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			<title>Latest NASCAR News &amp; Videos from FOX Sports</title>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2026 04:47:22 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[4 Takeaways From Joey Logano's Bristol Win & Hocevar, Blaney's Post-Race Brawl]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-from-joey-logano-wins-bristol-carson-hocevar-ryan-blaney-fight</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-from-joey-logano-wins-bristol-carson-hocevar-ryan-blaney-fight</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Joey Logano had the hot hand on track at Bristol, while other drivers threw hands after the race on pit road.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2026 02:09:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.) — After a mild-mannered 425 laps, the Bristol night race lived up to the hype. The last 75 laps were wild, as championship contenders crashed, punctuated by a post-race brawl. Fans will talk about the Carson Hocevar-Ryan Blaney fight for years to come, as Hocevar nailed Blaney in the face with a punch. "It makes you feel a little better for losing," Hocevar told me and other reporters after his third-place finish. Oh, and by the way, Joey Logano won and Kyle Larson took over the points lead. Here are my takeaways: 1. Carson Hocevar Smiles After Fight The Spire Motorsports driver tangled with Blaney with 43 laps remaining. And Blaney — who led a race-high 202 laps — was tired of what he feels was Hocevar wrecking him. It is a sentiment shared by drivers in the garage, although in this case, one could argue that responsibility is 50-50. Hocevar isn’t going to get the benefit of the doubt, but he left no doubt who won the fight as he landed a couple of punches. Hocevar smiled and answered questions after the fight. He often says he is a fan of the sport and he could hear the cheers for him both in driver introductions and afterward. "I don't know if he made a poor decision ... but I think everybody saw the intensity of The Chase," Hocevar said. "I don't know if he's mad at me or just mad at the situation or both — or if I'm an easy punching bag. ... Hopefully they can sell some tickets [from this] for next year." 2. Joey Logano's Big Win The three-time Cup champion Logano won for the third time in the last nine races. Prior to that, Logano had won just once in the previous 56 events. After 18 races, Logano was 20th in the standings. He ultimately rallied with two wins to make The Chase and now has a decent shot at the title. On fresher tires, he got by Hocevar for the lead with seven laps remaining. "You've got to get hot at the right time and take advantage of the cars when you have them," Logano said in his post-race news conference. "We've been fortunate enough to go to some racetracks that we've been good at in the past historically and we've been able to capitalize on those." Logano moved up to third in the standings, just 16 points behind Kyle Larson and 15 points behind Denny Hamlin. 3. Kyle Larson Takes Points Lead Larson, with a second-place finish, took over the points lead. He now leads championship favorite Denny Hamlin by a single point. Hamlin finished eighth at Bristol. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is the first non-Toyota driver to lead the points. After finishing second in the opening stage, Larson nearly never recovered from damage to the hood of his car after he got into the back of teammate William Byron on pit road. "It's good, but there's still so much racing left," Larson said during his USA Sports interview after the race. 4. Touching Kyle Busch Tributes It looked like Ty Gibbs might win at Bristol while driving a Kyle Busch tribute M&amp;Ms paint scheme. Gibbs settled for fifth on a night where he led 120 laps. Busch, the two-time Cup champion who died suddenly in May, won nine Cup races at Bristol — eight on the concrete and one when it was covered with dirt. He also had two triple-header weekend sweeps at the track. Busch’s widow, Samantha, addressed the crowd prior to the race. "Bristol was always so special to Kyle," she told the crowd. "He loved racing under the lights, the energy of this place and most of all, you, the fans." The fans commemorated Busch by waving yellow towels on Lap 18. 4 ½. What’s Next: Kansas The next three NASCAR races are at 1.5-mile ovals, where the Toyotas have dominated much of the season. The championship picture will likely become clear after Kansas, Las Vegas and Charlotte. "We're going to some good tracks for us but also good tracks for the Toyotas are Vegas and Kansas, Charlotte," Larson said. "It could easily change a lot here in the next upcoming weeks. But we've just got to be ready for anything and keep plugging away." Tyler Reddick won the Kansas race in May.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Melee At Bristol: Carson Hocevar, Ryan Blaney's Wild Fight After Night Race]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/melee-bristol-carson-hocevar-ryan-blaneys-wild-fight-after-night-race</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/melee-bristol-carson-hocevar-ryan-blaneys-wild-fight-after-night-race</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[There was absolute chaos in Bristol as punches were thrown between Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney at the end of the race.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:56:32 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.) — The Hurricane apparently also knows how to throw a punch. Carson Hocevar belted Ryan Blaney when Blaney grabbed a hold of him after the race on Saturday night at Bristol, with Hocevar getting in two punches to Blaney. "I saw him and I was like, ‘OK, he’s moving pretty fast for a convo and then he grabbed me," Hocevar told me and other reporters after the race. "And I was like, I’m not going to wait. I've seen enough of these. I’m just going to start swinging and see what happens." Blaney didn’t get a punch in. He got knocked to the ground and surrounded by Hocevar’s crew after Hocevar's third-place finish. "That's the first time I've ever hit anybody, so that's a cool story. At least that's going to be a Bristol [moment], of all places," Hocevar said. "I don't know if he tripped on somebody or got a decent one in. I don't know what a good one feels like." The Team Penske driver felt Hocevar flat-out wrecked him on Lap 458 when they battled for second. Blaney passed Hocevar and slide in front of Hocevar up by the wall, and Hocevar dove to go underneath him. Blaney continued to try to take Hocevar’s line away and Hocevar turned him. Blaney finished 33rd. "Something is going to happen," Blaney told me and other reporters outside the infield medical center and before confronting Hocevar. Hocevar knew why Blaney was mad. "I understand why he's upset," Hocevar said. "That's probably his championship, so I understand 100 percent. I'd probably be mad, too. Whether it was his mistake, my mistake, my fault or not — I'd be pretty pissed if I was him." Blaney said he has not had a problem with Hocevar — who has had several run-ins with drivers — for more than a year, but that "it's getting old." "I just felt like he didn’t lift," Blaney said. "I left him plenty of room for a lap before that. I didn’t chop him. I didn’t run him into the fence or nothing like I easily could have. "I protected the bottom, and he just decided he wanted to be there and didn’t lift and wrecked me." Hocevar said he didn’t feel he did anything egregious. "I kind of crossed him over there, and I felt like I was at least at his left rear, and it looked like he just kept coming down," Hocevar said. "I was on the brakes pretty hard, and he obviously spun, and it resulted in that. I was just trying to stop my bleeding." NASCAR, as it normally does, will review the fight and determine if any penalties are warranted. Typically, those decisions come on Tuesdays. NASCAR usually allows drivers to fight but does not want crew members to get involved. Spire Motorsports team owner Jeff Dickerson said he didn’t think the league would penalize Hocevar. He pointed to the fans lining the fence to cheer for Hocevar and hoping he would acknowledge them afterward. "We’re just surprised he can fight," Dickerson told me about his driver. "What’s he going to get penalized for? I think the drivers can fight." Dickerson and Blaney know each other well. "I was kind of surprised. It’s Bristol, hard racing," Dickerson said. "I don’t want to see Blaney mad. I love him. ... That’s a bit out of character for Ryan. I don’t know what to say. "It’s a shame he walled all the way over there and Carson caught him good with about two or three straight rights."]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Pole-sitter Kyle Larson Favored For Bristol Night Race]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-chase-odds-bristol-night-race-bass-pro-shops</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-chase-odds-bristol-night-race-bass-pro-shops</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Denny Hamlin is trying to maintain his lead in The Chase, but the driver who is hot on his wheels is the favorite for this weekend's night race at Bristol.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:14:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The third race of The Chase gets the green flag on Saturday, as the NASCAR Cup Series stops at Bristol Motor Speedway for the night race at 7:30 p.m. ET. Now that the postseason is here, every competition comes with the ultimate stakes. Going into Bristol, Denny Hamlin sits atop The Chase leader board. However, Kyle Larson is right on his wheels. Will Hamlin keep the distance between himself and the rest of the field by capturing the checkered flag at Bristol or will the favorite Kyle Larson get into Victory Lane in back-to-back weeks? Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 19. NASCAR Cup Series — Bass Pro Shops Night Race 2026 Kyle Larson: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Denny Hamlin: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)Ty Gibbs: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Ryan Blaney: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Christopher Bell: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)Joey Logano: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Chase Briscoe: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)William Byron: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Carson Hocevar: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Tyler Reddick: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Bubba Wallace: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Alex Bowman: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Chase Elliott: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Brad Keselowski: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Chris Buescher: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Ross Chastain: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Austin Cindric: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Ryan Preece: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Josh Berry: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Daniel Suárez: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)AJ Allmendinger: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Michael McDowell: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Connor Zilisch: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Austin Dillon: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Zane Smith: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Noah Gragson: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Todd Gilliland: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Austin Hill: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Riley Herbst: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Josh Bilicki: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: The Favorite Kyle Larson finally got into Victory Lane last weekend at Gateway after not finding his way there all year. He got there when it mattered most because now, only nine points separate him from Hamlin for The Chase lead. When the series stopped at Bristol in the spring of this year, Larson finished third. The Chase Leader Denny Hamlin should feel confident going into the night race at Bristol since this is a track where, traditionally, he runs well. He finished ninth there earlier this year. He also finished ninth at Gateway last weekend. Over the course of the season, Hamlin has four wins and four poles.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Ty Gibbs Carries Kyle Busch Tribute Into Bristol With Iconic M&Ms Paint Scheme]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/ty-gibbs-carries-kyle-busch-tribute-bristol</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/ty-gibbs-carries-kyle-busch-tribute-bristol</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Ty Gibbs will honor Kyle Busch with an M&Ms paint scheme at Bristol, a track where Busch achieved some of his greatest accomplishments.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:53:12 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.) — Ty Gibbs doesn’t just return to Bristol Motor Speedway with the memories of winning his first career Cup race back in April. He arrives with a car carrying the memory of Kyle Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup champion who died suddenly in May. A long-time driver for M&amp;Ms at Joe Gibbs Racing, Ty Gibbs will carry an M&amp;Ms tribute scheme to Busch for the race Saturday night. "[The team] came to me wanting to run it and the family wanted to run it, too, and [M&amp;Ms parent company] Mars did, too. There were a lot of people wanting to do it, and I was the one chosen to do it," Gibbs told me a couple of weeks ago. So no added pressure? "No," Gibbs told me, then paused, and said, "Maybe a little bit. ... What is pressure? I never heard of it before." That sounded like something Busch might say. Bristol was one of the places where Busch had some of his greatest accomplishments, including two triple-header weekend sweeps. Busch won nine Cup races at the track (including one of the dirt races), nine O’Reilly races (former Xfinity) and five truck races. "Bristol was always such a special place for Kyle, and M&amp;Ms was such a huge part of his life and career, so seeing everyone come together again to honor him means more to our family than I can put into words," Busch’s widow, Samantha Busch, said in a news release. "Kyle loved the energy of the fans at Bristol, especially under the lights." Ty Gibbs knows it will be a cool moment to carry the scheme. "Going back with the M&amp;Ms tribute is really cool for Kyle Busch," Gibbs told me. "Obviously, I think we’ll have a great shot to win it. ... But also have a great shot to win the rest of them, too." Gibbs sits sixth in the standings, 51 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. He has won since that victory as he took the checkered flag at Iowa. "One win doesn’t change me at all as a human or as a race car driver, either," Gibbs said. The 23-year-old Gibbs said he doesn’t watch highlights of that first win. "I probably watched some things on that we looked at that the team thinks that I can do better," Gibber said. "But not much. I don’t sit there and fantasize over myself winning. "On to the next one. I want to win the next weekend."]]>
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					<![CDATA[NASCAR Contender Rankings: Can Kyle Larson Go Back To Back?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-can-kyle-larson-go-back-to-back</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-can-kyle-larson-go-back-to-back</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Kyle Larson's big win at Gateway helped him tighten the gap substantially between himself and Denny Hamlin in The Chase standings.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:20:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Only three drivers were able to cut into Denny Hamlin’s margin in a wild race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The 1.25-mile track — located across the river from St. Louis and commonly referred to by its previous Gateway name — featured a race where nearly all Chase drivers were involved in an incident one time or another. Here are my Chase contender rankings with eight races left, the next one coming Saturday night in the Bristol Motor Speedway night race. On The Verge (Alphabetical Order): Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -111 points behind leader): A brake failure at St. Louis resulted in him losing 23 points to Hamlin. He did win at Bristol in 2022 but hasn’t had a top 10 in his last four starts there. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -114): The good news is Byron, who finished fourth at St. Louis, didn’t lose any points to Hamlin last weekend. The bad news is that he didn’t gain any. He was already 114 points behind and hasn’t had a top five at Bristol since 2022. Austin Cindric (Team Penske No. 2 Ford, -108): Cindric moved up a couple of spots to 12th in the standings after a 10th-place finish at St. Louis but still didn’t gain on Hamlin. His average finish at Bristol is 22.7. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevy, -88): Hocevar was eighth, one spot ahead of Hamlin at St. Louis, but the battles with Brad Keselowski and other drivers could still haunt him. And Bristol is a track where you need friends. He was 10th there in the spring. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -111): Preece was 17th at St. Louis, nowhere near good enough to rally. He has never led a lap in Cup at Bristol. Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, -119): Suárez had a day to forget at St. Louis (in 29th) and his main hope is to just get higher in points. Bristol is one of his worst tracks, a place where he has a 19.7 average finish. Contender Rankings With a 14th-place finish, Wallace had a rough race at St. Louis. But there are some of his better tracks coming up in the final eight races of The Chase. Unfortunately, Bristol isn’t one of them. He has just two top 10s in 14 career starts there. He was 11th in the spring. Logano is seventh in the standings but until this team can show it will have the speed on the 1.5-mile tracks, it’s hard to feel good about them being able to rally. He needed a win at St. Louis, but he did gain 21 points at Hamlin with a third-place finish. He has had two back-to-back top-10 finishes at Bristol after a string of nine finishes outside the top 10 at the track. Elliott was showing more speed at St. Louis than he typically has. That was until the brake rotor failure ended his day. He has two second-place finishes in the Next Gen era at Bristol but has finished 15th or worse in his last three starts at the track. Whether Gibbs (18th at St. Louis) can rally is debatable, as it typically would require a driver with more Chase experience to navigate the final two months. Gibbs did win at Bristol in the spring, so it is possible that it could be a springboard. Reddick’s car seemed like a magnet at times, as he had a couple of incidents where he received damage and wound up 25th. Can he find that magic from the first two months of the season? He’ll need it. Bristol is far from his best track. He had seven consecutive finishes outside the top 10 until he was fourth in the spring. Briscoe was one of the few drivers whose incident late in the race had nothing to do with anything other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time. If there is a driver and team that can come back from this type of deficit, it’s Briscoe (and maybe Logano). He has two top fives in the Next Gen era at Bristol, including a fifth in the spring. Blaney’s brake rotor issue came at a track where the Fords had one of their best chances to get a win. He does have three consecutive top fives at Bristol, including a second-place finish in the spring. Bell (19th at St. Louis) missed a golden opportunity to take the points lead and be in control of The Chase. Those don’t come around too often. Bell, though, is the defending winner of the Bristol night race and has four top-five finishes in the Next Gen era at the track. He was 27th in the spring. Larson gained 40 points on Hamlin, thanks to his St. Louis victory. If he gets on a roll, he’ll be tough to beat. Larson has two wins and six top-five finishes (including a third in the spring) in the seven Next Gen races at Bristol. It could be a Hamlin-vs.-Larson battle if they can separate themselves next week. He hasn’t had two great races but has retained the lead. Only three drivers cut their gap to Hamlin in the race at St. Louis. He’s due for some big points' days, and the tracks coming up are among the best for him. It starts with Bristol, where he has only one finish outside the top 10 in the Next Gen era, including two victories. He was ninth in the spring.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Who Are The 10 Best INDYCAR Drivers Of All Time?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/who-10-best-indycar-drivers-all-time</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/motor/who-10-best-indycar-drivers-all-time</guid>
				<category>motor</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Arguably no sport has seen as big of a boom in interest as INDYCAR, but who are the sport's best drivers and where does Alex Palou rank?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:11:30 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The 2026 INDYCAR season has ended and Alex Palou has captured his fifth series championship. That fifth title — which is also his fourth consecutive — keeps the debate alive about where Alex Palou sits among the sport's greats. If you've been keeping up, then you already know that he's not on my Mount Rushmore. But he is moving on up. Here are the 10 best INDYCAR drivers of all time. 10 Best INDYCAR Drivers Of All Time One of the more recognizable names on the list, Franchitti made 265 INDYCAR starts and collected four championships in the process. He earned 31 wins, claimed 92 podiums and 33 poles over that span. Moreover, he had 119 top-five finishes and currently sits tied for third for most championships of all time. With 337 starts under his belt, Power is a household name among INDYCAR followers. In that time, Powers has earned two championships with 45 race wins overall. He has also earned an impressive 71 poles. Those 71 poles are the most in INDYCAR history, making him one of the top drivers in the sport's history. One of the most famous drivers ever, he's the winningest driver in Long Beach history with six victories over eight years. Unser also claimed two Indy 500 wins in his decorated career. Andretti is one of the most accomplished drivers, continuing with the ownership of Andretti Autosport to this day. During his racing career, he claimed 42 INDYCAR wins and dominated with 32 poles. His most successful year came in 1991, when he earned the championship, had eight race wins and eight poles in just 17 total races. Alex Palou knocked Johnny Rutherford off this list after last year as I put him 10th. Now that he has five INDYCAR titles (third on the all-time list), he is up to sixth. Palou has "just" 25 career victories, which — according to some people — should keep him lower. However, the five titles (including four consecutive ones) and the 2025 Indianapolis 500 victory have solidified his legacy in the sport. At the beginning of this season, I ranked him 10th. Perhaps the most impressive thing over the course of Mears' career was the fact he was victorious at the Indy 500 four separate times, becoming one of just four racers to accomplish such a feat. He was also able to grab six poles and was a front-row starter in 11 of his 15 races there from 1978 to 1992. Mears was also able to cash in when, in 1991, he became the first driver to earn $10 million in career earnings from INDYCAR races. He won three INDYCAR titles. Similar to Mears, Unser also won the Indy 500 four different times. When he reached the milestone, it had only been done one other time. His triumph there, though, wasn't just from wins. He finished in the top three of the Indy 500 in 11 different races over his career. When his career was over, Unser had earned $6.7 million, with more than half of that money coming from Indy 500 races. Dixon has been wildly successful in every race. Overall, he is a six-time INDYCAR champion and has collected 59 career wins, which is the most of any active driver and the second-most of all time. Last season was his 25th and last driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. He has been the longest-tenured driver in team history but he will move to Arrow McLaren next season. He leads all current drivers with 437 starts and has the all-time podium record with 146. Now a team owner for AJ Foyt Racing, Foyt built a highly productive career. He won seven INDYCAR championships during his time behind the wheel, which remains the all-time record. Additionally, he had a great run during his Indy 500 starts, becoming the first to ever win "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" four times. Even more notable was his ability to adapt. Foyt is still the only driver who has won the Indy 500 in both front- and rear-engined cars, a testament to his immense talent. It's safe to say Andretti is the most well-known driver in the sport's history. His success was a huge reason why, with the longtime driver winning four championships, 52 races, earning 67 pole positions and 141 podiums over the course of his INDYCAR run. His longevity was also something special, winning Driver of the Year three different times, each in a different decade (1967, 1978, 1984). To this day, he's the only driver to win a Daytona 500, Indy 500 and Formula One world title.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Cup Series Title Odds: Hamlin Favored To Win Chase; Larson Closing In]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-cup-series-championship-odds</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-cup-series-championship-odds</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Denny Hamlin is favored to win The Chase, but one driver is closing in on the NASCAR Cup Series title oddsboard. Here's the latest.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:53:40 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The 2025 NASCAR season ended on a high note for champion Kyle Larson. For Denny Hamlin, it couldn't have ended worse, as the veteran driver watched his chances of securing his first title elude him once again. Now, Hamlin has four wins this season and Larson has one. But Larson's lone win came last week in the second race of The Chase when the series stopped at Gateway. As it stands, Hamlin is still favored to win the championship. And for what it's worth, he also captured the regular-season title. Kyle Larson, however, is closing in on the title oddsboard, moving to +350 from +1400 over the last few weeks. Here are the latest odds for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 15. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. NASCAR Cup Series Championship 2026 Denny Hamlin: +225 (bet $10 to win $32.50 total)Kyle Larson: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)Christopher Bell: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Ryan Blaney: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Joey Logano: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Tyler Reddick: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)Ty Gibbs: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Chase Briscoe: +1400 (bet $10 to win $140 total)Carson Hocevar: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Chase Elliott: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Bubba Wallace: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Austin Cindric: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)William Byron: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Chris Buescher: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Daniel Suárez: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Ryan Preece: +10000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Here's insight from FOX Sports motorsports insider Bob Pockrass (odds as of Jan. 28): Denny Hamlin+500 to win the Cup Championship The driver who had the most wins last year and led until the final laps of the championship race will be a favorite in the new 10-race championship format. Many of the tracks in those 10 fit into Hamlin’s wheelhouse. I know, I know, every season begins with wondering if this year could be the year for Hamlin. This season? It really could be. Chase Elliott+850 to win the Cup ChampionshipOf all the drivers who could thrive in this new championship format that rewards consistency, Elliott possibly tops the list. He wrecked out of only two races last year, and he likes this format, which could go a long way when it comes to performance. Plus, Chevrolet has a new body that should result in improved results.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Blaney, Logano & Bell Tied On Board For Gateway]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-chase-odds-gateway-world-wide-technology</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-chase-odds-gateway-world-wide-technology</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[There's a three-way tie atop the board as The Chase heads to World Wide Technology Raceway. Here are the latest NASCAR odds for Gateway.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2026 12:17:45 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The next race on The Chase calendar runs on Sunday, Sept. 13 at World Wide Technology Raceway, also known as Gateway. The field will get the green flag at 3 p.m. ET. Will one of the drivers tied atop the oddsboard get into Victory Lane or will a long shot emerge from the field? Here are the odds as of Sept. 13 via DraftKings Sportsbook. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 2026 - Race Ryan Blaney: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Joey Logano: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Christopher Bell: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Denny Hamlin: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)Kyle Larson: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)Chase Briscoe: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Ty Gibbs: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Austin Cindric: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Josh Berry: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Chase Elliott: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Tyler Reddick: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Bubba Wallace: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Carson Hocevar: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)William Byron: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Ryan Preece: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Chris Buescher: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)Ross Chastain: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)Brad Keselowski: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)Alex Bowman: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)Michael McDowell: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Daniel Suárez: +11000 (bet $10 to win $1,110 total)Zane Smith: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Connor Zilisch: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Austin Dillon: +18000 (bet $10 to win $1,810 total)Todd Gilliland: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Riley Herbst: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Noah Gragson: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Austin Hill: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)AJ Allmendinger: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cody Ware: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Favorites On The Oddsboard: Ryan Blaney Ryan Blaney comes into the weekend sitting third in The Chase standings. At Darlington last weekend, he just missed the podium, finishing fourth after leading only one lap. When the series raced here in September 2025, Blaney also had a fourth-place finish. Joey Logano Joey Logano finished fifth when Cup raced at Gateway in 2025, but he should feel especially optimistic about his chances this weekend after securing the pole. Over the course of the last four Cup races at this track, Logano has landed in the top, dating back to 2022. Christopher Bell Christopher Bell finally got his first win of the 2026 season after a string of second-place finishes. Can he do it again at Gateway? FOX Sports Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass noted that Bell has been consistent but not dominant here. However, Bell's big victory at Darlington last weekend helped him tighten the gap between himself and Denny Hamlin in The Chase.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Second Thoughts: Carson 'Hurricane' Hocevar Is Going To Have Fun No Matter What]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/second-thoughts-carson-hurricane-hocevar-going-have-fun-no-matter-what</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/second-thoughts-carson-hurricane-hocevar-going-have-fun-no-matter-what</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Carson Hocevar is determined to stay true to himself, even though his attitude and racing style rub a lot of people the wrong way.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:52:08 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Carson Hocevar swears he won’t change. He will use the same style for The Chase that kept him above The Chase cutline for the entire regular season. The same style that got him his win at Talladega. The Spire Motorsports driver has appeared to stop caring about what other people say and think. "We raced how we raced, and I think we've done a pretty good job with it," Hocevar told me last week at Chase media day. "The mistake would be trying to change who we are or what we do in The Chase, and that's where a lot of guys try really hard and try too hard and try to get more. "We can just race and just have fun with it. We’re only going to be as fast as we can make our cars and do as good as we can." Is he still having fun after Darlington, where he got into Brad Keselowski in a situation Sunday where it appeared to be avoidable? Keselowski indicated Hocevar has one coming. In response, Hocevar decided to give an extra six percent (Keselowski’s car number) off on a merchandise sale he had going on through his online platform. Social media and industry talk shows have focused on his non-apologetic attitude — an attitude that looks like could come back to bite him. "I've just had fun this week with everything," Hocevar said on a virtual news conference on Wednesday. "But I haven't really watched. I'm not sitting there consuming everything. I make my posts, but normally I post something and I disappear. I don't even look at the reaction. "If I don't really look at the reaction, I stay truer to myself personally because I'm not able to jump fences for what's the popular take, right? I can just state my opinion and not get biased." Hocevar doesn’t have many friends in the garage. Ross Chastain co-owns the driver management company whose clients include Hocevar, and Chastain worked with Hocevar when they were teammates in trucks at Niece Motorsports. "He’s leaning into it. He’s being Carson," Chastain told me and other reporters Tuesday night at a NASCAR Foundation event in New York City. "What you see is the Carson I’ve known from the truck series on. He’s Carson. We’re watching him grow up right before our eyes. ... That’s putting eyeballs on us. Because you’re watching the chaos. "The nickname [of Hurricane Hocevar] is appropriate as we’re watching a kid grow up." Some don't view Hocevar’s attitude on the track as being his biggest issue. Instead, it's him embracing the social influencer life and doing things that some believe are designed to sell merchandise or to create a brand on social. As an aside, Hocevar says he does nearly all his own posts. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, really, as long as a driver wins occasionally. Hocevar has one Cup win, albeit just 15 races ago. He doesn’t necessarily have to challenge for titles. Just winning two or three races a year should serve to show that it isn’t all about selling merch. In the meantime, he is going to do it his way. "We want to enjoy this, and not just sit back and not say anything, not do anything, or run [minding] our p's and q's, per se, and fall in line, and be like ‘Oh OK, we’ve got to wait until our turn’," Hocevar said Wednesday. "And well it might not ever be our turn. [So] we can't have an opinion because we haven't won enough races or whatever? "There’s 200 people in this building [at Spire] that this is their first-ever Chase, and they got two cars and they’ve got two opportunities. It’s not racing for a championship, per se, this year, but it’s Chase experience." Certainly the side show of the Joe Gibbs Racing lawsuit against Spire Motorsports over the hiring of Chris Gabehart doesn’t help. Denny Hamlin criticized Spire on his podcast. He said that the organization doesn't have any adults in the room to mentor Hocevar and no one's telling him what he's doing wrong. That was certainly a dig. The bad blood between the two organizations goes way deeper than a few Hocevar transgressions. Hocevar didn’t let the Hamlin quip go unnoticed when he talked to the media on Wednesday. "I care about my race team, what they think, what they say ... you know, the adults in the room," Hocevar said during a 42-minute media session. Chastain indicated he is still a Hocevar fan. And of course his is because he has a business interest in Hocevar’s success. "I'll still jump up and down when he wins," Chastain said. "Selfishly, I'd like him to not take my fenders off on his way to it but his cars are so fast right now. He's bouncing into us, and he's still going forward. So until we get faster than him, I can't really say much because I can't keep up with him. "He is that fast. We saw that talent early on." Hocevar insists there was nothing intentional about his spinning Keselowski and felt it was a racing incident. Some would say a driver with his talent would be able to control a car and not do that — unless the driver is being careless. "Sometimes just s--- happens," Hocevar said Wednesday. "I wasn’t trying to spin him out or wreck him or anything." A driver needs more than raw speed to be successful. They need to know how to manage races and driver relationships in a way that also allows them to get the most out of their racing and mental strengths. So far, it’s debatable whether Hocevar has found the right mix. And how far he can go until he finds it. He swears he doesn't need to and that he isn’t looking to go all that far this year. "We’re not going to look at the points," Hocevar told me last week about The Chase. "We're just going to have fun with it, see where it goes. We’ve got a lot of years doing this. "Our cars aren't dominant. We don't seem to be the dominant manufacturer. We're just going to have fun with it and see where we stack up. And hope it’s not last."]]>
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					<![CDATA[NASCAR Silly Season Tracker: Josh Berry To Replace John Hunter Nemechek]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-silly-season-tracker-2026-2027</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-silly-season-tracker-2026-2027</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[It's official. Josh Berry will replace John Hunter Nemechek in 2027.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 18:02:57 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Two current Cup drivers held the keys to the NASCAR silly season, and both of them are staying put … for one more year. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) was the most high-profile driver who was not signed for next year. HMS announced on July 23 that Bowman would return next season and that 2027 would be his final year before retiring from full-time competition. The other driver who was key is Connor Zilisch, who is signed through next season at Trackhouse and then will head to Hendrick Motorsports to replace Bowman starting in 2028. Obviously, there are things that can’t be predicted. The devastating death on May 21 of Kyle Busch leaves a much bigger void beyond a seat in the Cup Series. Austin Hill, who has driven the car since Busch's death, will continue on in that ride. Here is how things look at each organization following the Sept. 3 and Sept. 8 announcements from Legacy Motor Club that Riley Herbst would drive the team's No. 84 car next year and Josh Berry would replace John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 car next year. Joe Gibbs Racing Barring an unforeseen occurrence, JGR will not have changes for next year. Ty Gibbs (fourth in the standings) isn’t expected to be going anywhere and Denny Hamlin (first), Chase Briscoe (fifth) and Christopher Bell (sixth) are signed beyond this season. The one thing that JGR might need to anticipate is Hamlin retiring from full-time racing after 2027 then having to fill that ride. Brent Crews, who drives for JGR in the O’Reilly Series, is the team’s focus on the development driver side who could be Cup ready in 2028. 23XI Racing Corey Heim — who already has won twice this year on a part-time schedule — has been announced as a full-time driver, replacing Riley Herbst (30th in the standings). Tyler Reddick (fourth in the standings) signed a contract extension earlier this year. While sources had indicated Bubba Wallace (10th) was in an option year, both the 23XI and Wallace camps have indicated he is set to race for 23XI next season. Herbst was announced on Sept. 3 as the driver of the Legacy Motor Club No. 84 car for 2027. Team Penske With Ryan Blaney (third in the standings) having recently signed a contract extension, Team Penske has its former champions Blaney and Joey Logano (eighth) under contact. Austin Cindric is 14th in the points and indicated he has signed a contract extension, saying his contract details are between him and Team Penske but that he is confident fans will see him in the car next season. Hendrick Motorsports Chase Elliott (ninth), Kyle Larson (seventh), William Byron (16th) and Alex Bowman (29th) are all now signed for next year. And Zilisch will replace Bowman in 2028. Ally will return as the sponsor for the No. 48 and Zilisch. Spire Motorsports Spire Motorsports has Carson Hocevar (12th) locked in long-term, while Michael McDowell and Daniel Suárez are not. Spire has shown the willingness to eat a year of a contract to get a driver it wants but no one emerged as a good or better fit. Suárez is 13th in the standings and McDowell is 19th. Now that Bowman is set to return at Hendrick next season, it appears that the Spire lineup likely will be the same for 2027. RFK Racing Ryan Preece, at 15th in the standings, was a driver whose future appeared mildly unclear, but team co-owner Brad Keselowski confirmed July 25 that RFK had picked up his option for next season. RFK possibly will have just two charters for next season (it is leasing one that will go to Legacy Motor Club in 2027) but it also has strong sponsorship from Kroger and its vendors to the point where running Preece as an open car next year appears to be the plan. Chris Buescher (11th) has signed a contract extension (announced June 16). Brad Keselowski (18th) will race at RFK until he is ready to retire, which he says won’t be for several more years. Trackhouse Racing All three Trackhouse drivers — Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Zilisch — are signed through 2027, and the onus is on the organization to try to keep either Chastain or van Gisbergen or both beyond next year. None of the drivers made the Chase with van Gisbergen 17th in the standings, while Chastain is 20th and Zilisch is 34th. Legacy Motor Club Erik Jones (21st in the standings) and John Hunter Nemechek (28th) were both expected to return before Legacy executives opted to release Nemechek at the end of the year and team co-owner Jimmie Johnson announced Sept. 8 it has signed Josh Berry for the 2027 season. Nemechek said he was "disappointed" in the decision but that "I know my best days are ahead." The team statement said: "We are grateful for John Hunter’s contributions … and appreciate his professionalism and commitment to the organization throughout his time with the team." Legacy will add a third full-time car next season and the team announced Sept. 3 that Riley Herbst would be the driver. Kaulig Racing Neither AJ Allmendinger nor Ty Dillon are locked in at Kaulig next year, although Allmendinger has the option to race as long as he wants. The organization is in a tough spot without manufacturer support. It would be a huge scramble for Dodge to enter Cup in 2027, despite that being their hope. And if they do so, whether that could impact DIllon is to be determined. Allmendinger is 23rd in the standings; Dillon is 33rd. Front Row Motorsports This team will have the same lineup in 2027 as Todd Gilliland (22ndd in the standings) signed a contract extension earlier this month, Zane Smith (24th) signed a contract extension last year that has him solid at FRM and Noah Gragson (31st) announced a contract extension on Aug. 14. Gragson's extension runs through 2027 with options to keep him there longer. Hyak Motorsports Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (27th in the standings) signed a contract extension in May and is set to remain with the organization. Richard Childress Racing Austin Dillon is expected to return in 2027 as he sits 26th in the standings and RCR announced Austin Hill will continue in the No. 33 car in 2027. Team owner Richard Childress: "Austin Hill is a talented race car driver and his continued growth, work ethic and success across multiple levels of NASCAR competition have positioned him for his next step with RCR." Haas Factory Team Cole Custer hasn’t had a good year (he’s 32nd in the standings) but whether a change is made is debatable as the team appears to be still trying to find its footing. He has had a respectable summer. Joe Custer, who operates the team, reiterated in early August that the organization is not looking to sell its charter. Wood Brothers Josh Berry (25th) will be replaced next season by defending O'Reilly Series champion Jesse Love, who turns 22 next January. Wood Brothers Racing President Jon Wood, in a news release, said: "Jesse has accomplished a lot at a young age. He’s demonstrated the ability to win races, compete for championships and handle the expectations that come with racing at a high level." Berry landed a ride at Legacy Motor Club for 2027. Rick Ware Racing As long as RWR doesn’t sell, this should remain Cody Ware’s ride. Ware is 35th in the standings.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NASCAR Contender Rankings: Can Anyone Challenge Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-will-anyone-challenge-denny-hamlin-christopher-bell</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-will-anyone-challenge-denny-hamlin-christopher-bell</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Denny Hamlin salvaged what was almost a disastrous day at Darlington. Was he able to maintain his No. 1 spot in the contender rankings?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:57:51 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Denny Hamlin can’t have more days like the one he had at the Southern 500. A bad pit stop dropped him into the pack, and he got caught up damaging his car while battling for position. He made the most out of what could have been a disastrous day and only lost 13 points off his lead. But another one of those and he’s no longer at the top of the standings. Here are my NASCAR Cup Series championship contender rankings after one race in The Chase and with nine races remaining. This weekend, the Cup teams are headed to the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway). On The Verge (Alphabetical Order): Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -88 points behind leader): Buescher bent a toe link before the halfway point at Darlington. He has never led a lap at Gateway. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -114): His engine went up in smoke at Darlington and that’s been his season. He has one top 10 at Gateway. Austin Cindric (Team Penske 2 Ford, -102): He needs a win at Gateway to get back into it. He won there in 2024. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevy, -89): Making Brad Keselowski angry is never a good thing. He’ll need to make some noise at Gateway, where he ran solid in his Cup debut in 2023. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -104): Can’t have to come down pit road for a loose wheel like he did at Darlington. His average finish at Gateway is 19.7. Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, -94): Suárez had a disappointing 21st at Darlington and averages a 22nd-place finish at Gateway. Contender Rankings Logano fell a spot in these rankings because he didn’t show enough speed at Darlington, which doesn't give much hope that he'll do well at intermediates. He didn’t earn any stage points and salvaged a ninth by staying out on old tires. Gateway is the place for him to start a championship run. He’s been top five at Gateway in each of the four Cup races there, starting with a win in 2022. An eighth-place finish was good, but 15 stage points at Darlington is what was really great for Wallace. He has just one career top 10 at Gateway, though, and has an average finish there of 21.3. He needs a good day this Sunday. There was miscommunication on the final pit stop and some back-and-forth banter on the radio. It was not his team's best day and Elliott finished 14th. The No. 9 team will need to be at its best the rest of the way. Elliott has one top five in three starts at Gateway. Larson seems to be in a good headspace. The team gambled a little bit at Darlington as he was running fourth but then stayed out on old tires when many pitted late in the race. He ended up finishing fifth. Larson did show championship promise as he led 99 laps. He is strong at Gateway, where he has an average finish of 9.5 in four starts. Darlington is such a good track for Briscoe that a sixth-place finish was a little bit disappointing — especially considering it looked like he had the tools for a Southern 500 three-peat. He has one pole and one top five in four Gateway starts. Gibbs finished second at Darlington but earned just one stage point, so he ranked seventh in points earned on the day. He needs more than that to remain on championship pace. He has one top 10 in three Gateway starts. Blaney finished fourth at Darlington and earned 11 stage points. But he was never really a factor, and he’ll need to be a factor soon. Will Gateway be the place? He has two top fives and 120 laps led in four races. Reddick said he felt good entering The Chase, and that showed at Darlington, as he won the opening stage and finished third. If he runs well at Gateway, it would be a sign that this team truly has returned to the form it had at the start of the year. He has one top five in four starts at Gateway with an average finish of 17.8. Bell is coming off the big win at Darlington and threatening Hamlin as the championship favorite. He is oozing confidence heading into Gateway, where he has been consistent but not dominant. There, he has finishes of ninth, 11th, seventh and seventh in his four starts. Hamlin stays at the top of the list because of the season he has had and not because of his 18th at Darlington. Can he rebound at Gateway? For sure. He is the defending winner and has three top fives in four starts at the track.]]>
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					<![CDATA[4 Takeaways From Christopher Bell's Epic Southern 500 Win To Open The Chase]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-christopher-bell-first-win-of-season-darlington-the-chase</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-christopher-bell-first-win-of-season-darlington-the-chase</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Darlington was "better than a dream come true" for Christopher Bell as he got into Victory Lane for the first time in 2026 and at the most perfect time.]]>
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				<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:47:50 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Christopher Bell had a simple plan on how to win races in a year when he has had seven runner-up finishes and no victories. "The same way that we finished second seven times, that’s how we’re going to win in The Chase," he told me Wednesday. He did just that on Sunday night. He took our tires on a pit stop and outdueled the competition over the final 24 green-flag laps to capture the Southern 500, the first race of the 10-race Chase. Here are my takeaways: 1. Bell's Big First Win Of 2026 Kyle Larson was leading but on older tires. So Christopher Bell had to be patient and wait for Larson to start struggling before passing him with 12 laps to go. Earning his 14th career victory, he led five other Chase drivers across the line as he was followed by Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Larson and Chase Briscoe, "There is no other track that's harder to drive, that rewards a talented driver more than Darlington and the Southern 500," Bell said in his post-race news conference. "This is the epitome of NASCAR, and I'm just super grateful to be here. "It’s better than a dream come true." 2. Denny Hamlin Leads Despite Hiccup Regular-season champion Denny Hamlin broke a toe link in a tight battle with Michael McDowell, and repairs eventually put him a lap down. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver got his lap back late and finished 18th. By finishing third in each of the stages, he still had a decent 35-point day. He saw his points lead of 25 over Ryan Blaney be cut to 12 over Bell, 16 over Blaney and 24 over Reddick. It's not great, but it could have been much worse. 3. Kyle Larson's Gamble Doesn’t Pay Larson’s gamble to stay out on older tires that had about 10 green-flag laps on them didn’t prove all that great, as he ended up finishing fifth. Only Larson and three other drivers opted not to pit. "I thought more people would stay out," he said, according to a Chevrolet news release. "I think another two or three people staying out would have helped. "I think, ultimately, they would have got to me. I was just hoping I could get some laps where I could take care of my tires." 4. William Byron Biggest Points Loser An apparent engine issue ended the night for William Byron, who now sits 16th among all Chase drivers. He's last in the standings and 114 points behind Hamlin. The Hendrick driver’s Chase might already be over before it really began. The trouble had started laps earlier when he thought something was broken in one of the wheels. "I don’t know if I was blowing up in that process and got oil on my tire or what," he said in a Chevrolet news release. "We had an eighth- or ninth-place run going, but it was just an unfortunate end to the evening." 4 ½: What’s Next — WWTR Gateway The Cup Series makes its one visit to World Wide Technology Raceway, commonly known as Gateway. It's a 1.25-mile oval on the Illinois side near St. Louis. This will be one of the tracks where Toyota might not have a distinct advantage. With the new version of The Chase, there are no eliminations, so drivers are keenly aware of the dynamic of a 10-race mini season to determine the champion. "We're off to a great start but no off weeks," Bell said. "Right back to work next week at Gateway … I still believe that I will have to win more races in The Chase if I want to be the champion."]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin Tied On Board For Darlington]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-darlington-southern-500-the-chase</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-darlington-southern-500-the-chase</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin are tied as favorites for the Southern 500 at Darlington. Here are the odds for the entire field as The Chase begins.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:40:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The first race of the NASCAR Cup postseason will get the green flag this Sunday, Sept. 6 at Darlington. Drivers will take the track for the Cook Out Southern 500 as The Chase makes its comeback. It's fitting that Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin are tied atop the board. Reddick secured his fourth win of the 2026 season at this very track; Hamlin enters the weekend as the favorite to win the title and also as the regular-season champion. Let's take a look at the oddsboard as of Sept. 6 at DraftKings Sportsbook. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Cook Out Southern 500 Tyler Reddick: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)Denny Hamlin: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)Chase Briscoe: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)Kyle Larson: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)Christopher Bell: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)Ryan Blaney: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)William Byron: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Ty Gibbs: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Chris Buescher: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Brad Keselowski: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Bubba Wallace: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Joey Logano: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Erik Jones: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Chase Elliott: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Austin Cindric: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Corey Heim: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Carson Hocevar: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Ryan Preece: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total) Daniel Suárez: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Ross Chastain: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)Alex Bowman: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)Josh Berry: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)Michael McDowell: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +11000 (bet $10 to win $1,110 total)Austin Dillon: +11000 (bet $10 to win $1,110 total)Zane Smith: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Connor Zilisch: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Riley Herbst: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Austin Hill: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)AJ Allmendinger: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Todd Gilliland: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Noah Gragson: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Ty Dillon: +70000 (bet $10 to win $7,010 total)Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)Chad Finchum: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: The Favorite Reddick and his team started the 2026 season off with a magical run. He won the first three races and added two more to the tally before losing momentum. At one point, Reddick boasted a 100-point lead in the overall standings. Looking ahead to this weekend, the driver of 23XI's No. 45 Toyota should feel relatively confident, considering he won at this track when Cup raced here in March for the Goodyear 400. One To Watch Denny Hamlin — who's at the top of the early oddsboard along with Reddick — is one to watch in this race and throughout the entire postseason. In fact, FOX Sports motorsports insider Bob Pockrass put Hamlin at the very top of his Chase contenders rankings, and he also notes that Denny has won at all 10 tracks on The Chase schedule. That, of course, includes Darlington. When the series raced at this track earlier this year in March, Hamlin got an 11th-place finish after starting ninth. Hamlin goes into Darlington as the points leader in The Chase.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Everything To Know About The Chase As NASCAR's Postseason Starts At Darlington]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/everything-know-about-chase-nascars-postseason-starts-darlington</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/everything-know-about-chase-nascars-postseason-starts-darlington</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Chase begins this weekend and Bob Pockrass breaks down everything you need to know about NASCAR's thrilling postseason.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:32:01 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The new NASCAR Chase is actually a little bit old. NASCAR has gone back — mostly — to the championship system it had from 2004-2013, where the eligible drivers compete in a 10-race mini-season and the driver with the most points wins the title. But the 2026 version is different. Back in the "OG Chase" era, no one had even heard of stages and stage points. Plus, a victory being worth 1.57 times that of finishing second was nowhere close; it used to be worth about 1.08-1.15 times as much. Plus, the reset and number of drivers were different. Then, it was 10 and 12; now it’s 16. So here’s your guide to the new Chase. Who Is In It? The top-16 drivers from the regular season are seeded and awarded points based on their regular-season points finish. They are: Denny Hamlin (2,100 points), Ryan Blaney (2,075), Tyler Reddick (2,065), Ty Gibbs (2,060), Chase Briscoe (2,055), Christopher Bell (2,050), Kyle Larson (2,045), Chase Elliott (2,040), Joey Logano (2,035), Chris Buescher (2,030), Daniel Suárez (2,025), Carson Hocevar (2,020), William Byron (2,015), Bubba Wallace (2,010), Austin Cindric (2,005) and Ryan Preece (2,005). What Are The Tracks? The 10 tracks are all ovals: Darlington (1.336 miles in length), Gateway (1.25), Bristol (0.533), Kansas (1.5), Las Vegas (1.5), Charlotte (1.5), Phoenix (1.0), Talladega (2.66), Martinsville (0.526) and Homestead (1.5). Can Anyone Win? Yes, but NASCAR’s stat research arm, NASCAR Insights, did the models and said 85 percent of the time, the winner will come from the top-six seeds. So How Is This Different? In the previous format, 16 drivers started in The Chase and after every three races, the four worst drivers in the standings were eliminated — that was unless they had a win in the round, which automatically advanced them to the next round. In the season finale, four drivers started with equal points and the one who finished the best was the champion. Is It Less Intense Without Eliminations? Actually, not for some of the drivers. For the drivers who were strong previously, they could potentially win and not worry about the remaining race(s) in a round or even lock themselves into the next round on points before the last race of the round. This is the way Christopher Bell put it to me on Wednesday: "This seems more like racing, where the previous format was more like a game," Bell said. "All it was was about being above the cutline. You had to be top 12, then you had to be top eight, then you had to be top four. "And that’s the only thing that mattered until you got down to the last race. Where now, you’re not safe. You can’t be [just] above the cutline. You’ve got to go out there and perform. Every position, every race matters." Are There Any Drivers Familiar With This System? Yes. Two drivers — Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano — competed in the old 10-race Chase format. Here is what they told me on Wednesday regarding the difference between now and the old 10-race, non-elimination Chase: "It’s a little bit different. I do believe that a driver will be able to make up more ground. Certainly, when we had The Chase before, there [were] no stages, there was no big bonus for winning a race. I think that some ground can be made up toward those last four or five races, when probably would mark someone out of it [previously]." — Denny Hamlin "It’s somewhere in between the old Chase and the playoffs and what this Chase is. The wins are worth a lot. ... Stage racing has changed that a lot as well, and the seeding process [not including wins] is … a bit different than what The Chase was back in the day. We’re calling it The Chase, but it’s different than what the old Chase was. It’s its own monster." — Joey Logano Are Any Of The Tracks Repeats From Earlier This Year? Yes. Only Gateway (World Wide Technology Raceway) and Homestead are tracks that drivers have not visited yet this year. At those eight tracks, Hamlin scored the most points (374) and Logano had the fewest (173). Can Logano actually rally, as he has done the last couple of months of the season? "You told me things [in that stat] I didn’t even know," the three-time Cup champion Logano told me. "Obviously, I don’t care [about it] that much. I looked at all the race tracks, and I’ve won at every one of those tracks. And we can win at all of them again." Is This Format For Cup Only? It is for all three national series, except the others have fewer races. The O'Reilly Series has a nine-race Chase that begins at Darlington; trucks have a seven-race Chase that begins at Bristol. Who Has The Most Experience In The Chase? Denny Hamlin is making his 20th Chase appearance. Joey Logano (13), Ryan Blaney (10), Kyle Larson (10) and Chase Elliott (10) are the ones with 10 or more. There are two drivers new to The Chase, Carson Hocevar and Ryan Preece. Why Did Team Penske Change Pit Crews? It isn’t rare for a team to take a strong, over-the-wall pit crew off a car that didn’t make The Chase and put them on a car that is still in it. But Team Penske actually swapped the pit crews of Ryan Blaney (second seed) and Austin Cindric (15th seed). Blaney’s crews (he’s had two different ones this year) have combined to rank 32nd this year, according to a NASCAR Insights formula. Cindric’s crew was 10th. Cindric was philosophical about it when he talked to me. "It’s understandable from the team’s perspective, right?" Cindric said. "At the end of the day, as Roger [Penske] always reminds us, racing is still a business and obviously Ryan, the 12 team, has a great chance to win a championship. "It’s also not something I necessarily have to like because ... I’m really close with the guys that I work with." Blaney said on a personal level, he felt bad about the swap. He did not ask for the change. "We shared a lot of good memories together," Blaney told me. "We won a few races together. We won and lost as a team. ... Team Penske [leadership] thought what is the best way that we can all figure out to be successful together and this was their way of doing it." Depending on the organization, even crew chiefs can have little say regarding pit crews. They are often a separate department that is overseen by a competition director who determines the assignments. "The way Penske thinks is how can we do this better? What is the best possible way that we can do these things to win a championship, bring a championship home to Team Penske?" Blaney said. "You have to separate the personal and business side." Will Daniel Suárez Miss Track Activity For The Birth Of His First Child? No. Suárez’s wife, Julia, is due in the next couple of weeks but Suárez said he will be in the race car. "Julia and I have had conversations over that," Suarez told me. "If this was last year, for example, it would be a no-brainer. But the way that we’re running right now, being in the playoffs in The Chase — we were one point away from finishing top 10 in regular season points. "[That’s] how tight things can be after several races. We just can’t let anything affect the progress that we make in practice, qualifying, in the race. Hopefully it’s a Monday through Friday baby." Who Are The Biggest Surprises In The Chase? Suárez no doubt. He was 29th in points last year at Trackhouse Racing and now is 11th and has been above the cutline for much of the year. "We have good people," Suárez said. "We have a good system. And we have fast race cars. ... I don’t think I’m driving better. I’m just driving a faster race car." What About Tyler Reddick, Who Has Five Wins? Normally, five wins would be considered a great season. Reddick won five of the first nine races but then hit the skids. In the first 14 races, his average starting spot was 5.86 and average finish was 5.57. In the last 12, his average starting spot was 12.8 and average finish was 20. He led 362 laps in the first 14 races and has led 87 laps since then. The 23XI driver said he feels good going into The Chase. "It may not necessarily be that obvious to the outside, but we’ve been working on the tough days, what we’ve been able to get out of it," Reddick told me. "Where our heads are at is in a good place." So would five wins — including the Daytona 500 — be a good season? "It’s not enough," Reddick said. "I don’t think it’s enough for anybody." Finally, How About The Defending Champion? Kyle Larson won the title last year without winning a race in the postseason. He takes a 50-race winless streak into this year’s Chase. So is he just trying to win and not worry about the championship? "I just want to try and do the best job we can every week," Larson told me. "And if that means the championship is coming, great. If that means the win is coming, great. If either of those don’t come, it’s not like we didn’t try. "We’re trying every week." Uh, try harder?!? "I can only push the pedal down so far," he said.]]>
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					<![CDATA[NASCAR Anonymous: Denny Hamlin's Title Chances & Carson Hocevar's Walk-Out Song]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-anonymous-denny-hamlins-title-chances-carson-hocevars-walk-out-song</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-anonymous-denny-hamlins-title-chances-carson-hocevars-walk-out-song</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Denny's year? Hocevar's walk-out song? NASCAR drivers answered our very important questions before The Chase and it's all anonymous.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:20:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Charlotte Convention Center (Charlotte, N.C.) — Much of the talk of the 2026 Chase has been about the format, Denny Hamlin and Carson Hocevar. So, in our annual anonymous survey of Chase drivers, we asked questions that centered primarily around those topics. Drivers filled out the one-page form in front of one of our producers, who then took the sheet, folded it and put it in a little tote bag. So I don’t know whose form it was when I tallied the votes after Chase media day on Wednesday. Here are the results. Who Is The Lowest Seed That You Consider A Serious Championship Contender? All year, the talk has been about how deep in the seeding (with the reset that has 16th just 100 points behind the leader) could the champion come from. In the models used to determine the format, 85 percent of the champions came from the top six seeds. 4 — 16th seed, Ryan Preece3 — 13th seed, William Byron 2 — 14th seed, Bubba Wallace2 — 7th seed, Christopher Bell1 — 11th seed, Daniel Suarez1 — 9th seed, Joey Logano1 — 8th seed, Chase Elliott1 — 6th seed, Christopher Bell1 — 4th seed, Ty Gibbs Preece knew many drivers wouldn’t think he would have a shot at the title. "I love that," Preece told me Wednesday without knowing the final results of the poll. "I don’t think anybody thought I would overcome adversity with the [early season 25-point] penalty at Daytona. And we did." Which Chase Driver Will You Least Likely Draft With At Talladega? Talladega will be a pivotal race and it's always interesting to hear which drivers might not get the drafting partner they need. We limited the answers to Chase drivers. 9 — Carson Hocevar3 — Daniel Suárez2 — Ty Gibbs1 — Tyler Reddick1 — Kyle Larson1 — Bubba Wallace Note: One driver marked two selections Will This Be The Year Denny Hamlin Wins The Title? To be fair, this question should probably have been written to say, "if you don’t win the title, will this be the year Denny Hamlin wins the title?" That might have changed some answers. Still, it was a little surprising to see the drivers' thoughts on the No. 1 seed who — by the way — is going for his first title in his 20th Chase. 12 — No3 — Yes1 — No answer Do You Listen To Denny Hamlin’s Podcast? Full disclosure: I listen to the podcast every week. But I wondered if the drivers listen to Denny regularly. Maybe we should have asked if they listen to any racing podcasts. 9 — No4 — Yes3 — Sometimes (which drivers wrote in because the sheet just had them mark "yes" or "no") Which Winless Chase Driver(s) Will Win A Chase race? (can choose more than one) There are six drivers in the Chase who have not won races this year. Which competitors do other drivers believe have performed well enough so that it's only a matter of time? 11 — Christopher Bell7 — Kyle Larson7 — William Byron3 — Chris Buescher3 — Bubba Wallace2 — Austin Cindric Bell certainly thinks he can win. He has had seven second-place finishes this year. "The same way that we finished second seven times, that’s how we’re going to win in the Chase," Bell told me, indicating that some of those situations were just ones where he did everything he could to win and things just didn’t fall his way. If You Could Pick A Walk-out Song For Bristol For Carson Hocevar, What Would It Be? This was the only write-in answer of the survey. Considering that Hocevar has pinched many drivers over the last few years, we figured this might be a way for them to have fun if they wanted to deliver a message. 6 — No answer3 — Barbie Girl1 — Not As Good As I Once Was1 — Wrecking Ball1 — Pink Pony Club1 — Bluey Theme1 — Baby Shark1 — Silence Some of the "no" answers had write-in commentary that included, "Na, he’s on his own" and "Don’t care." And one driver handed it back saying, "I don’t give a [expletive]." Certainly, no driver is as polarizing at the moment as Hocevar.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Denny Hamlin's Outlook On Winning The Chase: 'I Like Our Chances']]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/denny-hamlins-outlook-winning-chase-i-like-our-chances</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/denny-hamlins-outlook-winning-chase-i-like-our-chances</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Could this be the season that Denny Hamlin puts it all together and wins the NASCAR title? According to him, that absolutely could be the case.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:30:05 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Charlotte Convention Center (Charlotte, N.C.) — Maybe the 20th time will be the charm. Denny Hamlin enters his 20th version of NASCAR playoffs. For a driver who ranks ninth all time with 64 career victories, he enters The Chase with the same storyline as the last several years. Will he finally win a title or is his fate to be the best driver who never won a championship? "I've felt that many times," he told me on Wednesday during Chase media day when I asked him if this was his time. "You just don't know. If things work themselves out, if things go the way they've been going, then yes, absolutely [it’s my year]." Hamlin has plenty of reasons to believe he won’t write a storybook ending, though. His father was terminally ill this time a year ago and Hamlin knew it would be his last chance to win a title while his father was alive. What he couldn’t predict was his father dying in a house fire in December. So maybe fate just had to wait? Hamlin admitted before the season that it could go really well or really poorly. He has won four races this year and enters The Chase as the top seed. "I certainly really wanted last year, but if you can win one, you're not going to be too particular on when it happens," Hamlin said. "But certainly, it’s been a rough, rough go over the last year. "So I really appreciate the racing gods sticking with us." Maybe the racing gods knew this would be a year he could challenge for the title. The 2026 version of The Chase is more like the original than the one NASCAR conducted from 2014-2025, where drivers faced elimination throughout the 10-race Chase and the final race pitted four drivers on equal footing to determine the champion. The 2026 version is a simple 10-race mini-season, with 16 drivers eligible for the championship. As the top seed, Hamlin enters with a 25-point buffer on second and a 100-point edge on 16th. Last year, Hamlin seemed poised to win the title, only to take four tires on a late caution and then ultimately, not being able to catch Kyle Larson (on two fresh tires) at the end. "It’s one of the best chances [for me] simply because it's likely not going to come down to one restart in one race," Hamlin said. "There's a big enough sample size now to where you know it's not that one singular moment or a caution that falls that is just so not great for you. "And so I think that's kind of what gives us the best chance. Over the long haul, I like our chances." Hamlin drives for Joe Gibbs Racing but also co-owns 23XI Racing, which has two (Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace) drivers in The Chase. While he has always stepped back from some of his ownership duties in the postseason, he said he will try to focus even more time on The Chase this year. Part of that is out of necessity. In the previous format of three-race rounds, there were times when he locked himself into the next round before the final race. That allowed him to coast for a week. This year, there is no coasting. "I tried with my schedule to work out a little bit more time in The Chase to give myself a few more hours during the week to then dive into a few more details of maybe a specific track or trend or things like that," Hamlin said. Hamlin has won at all 10 Chase tracks in his career. And at the eight Chase tracks where NASCAR has already raced at this season, he has earned more total points than any other driver. "Everything but Talladega [are my tracks]," Hamlin said. "We've had strong runs at all Chase tracks in the last year, whether it be in the last season or beginning of this season. So the notebook is pretty solid." And if he wins the title, would the 45-year-old drop the mic and not come back in 2027 — the final year of a contract that he has indicated would be his last? "I wish," Hamlin said. "I certainly wish that that could be an option. But I doubt it is."]]>
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					<![CDATA[NASCAR Contender Rankings: Which Driver Takes Top Spot Ahead Of The Chase?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-which-driver-takes-top-spot-ahead-chase</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-contender-rankings-which-driver-takes-top-spot-ahead-chase</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Chase begins this weekend at Darlington. Here are our postseason contender rankings before the Southern 500.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:31:59 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Who has the best chance to win the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series title? Welcome to the FOX Sports Contender Rankings. Now that the regular season is over, the focus is on the 16 drivers in The Chase. I have ranked the top-10 contenders based on what I believe their chances are to win the title and will update each week with a short outlook to the upcoming track. On The Verge (Alphabetical Order): Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -70 points behind leader): He's too inconsistent. He nearly won at Darlington in 2024 but has just one top five there in Next Gen era. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -85): He just hasn’t had the pace this year. Maybe Darlington, where he won in May 2023, will be the place he finds it. Austin Cindric (Team Penske 2 Ford, -95): His fifth place at Darlington earlier this year was his first top 10, so if he can get off to a good start, maybe he can be a factor. Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -100): He vaulted himself into The Chase but does that make him a contender? He has never had a top 10 in Darlington. Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, -75): He only has seven top 10s this year and will need more than that over the next 10 races to win the title (and has just two career top 10s at Darlington). Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota, -90): He has been so up and down, so who knows? He has potential at Darlington with five top 10s. Contender Rankings Hocevar could just as easily finish in the top five in the standings as he could 16th. He has speed and an aggressive attitude, which pays dividends but can also be costly. He has a ninth and a fourth in his last two Darlington starts. Logano is a three-time Cup champion and knows how to handle the pressure. The question is whether he has enough speed. He won the first Next Gen race at Darlington in 2022 but has only one top 10 in his last eight starts there and was awful there in April. Elliott has led laps in just three of the last nine races, and that likely won’t be enough to be a threat. He doesn’t have a top five in Darlington in his last eight starts, so getting off to a good start in the Chase could be a challenge. Larson’s winless streak has reached 50 races. What’s wild is he has led 659 laps this year without a victory. He will likely need some fortune and others to have some misfortune to have a shot at the title, but his resume includes wins at eight of the 10 Chase tracks. He won at Darlington in 2023, but it’s also a place where he’s visited the medical center a little more than he would like. Gibbs just probably needs a little more experience and a little more polish to challenge for The Chase title. He was second at Darlington in May 2024 and was sixth in April, so if he can start off strong, he could be more of a factor. Briscoe tends to hang around to give himself a chance, and this JGR No. 19 team is well tested in the postseason. He has won the last two Southern 500s, although he was 12th at this track in the spring. Reddick is a two-time O’Reilly Series champion, so he is used to performing under pressure. The question is can he regain the momentum he had when he won the first three races of 2026 and then added two more to give him five wins in the first nine events. One of those was Darlington, so he has to feel good with The Chase starting there. The 2023 Cup champion has consistently been the best Ford this year with three victories. He was third at Darlington in the spring for his best finish ever at the track. His pit crew has not always performed to a championship level, and that could be the key. He also needs to keep earning stage points, as he has earned the most of any driver in the regular season. Bell doesn’t have a win this year but he already has a career-best 11 top-five finishes — including seven second-place finishes this year. He has been more consistent in racking up the stage points as of late, and he will need to continue to do that in The Chase. He has mixed results at Darlington, where he finished third in the 2024 Southern 500. Hamlin saw his 89-point regular-season lead on Ryan Blaney cut to 25 as part of The Chase reset and that was after having at least a 250-point gap on all but Blaney, Reddick and Gibbs. So he is the favorite going into The Chase. Hamlin has a win and three top fives in the Next Gen era at Darlington. He has won at all of The Chase tracks in his career.]]>
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				<title>
					<![CDATA[NASCAR Sweet 16: Why Every Driver In Chase Could — Or Could Not — Win It All]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-sweet-16-why-every-driver-chase-could-could-not-win-all</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-sweet-16-why-every-driver-chase-could-could-not-win-all</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Here's why every driver in NASCAR's Sweet 16 could — or could not — end up winning The Chase.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 22:32:46 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The revamped Chase has 16 drivers in a 10-race mini-season after the points reset following the regular season. There are no eliminations. It all comes down to who has the most points after these 10 races. That driver will be the champion. There are just 100 points separating the top-16 drivers. The Chase tracks: Darlington, St. Louis, Bristol, Kansas, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead. Here are the 16 drivers who will compete for the 2026 championship: Points: First with 2,100 (+25 ahead of second)2026 Wins: Las Vegas, Nashville, Michigan, Pocono Why He Will Win Title: Hamlin has the experience of competing for a title and has won at all 10 Chase tracks at some point in his career. And if it comes down to Homestead, he has the third-best average finish there of any driver, including seven top fives in 21 starts. Why He Won’t Win Title: He’s Denny Hamlin. He’s not supposed to win the title. And when he gets to Homestead, he’ll be older than every champion in NASCAR history. Points: Second with 2,075 (-25 behind leader)2026 Wins: Phoenix, Atlanta, New Hampshire Why He Will Win Title: This could come down to stage points, and he and Ty Gibbs have earned the most this year. Plus, he should be good at Phoenix and Martinsville, two of the final four races. Why He Won’t Win Title: The Penske intermediate program is just not strong enough for Blaney to compete with the Toyotas. Points: Third with 2,065 (-35 behind leader)2026 Wins: Daytona, Atlanta (1), Austin, Darlington, Kansas Why He Will Win Title: He’s been known to go on a roll. And both Darlington and Kansas are in The Chase and those are tracks where he's won. Why He Won’t Win Title: After an incredible start to the season, he's lost momentum. Does anyone even remember that he had more than a 100-point lead in the standings earlier this year? Points: Fourth with 2,060 (-40)2026 Wins: Bristol, Iowa Why He Will Win Title: He earns lots of stage points so he should be in the hunt. And he now knows how to win Cup races. Why He Won’t Win Title: He’s just a little too young. He’d be the youngest champ ever. And can he really beat Denny Hamlin — his teammate — straight up over 10 races? Points: Fifth with 2,055 (-55)2026 Wins: Chicagoland Why He Will Win Title: Briscoe and the JGR No. 19 team tend to hang within striking distance. He has won the last two Southern 500s so he very well could open the race strong. Why He Won’t Win Title: Inconsistency could plague this team. Points: Sixth with 2,050 (-5)2026 Wins: None Why He Will Win Title: He’s had the most top-five finishes than in any season in his career. That should continue and will be key in this new format. Why He Won’t Win Title: He most likely will have to win a race. There’s no doubt he can. But many doubt he will. Points: Seventh with 2,045 (-55)2026 Wins: None Why He Will Win Title: Larson won the 2025 title without a win in the Chase. So why not? Granted, it’s a different system, but he could rack up the points. Why He Won’t Win Title: He just hasn’t had as consistent speed as he has in the past. And he needs to have that speed to compensate for the occasional mistake that results from his aggressive driving style. Points: Eighth with 2,040 (-60)2026 Wins: Martinsville, Texas Why He Will Win Title: Never count out Elliott, who can sneakily put together solid finishes. Why He Won’t Win Title: Like Larson, he just hasn’t had consistent speed. Points: Ninth with 2,035 (-65)2026 Wins: North Wilkesboro, Richmond Why He Will Win Title: It’s an even year, and Logano seems to perform when he needs it the most. Why He Won’t Win Title: It’s going to take a much better performance on the intermediates for him to have a shot. Points: 10th with 2,030 (-70)2026 Wins: None Why He Will Win Title: The guy rarely gets rattled and rarely makes mistakes. Why He Won’t Win Title: He and his team haven’t had the speed to overcome any mistakes or misfortunes. Points: 11th with 2,025 (-75)2026 Wins: Charlotte Why He Will Win Title: This is his best regular-season points position of the last four years, and he has confidence. Why He Won’t Win Title: He has rattled off top 10s and won Charlotte, but he hasn’t been up front enough to challenge. Points: 12th with 2,020 (-80)2026 Wins: Talladega Why He Will Win Title: He seems to have an attitude that he’s going to take it from the field. Why He Won’t Win Title: The field is determined not to let him take it. Points: 13th with 2,015 (-85)2026 Wins; None Why He Will Win Title: For the most part, Byron appears unflappable. But this certainly has been a trying year. Why He Won’t Win Title: He has led only 31 laps this season. That isn’t going to get it done. Points: 14th with 2,010 (-90)2026 Wins: None Why He Will Win Title: He has a Toyota in his hands and will be strong at most tracks. Why He Won’t Win Title: He just hasn’t put together consistent solid results for much of the year, and the Chase will reward consistency. Points: 15th with 2,005 (-95)2026 Wins: None Why He Will Win Title: He is relatively good at staying out of trouble and if others have misfortune, he could capitalize. Why He Won’t Win Title: He didn’t clinch a spot in the Chase until Daytona, a clear sign that he doesn’t have the week-in, week-out speed to win the title. Points: 16th with 2,000 (-100)2026 Wins: Daytona Why He Will Win Title: After Daytona, he probably feels he can do anything, and there’s something to be said for that confidence. Why He Won’t Win Title: He was a bubble driver because, until Daytona, Preece has been good and not great. Drivers typically don’t make that big of a jump in the final 10 races.]]>
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					<![CDATA[4 Takeaways From Ryan Preece's Walk-Off Daytona Win To Make The Chase]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-from-ryan-preeces-walk-off-daytona-win-make-chase</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/4-takeaways-from-ryan-preeces-walk-off-daytona-win-make-chase</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[In the 11th hour, Ryan Preece's walk-off win at Daytona secured his spot in The Chase.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 10:33:42 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ryan Preece put a new twist on win-and-in for the NASCAR postseason. Preece took the lead on the final lap and snatched the victory in the regular-season finale when the caution came out at Daytona International Speedway. The win launched him to 16th in the standings and gave him the final spot in NASCAR’s revamped Chase, which no longer has automatic bids to a driver who wins a race. "I’m at a loss for words," Preece told USA Sports during the telecast. Here are my takeaways: 1. Big Win For Preece Preece was concerned he would run out of fuel as several laps ticked off on a late caution when Carson Hocevar wrecked and collected Erik Jones. Running second entering overtime, Preece was able to battle to get to the lead. The RFK Racing driver was penalized 25 points earlier this year for intentionally wrecking Ty Gibbs (Preece doesn’t believe they had contact). He probably feels vindicated now that he's made The Chase — especially after it looked like that penalty would keep him out of the postseason. Instead, the 20-point bonus for the win allowed him to go from 31 points behind Shane van Gisbergen entering the race to 17 points ahead of him for the final playoff spot. Preece’s Daytona history has not been kind. He has had two massive flips there in recent years, including one that left him with bloodshot eyes for more than a week. The 35-year-old Preece earned his first Cup points race win in his 249th career start. His story is certainly one of perseverance. "We’re fighters," Preece said. "When you put our back against the wall, we swing hard. ... Last year there were a lot of keyboard warriors saying I was nothing. Well, we just kicked their butts tonight." 2. Cindric Gets In Austin Cindric was on the bubble as well, entering the race just 13 points ahead of van Gisbergen and 44 points ahead of Preece. The Team Penske driver finished sixth to keep the playoff spot. "The guys did a great job of giving me information all night, whether it was points or fuel and how to adapt," Cindric said in a Ford news release. "That’s what it takes to be a contender at a minimum, but definitely look for a strong 10 weeks from us." Bubba Wallace, who entered the race needing just two points to clinch a spot, earned those points in the opening stage. 3. SVG Disappointed Shane van Gisbergen, who has two wins this year on road courses, pitted prior to overtime, as he was in danger of running out of gas. He got caught up in the final wreck and ended up 28th. "Congrats to the 60 [of Preece]," van Gisbergen told USA Sports. "But one night doesn't sum up our year. I guess we haven't been good enough. "It's been cool to be close. Shame we're not in it." Trackhouse Racing was shut out of The Chase. 4. New Aero Rules Promising The new aero package with a shorter spoiler and less horsepower appeared to improve the racing. It was designed to make the cars less likely to be able to run tight in the pack and therefore encourage drivers to make a move without worrying they would automatically get hung out to dry. While fuel saving still came into play, drivers appeared to have a better ability to improve their position. Of course, the moves were often made near the end of the stages and late in the race as they usually were. Drivers had mixed reactions: "We weren’t all on top of each other, so I felt like in a lot of ways it was somewhat more simplified of how the race was going to play out after I was able to watch and observe," Cindric said. "I thought our car was good enough to charge back through when needed." While Cindric could tell a difference, Brad Keselowski said in a post-race news conference that handling didn’t come into play. "I could not tell a difference," Keselowski said. "I couldn't tell they changed the rules at all. My car drove almost identical to what it did. I was really shocked by that. I thought it would drive poorly, particularly here in the summer." 4 ½. Chase Opener At Darlington The Southern 500 opens The Chase next Sunday night at Darlington Raceway. Chase Briscoe has won the last two Southern 500s on the 1.36-mile egg-shaped oval. Denny Hamlin enters The Chase as the leader, with a 25-point edge on Ryan Blaney after the reset. Following Blaney are Tyler Reddick (-35), Ty Gibbs (-40), Briscoe (-45), Christopher Bell (-50), Kyle Larson (-55), Chase Elliott (-60), Joey Logano (-65), Chris Buescher (-70), Daniel Suárez (-75), Hocevar (-80), William Byron (-85), Wallace (-90), Cindric (-95) and Preece (-100). The Chase will run like a mini 10-race season. There won't be any more eliminations nor will there be the one-race championship event that NASCAR has used to determine its champion in recent years.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 NASCAR Odds: Joey Logano Favored For Regular-Season Finale At Daytona]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-daytona-coke-zero-sugar-400</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2026-nascar-odds-daytona-coke-zero-sugar-400</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Joey Logano is favored to win the Cup regular-season finale at Daytona, but Ryan Preece could be one to watch. Here are the latest odds.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 13:26:24 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale will race this weekend at Daytona, as the Coke Zero 400 gets the green flag on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The week after Daytona, the postseason will begin. And this year, that looks a little different now that Cup has returned to The Chase format. Will the favorite Joey Logano capture the checkered flag or will a long shot emerge from the field this weekend? Here are the odds for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Aug. 29. NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 2026 Joey Logano: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)Ryan Blaney: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)William Byron: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Austin Cindric: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)Tyler Reddick: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)Chris Buescher: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)Chase Elliott: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Chase Briscoe: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Carson Hocevar: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)Kyle Larson: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Bubba Wallace: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Brad Keselowski: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Denny Hamlin: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Ryan Preece: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Christopher Bell: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Ross Chastain: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Ty Gibbs: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Corey Heim: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)Erik Jones: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Alex Bowman: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Todd Gilliland: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Austin Hill: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Zane Smith: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Josh Berry: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Austin Dillon: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Michael McDowell: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Connor Zilisch: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Daniel Suárez: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Riley Herbst: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)Noah Gragson: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)Ty Dillon: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)AJ Allmendinger: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Cole Custer: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Cody Ware: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Casey Mears: +12500 (bet $10 to win $1,260 total)Joey Gase: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)Daniel Dye: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Here's What To Know About The Oddsboard: The Favorite Joey Logano enters the final race of the regular season as the slight favorite. He will start ninth in the field at Daytona. And when it comes to the overall standings, Logano's sitting ninth there as well. So far this season, he's got nine top 10s, five top fives, one pole and two wins. One To Watch Ryan Preece is just below the cutline to make The Chase, but he's got one more shot this Saturday to sneak into the postseason. According to FOX Sports motorsports insider Bob Pockrass, Preece "will need a heck of a day at Daytona" if he wants to make The Chase. Preece has no wins, no poles and no top fives. But he does have five top 10s in 2026. He finished 25th at this track back in February but finished 14th here in August 2025.]]>
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				<title>
					<![CDATA[NASCAR At Daytona: Will Aero Changes Work & Should Hamlin Get A Trophy?]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-regular-season-finale-daytona-aero-changes-denny-hamlin</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/nascar-regular-season-finale-daytona-aero-changes-denny-hamlin</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Daytona marks NASCAR's regular-season finale. How will the new aero changes impact racing? And more importantly, does Denny deserve a trophy?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:04:52 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[NASCAR enters its last regular-season race with three playoff spots on the line and a new rules package. Here are my thoughts on a few questions going into the event: Who Gets The Last Few Playoff Spots? There are five drivers vying for three spots — Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric, Shane van Gisbergen, Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski. Preece and Keselowski are the two drivers on the outside looking in at the moment. The standings: Wallace (+75 on the cutoff), Cindric (+44), van Gisbergen (+31), Preece (-31) and Keselowski (-66). SVG actually has another point as a buffer, as he would own the tiebreaker with his two wins this year. A driver can earn at most 76 points in a race — 55 points for the win, 10 points for winning each stage (where points are awarded on a 10-to-1 scale to the top 10) and one point for posting the fastest lap. That makes Keselowski's chance very, very slim, as he needs to win and earn stage points. And Preece most likely needs to win. Second place is worth only 35 points. Wallace is in. For him not to get in, Preece would have to sweep the stages, win the race and have the fastest lap in the race, while Wallace would have to finish 36th or worse. Cindric also should feel good. Keselowski can’t catch him and Preece has earned 44 or more points only once this year. The only question for Cindric is whether to try to earn stage points and potentially clinch a spot by the end of the second stage. SVG could eliminate Keselowski with some stage points, and truly it comes down to him and Preece. Does SVG ride in the back and hope that Preece doesn’t make it close by earning stage points? Or does he try to stay in the mix and get stage points to make it tougher on Preece at the end while also risking getting into an accident himself? His best bet is to play offense (at least for the first stage). He would kick himself if he went into conservative mode and Preece closed the gap to 15 at the end of the second stage. Preece and Keselowski are long shots. Expect no changes to the top 16 as far as drivers vying for the title. Will New Rule Changes Make A Difference? After talking to people this week, I realized that there are a variety of views on whether NASCAR’s aero changes will allow drivers more ability to make moves. With those changes, drivers can’t get as close nose-to-tail and therefore will have less incentive to save gas and keep track position. The rear spoiler is now four inches instead of seven. Horsepower will be reduced to 465 from 515-520. It is difficult to simulate Daytona racing for these teams in the wind tunnel because of the draft. It is also difficult to predict how the tires will react in this scenario. At least NASCAR is trying something. And maybe at least for this race, drivers will experiment, especially since many already know their postseason fate. Sure, points could matter in the reset and for those outside the top 16 vying for spots in the standings, but drivers hate just racing in line. So will it work? Not sure. But the race should give a good indication of whether it will, as plenty of drivers should be willing to at least try to make a move and see if more drivers would go with them than in the past. Why Won’t Denny Hamlin Get A Trophy? Hamlin will finish as the points leader after Daytona and will earn the top seed going into the Chase. But as part of the league getting rid of the term "playoffs" and trying to be more true to its roots, NASCAR isn’t recognizing a champion for its regular season. Boooooo. Hamlin earning the most points over the first 26 races should be celebrated. The team has accomplished a great feat. Hamlin and his team deserve a trophy. And a banner. And hats. And t-shirts. It’s just like winning a division in other sports. It isn’t the main goal but consistent performance should be rewarded and celebrated in a meaningful way. Get Hamlin a trophy.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2027 NASCAR Schedule Tracker: Where & When Will NASCAR Race?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2027-nascar-schedule-tracker-where-when-will-nascar-race</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nascar/2027-nascar-schedule-tracker-where-when-will-nascar-race</guid>
				<category>nascar</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Where and when will NASCAR race in 2027? Here are the latest schedule updates for the Cup, O'Reilly and Truck Series.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:39:07 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The NASCAR 2027 series schedules have been announced. Here are the main changes for each series: In Cup, NASCAR has moved the Clash from Bowman Gray Stadium to Daytona. It has moved the All-Star race from Dover to North Wilkesboro, with Dover now having a points race (and North Wilkesboro not having one). In O'Reilly, Rockingham is off the schedule, as is one of the Atlanta races. North Wilkesboro and Richmond have been added. In trucks, four races came off the schedule — Rockingham, Naval Base Coronado, Dover and Richmond. Replacing those races are Bowman Gray, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport), Pocono and a second race at Kansas. 2027 NASCAR Cup Series Feb. 13: Clash at DaytonaFeb. 21: Daytona 500Feb. 28: AtlantaMar. 7: AustinMar. 14: PhoenixMar. 21: Las VegasApr. 4: DarlingtonApr. 11: BristolApr. 18: MartinsvilleApr. 25: TalladegaMay 2: TexasMay 9: KansasMay 16: DoverMay 23: All-Star North WilkesboroMay 30: CharlotteJune 6: NashvilleJune 13: PoconoJune 20: MichiganJune 27: ChicagolandJuly 4: IowaJuly 11: SonomaJuly 18: AtlantaJuly 25: IndianapolisAug. 1: Naval Base CoronadoAug. 14: BristolAug. 22: St. LouisAug. 28: DaytonaSept. 5: DarlingtonCHASESept. 11: RichmondSept. 19: Watkins GlenSept. 26: New HampshireOct. 3: KansasOct. 10: Las VegasOct. 17: CharlotteOct. 24: Phoenix Oct. 31: TalladegaNov. 7: MartinsvilleNov. 14: Homestead FOX Sports (FOX, FS1) will have the first 14 Cup events again, Prime will have the next five, followed by five on TNT and the final 14 on USA Sports (USA, NBC). 2027 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Feb. 20: DaytonaFeb. 27: AtlantaMar. 6: AustinMar. 13: PhoenixMar. 20: Las VegasApr. 3: DarlingtonApr. 10: BristolApr. 17: MartinsvilleApr. 24: TalladegaMay 1: TexasMay 15: DoverMay 22: North WilkesboroMay 29: CharlotteJune 5: NashvilleJune 12: PoconoJune 26: ChicagolandJuly 3: IowaJuly 10: SonomaJuly 24: IndianapolisJuly 31: Naval Base CoronadoAug. 13: BristolAug. 21: St. LouisAug. 27: DaytonaSept. 4: DarlingtonCHASESept. 10: RichmondSept. 18: Watkins GlenOct. 2: KansasOct. 9: Las VegasOct. 16: CharlotteOct. 23: Phoenix Oct. 30: TalladegaNov. 6: MartinsvilleNov. 13: Homestead NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Feb. 19: DaytonaFeb. 27: AtlantaMar. 6: St PeteApr. 2: DarlingtonApr. 9: BristolApr. 30: TexasMay 8: KansasMay 21: North WilkesboroMay 28:CharlotteJune 4: NashvilleJune 11: PoconoJune 19: MichiganJuly 10: Lime RockJuly 17: AtlantaJuly 23: Indianapolis (Raceway Park)Aug 12: BristolAug. 20: Bowman GraySept 5: Canadian Tire Motorsport ParkCHASESept. 25: New HampshireOct 1: KansasOct 15: CharlotteOct 22: PhoenixOct 29: TalladegaNov 5: MartinsvilleNov 12: Homestead]]>
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					<![CDATA[Remembering Dolly Parton With The Late Country Icon's Best Sports Moments]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/remembering-dolly-parton-late-singers-best-sports-moments</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/remembering-dolly-parton-late-singers-best-sports-moments</guid>
				<category>other</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Looking back at country music icon Dolly Parton's best moments in sports.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:40:47 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Country music icon Dolly Parton died on Tuesday at the age of 80. The legendary singer-songwriter was best known for her music and acting career in film and television, but was also very involved in the sports world, from the NFL to the Olympics. Here are some Dolly Parton's best sports moments: Parton was the halftime show performer for the Thanksgiving game between the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders in Dallas in 2023. The 11-time Grammy winner performed a memorable halftime show where she some of her most popular hits like "Jolene" and "9-5," and covers of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" by Queen. To tie in the Cowboys, Parton donned the iconic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform. Parton also made an impact on the motorsports world, as she sponsored NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick’s car for the 2019 Alsco 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series in Bristol, Tennessee. Reddick went along in his Parton-themed car and took pictures in a curly blonde wig to highlight the singer. The No. 2 Chevrolet was a pink and white car that featured Parton’s face on the hood and "Dollywood" on the side, primarily to promote her record company. Parton found her way to the international sports stage, and collaborated with NBCUniversal for a promo music video ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The music video featured high-profile athletes like gymnasts Suni Lee and Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky and a combined rendition of her covers, "We Will Rock You" and "We are the Champions." Parton paid a visit to Yankee Stadium in New York City in 1987, where she met up with players in the Yankee’s iconic pinstripe uniform. The team even presented Parton with an official team jacket and hat. Her famous visit and day spent with the team was used later in her television show, "Dolly." Most famously, Parton posed for a picture with former Yankees stars including Ron Guirdry, Mike Pagliarulo, Dave Righetti and Rick Cerone. It’s only appropriate that Parton — a Nashville native — sang at one of Tennessee’s most iconic stadiums: Neyland Stadium. Parton performed Tennessee’s famous "Rocky Top" ahead of the Tennessee vs. Georgia rivalry in 2023. What made her performance even more Tennessee-like was being escorted out by a Tennessee football legend, Peyton Manning.]]>
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