The Cup teams take it to the Bristol Motor Speedway for Chase Race Three. Weather canceled qualifying for the Cup teams at Bristol on Friday, so, you know what that means, don’t you? Yeah, that’s correct. The starting lineup will be according to the rulebook. That also means a few interesting things could change how the race goes.

Sometimes, things happen that make a large difference in how things might have gone. Because of the weather situation, Kyle Larson, last week’s winner, starts on the pole and, barring the unforeseen, will likely have the best pit stall. Having that pit stall could be an even greater advantage than starting on the pole.

Taking in the reality of that starting lineup and pit stall situation, especially at Bristol, could have major implications for Kyle and the rest of the field. Look, I know nothing is ever set in stone in the NASCAR Cup Series, but let’s be honest. Last weekend Kyle broke his fifty-one-race winless streak and carries the momentum into this weekend from that win. Of course, everyone knows that doesn’t mean much when it comes to the actual race, but it does mean he is taking that momentum to a place where he generally performs well.

Naturally, there are other factors involved in what the weather did, the field having to start according to the rulebook metrics, and how the rest of the field lines up. If nothing else, it should make it very interesting, depending on how things go.

One of the interesting things from my view about how the race will start is that Joey Logano starts on the front row with Larson. Logano and Larson both scored a bunch of points last weekend and led the most laps between them. They also battled each other for much of the race for the win. Last weekend, Logano started on the pole, with Larson outside him on the front row. This weekend, those roles are reversed. As a fan, I don’t know that that will have any bearing at all on how this one will go from the drop of the green flag, or when the checkered flag drops at the finish.

I almost hate to bring this up, but Denny Hamlin starts from the third position, just nine points ahead of Larson, who gained five spots in the points standings with his win last weekend. That means the drama will be heightened as this race progresses.

In fact, there are several drivers starting in the top fifteen that could end the day with a win. That wouldn’t be all that much of a surprise, since that area is full of Chasers looking for a win. Let’s not forget that a winner from outside The Chase could also happen. That makes things even more interesting, especially in a night race at Bristol on a Saturday night.

As a quick side note, William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Alex Bowman start fourth, fifth, and sixth, and all three are quite capable of winning. Of course, Byron has had his share of difficulties in this part of the season, but he did manage a good finish last weekend, even though he once again faced difficulties during the earlier parts of the race. I can’t help but wonder if this might be his time to take his first win in 2026, much like Larson broke through last weekend. Of course his results won’t be as dramatic as Larson’s, but he could still make a pretty good leap back into contention. After all, we are only three races in.

Carson Hocevar is once again my possible dark horse winner. If he pulls off a victory, that would definitely shake things up in The Chase. The same goes for Bubba Wallace starting tenth. Should he take the win, it would be a second Toyota to win in the first three races of The Chase. That would really shake things up in this fan’s opinion.

Once again, there are so many possibilities in this Bristol night race that it is hard to get a real grip on which of the drivers might win. Christopher Bell quickly comes to mind as well as Brad Keselowski, Austin Cindric, Ty Gibbs, and even Ryan Preece. Some Long shots for this one, at least from this fan’s view, are Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Tyler Reddick. Sure, I know there are others, but I just didn’t want to list most of the rest of the field.

Looking at this Bristol night race, and how things often go here, I suppose it could go much like last weekend. Who knows, but that it might be another battle between Larson and Logano, with either the same or reversed result at the finish. I don’t have any idea how it will finish, but I am sure it will be intense…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

Chase race one is in the books. Now the Cup teams move on to Chase race two at the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Things have definitely changed quite a bit from where they were before last week’s race. Oh sure, Denny Hamlin is still on top, but his points lead has changed. Last week he had a good lead over second place of twenty-four points. This week, it is twenty-four points between him and fourth place. That is a big difference for just one weekend, and it really tightens things between first and fourth. After that, things loosen up a little, but still, it is only forty-nine points between first and seventh.

After finishing seven times in second place, Christopher Bell finally broke through for his first win in the 2026 season and jumped four places in the standings to second behind Hamlin. I know it is only one race into the Chase, but that is impressive for more than one reason. The main reason is that he has been one of the most consistent finishers this season, and starting off the Chase with a win could mean there is more in store for him.

Yeah, I realize you can’t tell a lot from just one race, but there is a thing called momentum. In the Chase format, momentum can mean a lot moving into the next few races. That is where the rubber meets the road, and only after a few more races will we actually know where that momentum leads. Unfortunately, every week could be a one-off for several drivers, and the points race could change accordingly.

I mean, take a look at the starting lineup for today’s race. Joey Logano took the pole, and Kyle Larson starts beside him on the front row. Why is that such a big deal? Well, from this fan’s view, they are seventh and eighth in the Chase Standings. One is a Ford, and the other is a Chevy. One has two wins, and the other has no wins in 2026. Their starting spots could by no means have anything at all to do with how the race will end. But it could.

After observing the practice and the qualifying, the Penske Fords did appear to have good grip on the track, and both Logano and Ryan Blaney had good speed in practice and both qualified well, Logano on the pole and Blaney third.

I can’t help but ask this next question. Is it possible that Kyle Larson will break out of his slump of no wins? I mean, it has been fifty-some races since he has visited Victory Lane. That’s a long time and not something any of us expected. Yeah, I realize the Chevys have been working through adapting to a new body style, but for Kyle, the new body style hasn’t been his only problem. He has three DNFs this season, and some of them have come when he was running well and having a good race.

I know I’m repeating myself, but for Kyle and his teammate, William Byron, if it weren’t for bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Byron’s luck turned against him again last weekend with engine problems. That dropped him all the way to the sixteenth spot in the Chase. That was only a drop of three places, but he really didn’t get many points at all. He definitely has a deep hole to dig himself out of, and his qualifying for this week wasn’t great either. He starts twenty-fourth.

There is a possible dark horse starting in the sixth spot, and that is Carson Hocevar. I know he hasn’t been finishing all that well, but he has shown speed just about every weekend. That speed hasn’t necessarily carried over to the end of a race, but he is definitely someone who could pull off the unexpected win.

Okay, I could go on talking about many different drivers, but for this race, I can’t ignore the fact that the Toyotas qualified fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, and tenth. Four of those are JGR Toyotas, and we all know how they’ve been running this season. There is a fifth Toyota in those top ten, and it is the 23XI Toyota of Bubba Wallace. He is another this fan considers like Hocevar. He has been running well and could be the one in Victory Lane when this one is finished.

It is hard to discount how the Toyotas might fare in today’s race. In fact, I think they are expected to be running up front by many, at least by the end of the race. Where exactly they will be is an unanswered question that will be answered when the final checkered flag falls. Will it be a Ford, a Chevy, or a Toyota sitting in Victory Lane? Will it be one of the expected drivers, or will it be a total surprise winner? Will the Chase standings be completely changed up, or will they stay pretty much the same? That, my friends, are the questions, and we won’t know the answers until this one is over…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

The biggest question on everyone’s mind, at least from this fan’s view, is which of the drivers will be at the biggest disadvantage as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Chase kicks off at Darlington Raceway. Weather has set the field up in a peculiar way, and the Chase drivers are spread throughout the complete field. There was no practice and no qualifying, and that means the field is set by NASCAR’s matrix. It also means that the entire field will start the race with their notes from the spring race and the best guess the engineers could come up with as they unloaded off the trucks for this one. That’s a heck of a way to start the first race of the Chase.

Looking at the situation from a very negative perspective, I would say that gives some an advantage and puts others at a very distinct disadvantage. The first real advantage goes to Tyler Reddick since he will be starting on the pole, more because of the weather rather than actual qualifying speed.

Now, listen. I’m not saying he may not have taken the pole anyway. I’m just saying he got the first positive break to start this 2026 Chase. Judging from the way they ran in the spring race and the overall performance of Toyotas in general this season, this could mean Tyler Reddick could come away with a win and points advantage after this one is over. I know he has also struggled during the summer months, but he seems to have turned things around a bit. Will this give him the boost he needs to start strong as the Chase begins, much like his start to this year, or will it be a day of disappointment? Honestly, from this fan’s view, I think it could go either way.

As I mentioned earlier, the sixteen Chase drivers are scattered throughout the entire field, and some are starting as far back as thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth. That would be Carson Hocevar and Chris Beuscher. It may not mean anything at all, and the Southern 500 is a long race, but that is a tough place to start from with so many of them starting in the top twenty or so. Say what you will, but they have a lot of ground to make up.

The JGR Toyotas do seem to be well placed in the field, and that could bode well for them over some of the other teams. The way the JGR and 23XI teams have been running and are starting today could mean trouble for the rest of the Chasers as they start mostly in the top twenty.

The best of the Hendrick teams isn’t even in the Chase, and that is Alex Bowman, starting tenth. Of the other three, Chase Elliott has the best starting spot, but that is eighteenth. William Byron starts twentieth, and Kyle Larson starts twenty-fifth. When I consider their season, I have to say they are definitely at a disadvantage as they start this season’s Chase.

When I look at Byron and Larson individually, I see a couple of teams that seem to be struggling. That doesn’t mean they haven’t had moments of running well, but the story of their season, at least from this fan’s view, has been different than their usual performance. I’m not saying they haven’t had their moments of running well. What I am saying is that they just haven’t always finished well in the closing laps of races where it looked like they were going to finish well. It makes me wonder if their fortunes might change as they enter into the Chase. If the past races of this season show mediocre performance, could it be that they suddenly begin to win races and become honest-to-goodness contenders for the championship?

That may be a pipe dream for the Hendrick Chevys, and I include Chase Elliott in this discussion. The Hendrick teams have definitely struggled during this 2026 season, but they are the Hendrick teams, and things could change as quickly as today’s race.

There are a lot of unknowns as the 16 Chasers take to the track at Darlington today. No doubt Darlington is a challenge for all. A lot of unexpected things can happen today and very well could make a difference in the way the next races in the Chase end up.

So, what do you think? Is it going to be business as usual with the Toyotas kind of leading the way while the Chevys and Fords continue to struggle? Well, many of the Fords, except for Ryan Blaney’s Penske Ford. He has been running well almost every week, even if he hasn’t always finished well.

I don’t know about you, but I think this could be one of the most interesting races we’ve seen, especially after the weather canceled the qualifying and spread the Chasers everywhere throughout the starting field. Could it be that someone other than a Chaser wins today? Yeah, that’s a possibility, and wouldn’t that make things even more interesting…?

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

There is at least a little drama left for this final race of the 2026 regular NASCAR Cup season. I suppose it is fitting that the regular season started at Daytona and it is ending at Daytona.

So, what is that remaining drama? Well, that is a good question, and many will say there is none. Others, like this NASCAR fan, see something that the others either don’t see or choose to ignore. I suppose there are some that honestly really don’t care too much about those making the final sixteen for the Chase.

To be honest, from this fan’s view, some are making a bigger deal about it than others. They say there are five contenders for the final three spots left to qualify for the Chase, but I only see one, or maybe two spots that could change, depending on how this Coke Zero Sugar 400 tonight pans out. After all, this is Daytona. Not only is it Daytona, but it has new rules that can, or will, change the way the race goes. From what I understand about these rule changes, the drivers will have to adapt to what they are given as far as balance and horsepower.

The biggest reason for making such a rash statement from this fan’s view is that they have only their qualifying lap to have any idea whatsoever as to how their cars are going to feel and handle. They have to rely on what their engineers are telling them and possibly any time they got in the simulators. From what I could tell from watching the qualifying, some were very uncomfortable with what they have to work with.

So, does that mean they can’t adjust?

Absolutely not. Let’s not forget. We are often reminded that the Cup drivers are “the best in the world.” That may or may not be true, but still, some adapt and adjust to some changes NASCAR makes a little faster than others do. From what I saw in qualifying, many of the Toyota drivers weren’t all that confident in what they were working with. That doesn’t mean they didn’t qualify well. It only means that many on the top team didn’t, and that was the JGR team. Only two of them in the top fifteen and none in the top ten.

Let’s look at the obvious. Denny Hamlin will be the top seed when the Chase begins. Ryan Blaney will quite likely be second place in the Chase, but Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick may or may not swap their spots around simply because there are only twenty points separating them. Now, don’t get me wrong. I realize there are others close in points to some, and there could be some spots swap around a bit (especially since this is Daytona and just about anything can happen).

Ross Chastain qualified on the pole. I have to admit, that was a bit of a surprise, but not totally unexpected. Ross has shown himself to be quite capable on the “superspeedways.” I’m not going to stick my neck way out there, but he just might pull off a win in this one. Frankly, I would like to see that.

Probably the tightest battle for making the Chase for those not already locked in is the one between SVG and Ryan Preece. From this fan’s view, barring the absolute unforeseen, it is the only real drama that will depend on how they finish and whether either of them gets caught up in a “Big One.”

Speaking of possible “Big Ones,” we all know they can happen at any time, and they can totally affect how the race ends up for more than one or two. Included in that “more than one or two” statement could be anyone in the field. Someone hunting for a spot in the Chase or someone on their way to a victory.

As it stands right now, three drivers are not totally locked into the Chase. If a “Big One” happens and takes them out along with it, all bets are off, and they might miss making it. Of the ones I see possibly making it, only Ryan Preece is really close enough to SVG to break into the Chase, leaving SVG on the outside looking in. Will that happen? Probably not, but this is Daytona.

As a fan, I am looking forward to seeing how this Coke Zero Sugar 400 goes. There are a lot of possibilities to consider, and with the rule changes happening for the first time in this race, there is no telling how this one will end up…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

I don’t know about you, but it is hard to believe there are only two weekends left in the 2026 regular NASCAR season. This part of the season seems to have flown by more quickly than in other years. I guess it could be because I have gotten older that the time seems to fly by, but I’m not so sure that is the reason. All I know for sure is that the Chase starts the week after Daytona next weekend, and there are a number of drivers hoping that these next two races add up to big points totals for them.

Unfortunately, there are only so many points to go around, and though some may still have a chance to make it into the Chase, there are more that will likely have to wait until at least next season to try again to make it in.

I’m not willing to crown him just yet, but Denny Hamlin probably has the best chance of being the number one seed going into the Chase. Even though he has appeared to struggle at times, he has been rock solid most of the latter part of the season, and this NASCAR fan thinks he will finish off strong. He only needs to have good, decent finishes for the next two weekends to clinch that number one seed. If he has disastrous races in the next two, he could be in trouble, but the chances of that happening are very low.

It would also depend on how those three drivers closest to him in points fare. Ryan Blaney is 115 points behind going into the race here at the Magic Mile. A couple of wins for him and real disasters for Hamlin (like finishing last both weekends) could make the final results very close. The points separation between the others in the top four right now is only 23 points. That doesn’t give a lot of breathing room for Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, and Tyler Reddick. Blaney is twelve points ahead of Gibbs and only twenty-three ahead of Reddick. Of all that is going on in the top four, the rest are needing them to all have bad luck for the next two races to even think about getting close and we all know that isn’t going to happen.

Just considering the points at the present time, the top four are pretty much going to stay the top four. They may swap positions around, but in my opinion, I don’t honestly expect anyone different to move into the top four positions. That being said, the rest of the top sixteen in points are probably not going to change either. I say that knowing that Daytona is next week and just about anything is possible. Like I said though, I don’t expect it.

Ryan Preece is fifty points behind SVG. SVG is sixteenth in points, and he really can’t afford to have a bad race either at the Magic Mile or Daytona if he wants to stay qualified for the Chase. If anyone is precariously sitting on the bubble, that would be SVG. He doesn’t have much room left for a bad finish.

The top seven have clinched a spot in the Chase. That means all four of the JGR Toyotas will be in the Chase no matter what. Taking a reality check, there are four Toyotas that could be racing for the Championship at the end of the Chase. In fact, there are six that may have the chance to be in the top four when it comes down to it. Still, there is no easy road for any of them because of the way the Chase format is set up; no one can afford to have a bad day at the races.

Now, I realize I have spent a lot of time talking about the Toyotas. That is mostly because they have been the better performers for most of this season. That doesn’t by any means suggest that there aren’t others that can be in the hunt when it comes down to crunch time. That would discount the great performances Ryan Blaney has had over these last weeks of the season so far. He has been running consistently strong, and I really expect him to continue to do so. Joey Logano and Chris Buescher are two other Fords that must be considered to be in the hunt once the chase begins.

I have to admit that the Chevys have somewhat confused me. I know they have been adapting to the new body style, but even when it looks like they are getting a grip on it, they finish badly. I mean, did anyone really expect Kyle Larson and William Byron to have no wins this season? I know I didn’t expect that to happen. I thought each of them would have at least one win apiece. Instead, they have continued to struggle to carry a good day all the way to the end of a race. I hate to admit it, but unless their fortunes change when the Chase begins, I’m not counting them out, but I am not counting them in either. I do believe they will both make the Chase, but I am not so sure they will make a good showing. They are not the only Chevys that will be contending in the Chase, and I could be in for the shock of the century if they all of a sudden find the speed and balance that propels them to the front and possible multiple wins.

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a very challenging track with hardly any banking, and I expect those that can turn the fastest laps on the long runs could end up at the front and even in Victory Lane. I’m not saying that will be a Chevy, but then again, it could be…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time.

It’s once again time for short track racing on a Saturday night and the place is Richmond Raceway for the Cook Out 400. That’s 400 laps and 300 miles of Saturday night, under the lights. It is all of that and more as the drivers jockey for all the points they can muster as their chances for qualifying for the Chase are down to these next three races.

It does appear to this NASCAR fan that Denny still has a pretty good grip on the points lead for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Championship, although things at the top of the standings have been shaken up in recent weeks. I honestly never expected Ty Gibbs to be in second place in the standings. Mostly because I never really expected Tyler Reddick to have the kind of luck he has had in recent weeks. He has gone from leading in points over Denny Hamlin to fourth place. Most of his drop has happened in the summer schedule of the 2026 season.

Now, I admit, only 120 points separate the top spot from the fourth spot, and only seventeen points separate second from fourth. Looking at it from the angle of second, third, and fourth in points, just about anything can happen in the next three races. I can’t say I’m expecting anything drastic to happen. I’m just saying the last several weeks have been tough for some and good for others. One other thing about the standings at this point is, all four JGR Toyotas are in the top six. I can’t say I expected that either.

Although the Chevys should have expected it, this fan is relatively surprised it has taken so long for them to get a grip on the new body style. Some weekends, it does look like they’ve improved by qualifying better, but the way they finish in the race shows they seem to be mostly lacking in speed. Now, I’m not saying they don’t have their moments, but they just don’t have it when it comes to head-to-head racing, especially with the Toyotas.

I know I’ve mentioned this often lately, but the Hendrick Chevys are the ones that are the biggest surprise, at least to this fan. I realize Chase Elliott has two wins this season, but compared to the Toyotas, he is just not nearly as competitive as the Toyotas camp in general. Still, he is ahead of his teammates in the standings.

Alex Bowman started the season with pretty consistent finishes, then ran into physical problems and dropped to twenty-ninth in the standings. After his physical challenges, that was to be expected, although he hasn’t had the best racing luck since then, either.

Although they are okay in the points standings so far, the two Hendrick drivers and teams that are the biggest surprise to this NASCAR fan are William Byron and Kyle Larson. They are both in the Chase, at least for the time being, and they are both struggling with no wins this season. Byron has struggled slightly more than Larson, but they both have three DNFs. Of these two, probably the biggest surprise is Kyle Larson. He does have eight top fives and eleven top tens, but he is currently in a bout with the worst case of racing luck – other than Tyler Reddick – I have seen in a long time. Of the Hendrick Chevys, he and his team have shown the most improvement in performance for the HMS garage. I’m not saying he is the only one that’s shown improvement, but overall, he has been showing up better than the other three HMS teams with regularity. But. To quote the words of an old song, “If it weren’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all.” Byron did qualify fifth for today’s race and could possibly have a very good day. As for Larson, well, he definitely has his work cut out for himself. He qualified thirtieth.

Just seventy-four points separate the eleventh spot in points from the sixteenth spot. Depending on how things go in today’s race and the next two, a lot can change. All it takes is a DNF by one or more, and there could be some major changes to the top sixteen. Only twenty-one points separate seventeenth from twentieth and only fifty-one points from sixteenth to twenty-first. If that doesn’t sound like drama in the points standings over the next three races, I don’t know what does.

From past experience at Richmond, I expect long green flag runs and a possible surprise winner. Will Austin Dillon make it three in a row at Richmond by winning from sixteenth? Will it be Ryan Blaney taking the trip to Victory Lane from the pole? Will it be a Ford, or a Chevy, or the expected or unexpected Toyota? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe even better…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

Counting this race at Iowa Speedway, NASCAR Cup teams are counting down to the Chase with only four races left to make it in. For some, the time is running out. For others, the time isn’t passing fast enough. There are several that are okay up to this point and some that just need to stop the bleeding.

The summer has been a rough time for some who looked to be ready to be challenging for the championship. Tyler Reddick comes to mind as one who has had a rough time. At one time, much earlier in the season, he looked like he was going to run away with it all. And then, the tide turned. Suddenly, the one that looked to be the most invincible was struggling to finish up front and was losing points to Denny Hamlin. He now sits eighty-four points behind points leader Hamlin. It all happened relatively quickly. Denny kept winning, and Reddick kept having problems. He is now only thirty-six points ahead of Ryan Blaney, who sits third in the points.

Ryan has had an interesting year, and his strong point has not only been winning a couple of races, but also being fairly consistent with four top fives and fifteen top tens. That consistency has kept him in the hunt, and he sits only 120 points behind points leader Hamlin. He is by no means out of the picture, and depending on how things go over the next four races, he does have a chance to pull ahead of Denny. I’m not so sure things will go that well for him, but I can’t deny the fact that it could. I don’t think I would be the first to say he is presently a long shot, but he definitely is in the hunt.

Ty Gibbs is right there, also. He is only 135 points out from Hamlin and just fifteen points behind Blaney. The four I just mentioned have clinched their spots in the Chase, so they are set no matter what happens in the four races ahead.

Some of the Toyotas had problems in the practice session, and they are hopeful their crews can figure it out before time for the race. One of those drivers was Denny Hamlin, and another was Chase Briscoe. If they don’t figure out the problem, Denny could be looking at his hold on the points lead fading a bit. You can bet that Reddick, Blaney, and Gibbs will be chomping at the bit if it looks like they can make up even a little ground on the points leader.

Taking a short break from talking about the drivers, Let’s talk a little about the track. I can’t remember a time recently when I’ve heard so many complaints about the condition of the track. Apparently, the surface is aging very quickly, and some even say it needs to be resurfaced. Most of those complaints seemed to be about how rough the track is and how poor the grip is. It seemed the drivers were having trouble hooking up and getting comfortable with the balance. What that means for the race, I am not sure. All I know is that often, when the complaints are through the roof, the racing is generally much better and more aggressive and tighter. Can’t say that will be the case in this one, but the possibility is there. I reckon we will know more when it gets started.

Well… back to talking about drivers and teams…

I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but Carson Hocevar is fifth in the standings heading to the Chase. He has been running fairly consistently and has been collecting those stage points, but there is a definite separation between the first four spots in points and the rest of the challengers. Over one hundred stage points separate fifth place from the top four, and it just gets worse from that point. From this fan’s view, that says something about the top four and how they’ve been running.

 I’ve already mentioned some of the Toyotas experienced problems during the practice and the qualifying. It remains to be seen if their problems carry over into today’s race. From my view, I expect them to run like they have been running. I will be watching to see if more of them are affected with the same problems as Hamlin and Briscoe faced. That could make things interesting.

There are some unexpected strong points for the Chevy teams. Kyle Larson qualified in the front row next to Blaney. That could be a good thing for him, but the way things have been going for the #5 Hendrick Chevy, well, let’s just say he needs a good day and leave it at that. Austin Dillon qualified seventh, Connor Zilisch eighth, and Ross Chastain ninth. There may be hope for the Chevys making a good showing today. With the way most of them have been struggling this season, a good day might be a surprise, but a win an even bigger one…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

There’s a difference when NASCAR takes it to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a track steeped in history and tradition. Ask just about anyone, whether it be a driver, crew chief, or crew member. They will tell you that everything just feels different at this place. Even the owners know the feeling and the history of the Brickyard, and every one of them wants to win at Indy. There is just a different air about the place. It is the oldest and most historic track around.

Even with all that history and tradition, things do change somewhat, like what happened in qualifying for the Brickyard 400. Not that it was so unexpected that Carson Hocevar won the pole position. He has shown speed at times, and to this fan, he has shown that he has had the speed more than once to take the pole position. This one was similar to another time when the last one to qualify and possibly beat him out for the pole was Denny Hamlin. However, this time Denny didn’t run fast enough to take it from him. He qualified fifth, much to Hocevar’s delight.

Probably one of the things about the qualifying results that surprises this fan the most is the way the Spire Motorsports cars qualified. I’ve already mentioned Hocevar, but Daniel Suarez qualified next to him on the front row, and Michael McDowell qualified sixth. Michael McDowell is a former winner at Indy, but admittedly, it was on the Indy Road Course in 2023.

The problem I see with the qualifying order and the Spire Teams is that the three JGR Toyotas qualified third, fourth, and fifth. In seventh, just behind McDowell, is another Toyota driven by Cory Heim, who won the Naval Base Coronado Anduril 250. That is pretty much a stacked deck of Toyotas in the top ten. Chase Briscoe is qualified eleventh, and he has been making a strong showing lately and now sits in the eighth spot in the points race to qualify for the Chase. That is a lot of Toyotas that have been showing good speed and winning a lot of races between them this season.

The first Ford doesn’t show up until the thirteenth starting spot, and that’s Ryan Blaney in his Penske number 12. When it comes to the race, I don’t really expect him to stay there. When it comes to the In-Season Challenge, he does have an obvious starting advantage over his competition for the million dollars, Todd Gilliland, who qualified thirty-sixth.

Of course, 400 miles leaves a lot of time for a lot to happen in the race within the race. Since this is Indy, I won’t say Gilliland’s chances are small, but I will say the deck might be slightly stacked against him. He only has to finish ahead of Blaney. He doesn’t have to win the race. As long as both are still running, they both have a chance for the million. An accident for one or both of them could decide things depending on where they end up in the final results. (Gee, that doesn’t sound like there’s any pressure involved on either one of them, does it?)

Alex Bowman, starting eighth, is the highest qualified Hendrick Chevy. From this fan’s view, it goes without saying, He could be a contender in this one. Since he has his contract extension with Hendrick for another year and he says 2027 will be his last year in full-time Cup racing, I’m sure he would love nothing better than to surprise everyone with a win at the Brickyard. I’m not going to rule him out even though he has struggled most of this season.

His teammates, William Byron and Chase Elliott, had to be disappointed with their qualifying times. Byron starts twenty-first and Elliott twenty-seventh. Once again, from this fan’s view, they can only hope their crew chiefs can find them more speed as the race goes on. Once again, this is Indy, and it is a long race where a lot can happen. When it comes to what I really think their chances of winning this one are, well, let’s just say it would be surprising if one of them does. I’m not saying the odds are against them, but considering their performance lately, I just don’t expect it.

That brings us to the last Hendrick driver, Kyle Larson. He qualified in the tenth starting spot and has been known to pull off some surprising finishes at times. Right now, he is in the middle of a long stretch without a win in Cup. It has been over a year since his last win. It’s not that he’s been running badly. He has had chances to run up front and even take a win this season, but something has always happened to cause him to fall back from taking a win, even when it looked like it was inevitable. He is not only in a slump from winning, but he is going through an extended period of struggling with “bad racing luck” that has affected him just about every week in some way. I am sure he would like nothing better than to win at the Brickyard and break that losing streak.

With the strength the Toyotas have been showing almost every weekend, I’m not really expecting Kyle to break the streak with a win in today’s race at Indy. But I will admit he is more than capable of pulling a win off if anyone can…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

It’s again time for short track racing under the lights. The place is North Wilkesboro Speedway. It kind of reminds me of my younger days, except that it is going to be on a Sunday night. The reason I bring that up was an advertisement I remember from one of our local radio stations a long time ago. It always started with the excited statements of “Saturday night under the lights! Saturday night under the lights!” Wow! Does that bring back some memories. Well, it just doesn’t have the same ring to it when it says “Sunday night under the lights.”

You might ask what does that have to do with this race at North Wilkesboro. To be honest, not a whole lot. It’s just a memory from the past of this old NASCAR fan, and this old track brings out that old memory. 

What is important is that this is the first points race at this place in thirty years. It couldn’t happen at a better time since, counting this race, there are six races for the drivers to make the Chase. That’s not a lot of time for some, and some feel it is too long a time, the way their season has been going. It is also the semi-finals of the In-Season Challenge, with the two finalists taking their hope for winning a million dollars to Indianapolis next week.

With the season winding down to its final weeks to make the Chase, it is pretty obvious that Denny Hamlin has a great chance of being the season champ. He is already leading by twenty-four points and looks pretty good to keep on leading until Daytona. The closest to him is his fellow Toyota teammate and his 23XI employee, Tyler Reddick. Between them, they have nine wins this season, and though Denny now leads, Reddick led for many weeks after winning five races early in the season. Both of them looked to be untouchable when it came to points and they kind of cornered the headlines for weeks on end.

Then Ryan Blaney showed that consistency pays off when it comes to accumulating points. As it stands, going into this race at North Wilkesboro, he has drawn to within sixty-five points of leader Hamlin. Because qualifying was rained out and he won last weekend’s race at EchoPark, he will be starting on the pole with a chance to move even closer to cutting more points from Hamlin’s and Reddick’s lead, depending on how things go for all of them in today’s race. It could make this points race even closer with the drama to match.

This being a short track, a lot can happen at any time that could change the look of the points race for any or all three of the ones I just mentioned. With the rule changes made to the front end of the cars, it is possible for just about anything to happen to any of them that could cost them in points dearly. All it takes is a big pileup with a lot of front-end contact. Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the weaker frontends could make the difference between having a good day and a bad one.

With thirty-eight cars on the track at once. There is also the elevated possibility of an encounter with the old nemesis, “bad racing luck,” and the difference between having a good points day and a very bad one. I realize there is no guarantee that nothing bad will happen to those at the top of the points list, but there is equally no guarantee that something bad will happen. It can all come down to that thing called racing luck.

Speaking of bad racing luck, there is something that stands out to this fan, and it concerns a former champion. Yeah, I’m sure you know I’m talking about Kyle Larson. There is something that jumps out to me concerning just how much run-ins with bad racing luck can affect a driver’s season. Looking at the stats, Kyle has led 637 laps so far this season, which is second only to leader Denny Hamlin. He has taken more stage points than leader Hamlin at 169 to Hamlin’s 151. Because of his struggles in some of the races, he only has 594 points which puts him in sixth spot in the points standings and 197 points behind the leader.

From this fan’s view, he has his work cut out for himself if he wants to catch up to the present leaders. In fact, if his run of bad luck continues, he may have trouble even making the cut for the Chase. If things had gone a little differently for him during this season, he could have been in the top four and maybe even the top two and just ahead of Reddick. If that doesn’t say something about how having some really bad race days mixed in with some really good ones can make the difference between a championship year and a mediocre one, I don’t know what does.

Look, I know the season isn’t over yet, but time is running out. Not just for some… but for everyone who has hopes of making the Chase. North Wilkesboro Speedway may make a way for someone, but it could also break bad for another. With all that’s going on, the season could turn out even worse for one or more of the front-runners. That is one of the things we won’t know for sure until this one is over…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…

It’s summer. It’s hot. It’s near the middle of July. The Cup teams are once again taking on the EchoPark Speedway. The track is notoriously slippery at this time of year. The only fortunate thing about this race is that the Cup teams are racing early evening into the night, and that will make a difference as this one progresses.

Two Fords sit on the front row, ready to lead the field to the green. In fact, there are a total of four Fords starting in the top ten and six Chevys. I know it’s very obvious, but does anything jump out at you from the lineup for this one? Yeah, that’s right; there are no Toyotas in the top ten.

Erik Jones is the first one, and he qualified eleventh. The next Toyota doesn’t show up until twentieth. That would be the JGR Toyota of Chase Briscoe. That in itself is a big change from the norm lately. I realize the Toyotas don’t always qualify well, but Denny Hamlin has often qualified pretty well, and he is starting twenty-eighth. In fact, all of the Toyotas except one are starting from the twentieth to thirty-second spots and even this fan is surprised by that.

I know what you’re thinking… Yeah, but…

I agree with that, yeah, but. The Toyotas do usually show up at or near the front when the laps are winding down to the conclusion of a race. Especially the JGR Toyotas.

Maybe that’s why this fan is so surprised by the qualifying and where they sit to start the Quaker State 400. The usual suspects for qualifying better, and mostly those Toyotas, are starting way in the back. That may not surprise many of you, but it did surprise me this weekend.

If I can get personal for a little bit, I know it is obvious, week in and week out, that I’m a Chevy fan. That doesn’t mean I only like the drivers that drive Chevys, but it does mean I am a bit partial to the ones in Chevys. I suppose that is a carryover from my days growing up and when I used to race. I owned Chevys, I ran Chevys, I won races in Chevys, I won a few championships in Chevys at my local tracks, and I used to drive only Chevys as my personal transportation. Of course, as a family, we don’t own just Chevys anymore, but I am still a Chevy fan.

So, this week, it was good to see five Chevys qualifying in the top seven and another in ninth. Of course, you know it is also hard for me not to show a definite bias towards the Hendrick Chevys. I know I shouldn’t be biased, but I have been following Hendrick racing of all types for a long time. Although I like all four of the Hendrick drivers and teams, I guess it is pretty obvious that Kyle Larson is the one I follow more closely than the others, but that doesn’t rule out the other three. Truth be told, I was following Kyle Larson even before he joined the Hendrick camp.

In fact, I think it’s great that there are other Chevy teams beginning to show up with speed other than just Hendrick. I’m a Ross Chastain fan as well and he hails from Alva, Florida, and that is close to where I live. TrackHouse Racing, Spire Motorsports, Kaulig, and RCR are all on my radar every week. I am a very happy fan when any of the Chevys qualify well and run up front, especially now that they finally seem to be adjusting to the new Camaro body style. (Gee, it’s only taken them a little over half the season to get this far.)

Yeah, I like those Penske and RFK Fords, too. I don’t usually pull for them to win over the Chevy guys, but they are much too talented to overlook. Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and yes, Chris Beuscher, Ryan Preece, and Austin Cindric all need a win and could take one today.

I think this season in particular, I have diagnosed myself with Toyota overload syndrome. Not that I have anything against them, other than that they always seem to be stomping the competition at the end of races. I mean, just look at how many wins they have just between Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick. Christopher Bell is healing up and just may surprise us all when this one is over.

So, here’s how I think today is going to go, and I know I’m not alone in this assessment. No matter what the qualifying lineup looks like, when it comes to the end of the race, the Toyotas will most likely be somewhere near the front or even leading. That’s just the way things usually happen at EchoPark Speedway. As usual, running one lap at a chart-topping top speed is nothing like running 400 miles and consistently running down and passing the competition for the win. If past races from this season are used as a guide, there will likely be a Toyota or two pressing forward for the win. I could be wrong in my assessment, but that is the way I see this one going…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…