Samwise NASCAR Cup Series Newsletter
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Race to the Chase: Hamlin Leads Reddick by 44 as Season Enters Critical Final Stretch
With 20 regular-season races complete, Denny Hamlin leads Tyler Reddick by 44 points entering the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark — a gap reversed from six weeks ago when Reddick held a 129-point cushion. Chase Briscoe’s Chicagoland win catapulted him from outside the top 16 to eighth in standings, illustrating how quickly wins reshape the playoff picture. “If you can win races, you can make up a lot of points really, really quickly,” Briscoe said after the race. On the bubble, Erik Jones is just four points clear of the cutline, with Ryan Preece, Joey Logano, AJ Allmendinger, and Brad Keselowski all still at risk.
Sources: motorsport.com motorsport.com Standings Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Restarts and Receipts: Hill–SVG Feud Runs Deep Ahead of EchoPark Reunion
The Rajah Hill and Shane van Gisbergen rivalry traces back more than a year before their Chicagoland flashpoint. A 2024 incident at COTA during an O’Reilly Auto Parts race started the chain, with Hill’s retaliation at Pocono and van Gisbergen’s return at Chicagoland on July 5 representing escalating chapters. NASCAR has flagged the feud officially and scheduled mandatory hauler meetings with both drivers — along with Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar — at EchoPark ahead of the Quaker State 400. The sanctioning body cleared Hill and van Gisbergen of penalties after the Chicagoland data review but made clear both remain under close scrutiny.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chase Elliott Plans Tripleheader at North Wilkesboro, Including First Truck Start Since 2023
Chase Elliott is set for a tripleheader at North Wilkesboro Speedway the weekend of July 17–18, capping the program with his first NASCAR Truck Series start in three years. Elliott will drive the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the Faith Fest 250 on July 18 — his first Truck start since the 2023 Daytona 500 weekend, where he finished 10th for the same organization. He will also compete in the CARS Tour race on July 17. Currently fifth in Cup Series points, Elliott will run the full EchoPark race weekend before heading to North Wilkesboro the following week.
Tyler Reddick Nominated for ESPYS Best Driver Award After Historic Five-Win Season
Tyler Reddick earned a nomination for Best Driver at the 2026 ESPYS, ESPN’s annual sports awards ceremony airing July 15 on ABC. The honor follows a historic season: Reddick won each of the first three Cup races of 2026 and has five wins through 19 events, including the Daytona 500. He currently sits second in the Cup standings, 44 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. His ESPYS competition includes Formula 1’s Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris along with IndyCar’s Alex Palou, putting NASCAR’s most dominant driver this season on the same stage as international motorsport’s elite.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
In-Season Challenge Round 3 at EchoPark: Briscoe vs. Elliott Headlines $1M Bracket
Eight drivers enter Round 3 of NASCAR’s 2026 In-Season Challenge at EchoPark Speedway this Sunday, competing for a share of the $1 million prize purse. The bracket pits Todd Gilliland against Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe against Georgia native Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin against JGR teammate Christopher Bell, with a fourth matchup expected between Ryan Blaney and William Byron. Advancement requires outperforming your assigned rival in Sunday’s race. Briscoe — fresh off his Chicagoland victory — enters as a dangerous opponent for Elliott, who will have the home-state crowd behind him at the Atlanta-area oval.
Sources: NASCAR.com Jayski Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Prime Video and TNT Want More NASCAR Races as Streaming Partners Exceed Expectations
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell addressed the sport’s broadcast landscape this week, noting that both Prime Video and TNT Sports have expressed interest in expanding their race packages beyond current allocations. Under the deal running through 2031, each platform carries five Cup Series races per season. Five Prime Video races are already complete for 2026 while TNT Sports is midway through its run. Fox Sports and NBC Sports continue carrying the majority of the schedule. O’Donnell’s comments suggest the streaming platforms’ NASCAR programs have outperformed expectations, setting up potential deal conversations well before the current rights agreement expires.
EchoPark Race Winner to Receive Custom Harley-Davidson ‘250 Years of Freedom’ Motorcycle
The winner of this Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway will take home more than hardware. NASCAR and Harley-Davidson have partnered to award the race victor a custom “250 Years of Freedom” motorcycle, commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. The ceremonial prize adds a high-profile ancillary award to the race, continuing a NASCAR tradition of tying landmark national occasions to on-track events. The custom bike accompanies the standard winner’s purse for Sunday’s race. EchoPark Speedway is hosting its second summer Cup event and has positioned the Quaker State 400 as one of the season’s marquee non-playoff destination races.
EchoPark Cup Qualifying Set for Saturday Afternoon in Single-Car Format on truTV
NASCAR has released qualifying orders for the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway, with single-car time trials set for Saturday, July 12 at 4:40 p.m. ET on truTV. Each driver receives one flying lap to establish their starting position for Sunday’s 400-mile race — no group sessions, no knockout rounds. The format rewards mechanical setup and lap-time precision over pack-racing speed, tending to favor teams with strong individual downforce configurations. The race airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, truTV, and Max, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Sources: NASCAR.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Cup Series Standings (Top 16)
1. Denny Hamlin — 764 pts
2. Tyler Reddick — 720 pts
3. Ryan Blaney — 651 pts
4. Ty Gibbs — 627 pts
5. Chase Elliott — 584 pts
6. Kyle Larson — 583 pts
7. Chris Buescher — 541 pts
8. Chase Briscoe — 538 pts
9. Carson Hocevar — 524 pts
10. Christopher Bell — 512 pts
11. Daniel Suarez — 507 pts
12. William Byron — 499 pts
13. Bubba Wallace — 484 pts
14. Shane van Gisbergen — 437 pts
15. Austin Cindric — 434 pts
✂ CUT LINE
16. Erik Jones — 411 pts
Bubble: Ryan Preece 407 • Logano 395 • Allmendinger 395 • Keselowski 392
Manufacturer Standings
1. Toyota — leading
2. Chevrolet — −120 pts
3. Ford — −270 pts
After Race 19 (Chicagoland)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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