Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Corey Heim Wins Inaugural Anduril 250 at Naval Base Coronado for First Career Cup Victory
Corey Heim claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in the inaugural Anduril 250 at Naval Base Coronado on Sunday, with Bubba Wallace second and Kyle Larson third. The win came after teammate Tyler Reddick made contact with Heim while the two battled for the lead, with Reddick subsequently cutting a left-front tire and falling to 25th. Heim’s No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota took the flag in just his 13th Cup Series career start. The race was NASCAR’s first-ever held on an active military base — the 3.4-mile, 16-turn Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Reddick–Hamlin Championship Gap Shrinks to Just Eight Points After San Diego
Denny Hamlin cut Tyler Reddick’s championship lead to just eight points following the Anduril 250 at Naval Base Coronado, turning what had been a 19-point margin into the tightest title battle of the 2026 NASCAR season. Reddick made contact with teammate Corey Heim while fighting for the win and cut a left-front tire, dropping more than 20 points after falling to 25th in the running order. Hamlin finished 14th but closed the gap. Through 17 of 36 races, Reddick leads with 716 points to Hamlin’s 708. Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have combined to win 11 of the first 17 races in 2026.
Sources: Motorsport.com, NASCAR.com
23XI Racing Penalized After Bubba Wallace’s Wheel Detaches at Naval Base Coronado
NASCAR penalized the No. 23 23XI Racing team Tuesday following Bubba Wallace’s loose wheel at Naval Base Coronado. Rear-tire changer Adam Hartman and jackman Nathan Ricketts have been suspended for the next two Cup Series events — through Chicagoland Speedway on July 5 — after Wallace’s right-front wheel detached on Lap 18 during Sunday’s Anduril 250, causing a caution flag. The violation cited Sections 8.8.10.4.A and D of the NASCAR Rule Book, which governs wheel retention and pit crew safety procedures. Despite the Lap 18 mechanical incident, Wallace recovered to finish second, one spot ahead of Kyle Larson in the race won by teammate Corey Heim.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Jayski
Magnussen and Gragson Clash On Track and Off After Inaugural San Diego Race
Kevin Magnussen and Noah Gragson clashed both on track and in the pit lane following NASCAR’s inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado. The two made contact on Lap 25 while racing in the lower reaches of the field; later, Magnussen got underneath Gragson entering Turn 4 and sent Gragson’s No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford spinning into the wall with race-ending damage. A post-race confrontation between the two produced a heated, profanity-laced exchange. Magnussen — making his Cup Series debut in Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 Chevrolet entry — acknowledged the second contact was deliberate payback. The confrontation did not become physical.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Van Gisbergen Crash Drops Kiwi Outside Chase Cutline After Three Straight Disasters
Shane van Gisbergen’s promising run at Naval Base Coronado ended in a multi-car crash during a restart on Lap 32, sending his No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet into the wall alongside teammate Connor Zilisch and Austin Hill. The crash dropped van Gisbergen three positions in the standings to 17th — five points outside the Chase cutline — marking his third consecutive finish of 30th or worse. Van Gisbergen, the defending Sonoma winner who dominated that race in 2025, now faces significant pressure to rebound at Sonoma Raceway on June 28 to keep his Chase hopes alive.
Sources: Motorsport.com, NASCAR.com
NASCAR Cup Series Heads to Sonoma for In-Season Challenge Round 1 This Sunday
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway this weekend for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on June 28, which will also serve as Round 1 of the 2026 In-Season Challenge — a 32-driver, single-elimination bracket tournament with a $1 million prize. Seedings were determined by points following Pocono, with Tyler Reddick earning the top seed, followed by Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Ty Gibbs. The race at the 1.99-mile California road course is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT Sports and HBO Max. All 32 driver matchups across the bracket are set for Sunday’s race.
Sources: NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com
Larson’s San Diego Top Five Restores Confidence Heading into Sonoma
Kyle Larson’s third-place finish at Naval Base Coronado moved the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion back inside the top five in the standings for the first time since May, and the Hendrick Motorsports driver said the result was a significant confidence boost. “It’s giving me more confidence,” Larson said. He climbed two positions in the standings to fourth with 536 points, trailing championship leader Tyler Reddick by 180 points. Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Ty Gibbs are separated by just two points behind Reddick and Hamlin as the series heads to Sonoma Raceway.
Sources: NASCAR.com
Ryan Preece Jumps Into Chase Bubble as Tight Playoff Picture Shuffles at San Diego
Ryan Preece vaulted three positions in the standings at Naval Base Coronado, jumping back inside the NASCAR Cup Series Chase bubble to 16th place with 367 points. The RFK Racing driver’s move came largely due to Shane van Gisbergen’s crash, which dropped the New Zealander to 17th — five points outside the cutline. Austin Cindric sits 15th with 370 points, leaving just eight points separating 14th-place Erik Jones (372) from van Gisbergen in 17th. The Ricky Stenhouse Jr. camp was the biggest loser overall, dropping four positions to 26th after a difficult San Diego race.
Sources: Motorsport.com, NASCAR.com
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Tyler Reddick — 716 pts
2. Denny Hamlin — 708 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 583 pts
4. Kyle Larson — 536 pts
5. Ty Gibbs — 535 pts
6. Chase Elliott — 534 pts
7. Chris Buescher — 500 pts
8. Daniel Suárez — 478 pts
9. Carson Hocevar — 476 pts
10. Chase Briscoe — 431 pts
11. Bubba Wallace — 429 pts
12. Christopher Bell — 422 pts
13. William Byron — 421 pts
14. Erik Jones — 372 pts
15. Austin Cindric — 370 pts
16. Ryan Preece — 367 pts
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — 802 pts
2. Chevrolet — 684 pts
3. Ford — 561 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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