NASCAR Speed · Strategy · American Racing
Follow the NASCAR Cup Series through race results, The Chase, championship standings, drivers, teams, tracks, history and the stories shaping one of motorsport's most distinctive championships.
Season Status
The regular season is complete and the 10-race Chase has reached Kansas for Race 4. Kyle Larson leads Denny Hamlin by one point after Bristol, with Joey Logano 16 points from the lead following his victory under the lights. Rain canceled Kansas qualifying, so Logano starts the Hollywood Casino 400 from pole under the NASCAR Rule Book, alongside Larson.
Kansas Takes Centre Stage
The Chase reaches Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400, the fourth of 10 postseason races. Practice and qualifying were curtailed by rain on Saturday, so the starting lineup was set under the NASCAR Rule Book. Joey Logano starts from pole alongside championship leader Kyle Larson.
Logano Starts From Pole as Larson Brings the Points Lead to Kansas
Joey Logano starts first after Saturday practice and qualifying were canceled by weather. Kyle Larson shares the front row and arrives with a one point championship lead over Denny Hamlin. Christopher Bell starts third, Carson Hocevar fourth and Ty Gibbs fifth, with Hamlin sixth. Kansas begins a run of three consecutive Chase races on 1.5 mile tracks.
Joey Logano
Team Penske · Ford
Kyle Larson
Hendrick Motorsports · Chevrolet
Christopher Bell
Joe Gibbs Racing · Toyota
Carson Hocevar
Spire Motorsports · Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs
Joe Gibbs Racing · Toyota
The Chase
Sixteen drivers contest a 10-race title fight with no elimination rounds. The championship goes to the Chase driver with the most points after the Homestead-Miami finale.
Top of the Championship
Latest published Chase positions and gaps after Bristol, entering Kansas, Race 30 of 36.
2026 Chase Field
The postseason field was set at Daytona. Ryan Preece claimed the final berth by winning the regular-season finale.
2026 Chase Schedule
From Darlington to the championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Drivers to Watch
Leading contenders and defining figures in the 2026 Cup Series title fight.
Denny Hamlin
Christopher Bell
Ryan Blaney
Tyler Reddick
Chase Briscoe
Kyle Larson
Ty Gibbs
Ryan Preece
The NASCAR Ladder
The three national championships at the centre of Open Chronicle NASCAR coverage.
NASCAR Cup Series
The premier national championship. Thirty-six points races in 2026, with a 16-driver, 10-race Chase deciding the title.
O'Reilly Auto Parts Series
NASCAR's second-tier national series, combining established contenders, rising prospects and Cup-affiliated teams.
Craftsman Truck Series
Pickup-truck racing with its own championship identity, development pathway and postseason battle.
Track Types
NASCAR rewards different skills because the championship moves across radically different circuits.
Superspeedways
Daytona and Talladega produce drafting, pack racing and high-speed strategy.
Intermediate Ovals
High-speed 1.5-mile style tracks where aero balance and long-run pace matter.
Short Tracks
Bristol, Martinsville and similar venues reward braking, traffic management and aggression.
Road & Street Courses
Technical circuits add braking zones, shifting, strategy and a different style of racecraft.
Defining Wins of the Season
Some victories carry extra weight in NASCAR history.
Tyler Reddick
Feb 15 · Daytona International Speedway
Daniel Suárez
May 24 · Charlotte Motor Speedway
Corey Heim
Jul 26 · Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Christopher Bell
Sep 6 · Darlington Raceway
To Be Decided
Nov 8 · Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Story of NASCAR
From the early stock-car years to superspeedways, dynasties and the modern Cup Series.
From Daytona Beach to the Modern Cup Series
Explore how NASCAR evolved from regional stock-car racing into a national championship built around iconic tracks, legendary drivers, manufacturer rivalries and some of American motorsport's most recognisable events.
Read History →Daytona 500 History
The Great American Race and the victories that built its mythology.
Greatest Drivers
Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and generations of champions.
Legendary Tracks
Daytona, Darlington, Talladega, Bristol, Martinsville and beyond.
Teams & Dynasties
The organisations that changed how NASCAR races are built and won.
Cars & Technology
The evolution of stock cars, safety, aerodynamics and the Next Gen era.
Latest NASCAR Stories
The newest NASCAR reports and features from Open Chronicle are loaded automatically from the existing NASCAR category.
The Chase Arrives at Kansas
Christopher Bell won the Chase opener at Darlington, Kyle Larson answered at Gateway and Joey Logano won at Bristol. Larson now leads Denny Hamlin by one point. Logano starts from pole at Kansas after rain canceled qualifying, with Las Vegas following on October 4 and the championship finale still set for Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8.