Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Friday, June 5, 2026
Reddick and Hamlin Bring Title Fight to Ford’s Historical Stronghold at Michigan
Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin arrive at Michigan International Speedway as the last two race winners at the two-mile oval, bringing the 2026 Cup Series title fight to Ford’s historical stronghold for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Reddick, driving the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, holds a 97-point championship lead — the first time since April the margin has been under 100 — having collected five wins through the season’s opening 13 races, including the Daytona 500. Hamlin, fresh off his Nashville triumph, carries a career-high 756 laps led through 14 races and an eight-race top-10 streak at Michigan. Race time is 3 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Jayski
Ford Carries One Win Into Its Most Successful Circuit
Toyota and Chevrolet have dominated the 2026 championship standings, but Michigan International Speedway has historically been Ford’s strongest circuit. Ford leads all manufacturers at the two-mile oval with 44 all-time wins, 18 more than Chevrolet and 37 ahead of Toyota. So far in 2026, Ford has one championship-race win — Ryan Blaney’s March victory at Phoenix — but the blue oval has plenty of Michigan pedigree. Joey Logano’s three wins at the track are the most of any active Cup Series driver, and RFK Racing leads all organizations at Michigan with 14 victories. Chris Buescher won there in 2023 and was runner-up in 2025.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Cindric Holds 16th by Two Points as Chase Bubble Tightens at Michigan
Just past the season’s halfway mark, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric holds a two-point edge on RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece for the 16th and final playoff transfer spot in the championship standings. Cindric is nine points ahead of 18th-place Joey Logano heading into the FireKeepers Casino 400. Blaney, third in points at 174 points back of championship leader Tyler Reddick, acknowledged his Penske teammates’ difficult run. “I feel like those guys have had some pretty big misfortunes this year,” Blaney said. “I just feel like they run into some problems that really aren’t what they’re doing. And it’s really stuck.”
Sources: NASCAR.com
Reddick Named NMPA Pocono Spirit Award First-Quarter Recipient
Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, has been named the 2026 first-quarter recipient of the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award, voted on by the National Motorsports Press Association membership. The award, established in 1992, recognizes character and achievement in the face of adversity. Reddick was honored for rebounding from a winless 2025 season and a medical scare involving his newborn son Beau to win five of the first nine races of 2026, including the Daytona 500. “None of that would have been possible without great support from my family, my wife as we were getting through all those things,” Reddick said.
Sources: Jayski
ThorSport Racing Crew Members Suspended Following Nashville Loose-Wheel Violation
NASCAR issued penalties from the previous weekend’s Nashville Superspeedway events on Thursday. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ThorSport Racing jackman Evan Clay and rear tire changer Pedro Martinez have been suspended for the next two truck races through Naval Base Coronado after a wheel separated from Ben Rhodes’ No. 99 truck during the final stage at the 1.33-mile concrete oval. The pair will miss Saturday’s Truck race at Michigan International Speedway. Additionally, NASCAR indefinitely suspended Quinta Funderburk from all NASCAR-sanctioned events. Rhodes currently sits seventh in truck points, 52 markers ahead of the Chase cutline.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Jayski
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 657 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 560 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 483 pts
4. Chase Elliott — 460 pts
5. Ty Gibbs — 449 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 409 pts
7. Christopher Bell — 399 pts
8. Chris Buescher — 393 pts
9. Carson Hocevar — 383 pts
10. Daniel Suarez — 378 pts
11. William Byron — 352 pts
12. Shane van Gisbergen — 348 pts
13. Brad Keselowski — 347 pts
14. Chase Briscoe — 343 pts
15. Bubba Wallace — 338 pts
16. Austin Cindric — 306 pts
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 637 pts
2. Chevrolet — 583 pts
3. Ford — 468 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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