re: 2026 NASCAR Season Thread

I hate it. It’s like Chevy wags the finger at everyone but Larson. Like imagine you’re SVG and you have a chance to win on an oval. Or you’re stenhouse who clearly excels at this discipline. And Chevy comes on the radio telling you to give up your position so Larson can have it. I frickin hate it.

Supercars are dealing with their own shite like this. Ironically Chevy are at the center of it too. You had two Chevy teams pit late for “low on fuel.” And the main beneficiary was Chevys best shot at the drivers championship.

It isn’t gonna disappear. But doesn’t mean we have to like it.

I think spire is the only team content with where they are. Everyone else should be looking.

Man I’ve got so many comments on all the last 4 posts this is not directed at anyone rather my sentiments

Denny is a hypocrite. He owns another team and seems content to do podcasts and ownership vs driver. Anything he says is done to create emotional reactions to increase his post racing career. He’s not invested as a driver.

Toyota cooked their own goose by having a Nascar advantage all season which allowed many wins and several chase contenders. Problem with that is you can’t focus on a driver for title. All the little things and support at the shop are divided out instead of focused.

As for Chevy hell Hill tried to lose the race for Larson what are we even talking about. It was only Larsons race-craft and not Chevy that win him that race. Once he started going back after Hill went below like and dumped him not one Chevy in that line pulled out to help him from losing more spots. Not one.

Nascar even looked at SMT data and every Chevy was at 100% throttle on the last lap so no conspiracy there.

As for HMS running Chevy thats BS too. He is their top dog but teams make their own chassis. And hire their teams. HMS is fair on engines they have all engines dino’d and soec sheets given to all Chevy teams. They use a lottery to decide pick order. And every team picks their engine including HMS teams. So engines are equal. Teams need to spend more on chassis but thats on them not HMS.

Then you have RCR who does their own engines and fab work.

Hamlin is a Toyota mouthpiece and I can’t believe posters would fall for his spiel. He only has their interest not racing or other makes. He has failed as a driver having been in best equipment his whole fricking Nascar career. And trying to be a mouthpiece for Toyotathon as his bread is buttered by them.

Nascar wanted a Toyota to win hasn’t anyone paid attention this year? Given a special secret variance all season and finally taken away right before playoffs as too many teams learned about it so they came out with a change.

Larson has won fair and square vs all the Toyotas. Hamlin even tried to take him out last race before Dega but failed.

I really have no mercy or care for Hamlin. HMS is Chevy #1 in theory but the days of Chevy able to give better parts to fave teams are long gone with Nascar templates and certified Nascar parts. Nothing on the car comes from Chevy. Engines are equal. Chassis are team driven.

These drivers are daredevils, respect to their race craft. Should be a fun event

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Not to pile on, but by your logic the first 35 races of last season were exhibitions, or at least the first 26. Every regular season game in the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL is an exhibition.

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I disagree.

You had to win races or be high in points to make the playoffs so not exhibitions at all. Every single race mattered.

It’s true that every game does not matter in stick and ball. A team can clinch a playoff berth early so some of their games don’t matter but once playoffs start every game matters.

I can’t think of another sport where the last race is meaningless for crowning a champion. Nearest thing would be bowls in CFB.

But I think it was OU that said it that nascar and media has set us up to think this way with such an emphasis on a champion versus the way it used to be. Maybe I need to rethink it.

Denny may never win a championship. Probably won’t. But he’s far and away above several guys who have.

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Rick Hendrick calls the shots on everything

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Man I “hate” fat rick.
Once a cheat always a cheat.

On another note, is there another place other than this NASCAR thread on all of TD where it’s not a bunch of assholes trying to one up each other and look clever.

Love this thread.

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I can’t think of another sport where the last race is meaningless for crowning a champion. Nearest thing would be bowls in CFB.

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I see where you're coming from, but I would counter that this is simply where motorsports is different than stick and ball. The Dolphins and Jets aren't running around the field and getting in the way while the Seahawks and Patriots compete for a title. Always hated that about the one race format, along with the fact that it simply favored whoever was best at Phoenix. Every football field has the same dimensions...

I would add that I think big leads like this are going to be an outlier. Look at the points behind Larson, or the O'Reilly standings. That's gonna be the norm. Hell, Cup could still get interesting tbh. We don't know. Look how much it changed from last week to this one.

Here’s another nugget. The chase has never been clinched before the finale.

Jimmie won 6 of them. Never once did he enter the race already being the champion.

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that this is simply where motorsports is different

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This is what I need to wrap my head around better.

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The Dolphins and Jets aren't running around the field and getting in the way while the Seahawks and Patriots compete for a title.

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I’d pay to see that though. Haha!

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This is what I need to wrap my head around better.

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That is ok bro. Too many people expect all sports to be similar. Motorsports is closer to golf than any other stick and ball sport. It’s just different. Glad you are seeing the light!