is leverage. When an injured person can present strong evidence showing the other party was at fault and clearly demonstrate the extent of their damages, the insurance company faces greater risk if the case proceeds to trial.
A well-prepared claim often encourages meaningful settlement discussions because the defense understands the potential consequences of losing in court.
Critical Evidence Can Disappear Quickly
One reason early preparation matters so much is that evidence does not last forever.
Surveillance footage may be deleted within days. Skid marks fade. Damaged vehicles get repaired. Witnesses move away or forget important details.
The sooner evidence is preserved, the more reliable it tends to be. Attorneys often move quickly to obtain photographs, video footage, accident reports, and witness interviews before valuable information disappears.
In many cases, this early investigation becomes one of the most important factors affecting the claim’s success.
Medical Records Help Establish Credibility
Insurance companies closely examine medical treatment after an accident.
Prompt medical attention creates a clear timeline between the collision and the injuries. Consistent treatment records help demonstrate the severity of the injuries and the impact they have on the victim’s daily life.
On the other hand, gaps in treatment or delays in seeking care may create opportunities for insurers to argue that the injuries were not serious or were caused by something unrelated to the accident.
For this reason, medical documentation often becomes one of the strongest tools available during settlement negotiations.
Attorneys Build the Case Before a Lawsuit Is Filed
Many people do not realize how much legal work occurs before a case ever reaches court.
Attorneys often spend months:
Investigating the accident
Collecting evidence
Interviewing witnesses
Reviewing medical records
Consulting experts
Calculating damages
Negotiating with insurance companies
This preparation allows attorneys to present a complete picture of liability and damages. By the time a lawsuit is filed, much of the groundwork has already been completed.
Settlement Negotiations Reflect the Strength of Preparation
Settlement offers are rarely random. They are often based on how strong the insurance company believes the case will be if it reaches trial.
When evidence is organized, injuries are well-documented, and liability is clear, insurers may be more motivated to negotiate fairly. They understand that a jury could potentially award substantial compensation if the case proceeds to court.
As a result, thorough preparation frequently influences settlement outcomes long before a judge or jury becomes involved.
Trial Often Confirms What Preparation Already Established
Contrary to popular belief, trials rarely transform weak cases into strong ones.
Most successful verdicts are built on months of investigation, evidence gathering, and strategic planning. By the time a case reaches a courtroom, both sides typically have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses involved.
The trial simply becomes the final stage where the evidence is formally presented and evaluated.
This is why many experienced attorneys say that cases are often won long before court begins. The preparation phase frequently determines the direction of the entire claim.
Key Takeaways
Car accident cases are often won through strong preparation before trial.
Insurance companies begin evaluating claims shortly after an accident is reported.
Early evidence collection can significantly affect the strength of a case.
Medical records help establish credibility and document injuries.
Attorneys perform extensive work before a lawsuit is ever filed.
Strong preparation creates leverage during settlement negotiations.
Most settlements are influenced by how likely a case is to succeed at trial.
Court is often the final step in a process where much of the outcome has already been shaped.
Choosing between a full wrap and a partial wrap depends on budget, goals, and how much of the vehicle needs to work for the owner. Jay The Wrap Specialist, based in Sugar Land, TX, has wrapped everything from NASA’s Orion Space Capsule for the Artemis Project to daily drivers on the Katy Freeway, making the shop a credible source for understanding what each option delivers.
Why Houston Drivers Need to Think Carefully About Wrap Coverage
Houston’s sun is relentless. Drivers on US-59 through Sugar Land or the Katy Freeway watch their paint oxidize, fade, and chip faster than almost anywhere else in the country. A vehicle wrap is not just a style choice, it is a practical defense against UV exposure, humidity, and road debris.
The shop is located at 10555 Synott Rd, #B-700, Sugar Land, TX 77498, serving lifted trucks in Katy, exotic vehicles in River Oaks, and fleet vans through First Colony and Missouri City. This article covers the real differences between full and partial wraps, what each costs, and which choice makes sense for different drivers considering Jay The Wrap Specialist vehicle wraps.
What Exactly Is a Full Vehicle Wrap?
A full vehicle wrap covers every exterior panel: hood, roof, doors, front and rear bumpers, fenders, mirrors, and pillars. The original paint disappears completely beneath the film, delivering a total transformation: no paint, no primer, no curing downtime. Film goes on over the factory finish, protecting it while giving the vehicle an entirely new look.
Coverage: Every Panel, Every Curve
Installers use heat guns and squeegees to conform vinyl to compound curves and body lines. Mirrors, door handles, and bumper edges all get wrapped, leaving no bare paint exposed. River Oaks and Memorial luxury vehicle owners frequently choose full wraps to shield high-value paint while adding a custom finish.
Materials Used on a Full Wrap
The two trusted film brands are 3M Vinyl Wrap Film and Avery Dennison Vinyl, both engineered for outdoor durability with a rated lifespan of five to seven years. Finish options include matte, gloss, satin, chrome, color-shift, and specialty films, all protecting paint from UV oxidation and humidity equally well.
What Exactly Is a Partial Wrap?
A partial wrap covers only selected panels, commonly the hood, roof, doors, trunk, mirrors, or accent stripes. The factory paint stays exposed elsewhere, and film is trimmed cleanly along panel seams so the transition looks intentional. Partial wraps suit drivers who want a custom look, two-tone effect, or business branding without the cost of full coverage, and work well for hiding cosmetic wear on a specific panel or refreshing a sun-damaged hood.
Coverage Zones and Materials
Partial wraps use the same 3M and Avery Dennison films as full wraps, so durability at covered panels is identical. Installers pay close attention to edges, where vinyl meets bare paint, using post-heating and tucking to keep boundaries tight through Houston’s temperature swings. The key trade-off: a partial wrap protects and restyles only the panels it touches, while a full wrap shields the entire vehicle.
Which Option Fits Your Budget and Goals?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, film type, and surface complexity. Partial wraps typically range from roughly $500 to $2,500; full wraps usually run from about $3,000 to $6,000 or more for larger vehicles and premium films.
Budget under $1,500: A partial wrap on the hood, roof, or accent panels delivers the most visible impact for the money.
Budget of $3,000 and up: A full wrap becomes worthwhile, especially for complete paint protection or a total color change.
Goal is protecting factory paint: A full wrap shields every panel from UV and road debris, the strongest case for total coverage in Houston’s climate.
Goal is a custom accent or business branding: A partial wrap gives a clean, targeted result without paying for panels that do not need it.
Goal is maximum impact resistance: Pair a color wrap with clear paint protection film on the front bumper and hood, the panels that take the worst abuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does a Wrap Last, Full or Partial?
Lifespan depends on film grade, installation quality, and maintenance, not coverage area. Both full and partial wraps using 3M or Avery Dennison film typically last five to seven years. A full wrap adds the benefit of shielding the entire paint surface from Houston’s intense UV cycles and humidity, which accelerate oxidation on exposed panels.
Can I Add a Partial Wrap Over an Existing Full Wrap?
Yes. Accent wraps, racing stripes, and color-change panels can all be applied over or alongside an existing full wrap. Film thickness and finish must be matched carefully so the transition looks deliberate, and a technician should assess the existing wrap’s condition before any addition is made.
Will a Vinyl Wrap Damage My Factory Paint?
A professionally installed wrap does not damage factory paint. Quality adhesive releases cleanly after years of use, even through Houston’s heat and humidity cycles. Damage only occurs with low-grade film or improper removal, both avoidable when a skilled installer handles the job.
Does My Paint Need to Be Perfect Before a Partial Wrap?
The surface must be free of peeling, bubbling, or significant oxidation, which prevent proper adhesion and produce unclean edges at the wrap boundary. Minor swirl marks or light scratches beneath the film are acceptable. A technician inspects the surface before installation begins.
What Is the Difference Between a Vinyl Wrap and Paint Protection Film?
A vinyl wrap is primarily cosmetic, it changes color or finish and provides a light protective layer but is not engineered to absorb impact. PPF is a clear, thick urethane film built to resist rock chips, scratches, and road debris; it is invisible and lasts over ten years. Many Houston drivers combine both: vinyl for color, PPF for protection on high-impact zones like the front bumper and hood.
Can I Get a Chrome Wrap on Just One Panel?
Chrome wraps are available for individual panels including the hood, roof, mirrors, and pillars. Top-tier 3M Chrome film delivers a flawless mirror finish even on a single panel, creating a striking contrast against the vehicle’s base color. Single-panel chrome applications are popular across Houston’s car culture, from custom builds in Bellaire to lifted trucks in Richmond.
About Jay The Wrap Specialist
Jay The Wrap Specialist is a vehicle wrap shop at 10555 Synott Rd, #B-700, Sugar Land, TX 77498, serving the Greater Houston area including Bellaire, River Oaks, Missouri City, Stafford, Richmond, First Colony, and Memorial. Credentials include wrapping the NASA Orion Space Capsule for the Artemis Project and being featured by BuzzFeed as one of the most sought-after wrap installers in the United States.
With more than four million social media followers, the shop has built a national reputation while remaining rooted in Southeast Texas, using industry-leading 3M and Avery Dennison films on every project.
Business Name: Jay The Wrap Specialist Address: 10555 Synott Rd, #B-700, Sugar Land, TX 77498 Phone Number: (346) 245-4998
