re: 2026 NASCAR Season Thread

I know awhile back Denny complained about this, but I haven’t heard anyone else talk about it. If they changed the rule, it would definitely add to the fuel saving strategy. I like it.

As for Hamlin, imo it’s fuel injection and tapered spacer where the cheating lies

There is no way that Hamlin is no dominant without an advantage…he did sue nascar hmmmm

No 11 car lol

Tech complete. Hamlin is the winner. No issues. Six cars will go to R&D: Larson Suarez Blaney Buescher Nemechek Reddick

Its clear when they settled Nascar decided to give Toyota an advantage in that backroom. Toyota likely cut a big check. Pocono is hard to pass and Reddick went thru field like knife thru butter. All Toyotas have a massive advantage with even the smaller teams performing way above their norms.

Was reading a crapload of fans who are really pissed about it. There is something going on. Some say they (Nascar) want either 23x team or Hamlin to win title as part of deal.

Well yeah, after the past two months you can rule out Ford and Chevy for the championship. They aren’t even competitive with Toyotas racing on a whole different planet. Chevy comes to the racetrack knowing they’re racing for 6-10th place after the Toyotas. Put Heim in that #23 and the results would get even worse for the other two manufacturers.

Not a Hamlin fan at all but I have to give him credit. After the way he lost the title last year with the crew chief screwing up, I thought he was done. A lot of times you don't recover from that. I know Carl Edwards never did and we saw him leave the sport.

While I didn't think Hamlin would leave the sport, typically when you come up just short the next year is a hangover year. Especially after the death of his dad, I honestly thought he would just do nothing this year and maybe get up the determination to really try again in 2027.

Hamlin has succeeded this year in a way I didn't think was possible for him at the start of the season.

Him and Reddick are the class of the field this year and it's not even that close. I'm not saying either one is a shoe in yet to win the Championship, but with the 10 Race Chase back, you aren't going to have someone come out of nowhere like you did in the previous system.

I think it's either Hamlin, Reddick or Blaney this year. The Hendrick drivers haven't been consistent enough this year and Penske outside of Blaney has been an absolute disaster.

For those who remember the late and absolutely great Winston Cup Scene newspaper that came out weekly back in the glory days, I couldn’t wait to get home and get my copy, Steve Waid who was editor for many years died today. He’s been doing a fantastic NASCAR history podcast with Rick Houston the last few years called Scene Vault Podcast. RIP to a great one.

Wow! RIP Steve. This has been a long year for Nascar greats passing away. Damn

Spent many months and numerous countries on the Chucky V.