Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Friday, May 15, 2026
NASCAR All-Star Race heads to Dover Motor Speedway for first-ever visit, $1 million on the line Sunday
The NASCAR All-Star Race makes its first-ever appearance at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 17, with 36 chartered drivers competing for a $1 million prize. The 350-lap exhibition runs in three segments: two 75-lap opening stages for the full field, followed by a 200-lap finale restricted to 26 drivers. Nineteen drivers are already locked into the final segment, including championship leader Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, Carson Hocevar, Ryan Blaney, and Shane van Gisbergen. The fan vote winner will be announced Sunday morning before the race, adding the 20th locked-in driver. The event does not award championship points. Green flag drops at 1:05 p.m. ET on FS1.
Sources: Jayski, NASCAR.com
Dover applies resin, runs 750-horsepower engines for All-Star Race in push for multiple racing grooves
Dover Motor Speedway crews have been applying resin across the entire one-mile concrete oval ahead of Sunday’s All-Star Race, followed by tire dragging to build rubber throughout the corners. The goal is to create multiple racing grooves on a surface historically prone to single-file racing. NASCAR also introduced 750-horsepower engine rules at Dover for the first time in 2026, a configuration previously reserved for short tracks and road courses. The higher power output, combined with the track surface work, aims to produce more varied entry speeds and side-by-side competition at the high-banked “Monster Mile.” Dover has not hosted a points race since 2023.
Sources: Jayski
NASCAR explains no-caution for Cody Ware's Watkins Glen crash; new ECU impact-detection system coming
NASCAR managing director Brad Moran defended the decision not to throw a caution during Sunday’s Watkins Glen race for Cody Ware’s severe late-race crash, in which the No. 51 car made significant contact with Turn 6–7 fencing. Because Ware drove away from the scene within seconds, NASCAR protocol did not require a caution unless the car began dropping debris. Post-race replays revealed the impact’s severity, drawing widespread criticism. Moran disclosed that a new ECU installed in Cup Series cars for the first time this weekend at Dover includes an incident data recorder that could eventually alert race control automatically to high-impact events.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Watkins Glen draws 1.928 million viewers, lowest-rated race of the 2026 season with no direct comparison available
The NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen on FS1 averaged 1.928 million viewers and a 1.06 rating on May 10, the lowest-rated race of the 2026 season, according to Nielsen Big Panel data. No direct year-over-year comparison exists since this was the first spring running of the race at Watkins Glen. The companion O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on The CW drew 1,013,000 viewers, extending the streak of every CW NASCAR race this season surpassing one million viewers. The Craftsman Truck Series drew 329,000 on FS1 that Friday. NASCAR moves next to Dover for Sunday’s non-points All-Star Race.
Sources: Motorsport.com, Jayski
Hocevar eyes Indianapolis 500 as career goal after breakout 2026 Cup Series season
Carson Hocevar, currently seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 342 points, says he is eager to race at the Indianapolis 500 and visited Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week to advance discussions. The 22-year-old Spire Motorsports driver won his first Cup Series race at Talladega in April and has quickly emerged as one of the season’s breakout performers. Competing in open-wheel racing has become more common for NASCAR Cup drivers in recent seasons, following Kyle Larson’s 2021 attempt and subsequent double-duty runs. Hocevar did not confirm a specific entry but described the Indy 500 as a career goal he intends to pursue seriously.
Sources: RACER
Katherine Legge seeks Larson's advice on historic Indy 500–Coca-Cola 600 double attempt
Katherine Legge has reached out to Kyle Larson for advice on attempting the Indianapolis 500–Coca-Cola 600 double on May 24, which would make her the first woman to complete the grueling back-to-back on the same day. Legge, who drives the No. 15 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club in the NASCAR Cup Series, will run the Indy 500 in a separate entry and then fly directly to Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson, the 2021 Cup champion, completed the double in 2023 and 2024. The Charlotte race begins at 6 p.m. ET on Prime Video, giving Legge a narrow window depending on when the Indy 500 concludes at approximately 4 p.m.
Sources: RACER
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 567 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 438 pts
3. Chase Elliott — 422 pts
4. Ryan Blaney — 405 pts
5. Chris Buescher — 375 pts
6. Ty Gibbs — 372 pts
7. Carson Hocevar — 342 pts
8. Kyle Larson — 332 pts
9. Brad Keselowski — 318 pts
10. Bubba Wallace — 313 pts
11. Christopher Bell — 311 pts
12. William Byron — 309 pts
13. Ryan Preece — 296 pts
14. Daniel Suarez — 295 pts
15. Austin Cindric — 287 pts
16. Shane van Gisbergen — 283 pts
After Race 12 — Watkins Glen (May 10)
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 547 pts
2. Chevrolet — 495 pts
3. Ford — 404 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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