Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Friday, July 24, 2026
Alex Bowman to Retire From Full-Time NASCAR Competition After 2027 Season
Alex Bowman, the 33-year-old driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, announced Thursday that he will retire from full-time NASCAR Cup competition following the 2027 season. Bowman has compiled 8 wins and 34 top-five finishes in 378 Cup starts since joining the HMS program. The Arizona native cited a series of physical setbacks — including a concussion-related absence in 2022, a fractured vertebra in 2023, and a vertigo issue that sidelined him for four races in 2026 — as factors in his decision. "The sport asks a lot of you, and I've learned it's important to listen to your body and make the right choices for yourself," Bowman said.
Sources: Jayski / NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Blaney vs. Gilliland: $1 Million In-Season Challenge Final Set for Brickyard 400
Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland will square off in the finale of NASCAR's In-Season Challenge at Sunday's Brickyard 400, with $1 million on the line. Blaney, the 2023 Cup champion seeded third in the competition, enters with two wins in 2026 and strong momentum. Gilliland pulled off a stunning semifinals upset, eliminating fourth-seeded Chase Elliott to reach the final as the No. 25 seed and become the competition's biggest longshot. The In-Season Challenge bonus is awarded separately from playoff points, and the winner collects the full $1 million prize regardless of their finishing position in the main event on Sunday.
Sources: Jayski / NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dale Jr.: Hendrick Motorsports Must Change Its Approach to Reignite Competitiveness
Dale Earnhardt Jr. raised pointed concerns about Hendrick Motorsports on his Dale Jr. Download podcast, questioning whether the organization's internal culture can spark a resurgence. With only two 2026 wins — both by Chase Elliott — HMS has matched the win total of its satellite team, Spire Motorsports. Kyle Larson is mired in a 39-race winless streak. Earnhardt praised owner Rick Hendrick's intensely competitive approach in team meetings but suggested the organization needs structural change to recapture its dominant form. Elliott and Larson remain championship contenders on points, but both face significant ground to make up before the postseason.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Dale Jr. Expresses Concern for Josh Berry's NASCAR Future After WBR Exit
Josh Berry's NASCAR Cup Series future remains uncertain after Wood Brothers Racing confirmed it will not retain him beyond 2026, replacing him with Jesse Love. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has mentored Berry for more than a decade, opened up about his protégé's situation on the Dale Jr. Download podcast this week, describing it as a difficult chapter. Berry, currently 33rd in the Cup standings, won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025 but has struggled throughout 2026. Earnhardt expressed hope that another team would recognize Berry's talent, noting his development from the late model ranks under the Earnhardt mentorship program.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Hamlin's 18-Year Brickyard Wait: The Missing Jewel in His NASCAR Grand Slam Quest
Denny Hamlin arrives at Indianapolis Motor Speedway having won at every landmark NASCAR venue yet never conquered the Brickyard 400 in 18 attempts. The JGR Toyota driver leads the 2026 Cup standings with four wins and needs the Brickyard to complete the sport's unofficial Grand Slam — a feat achieved only by Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick, all Hall of Famers. Hamlin has led 153 laps at IMS across his career, enduring near-misses in 2020, 2018, 2014, and 2012. He owns three Daytona 500 victories and three Southern 500 titles, but has never kissed the bricks.
Sources: Motorsport.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chase Bubble Watch: Five Races Left as Playoff Drama Intensifies at the Brickyard
Five regular-season races remain before the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin, and the battle for the final spots in the 16-driver field is intensifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Austin Cindric currently holds the 16th and final playoff position with 495 points — just 33 above the cut line. Defending champion Bubba Wallace enters the weekend comfortably inside at 531 points, while Joey Logano climbed two spots to 15th after his North Wilkesboro victory. Sunday's Brickyard 400 offers a race win — the surest route into the playoffs regardless of points standing — and every driver on the bubble will be racing with maximum urgency.
Sources: Jayski.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Denny Hamlin — 842 pts
2. Tyler Reddick — 774 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 755 pts
4. Ty Gibbs — 708 pts
5. Chase Elliott — 634 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 616 pts
7. Carson Hocevar — 598 pts
8. Chase Briscoe — 587 pts
9. Chris Buescher — 585 pts
10. Christopher Bell — 574 pts
11. Daniel Suarez — 558 pts
12. William Byron — 546 pts
13. Bubba Wallace — 531 pts
14. Shane van Gisbergen — 516 pts
15. Joey Logano — 511 pts
16. Austin Cindric ✂︎ — 495 pts
After Race 21 — North Wilkesboro ✂︎ = Chase cut line
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — leads (Hamlin 4W + Briscoe 1W confirmed)
2. Chevrolet — Elliott 2W + Van Gisbergen 1W confirmed
3. Ford — Blaney 2W + Logano 1W confirmed
2026 confirmed race wins — official pts unavail. at run time
Curated by JD · samwise.agency