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Five most anticipated NASCAR races of 2026

Five most anticipated NASCAR races of 2026

There's less than two weeks until NASCAR unofficially begins its season with the exhibition Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium and less than a month until the 68th Daytona 500 officially kicks off the 2026 campaign on Feb. 15. Here are five of the most anticipated Cup Series races of 2026. 

Brad Keselowski makes known how much longer he wants to race in NASCAR
Former F1 driver expresses interest in future NASCAR start
Winning in NASCAR may now be more important than ever
Tony Stewart's NASCAR return 'a big deal for the sport'
The 'NASCAR Cup Series winners' quiz
Ross Chastain News / The SportsRush / January 19
Ross Chastain Admits NASCAR ‘Doesn’t Compare’ to IMSA’s Sports Car Racing Experience

Ross Chastain Admits NASCAR ‘Doesn’t Compare’ to IMSA’s Sports Car Racing Experience

Ross Chastain got the unique opportunity to be on-site at the ‘Roar Before the 24’ test sessions in Daytona over the weekend. He made a surprise appearance at the venue and toured Action Express Racing’s Whelen Cadillac set-up.

Kyle Larson News / The SportsRush / January 19
Kyle Larson Hopes NASCAR Weekend At Vegas Leads to Fan Spillover to High Limit Clash

Kyle Larson Hopes NASCAR Weekend At Vegas Leads to Fan Spillover to High Limit Clash

The High Limit Racing Series will be bigger than ever before in 2026, with the Kyle Larson co-owned platform having grown significantly since its inception.

NASCAR News / The SportsRush / January 19
'Got Humbled Pretty Quick': Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Details Difficult Transition for O’Reilly Drivers to Cup Series

'Got Humbled Pretty Quick': Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Details Difficult Transition for O’Reilly Drivers to Cup Series

The current NASCAR landscape is flush with young talent, including Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love, each of whom arrives at the racetrack every weekend with the goal of one day reaching the Cup Series.

NASCAR News / Yardbarker / January 19
How Jeff Gordon denied Dale Earnhardt a second Daytona 500 win

How Jeff Gordon denied Dale Earnhardt a second Daytona 500 win

In 1999, the Daytona 500 had plenty of storylines to follow as the 51st season of NASCAR competition got underway.

Tony Stewart's NASCAR return 'a big deal for the sport'
Daytona 500 champion to make NASCAR Truck Series debut at Daytona
NASCAR exec says 'hand-wringing' about playoff format began after 2024 season
Kyle Larson says NASCAR's old playoff system 'ran its course,' Chase format 'benefits everybody'
The 'Daytona 500 winners' quiz
Jimmie Johnson News / The SportsRush / January 19
Jimmie Johnson Has No Clear Answer on the Reward Quotient Between the Chase and Playoff Championships

Jimmie Johnson Has No Clear Answer on the Reward Quotient Between the Chase and Playoff Championships

Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive championships under the Chase format and added another before NASCAR introduced the elimination playoffs system. That’s what makes him the ideal candidate to weigh the advantages and drawbacks between the Chase and the elimination-style Playoff championship formats.

Connor Zilisch News / The SportsRush / January 18
'Not the Easiest Thing For Me to Accept': Connor Zilisch’s Blunt Verdict on New NASCAR Format

'Not the Easiest Thing For Me to Accept': Connor Zilisch’s Blunt Verdict on New NASCAR Format

NASCAR’s return to the Chase format arrives as welcome news for fans, for television partners seeking stronger viewership, for veteran competitors, and for all-around talents.

Kyle Larson News / Total Apex Sports / January 18
The Golden Driller Slips Away: How Kyle Larson’s Chili Bowl Run Ended in Heartbreak

The Golden Driller Slips Away: How Kyle Larson’s Chili Bowl Run Ended in Heartbreak

In dirt racing, nothing is promised. You can unload the quickest car in the building, execute all week flawlessly, and still watch everything unravel in a single moment.

NASCAR News / Yardbarker / January 18
Former F1 driver expresses interest in future NASCAR start

Former F1 driver expresses interest in future NASCAR start

A former Formula 1 driver has expressed interest in one day running a NASCAR road course race. 

Brad Keselowski makes known how much longer he wants to race in NASCAR
Winning in NASCAR may now be more important than ever
NASCAR champion Steve Grissom turned down offer from Bear Bryant to pursue racing
Corey Heim's presumptive 2026 NASCAR plans revealed
The 'NASCAR Cup Series winners' quiz
Kevin Harvick News / Total Apex Sports / January 18
SoundGear 125 Thriller: Kevin Harvick Outruns Son Keelan at Tucson

SoundGear 125 Thriller: Kevin Harvick Outruns Son Keelan at Tucson

On a cool night in Tucson, two drivers with the same last name delivered the kind of Pro-Late Model short‑track drama that doesn’t need a championship backdrop to feel significant.

Richard Childress News / 5 GOATs / January 18
Lockheed Martin launches new missile from Richard Childress Racing ‘Mothership vehicle’

Lockheed Martin launches new missile from Richard Childress Racing ‘Mothership vehicle’

American defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin on Thursday conducted a successful 90-degree launch Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM). The demonstration, which took place in China Lake, Calif., had a connection to NASCAR.

Connor Zilisch News / 5 GOATs / January 18
Connor Zilisch injury update: Trackhouse driver reveals major breakthrough ahead of debut NASCAR Cup season

Connor Zilisch injury update: Trackhouse driver reveals major breakthrough ahead of debut NASCAR Cup season

Connor Zilisch had one of the best rookie seasons in the history of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2025. It wasn’t all smooth, however, as Zilisch suffered a broken collarbone in August after his win at Watkins Glen International.

Kevin Harvick News / The SportsRush / January 18
Watch: Kevin Harvick and Son Keelan Feature in Country Singer Larry Fleet’s Latest Music Video

Watch: Kevin Harvick and Son Keelan Feature in Country Singer Larry Fleet’s Latest Music Video

Kevin Harvick and his son, Keelan, have begun looking like inseparable partners off the racing surface. On track, the duo has traded shots for victories, including during the 13th Annual Chilly Willy at Tucson Speedway, where the 125-lap Pro Late Model season opener turned into a father-son duel with neither willing to lift.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. News / The SportsRush / January 18
When Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Family Went Through 'A Very Tough Experience' That Nearly Claimed Their Lives

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Family Went Through 'A Very Tough Experience' That Nearly Claimed Their Lives

Plane crashes have become a sensitive topic of late in the NASCAR community, owing to Greg Biffle’s tragic loss of life while traveling to Florida last month.

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Martin Truex, Jr. News / The SportsRush / January 18
NASCAR Champion Martin Truex Jr. Has an Aviation Company All to Himself and It Serves a Noble Cause

NASCAR Champion Martin Truex Jr. Has an Aviation Company All to Himself and It Serves a Noble Cause

Martin Truex Jr. is far removed from the noise of all things racing following his retirement from the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024. The 45-year-old loves spending time outdoors, dividing his time between fishing and hunting.

Ryan Blaney News / EasySportz / January 18
NASCAR’s Ryan Blaney Praises Emerging Young Star at Chili Bowl

NASCAR’s Ryan Blaney Praises Emerging Young Star at Chili Bowl

TULSA, Okla. — Ryan Blaney has won a NASCAR Cup Series championship, raced on the sport’s biggest stages and battled the best stock car drivers in the world.

Kyle Larson News / EasySportz / January 18
Axsom Seizes Golden Driller as Larson’s Chili Bowl Defense Ends Early

Axsom Seizes Golden Driller as Larson’s Chili Bowl Defense Ends Early

TULSA, Okla. — At just 21 years old, Emerson Axsom etched his name into dirt racing history Saturday night, winning the Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main for the first time and hoisting the sport’s most iconic trophy, the Golden Driller, inside the SageNet Center.

Kevin Harvick News / The SportsRush / January 18
'That Was Never a Trait I Had': Kevin Harvick Surprised at Son Keelan’s Racing Instincts After 2025 Season

'That Was Never a Trait I Had': Kevin Harvick Surprised at Son Keelan’s Racing Instincts After 2025 Season

Keelan Harvick, 13, has firmly established himself as one of the most promising young talents in stock car racing. The young driver enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, highlighted by victories in the CARS Tour West and the zMAX CARS Tour.

Greg Biffle News / Total Apex Sports / January 17
Greg Biffle Remembered as NASCAR Community Shares Powerful Tributes

Greg Biffle Remembered as NASCAR Community Shares Powerful Tributes

The engine noise usually defines a racetrack. It’s a guttural, earth-shaking roar that signals speed, power, and competition. But on Friday morning at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, the defining sound wasn’t the scream of a roaring Next Gen engine.

NASCAR News / Yardbarker / January 17
Keselowski makes known how much longer he wants to race in NASCAR

Brad Keselowski makes known how much longer he wants to race in NASCAR

Keselowski has seemingly set a goal in stone that creates a road map for the rest of his career.

Steve Grissom turned down offer from Bear Bryant to pursue racing
Corey Heim's presumptive 2026 NASCAR plans revealed
Winning in NASCAR may now be more important than ever
Tony Stewart set to make first NASCAR start in nearly a decade
Stewart's NASCAR return is 'a big deal for the sport'

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