Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Reddick Wins Kansas Overtime Thriller for Fifth Victory, Matches Dale Earnhardt's 1987 Record
Tyler Reddick overcame a fuel stumble, a wall scrape, and a collision with Christopher Bell to win Sunday's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in overtime, claiming his fifth victory in nine races this season. Reddick, driving the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, chased down Denny Hamlin over the final 10 laps before a Cody Ware spin on Lap 266 triggered overtime. On the two-lap dash, Reddick slipped past Kyle Larson to cross the finish line 0.118 seconds ahead of the reigning champion. The win makes Reddick the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the opening nine races of a Cup Series season.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Kyle Busch Deliberately Impedes Denny Hamlin at Kansas as Podcast Feud Spills Onto the Track
Kyle Busch followed through on his threat to make Denny Hamlin's life difficult during Sunday's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, holding up Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for nearly a full lap while running four laps down in 35th place. The incident stemmed from Hamlin's Actions Detrimental podcast comments criticizing Busch's performance at Richard Childress Racing, where Hamlin said fans expecting Busch to return to regular winning were kidding themselves. Busch responded before the race by saying he could make life difficult for Hamlin. Hamlin ultimately finished fourth while Busch finished a season-worst 35th, leaving him 27th in the Cup Series standings.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Kyle Larson's Winless Streak Reaches 33 Races Despite Leading 78 Laps at Kansas
Kyle Larson led 78 laps and won Stage 2 of Sunday's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway but came away empty-handed after losing the overtime restart to Tyler Reddick, extending his winless streak to 33 consecutive Cup Series races. Larson gained the lead on the two-lap dash when his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet cleared Denny Hamlin on the inside, but his car tightened up in the corners on two fresh right-side tires. Reddick slipped under Larson coming through the final two turns and beat him by 0.118 seconds at the line. Larson's last Cup win came at Kansas in May 2025.
Sources: NASCAR.com
NASCAR Reshapes Talladega Stage Structure to Eliminate Fuel-Saving Tactics
NASCAR has restructured the stage lengths for Sunday's Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, flipping the original format to combat fuel-saving concerns on superspeedways. The original 60-60-68-lap layout has been replaced by a 98-lap Stage 1, a 45-lap Stage 2, and a 45-lap final stage, keeping the final two stages short enough for drivers to run without a fuel stop. NASCAR executive vice president John Probst said the goal is to discourage throttle-lifting by ensuring stages two and three can be completed on one tank. Stage 1's greater length could produce strategic variation, with some teams attempting a single pit stop versus two.
Sources: NASCAR.com
NASCAR Reveals Team-Warning System Used During Kansas Race After Late Caution Controversy
NASCAR officials revealed Tuesday that they used a Microsoft Teams chat system to send friendly reminders to teams during Sunday's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, following a late caution by Cody Ware that triggered overtime and cost Denny Hamlin a likely victory. NASCAR vice president of race communications Mike Forde explained that officials use the virtual chat alongside the blue flag and race director Tim Bermann's public radio channel to warn lapped teams against impacting the race outcome. Forde said NASCAR will not penalize teams for racing judgments like Ware's spin but has previously called drivers, spotters, and crew chiefs to the hauler when actions are deemed unintelligent.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Toyota Holds 125-Point Manufacturer Lead as 23XI Racing Dominates the 2026 Season
Toyota holds a commanding 125-point lead in the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer standings after Tyler Reddick's victory at Kansas Speedway, with Toyota's teams accounting for seven of the first nine wins of the 2026 season. The standings show Toyota at 455 points, Chevrolet at 330, and Ford at 314. Reddick's No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota is the central force behind Toyota's advantage, having won the Daytona 500, Atlanta, Circuit of The Americas, Darlington, and Kansas. Denny Hamlin, second in driver standings with 352 points, and Ty Gibbs, fourth with 319, add further Toyota depth, leaving Chevrolet and Ford with a steep deficit to close.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Daniel Dye Signs with Live Fast Motorsports for Cup Series Debut at Talladega
Daniel Dye will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford, the team announced Monday. The 22-year-old was suspended in March by NASCAR and his then-team Kaulig Racing after making comments on a livestream about IndyCar driver David Malukas; he subsequently resigned from Kaulig Racing once the suspension was lifted. Live Fast Motorsports, owned by B.J. McLeod and based in Mooresville, North Carolina, has signed Dye for four Cup races in 2026: Talladega in April, Pocono in June, Daytona in August, and Talladega again in October. The Jack Link's 500 on April 26 marks his first Cup start.
Sources: Racing News
Jack Link's 500 Draws 41-Car Field at Talladega with Qualifying Threatened by Rain
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday's Jack Link's 500 with 41 cars entered for 40 starting spots, sending one team home. All 36 full-time charter entries are present, joined by five open cars including Jesse Love for Richard Childress Racing, Joey Gase for NY Racing Team, and Daniel Dye for Live Fast Motorsports. No practice is scheduled for the weekend, and Saturday's qualifying session is threatened by forecasted rain and thunderstorms that could force NASCAR to set the starting lineup by rulebook provisionals. The 188-lap, 500-mile race is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX and HBO Max.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 457 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 352 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 337 pts
4. Ty Gibbs — 319 pts
5. Kyle Larson — 314 pts
6. Chase Elliott — 305 pts
7. William Byron — 275 pts
8. Bubba Wallace — 275 pts
9. Brad Keselowski — 264 pts
10. Christopher Bell — 261 pts
11. Chris Buescher — 259 pts
12. Carson Hocevar — 237 pts
13. Ryan Preece — 235 pts
14. Joey Logano — 225 pts
15. Chase Briscoe — 214 pts
16. Daniel Suárez — 210 pts
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 455 pts
2. Chevrolet — 330 pts
3. Ford — 314 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency