Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Saturday, June 6, 2026
NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett Dies at 93
NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett, a two-time Cup Series champion and pioneering broadcaster, died peacefully at his home in Newton, North Carolina on June 4. He was 93. His family confirmed he passed of natural causes surrounded by family. Jarrett won championships in 1961 and 1965, claiming 50 career victories in 352 starts and the record for the largest winning margin in series history — 14 laps at the 1965 Southern 500. He became one of NASCAR’s most beloved voices on CBS and ESPN; his call of the 1993 Daytona 500 final lap, urging son Dale to victory, remains one of the sport’s most enduring moments.
Sources: NASCAR.com, NBC Sports, RACER
Hamlin Goes Last to First to Win Nashville Cracker Barrel 400
Denny Hamlin was penalized to last for jumping the start, then worked his way back through the field to win the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night. The 300-lap event featured a record 31 lead changes among 15 drivers. On the final restart with four laps remaining, Hamlin edged teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe in a three-wide battle to complete the dramatic comeback. Bell finished second and Briscoe third in a JGR 1-2-3. The victory was Hamlin’s 62nd career Cup win and his second of 2026. It trimmed Tyler Reddick’s points lead from 152 to 97.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Blaney Causes Post-Checkered Crash, Takes Blame for Hooking Reddick
A collision just past the finish line at Nashville overshadowed the final standings after Ryan Blaney pushed Chase Elliott three-wide at the checkered flag, getting the No. 9 sideways and hooking Reddick’s No. 45 into the outside wall. The impact destroyed Reddick’s car, though he walked away uninjured. Both Reddick and Elliott were scored sixth and seventh in the final results. Blaney, who finished eighth, accepted full responsibility afterward. “I was trying to push the No. 9 and got Chase sideways, which ended up hooking Tyler,” Blaney said. “I offer my sincere apologies to Reddick.” The incident trimmed only one position from Reddick’s points lead.
Sources: Motorsport.com, NASCAR.com
Van Gisbergen Earns First Oval Top-Five Finish at Nashville
Shane van Gisbergen earned his first career Cup Series top-five finish on an oval at Nashville, crossing the line fifth after NASCAR reviewed the photo finish. The New Zealander initially scored seventh, but was bumped ahead of Reddick and Elliott when officials determined he beat Reddick by 0.005 seconds. The result came in van Gisbergen’s 64th Cup start and moved him to 12th in the standings, 44 points above the playoff cutline. All seven of his Cup wins have come on road or street courses. “It’s been a long time coming on the ovals,” van Gisbergen said after his team confirmed the result.
Sources: NASCAR.com, RACER
Stenhouse Drives Kyle Busch Tribute Car to Fourth-Place Finish at Nashville
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove to a fourth-place finish for Hyak Motorsports at Nashville Superspeedway while carrying a tribute paint scheme honoring the late Kyle Busch. The No. 47 wore the NOS Energy livery Busch had taken to victory lane multiple times during his career. Stenhouse restarted 13th on the final restart with four laps remaining and charged forward to his best finish since the Daytona 500. The result moved him three spots to 23rd in the standings and marked Hyak’s best oval performance in more than four years. Hyak was also the top-finishing Chevrolet team on Sunday night.
Sources: Motorsport.com, Jayski
Reddick and Hamlin Bring Championship Battle to Michigan
Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin arrive at Michigan International Speedway for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 as the two dominant forces of the 2026 season and the last two race winners at the two-mile oval. Reddick leads Hamlin by 97 points after 14 races, with a 5.57 average finish that ties Richard Petty for seventh all-time through 14 races. Hamlin leads all drivers with 756 laps led and carries a streak of eight straight top-10s at Michigan. Ford has historically dominated the track with 44 all-time wins, but has managed only one victory all season. Chase Briscoe is the defending Michigan pole winner.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Jayski
Trackhouse Signs Magnussen for Project 91 NASCAR Debut at San Diego
Trackhouse Racing announced that former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen will drive the team’s Project 91 entry at Naval Base Coronado on June 21. Magnussen, a 10-year F1 veteran, will pilot the No. 91 Qualcomm Technologies Chevrolet in NASCAR’s inaugural race on an active United States military base. It marks the first Project 91 appearance since Helio Castroneves attempted the 2025 Daytona 500. Qualcomm is also the official circuit partner of the San Diego race weekend, with the street course named the Qualcomm Circuit under a separate partnership deal. Magnussen’s debut continues NASCAR’s effort to attract international motorsport talent.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Goodyear Brings New Right-Side Tire to Michigan for FireKeepers Casino 400
Goodyear is bringing a new right-side tire to Michigan International Speedway for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400, pairing it with a familiar left-side compound from previous Michigan races. The new compound was developed specifically for the high-speed two-mile oval, where cars sustain significant side-load forces through Michigan’s sweeping turns. Teams will have limited baseline data because the compound behaves differently than what they used in prior years. Michigan typically produces some of the fastest lap speeds on the Cup calendar. Goodyear worked with NASCAR throughout the offseason to develop the tire, aiming for more consistent performance across the full race distance.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 657 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 560 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 483 pts
4. Chase Elliott — 460 pts
5. Ty Gibbs — 449 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 409 pts
7. Christopher Bell — 399 pts
8. Chris Buescher — 393 pts
9. Carson Hocevar — 383 pts
10. Daniel Suarez — 378 pts
11. William Byron — 352 pts
12. Shane van Gisbergen — 348 pts
13. Brad Keselowski — 347 pts
14. Chase Briscoe — 343 pts
15. Bubba Wallace — 338 pts
16. Austin Cindric — 306 pts ▼ Chase cutline
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — leads (8 wins)
2. Chevrolet — 2nd (5 wins)
3. Ford — 3rd (1 win)
After Nashville, Race 14 of 36. Exact manufacturer points not available from published sources.
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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