Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Storms scrub qualifying at North Wilkesboro — Blaney earns pole for historic Cup return
Severe storms hit North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, forcing NASCAR to cancel Cup Series qualifying before eventually squeezing in a 50-minute practice session. With no qualifying times recorded, the starting grid for Sunday’s Window World 450 was set under the NASCAR Rule Book, placing Ryan Blaney — the 2023 Cup Series champion and winner of last week’s EchoPark race — on pole position for the first Cup points-paying race at North Wilkesboro since 1996. The Window World 450 is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, truTV, and HBO Max at the 0.625-mile North Carolina facility.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Trackhouse and RCR absorb triple inspection blow — Chastain, Zilisch, Hill all start rear
Three Cup Series teams were penalized after multiple pre-race inspection failures at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday. The No. 1 Trackhouse Racing car of Ross Chastain failed inspection three times: car chief David Fero was ejected, and Chastain must start from the rear and serve a pass-through penalty. Trackhouse’s No. 88 entry, driven by Connor Zilisch, failed twice — with car chief Eddie D’Hondt Jr. ejected — and will also start from the rear. RCR’s No. 33 Austin Hill drew two failures as well, with car chief Clay Alexander Jr. ejected and Hill relegated to the rear of the field.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
New front bumper package makes NASCAR Cup debut at North Wilkesboro Sunday
NASCAR introduces a revised front bumper package at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the Window World 450, removing foam padding from the bumper assembly and modifying strut geometry in a change that increases contact-damage risk and raises radiator-exposure concerns. Crew chiefs are factoring in Sunday’s forecast of 90-plus-degree temperatures, which amplify the cooling-system stakes of the new setup. Goodyear has selected the same tire compound used at Martinsville in March. Spire Motorsports crew chief Ryan Sparks and Team Penske’s Paul Wolfe shared race-strategy previews in a NASCAR Sunday Setup feature, with both acknowledging the heat and bumper variables.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chandler Smith repeats at North Wilkesboro with dominant FaithFest 250 victory
Chandler Smith won the Craftsman Truck Series FaithFest 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, delivering a dominant performance to repeat his 2025 victory at the track. Starting inside the top ten, the defending North Wilkesboro champion drove a commanding race to take the checkered flag and claim back-to-back wins at the 0.625-mile North Carolina foothills facility. Smith’s repeat victory capped Saturday’s racing action at a weekend marked by the first NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race at North Wilkesboro since 1996, which is scheduled to go green Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Window World 450 lineup set — Gibbs joins Blaney on front row for NWB Cup return
The Window World 450 starting grid features Ryan Blaney on pole alongside Ty Gibbs on the front row, with Christopher Bell third, Carson Hocevar fourth, and Tyler Reddick fifth. Qualifying at North Wilkesboro was canceled Saturday due to storms, and the 37-car grid was set by the NASCAR Rule Book. Ross Chastain is officially listed 13th but must start from the rear and serve a pass-through penalty due to his three-fail inspection. Connor Zilisch (No. 88) and Austin Hill (No. 33) also start from the rear after two inspection failures each. Race time is 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Bell tops shortened NWB practice, enters Window World 450 with speed to match
Christopher Bell topped the time sheets in North Wilkesboro Speedway’s 50-minute Cup Series practice session Saturday — a condensed standalone run after storms erased the scheduled qualifying. Bell starts third in Sunday’s Window World 450 and carries strong momentum into the race, which debuts a new front bumper package that creates increased damage risk from contact. Ninety-degree-plus forecast temperatures add another layer of mechanical challenge for all 37 starters. Crew chiefs Paul Wolfe of Team Penske and Ryan Sparks of Spire Motorsports both addressed strategy for managing heat and the new bumper configuration ahead of Sunday’s 7 p.m. ET start on TNT Sports.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chastain’s playoff hole deepens — inspection failure adds rear-start penalty to bubble trouble
Ross Chastain heads into Sunday’s Window World 450 in a deep playoff hole after the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing car failed pre-race inspection three times Saturday, resulting in car chief David Fero’s ejection. Chastain must start from the rear of the 37-car field and serve a pass-through penalty — compounding an already precarious position in the standings, where he sits outside the top-16 cutline heading into Race 21. Despite the setback, Chastain was upbeat: “If the car’s fast, it won’t matter,” he said. “Plenty of laps, so yeah, not worried.”
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
North Wilkesboro hosts first Cup points race since Jeff Gordon beat Dale Earnhardt in 1996
North Wilkesboro Speedway hosts its first NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race Sunday since Jeff Gordon defeated Dale Earnhardt at the 0.625-mile North Carolina facility in 1996. The Window World 450 returns championship Cup competition to a track long absent from the points schedule. Ryan Blaney — placed on pole by the NASCAR Rule Book after Saturday’s qualifying was canceled by inclement weather — leads a 37-car field to green at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, truTV, and HBO Max. Among the 37 starters, three cars must begin from the rear following pre-race inspection failures earlier Saturday.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Playoff bubble watch — Logano eight points outside, Chastain fading as NWB race looms
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture tightens entering Sunday’s Window World 450. Denny Hamlin leads with 791 points, Tyler Reddick second at 767, Ryan Blaney third at 726. The cutline sits at 16th-placed Erik Jones (446 pts). Joey Logano is the first driver outside the bubble at 438 — just eight points from safety. Ryan Preece (420), Brad Keselowski (403), and Ross Chastain (401) trail further back. Chastain’s three-fail inspection Saturday, mandatory rear-start penalty, and pass-through obligation on Sunday make a strong points result this afternoon highly unlikely for the Trackhouse driver.
Sources: NASCAR.com Standings Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Denny Hamlin — 791 pts
2. Tyler Reddick — 767 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 726 pts
4. Ty Gibbs — 665 pts
5. Chase Elliott — 610 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 594 pts
7. Chris Buescher — 568 pts
8. Carson Hocevar — 563 pts
9. Christopher Bell — 551 pts
10. Chase Briscoe — 542 pts
11. Daniel Suárez — 529 pts
12. William Byron — 520 pts
13. Bubba Wallace — 493 pts
14. Austin Cindric — 470 pts
15. Shane van Gisbergen — 469 pts
16. Erik Jones — 446 pts
Outside bubble: Logano 438 • Preece 420 • Keselowski 403 • Chastain 401
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — leads (11 race wins)
2. Ford — see nascar.com/standings
3. Chevrolet — see nascar.com/standings
After Race 20 • Full standings
Curated by JD · samwise.agency