Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Hocevar Earns First Career Cup Win at Talladega in 91st Start
Carson Hocevar earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, winning the Jack Link’s 500 by 0.114 seconds over Chris Buescher in his 91st career start. The 23-year-old Michigan native, driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, led 19 of the final 37 laps and held off three late restarts to claim the checkered flag. Hocevar is the 13th different driver to earn a first Cup win at Talladega and the first since Bubba Wallace in 2021. The victory also marks Spire Motorsports’ first Cup win since 2019. Alex Bowman finished third and Chase Elliott fourth for Hendrick Motorsports.
Sources: NASCAR.com, RACER
Wallace Spin Triggers 26-Car Crash, Red Flag at Talladega on Lap 115
A push from Ross Chastain sent race leader Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota sideways at the end of the back straightaway on Lap 115, triggering a 26-car crash that prompted a red flag at Talladega Superspeedway. The shove sent Wallace directly into the path of Cole Custer, who swerved into the three-wide draft and ignited a chain-reaction through Turn 3 that collected Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Ty Gibbs, and roughly 20 other competitors. Blaney, Logano, and Wallace could not continue. The wreck wiped out several championship contenders and reshuffled the playoff picture heading to Texas Motor Speedway.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Reddick Signs Multiyear Contract Extension to Stay at 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick signed a multiyear contract extension to remain with 23XI Racing, announced on FOX Sports ahead of Sunday’s Talladega race. Reddick, 30, has driven the No. 45 Toyota for the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan since 2023. The extension comes after Reddick became the first driver in NASCAR history to win each of the season’s first three races and has now won five of the opening 10 events of 2026 — the fourth driver ever and first since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to achieve that pace.
Sources: NASCAR.com, RACER
Reddick Extends Points Lead to 109 Despite 14th-Place Talladega Finish
Tyler Reddick extended his championship lead to 109 points over Denny Hamlin despite finishing 14th in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Reddick sits atop the standings with 461 points after 10 races, with Hamlin second at 352, Ryan Blaney third at 343, Ty Gibbs fourth at 319, and Kyle Larson fifth at 314. At the playoff cutline, Austin Cindric holds the 16th and final automatic transfer spot, just four points ahead of Chase Briscoe and 21 points clear of Ross Chastain as the battle for championship berths intensifies.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Alex Bowman Ends 2026 Slump With First Top-Five Finish Since August
Alex Bowman ended a months-long slump with a third-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, his first top-five result since August at Richmond Raceway. Bowman, who missed four Cup races earlier in 2026 due to vertigo, was planted behind Carson Hocevar throughout the final stage and collected three stage points in Stage 2 to position himself for the strong finish. Chase Elliott added a fourth-place finish for Hendrick Motorsports, which placed three cars in the top five. Bowman’s result climbs him into the playoff picture conversation heading into the Texas Motor Speedway weekend.
Sources: Jayski, NASCAR.com
Spire Motorsports Celebrates First Win Since 2019 With All-Night Chili’s Party
Spire Motorsports celebrated Carson Hocevar’s first Cup win — and the team’s first since 2019 — with an all-night gathering at a Fort Worth Chili’s restaurant on Sunday evening. About 25 team members celebrated into Monday morning before continuing at the home of a team official, where festivities rolled on until sunrise. Hocevar’s unforgettable victory burnout, in which he hung from the window of his moving No. 77 Chevrolet while driving along the Talladega tri-oval and even against the outside wall, was described by team members as perfectly on-brand for the Michigan native.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Power Rankings: Hocevar Enters Top 10 for First Time Heading to Texas
NASCAR released its official Cup Series power rankings ahead of the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, with Carson Hocevar entering the top 10 for the first time following his Talladega breakthrough. Tyler Reddick remains the series’ top-ranked driver despite a 14th-place Talladega result, owing to his five victories in 10 starts. Kyle Larson, who finished 40th at Talladega after getting caught in the Lap 115 crash, fell in the rankings but remains inside the playoff picture. Texas represents an 11th-race test for drivers scrambling to win or bank enough points to secure a playoff berth.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Würth 400 Entry List Confirmed for Texas Motor Speedway on May 3
NASCAR released the Cup Series entry list Wednesday for Sunday’s Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, confirming 38 cars for the 1.5-mile oval. Corey Heim will pilot the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota in his third Cup start of 2026 as part of his 12-race developmental schedule with the team. Dallas Mavericks rookie star Cooper Flagg has been named honorary pace car driver for the weekend. Joey Logano is the defending race winner, though he was eliminated at Talladega. Open teams entered include Chad Finchum in the No. 66. The Würth 400 airs Sunday, May 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 461 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 352 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 343 pts
4. Ty Gibbs — 319 pts
5. Kyle Larson — 314 pts
6. Chase Elliott — 307 pts
7. Chris Buescher — 287 pts
8. Carson Hocevar — 283 pts
9. William Byron — 275 pts
10. Bubba Wallace — 275 pts
11. Brad Keselowski — 273 pts
12. Christopher Bell — 268 pts
13. Ryan Preece — 261 pts
14. Daniel Suárez — 231 pts
15. Joey Logano — 228 pts
16. Austin Cindric — 220 pts ▲ BUBBLE
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 469 pts
2. Chevrolet — 378 pts
3. Ford — 342 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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