The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to get underway Sunday with the 68th running of the Daytona 500. With weather expected to be a factor as the day goes on, NASCAR moved the race up an hour to 1:30 p.m.
Speculation about Kyle Busch’s future has followed him throughout the 2026 NASCAR season. As one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation, questions about retirement were bound to surface, especially amid performance shifts and competitive changes in the Cup Series.
Casey Mears, who has spent 16 years in the NASCAR Cup Series and 494 starts, has landed another shot at the Daytona 500 with Garage 66. It will mark his 14th try at the 500.
Kyle Busch seems to have turned a corner, especially after his Daytona qualifying run and a pole for the 500 which takes place on Sunday. When he turned40 last May, talk of hanging up his helmet started making the rounds, but he kept batting it away, saying he still had laps left in him.
Last year became a trial by fire for rookie Riley Herbst. No one expected him to run up front, but Denny Hamlin tipped his cap to the effort and work ethic while keeping expectations in check.
The playoff format that was in effect until 2025 was mainly criticized for one big reason: it didn’t reward consistency. There were some drivers who put in high-level performances week in and week out but missed out on the big price because of certain moments.
Connor Zilisch is taking the big step up in 2026 after making waves in the Xfinity series last season. His expectations are grounded, but he will still be looking for winning races, which may just be a tad too difficult considering the ROVAL’s removal this season.
There will be a day where someone beats Austin Hill heads-up in a NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series superspeedway race. It is likely to happen someday.
Amid antitrust hearings and the storm around them in the NASCAR community in 2025, whenever Bubba Wallace or teammate Tyler Reddick faced questions on the lawsuit and whether it moved the needle, the duo kept tight-lipped and stuck to the same line.
Daytona International Speedway has always carried a different kind of gravity for the Earnhardt family. The high banks hold triumph, heartbreak, and memories that stretch across generations.
Chevrolet will face a challenge of its own competing in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The company decided to update the design of the Camaro ZL1 in the offseason, and drivers now have to adapt to the changes in dynamics before long.
In a post-race confrontation between Carson Hocevar and Carson Ware, things seem to be more muddled than cleared up. Hocevar himself was left confused after the interaction as he spoke to media afterward.
Final practice for the Daytona 500 rarely draws attention, but it always matters. Teams use the session to confirm balance, evaluate how their cars behave in the draft, and ensure no late‑breaking issues surface before the biggest race of the year.
NASCAR moved up the start time for Sunday's Daytona 500 by one hour due to the threat of inclement weather. The National Weather Service forecast calls for a 50% chance of rain Sunday afternoon, with the chances rising as the day goes on.
Jimmie Johnson announced that the 2027 Daytona 500 will cap his NASCAR Cup Series career. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion made his intentions