Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Hamlin Claims Power Rankings Top Spot as Reddick’s Points Lead Shrinks to 51
Denny Hamlin moved to the top of the NASCAR Cup Series power rankings Tuesday after backing up his Nashville victory with a dominant showing at Michigan International Speedway. Hamlin, who started from pole but went to the rear following a penalty for unapproved pre-race adjustments, led the final 39 laps and won by more than 11 seconds. The result trimmed championship leader Tyler Reddick’s points advantage from 97 to just 51 as Hamlin gained 46 points on the standings leader Sunday. Reddick holds the top spot in the standings heading into Pocono, where Hamlin’s pair of recent victories has significantly tightened the race for the regular-season title.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Bell Confirmed with Fractured Left Wrist, Medically Cleared to Race at Pocono
Christopher Bell will compete Sunday at Pocono Raceway despite a fractured left wrist sustained in a crash during last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed Tuesday evening that the No. 20 Toyota driver has been medically cleared for the Great American Getaway 400 after undergoing further evaluation following the Michigan race. Bell, who currently sits 10th in the Cup Series standings with 410 points, received the fractured left wrist diagnosis after being assessed by medical staff at the track. The team issued the injury update and race clearance simultaneously in a Tuesday evening statement.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Racer.com
NASCAR Data Shows Bell’s Michigan Crash Was Hardest Impact in at Least a Decade
Christopher Bell’s crash at Michigan International Speedway during Sunday’s Cup Series race was the hardest NASCAR impact recorded in at least a decade, Motorsport.com reported Wednesday. The data indicates Bell’s crash surpassed any comparable NASCAR impact over at least the past ten years. Bell, the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver, fractured his left wrist in the incident and was subsequently cleared to compete at Pocono Raceway this weekend. The Wednesday Motorsport.com report added significant context to a crash that had already drawn attention for the severity of the wrist fracture Bell sustained during Sunday’s Michigan event.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Goodyear Unveils New Tire Setup for This Weekend’s Pocono Cup Race
Pocono Raceway gets a new Goodyear tire setup for the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend, according to official notes published Tuesday ahead of the Great American Getaway 400. NASCAR published the official Pocono tire details on Tuesday, with Jayski.com also releasing Goodyear’s full Pocono racing notes the same day. Both documents detail the tire specifications for the 2.5-mile Pocono triangular track that Cup Series teams will use as setup guidance ahead of Sunday’s race. The new tire setup is distinct from previous Pocono configurations in the 2026 Cup Series season.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Jayski.com
Hamlin Leads All-Time at Pocono with 7 Wins, Chases Unprecedented Third Straight
Denny Hamlin enters this weekend’s Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway as the all-time wins leader at the track, with seven career Cup Series victories at the venue — his most at any single Cup Series track. The Jayski.com statistical advance for the Pocono race, published Wednesday, highlights Hamlin’s commanding historical record at the 2.5-mile triangular circuit. Hamlin has never won three consecutive races in his career, making a potential third straight Pocono win an unprecedented achievement. He enters the race second in the Cup standings with 618 points, 51 behind leader Tyler Reddick.
Sources: Jayski.com, NASCAR.com
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 669 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 618 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 512 pts
4. Chase Elliott — 482 pts
5. Ty Gibbs — 470 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 453 pts
7. Carson Hocevar — 428 pts
8. Chris Buescher — 424 pts
9. Daniel Suarez — 418 pts
10. Christopher Bell — 410 pts
11. Bubba Wallace — 378 pts
12. William Byron — 377 pts
13. Chase Briscoe — 370 pts
14. Shane Van Gisbergen — 355 pts
15. Brad Keselowski — 350 pts
16. Austin Cindric — 332 pts
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 637 pts
2. Chevrolet — 583 pts
3. Ford — 468 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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