In this week’s episode, Rowdy dives into the Fantasy Live head-to-head matchups, compares Next Gen data across Texas, Kansas, Las Vegas, and Charlotte, and breaks down sportsbook odds, long-shot value, and his “winner winner” pick. If you’re setting your lineup or building a betting card, this one is packed with actionable insight.

Here’s what’s inside this week’s Texas episode:

🏁 Carson Hocevar vs. Ty Gibbs — Hocevar has the better Texas averages, but does Gibbs’ recent form and elite 2026 performance on comparable tracks make him Rowdy’s pick?

⚡ Joey Logano vs. Chase Elliott — Logano’s career stats are strong, but Elliott has shown consistency this season and has superior recent form. Does this make him the safer play?

🔥 Brad Keselowski vs. Chase Briscoe — A razor-thin matchup, but Briscoe’s overall averages and Toyota strength may give him the edge, pending practice.

🧠 Ross Chastain vs. Daniel Suárez — Suarez’s recent form and strong Texas history outweigh Chastain’s struggles, making him Rowdy’s pick in this heated rivalry matchup.

💸 Sportsbook breakdown — The board is led by Denny Hamlin (+525) and Tyler Reddick (+600), with strong value deeper on drivers like Chase Briscoe (16-1) and Ty Gibbs (19-1) depending on qualifying.

🚨 Long shots to watch — Erik Jones offers excellent top-10 value (+600) with strong Texas history, while Daniel Suárez brings consistency and upside at plus money for a top-10 finish.

🏆 Rowdy’s “winner winner” pick — Denny Hamlin, banking on elite intermediate speed, pit crew advantage, and a hunger to finally close out a race that’s slipped away too many times this season.

Rowdy also recaps his recent Fantasy Live performance, explains why Texas can hinge on late-race strategy calls, and highlights how qualifying could dramatically shift both fantasy and betting outlooks heading into race day.

Whether you’re locking in your Fantasy Live lineup, chasing plus-money betting value, or just trying to stay ahead of the chaos at Texas, this episode delivers the insight you need before the green flag drops.

👉 Subscribe on Substack, fire up the episode, and let Rowdy Dragon guide your picks for Texas. 🏁🐉

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Dystany Spurlock Set For Historic NASCAR Truck Series Debut At Watkins Glen

• Tony Stewart: “I’m Pretty Sure I’m Going To (Run A Truck Race) Again”

• JLB & Associates Files Lawsuit Against Young’s Motorsports

• Hamlin: Adjusting Talladega Stage Lengths Didn’t Work; Would Like To See Changes To Car

  ---

LISTEN TO THIS WEEK’S EPISODE OF THE FINAL LAP WEEKLY

Talladega brought absolute CHAOS, and Carson Hocevar delivered the biggest moment of his career—his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series WIN! But it wasn’t just the victory that had everyone talking… his wild post-race celebration lit up the NASCAR world and sparked major reactions across the garage.

Denny Hamlin was fired up and made it crystal clear he’s fed up with superspeedway racing and the style of competition at Talladega. NASCAR also drops huge news with the announcement of a brand-new CEO, while Tony Stewart hints at a possible Truck Series comeback—and Kevin Harvick might not be far behind.

Plus, Rowdy Dragon joins the show with his Fantasy NASCAR picks, and we break down the upcoming showdown at Texas Motor Speedway, where drivers trade drafting for treacherous 1.5-mile oval battles. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie on The Final Lap Weekly.

NASCAR News Provided By:

http://tobychristie.com

-Listen on Spotify

-Listen on Apple Podcasts

-Click To Play Fantasy NASCAR With Us!

-Giving Fun Is Here: Patreon.com/thefinallap

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Dystany Spurlock Set For Historic NASCAR Truck Series Debut At Watkins Glen

• Tony Stewart: “I’m Pretty Sure I’m Going To (Run A Truck Race) Again”

• JLB & Associates Files Lawsuit Against Young’s Motorsports

• Hamlin: Adjusting Talladega Stage Lengths Didn’t Work; Would Like To See Changes To Car

• Entry List: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Wurth 400 at Texas

• Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas

• Entry List: 2026 NCTS SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

Carson Hocevar took his first NASCAR Cup Series win and unveiled a victory celebration that some wondered if it would be banned. Will it? Whether it’s in the NFL or NASCAR, Jason Kelce wins. Corey Day, a future superstar? Cleetus McFarland nearly wins?

It was one WILD weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Toby Christie takes you through his five takeaways from the race weekend.

READ MORE

TEXAS ENTRY LISTS

38 Cars On The NASCAR Cup Series Wurth 400 Entry List

There are 38 cars on the entry list for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. The two “Open” cars are the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford Mustang with Chad Finchum as the driver, and the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota Camry with Corey Heim as the driver.

FULL ENTRY LIST

Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas

There are 39 cars (for 38 spots) on the entry list for this weekend’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway. Notable entries include: No. 1 Connor Zilisch, 3 Austin Dillon, 9 Carson Kvapil, 32 Rajah Caruth, 42 Brad Perez, and 88 Kyle Larson.

FULL ENTRY LIST

Entry List: 2026 NCTS SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas

There are 35 trucks on the entry list for this week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. Notable entries include No. 1 Brandon Jones, 2 Clayton Green, 5 William Sawalich, 7 Kyle Busch, 22 Josh Reaume, 25 Parker Kligerman, 27 Toni Breidinger, 42 Conner Jones, 45 Ross Chastain, 62 Cory Roper, and 77 Carson Hocevar.

FULL ENTRY LIST

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Richard Childress Racing Changing Crew Chief For Kyle Busch

• Hocevar Finally Ropes First NASCAR Cup Win In Wild Talladega Finish

• Big One Collects All But Four Cars In Stage 2 Of Cup Race At Talladega

• Reddick Reveals Contract Extension With 23XI Racing In Talladega Pre-Race

• Bowyer and McMurray Set To Compete In Kaulig’s Free Agent Ram Truck

• Corey Day Collects First O’Reilly Win In Messy Finish At Talladega

• Reddick On Pole, Mears DNQs After Qualifying Canceled Due To Weather

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Carson Hocevar, who has seemingly been knocking on the door of victory lane through his first 90 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, finally broke down the door to the winner’s circle on Sunday afternoon in the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Hocevar was locked in a side-by-side battle with Chris Buescher for the win over the final three laps of the race, but coming off of Turn 4 on the final lap, Buescher got a bump draft that disturbed his car, and ruined the momentum of his top lane. This allowed Hocevar the advantage he needed to cross the finish line first for his first Cup Series win.

As Hocevar crossed the line, several drivers in the field crashed behind him.

After taking the checkered flag, Hocevar performed an incredibly unique celebration as he climbed onto the window of his car, and drove his car around the track from there, and waved to the fans in attendance. At the end of the celebration, Hocevar guided the No. 77 car into the outside wall, and performed a burnout, while hanging out of the car.

READ MORE
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

UPDATED CHASE GRID AFTER TALLADEGA (16 Races Left Until Chase)

Video: Big One Collects All But Four Cars In Stage 2 Of Cup Race At Talladega

WATCH VIDEO

Richard Childress Racing Changing Crew Chief For Kyle Busch

Following a 10th-place finish in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega, the first top-10 finish of the season for Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing announced a change at crew chief for its No. 8 NASCAR Cup Series team.

In a press release fired off on Monday morning, RCR announced that Andy Street, a longtime RCR employee, who stepped in as interim crew chief for Busch in the final five races last season, will take over effective immediately as the crew chief.

Jim Pohlman, whom the team acquired from JR Motorsports in the offseason, will be reassigned to a leadership position within RCR’s competition department.

Busch ranks 27th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings this season after 10 races, and sits 66 points outside of the Chase cutline.

READ MORE

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Bowyer and McMurray Set To Compete In Kaulig’s Free Agent Ram Truck

• Corey Day Collects First O’Reilly Win In Messy Finish At Talladega

• Reddick On Pole, Mears DNQs After Qualifying Canceled Due To Weather

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

Tyler Reddick grabs his 5th NASCAR Cup Series win of the season with a huge victory at Kansas Speedway, and Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie break down everything that happened in a full Kansas race recap. From the biggest moments on track to the drivers who came up short, this episode covers all the major storylines coming out of Kansas.

Plus, the Kyle Busch vs Denny Hamlin feud is heating up, Goodyear tire testing at Chicagoland Speedway could have future implications, and Rowdy Dragon stops by with his Fantasy NASCAR picks for Talladega Superspeedway. The guys also dive into a full Talladega weekend preview, key drivers to watch, and what could shake up the NASCAR Cup Series heading into one of the wildest races of the year.

NASCAR News Provided By:

http://tobychristie.com

-Listen on Spotify

-Listen on Apple Podcasts

-Click To Play Fantasy NASCAR With Us!

-Giving Fun Is Here: Patreon.com/thefinallap

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Trackhouse Teammates SVG and Zilisch To Run Watkins Glen Truck Race

• Kyle Busch: RCR ‘Got Our Hand Smacked’ By NASCAR During Three-Win 2023 Season

• Truck Series Veteran Ankrum Will Make O’Reilly Series Debut At ‘Dega

• Dear NASCAR: The O’Reilly Series Doesn’t Need A Clearer Identity

• Cleetus McFarland Set For Second O’Reilly Series Start At Nashville

• Daniel Dye To Make Cup Debut In Four-Race Schedule With Live Fast Motorsports

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

In an interview with Sports Business Journal, John Probst, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President, indicated that a swap to a crossover utility vehicle body style for the NASCAR O’Reilly Series cars is a possibility in the future, and that he believes it would give the series more of a unique identity.

I was flabbergasted by this quote, as it makes absolutely NO sense for NASCAR to try to fix the lone National Series division that is currently growing in viewership, and is regarded as the series that has the best overall racing.

I took to a column on TobyChristie.com to explain why NASCAR should not make changes to the body style of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series cars.

READ MORE

Daniel Dye To Make Cup Debut In Four-Race Schedule With Live Fast Motorsports

Daniel Dye, who was recently reinstated by NASCAR after completing sensitivity training following a situation where he made homophobic remarks aimed at IndyCar driver David Malukas in an online stream, will attempt to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Live Fast Motorsports announced a four-race partnership with Dye, which will see the driver attempt the events at Talladega (April), Pocono (June), Daytona (August), and Talladega (October).

This weekend, there are 41 cars on the entry list for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega, so Dye will have to qualify his way into the field.

READ MORE

Kyle Busch: RCR ‘Got Our Hand Smacked’ By NASCAR During Three-Win 2023 Season

In an interview on FOX News Media’s Hang Out with Sean Hannity Podcast, Kyle Busch spoke at length about his feud with Denny Hamlin, and the real reasons for the struggles for him and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing team.

According to Busch, during his first season with RCR (2023), where he won three races, NASCAR caught something on their car in their final win at Gateway, which the sanctioning body didn’t like. While it wasn’t against the rules, the team was playing in a gray area of the rule book.

“When we, in 2023, when I won those three races, after the third race that we won at Gateway, we got our hand smacked for some of the stuff that we were doing to the racecar that NASCAR didn’t like,” Busch explained to Hannity, “and they said, ‘Hey, don’t bring that back.'”

Since NASCAR asked Busch and the No. 8 team not to bring the car back to the track like that, the driver and team have massively regressed on track.

READ MORE

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Truck Series Veteran Ankrum Will Make O’Reilly Series Debut At ‘Dega

• Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega

• Entry List: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega

• Cleetus McFarland Set For Second O’Reilly Series Start At Nashville

• Daniel Dye To Make Cup Debut In Four-Race Schedule With Live Fast Motorsports

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As Cleetus McFarland continues to try to obtain enough experience to gain approval for superspeedways in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the driver has announced where his second career start in the series will come.

McFarland will climb back behind the wheel of the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, May 30.

The YouTuber/aspiring racer finished 32nd in his debut O’Reilly Series race at Rockingham Speedway, a race in which he had several close calls on track, but was able to make it out of the event without incident.

McFarland says he will be using all of RCR’s resources to help prepare for Nashville.

“I’m going to be doing a lot of training with RCR, a lot of simulator time,” McFarland said. “Really looking forward to getting back out on the track in that O’Reilly’s car. A lot of power. Gotta dial in my turning left.”

READ MORE

Daniel Dye To Make Cup Debut In Four-Race Schedule With Live Fast Motorsports

Daniel Dye, who was recently reinstated by NASCAR after completing sensitivity training following a situation where he made homophobic remarks aimed at IndyCar driver David Malukas in an online stream, will attempt to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Live Fast Motorsports announced a four-race partnership with Dye, which will see the driver attempt the events at Talladega (April), Pocono (June), Daytona (August), and Talladega (October).

This weekend, there are 41 cars on the entry list for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega, so Dye will have to qualify his way into the field.

READ MORE

TALLADEGA ENTRY LISTS

41 Cars On The NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 Entry List

There are 41 cars on the entry list for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. With only 40 spots available in the starting lineup, one driver and team will head home after qualifying.

The five “Open” cars that are fighting for the four spots available:

• No. 33 Jesse Love - Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

• No. 44 Joey Gase - NY Racing Team Chevrolet

• No. 62 Casey Mears - Beard Motorsports Chevrolet (will go home if qualifying rains out)

• No. 66 Chad Finchum - Garage 66 Ford

• No. 78 Daniel Dye - Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet

Full Cup Series Entry List

Entry List: 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega

There are 38 cars on the entry list (for 38 spots) for Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Notable Entries:

• No. 0 Garrett Smithley - SS-GreenLight Racing

• No. 1 Carson Kvapil - JR Motorsports

• No. 5 JJ Yeley - Hettinger Racing

• No. 32 Tyler Ankrum - Jordan Anderson Racing

• No. 35 Natalie Decker - Joey Gase Motorsports

• No. 38 Patrick Emerling - RSS Racing

• No. 42 David Starr - Young’s Motorsports

• No. 74 Dawson Cram - Mike Harmon Racing

• No. 88 Rajah Caruth - JR Motorsports

• No. 91 Mason Maggio - DGM Racing

Full O’Reilly Series Entry List

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Incredible, that’s all there is to say about Tyler Reddick after the driver scored his fifth win through the opening nine races of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. In Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, Reddick overcame the odds twice in the closing laps on his way to yet another win.

Reddick, who held the lead over Denny Hamlin as the final laps of regulation were winding down, scraped the wall, and had the motor burping with a dwindling fuel load. This allowed Hamlin to take the lead.

As Hamlin was coming back to the white flag, and a sure win, Cody Ware spun and brought out the caution. This gave Reddick new life.

On the overtime restart, Reddick, Hamlin, and Christopher Bell made contact, which seemingly handed the win to Kyle Larson. However, Reddick somehow wasn’t done. He charged down and caught Larson down the backstretch, and made an incredible pass for the lead in Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap to score the win.

Larson finished second, Chase Briscoe was third, and Hamlin, who was very disappointed, ended up fourth.

READ MORE
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

UPDATED CHASE GRID (17 Races Until Chase)

With 17 races left until the Chase for the NASCAR Cup begins, Tyler Reddick continues to strengthen his hold on the regular-season championship lead with his fifth win.

This week, Chase Briscoe made a major move with his third-place finish and is now inside the 16-driver Chase Grid, while Shane van Gisbergen, who finished 36th, has fallen outside of contention for now.

Daniel Suarez is the final driver inside the Grid and holds a 13-point advantage over Austin Cindric.

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Taylor Gray Strategizes Way To Kansas Win Over Sheldon Creed

• Kyle Busch Miffed At Denny Hamlin’s Podcast Comments

• Carson Kvapil Walks Away From Wild Flip On Lap 2 At Kansas

• RFK Racing, Liverpool FC, and Trimble Unveil Special Chris Buescher Paint Scheme for Sonoma NASCAR Race

• Donovan Strauss Set For NASCAR Truck Debut With Niece At North Wilkesboro

• Team Penske Taps Championship Hero Jack Man To Move To Blaney’s Pit Crew

• Justin Marks Admits Trackhouse Racing ‘In A Rebuilding Phase Right Now’

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

Let’s break it all down.

Taylor Gray Strategizes Way To Kansas Win Over Sheldon Creed

He didn’t have the dominant car throughout Saturday night’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway, but when the chips were on the table, Taylor Gray’s crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, called a race-winning strategy on the final pit stop of the race when he chose to pit Gray a few laps earlier than Sheldon Creed and Brandon Jones, the two dominant drivers in the race.

A couple of laps of faster lap times on fresher tires allowed Gray to get the lead when the pit stops cycled out, and he had built a massive lead. The lead was just simply a little too large for Creed to completely track him down.

Gray would hang on to win the race by 0.718 seconds over Creed, while Justin Allgaier, the series point leader, would finish third. Jones would be forced to rally to an eighth-place finish after suffering an uncontrolled tire penalty on his final pit stop, which ended his bid to win the race.

READ MORE
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS
UPDATED CHASE GRID

Carson Kvapil Walks Away From Wild Flip On Lap 2 At Kansas

Gray may have won the race on Saturday night, but the big story coming out of the race was a frightening accident on the backstretch on Lap 2 of the race. Coming off Turn 2, Carson Kvapil, the polesitter, got a shot from behind from William Byron, which sent him veering into the outside wall.

Kvapil would collect Parker Retzlaff, and would get airborne. What resulted was a wild tumble down the length of the backstretch.

WATCH VIDEO/READ MORE

Reddick Continues Dominance Of Cup Series With Kansas Pole

Tyler Reddick can seemingly do no wrong, currently, as he continued his incredible start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season by capturing the pole position for the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday afternoon.

This is his third pole of the season, and he already has four wins on the stat sheet. The performance in qualifying has Reddick feeling ultra-confident going into Sunday’s race.

“Just proud of everyone’s effort at 23XI,” Reddick stated. “We’ve been solid. Obviously, we had that stretch where we were really tough to beat here. We’ve worked hard to improve that. And to have a Saturday go like this, smooth, just great handling out of our Camrys is just what we want to see.”

Read More
Full Official Starting Lineup

Kyle Busch Miffed At Denny Hamlin’s Podcast Comments

Denny Hamlin gave his opinion of what is going on with Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing team on his Actions Detrimental Podcast this week, and let’s just say that Busch didn’t take the analysis well.

When asked about Hamlin’s assessment of the situation in a media bullpen session at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, Busch fired back, “If Denny wants to switch cars, I’ll switch cars with him any day of the week, anytime. I would love for him to show me that he can carry it better than I can.”

When asked if he pays attention to what people say about him on social media, Busch admitted that he has seen things on there in the past, but that most of the time, people are incorrect in what they say. And he feels Hamlin is no different.

“Um, I have consumed some of it over time, and I’ve consumed that 80% of it, people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. And in this instance, I don’t feel like Denny Hamlin even knows what the hell he’s talking about,” Busch lamented. “So, he can bash me all he wants, and I can certainly make his life hell.”

Will Busch find a way to make Hamlin’s life a living hell on Sunday at Kansas Speedway?

READ MORE

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In this week’s episode, Rowdy dives into the Fantasy Live head-to-head matchups, compares Next Gen data from Kansas and similar high-speed intermediates, and scans the sportsbook board for value plays, long shots, and his weekly “winner winner” pick. If you’re building a lineup or betting card, this episode is loaded with insight.

Here’s what’s inside this week’s Kansas Speedway episode:

🏁 Kyle Larson vs. Tyler Reddick — Two elite speed merchants go head-to-head, but does Larson’s track record and overall dominance at high-speed intermediates give him the edge?

⚡ Denny Hamlin vs. Christopher Bell — Hamlin’s consistency and ability to capitalize on long runs could tilt this matchup in his favor.

🔥 Ryan Blaney vs. Joey Logano — Another Penske showdown. Does Blaney’s recent speed and smoother execution earn Rowdy’s nod?

🧠 Bubba Wallace vs. Chris Buescher — Wallace’s strength and upside make him a strong play, but Buescher has had a lot of consistency at Kansas.

💸 Sportsbook breakdown — Strong value sits in the mid-tier, with Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Denny Hamlin all offering playable odds depending on market movement.

🚨 Long shots to watch — Chris Buescher brings sneaky top-10 value, while deeper sleepers could emerge if strategy flips late.

🏆 Rowdy’s “winner winner” pick — Kyle Larson, banking on elite speed, strong track history, and the ability to dominate long green-flag runs.

Rowdy also breaks down how Kansas differs from other intermediates, why clean air still matters despite the wide racing surface, and how practice and qualifying could shift the outlook before race day.

Whether you’re setting your Fantasy Live lineup, chasing sportsbook value, or preparing for one of the fastest races on the schedule, this episode delivers the data-driven insight you need before the green flag drops.

👉 Subscribe on Substack, fire up the episode, and let Rowdy Dragon guide your fantasy picks and betting strategy for Kansas. 🏁🐉

Gio Ruggiero, driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was the dominant driver in Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series Tide 150 at Kansas Speedway, but thanks to a rash of late-race cautions, which led to a double-overtime finish, Ruggiero had to fend off some heavy challengers.

In the end, Daniel Dye, who was making his first stock car racing start since being reinstated by NASCAR, would be his most formidable challenger, but would come up just shy of being able to get around Ruggiero for the win in the closing laps.

Jake Bollman, Gavan Boschele, and Lanie Buice would finish third through fifth behind Ruggiero and Dye.

Squirrel McNutt would finish 12th, which allowed him to win the head-to-head battle with his friend Cleetus McFarland on the afternoon in the ARCA Menards Series race.

McFarland had the better overall race, but with under 30 laps to go, McFarland suffered a blown engine in his No. 30 Rette-Jones Racing Ford, while running 10th. McFarland would be credited with a 20th-place finish.

Kvapil Inherits Pole For O’Reilly Race At Kansas Thanks To Mother Nature

Severe weather in the area of Kansas Speedway led to the cancellation of NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts practice and qualifying on Friday afternoon, which means the starting lineup was set by way of the rule book.

Due to the performance metric formula, Carson Kvapil will start from the pole position, and he’ll be joined by William Byron, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, on the front row.

Read More
Full Official Starting Lineup

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• RFK Racing, Liverpool FC, and Trimble Unveil Special Chris Buescher Paint Scheme for Sonoma NASCAR Race

• Donovan Strauss Set For NASCAR Truck Debut With Niece At North Wilkesboro

• Team Penske Taps Championship Hero Jack Man To Move To Blaney’s Pit Crew

• Justin Marks Admits Trackhouse Racing ‘In A Rebuilding Phase Right Now’

• Brennan Poole Carrying New Skuttle Tight Sponsorship At Kansas

• Daniel Dye Set To Make Racing Return In ARCA Race At Kansas

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

23XI Racing and Tyler Reddick, the driver of the team’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE in the NASCAR Cup Series, revealed a new major primary sponsorship partner on Thursday morning. Rockstar Energy is making a grand return to NASCAR and will join as a primary sponsor for Reddick, the 2026 Daytona 500 champion, who made history by winning the opening three races of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

According to a press release from Rockstar Energy, Reddick’s grit and determination on the track embody Rockstar’s LIVE LOUD™ identity– core to the brand’s evolution.

As part of its LIVE LOUD identity-core, Rockstar Energy will be investing heavily in music and sport, and the company says the partnership with Reddick and 23XI Racing is the warning shot for the energy drink industry. Reddick is elated to rock the yellow star Rockstar logo.

“Joining Rockstar Energy now is the right fit for both of us,” Reddick said. “From day one, it was clear we share that winner-take-all attitude. I’m fired up to rep the yellow star with the No. 45 team and bring Rockstar to victory lane this season.”

Rockstar will serve as a primary sponsor of Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota in select NASCAR Cup Series events this season, beginning with the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26. In addition to the multi-race sponsorship, Reddick will be featured in the brand’s marketing campaigns, digital content, and on-track integrations.

Rockstar branding will also be seen on Reddick’s helmet, firesuit, and the No. 45 team’s equipment and hauler throughout the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

READ MORE

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Donovan Strauss Set For NASCAR Truck Debut With Niece At North Wilkesboro

• Team Penske Taps Championship Hero Jack Man To Move To Blaney’s Pit Crew

• Justin Marks Admits Trackhouse Racing ‘In A Rebuilding Phase Right Now’

• Brennan Poole Carrying New Skuttle Tight Sponsorship At Kansas

• Daniel Dye Set To Make Racing Return In ARCA Race At Kansas

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

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The chaos at Bristol Motor Speedway delivered a MASSIVE moment—Ty Gibbs captures his FIRST NASCAR Cup Series victory, and it did NOT come easy.

While Gibbs celebrates a career-defining win, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson dominated the race, leading the most laps and battling up front all race long. What went wrong for them—and how did Gibbs capitalize?

We break down EVERYTHING from Bristol:

• The winning move that changed Gibbs’ career

• How Blaney & Larson lost control late

• Biggest surprises and disappointments from the race

Plus, it’s time to shift gears to Kansas Speedway:

• Full Kansas race preview

• Key drivers to watch this weekend

• Track trends that could decide the winner

And of course, Rowdy Dragon returns with his Fantasy NASCAR Picks for Kansas—don’t set your lineup without this segment.

In this episode:

• Bristol Motor Speedway race recap

• Ty Gibbs’ first Cup Series win analysis

• Blaney & Larson dominance breakdown

• Kansas Speedway race preview

• Fantasy NASCAR Picks from Rowdy Dragon

• NASCAR news of the week from TobyChristie.com:

  • Tyler Reddick lands Rockstar Energy sponsorship

  • Updates on Richard Childress Racing

Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie, this is your one-stop shop for NASCAR news, race breakdowns, and winning fantasy strategy.

NASCAR News Provided By:

http://tobychristie.com

-Listen on Spotify

-Listen on Apple Podcasts

-Click To Play Fantasy NASCAR With Us!

-Giving Fun Is Here: Patreon.com/thefinallap

Other NASCAR Headlines

• Daniel Dye Set To Make Racing Return In ARCA Race At Kansas

• Brennan Poole Carrying New Skuttle Tight Sponsorship At Kansas

• Entry List: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series AdventHealth 400 at Kansas

• Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas

• Austin Dillon To Compete in O’Reilly Race at Texas With Boot Barn Sponsorship

• Ty Gibbs Outduels Ryan Blaney In Overtime For First Career Cup Series Win

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The question of when will Ty Gibbs finally score his first NASCAR Cup Series win has been officially answered. Gibbs was able to hold off Ryan Blaney in an overtime finish to score his maiden NASCAR Cup Series win in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Gibbs, who had 95-lap older tires than Blaney, stayed out during a late caution and inherited the race lead. Blaney, who had fresh tires, sliced his way back to the front, but just came up shy of snagging the win.

After the race, Gibbs admitted that he didn’t care in the moment if he scored the win or not, as he was too busy enjoying the fun battles on track with Blaney and Kyle Larson.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know or care if I was going to win or not. I thought the race was awesome. I thought we all put on the racing was great,” Gibbs explained. “Feel like it’s been us the whole year. I really appreciate always racing Ryan Blaney and Kyle too. Those guys always run me real well. We all run together and hard. Hopefully, we put a great show on for the fans. Thank you for Team 54, everybody that’s a part of this whole deal. What a great day.”

Larson, who led a race-high 238 laps and won Stages 1 and 2, would go on to finish third.

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OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

Tyler Reddick was able to maintain his NASCAR Cup Series point lead with a fourth-place finish in Sunday’s race, and he now holds a 62-point lead over Blaney, who finished runner-up in the Food City 500.

Gibbs, with his win, moved up from sixth to fourth in the standings and is 105 points behind Reddick.

Shane van Gisbergen finished 34th, and nearly fell outside of the 16-driver Chase Grid, but was able to hang on by one point. With 18 races remaining until the Chase begins, Chase Briscoe (-1 point), Austin Cindric (-5), and Michael McDowell (-6) are breathing down SVG’s neck for the final slot in the Chase Grid.

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES

• Alex Bowman Gets Second Chance After Thinking Career Was Over

• Zilisch Outduels Larson On Older Tires To Win O’Reilly Race At Bristol

• Christopher Bell Takes Bristol Truck Win After Chaotic Final Stage

• Alex Bowman Medically Cleared, Will Race At Bristol

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

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Connor Zilisch has had a less-than-stellar start to his NASCAR Cup Series rookie season. Even one of the hottest prospects in NASCAR history can have their confidence wane under these circumstances.

Zilisch got just what the doctor ordered with a confidence-building win in Saturday night’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Suburban Propane 300 at Bristol, as he topped Kyle Larson, the race’s dominant driver, for the victory.

“Yeah, man, that was awesome. It’s been a tough past few weeks for me in the Cup Series. It feels good to come back down here into the O’Reilly Series and remember that I can still do it,” Zilisch said. “It’s tough, you finish in the back every week, and you forget who you are.”

Zilisch’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, made a strategy call on a caution with under 30 laps to go, and kept his 19-year-old driver on track with older tires, while Larson, who had led 230 laps on the night, was among a large contingent of drivers that came to pit road.

While Larson got back to Zilisch, he slid up the track with three laps to go, and Zilisch cruised to the win.

Brent Crews would finish third behind Zilisch and Larson.

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OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

Ryan Blaney Shakes Off Loose Lap 1 To Take Food City 500 Pole

Ryan Blaney slipped up badly in Turns 1 and 2 on the opening lap of his qualifying run on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, but the Team Penske driver didn’t let that get into his head. He refocused and turned a blistering second lap, which allowed him to top Tyler Reddick for the pole position in Sunday’s Food City 500.

“Yeah, just kind of got free [on] Lap 1, landing into 1, and then, it was just kind of like, alright gather yourself up back up for [Turns] 3 and 4 to try to get a second lap,” Blaney explained. “Luckily, the rear tires came in better the second lap in [Turns] 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4, I thought was a really good corner. Really great job by the whole 12 boys.”

Chase Briscoe will start third, and Riley Herbst will join him on the outside of Row 2, in what was a career-best fourth-place qualifying run.

Ty Gibbs, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, and Carson Hocevar rounded out the top-10 qualifiers for Sunday’s race.

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OFFICIAL STARTING LINEUP

Alex Bowman Gets a Second Chance After Thinking Career Was Over

In a media availability at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Alex Bowman finally got the chance to open up about the vertigo symptoms he experienced in the car at Circuit of the Americas, which led to him sitting out of four NASCAR Cup Series races.

Bowman said he experienced dizziness and nausea inside the car at COTA, and admitted that he felt when he exited the race early at COTA that his career was likely over.

“I mean, honestly, yeah," Bowman answered when pressed on if he thought he was close to not racing again, "when I got out at COTA, I was like, this is probably it. That was what was going through my head. So, yeah, that sucked, and I'm thankful that I got another shot at it.”

Bowman credits a lot of time with a lot of doctors for allowing him a second chance at his NASCAR Cup Series driving career, and he is set for 500 laps around the ultra-fast, high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday. Not exactly the best recipe for someone coming off of a bout with vertigo.

"Yeah, it's probably the worst place possible to come back to," Bowman stated. "You know, I think not just from it’s physical, but it's a track that is extremely difficult. The margins from the front to the back of the field are tiny."

Bowman says ultimately, he’s a racer, and if his medical team tells him it’s safe to compete, he’s going to race. Bowman will start from the 27th position in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol.

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Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

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Bowman says he experienced dizziness and threw up on himself inside the car.

According to Bowman, he truly felt lik…

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While Christopher Bell wasn’t the dominant driver in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Tennessee Army National Guard 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, as that honor belonged to Christian Eckes, Bell was good when it mattered most.

Bell worked his way around Eckes for the race lead with 63 laps remaining in the 250-lap contest and was able to hold Chandler Smith at bay for the win in the closing laps. For Bell, it had been a long time since he had won a race in the NASCAR Truck Series.

“Oh man, that was just so awesome to be able to win a truck race,” Bell said in his victory interview on FS1. “Man, it’s been what, since 2017, since I’ve won one of these things. So, it’s a lot of fun racing with this group, this HFR group.”

Eckes would fade to a fifth-place finish. However, Eckes was also involved in the most controversial moment of the race, when he collided with Corey Heim, who had just nudged past him for the race lead with 70 laps to go.

The contact sent Heim hard into the wall, and Heim also collected Kaden Honeycutt, the series points leader heading into the night.

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OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

With Chandler Smith’s runner-up finish, and Kaden Honeycutt finishing 31st after the incident with Eckes and Heim, there is a change atop the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings.

With 12 races left until the Chase begins, Tyler Ankrum has fallen outside of the top-10, and is three points below the cutline.

OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES:

• Underdog NASCAR O’Reilly Team Leaning On AI Company to Bridge Gap

• NASCAR TV Schedule: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 10-12)

• Alex Bowman Medically Cleared, Will Race At Bristol

• LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Acquires Michael Guttilla As President

• Gray Gaulding to Make First NASCAR Start In Three Years At Bristol

• Cleetus McFarland Not Approved For Talladega In O’Reilly Series After Rockingham Start

• Seven NASCAR Cup Drivers To Compete In Bristol NASCAR Truck Race

• Chase Briscoe Joining TRICON for Bristol Craftsman Truck Series Start

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

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After four races on the sidelines, recovering from symptoms stemming from a vertigo diagnosis, Alex Bowman is slated to return to the NASCAR Cup Series to compete in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports confirmed on Thursday that Bowman had been medically cleared to return to competition.

“I’m grateful for the support I’ve had from Hendrick Motorsports, my sponsor Ally, our fans, and the medical team throughout this process,” Bowman said in a release from the team. “It’s been tough being out of the car, but we all wanted to make sure I was 100% ready before returning. I feel really good, and I’m excited about being at the track with my team and getting back to racing.”

According to the team, Bowman turned laps around the Ten Tenths Motor Club road course in Concord, NC, on Tuesday in a street car. The following day, the driver participated in pit stop practice, simulator testing, and had a medical evaluation. Following the rigorous schedule, and suffering no setbacks, Bowman was formally cleared for competition, and the team notes that he has been given no restrictions.

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OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES:

• NASCAR TV Schedule: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 10-12)

• LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Acquires Michael Guttilla As President

• Gray Gaulding to Make First NASCAR Start In Three Years At Bristol

• Cleetus McFarland Not Approved For Talladega In O’Reilly Series After Rockingham Start

• Seven NASCAR Cup Drivers To Compete In Bristol NASCAR Truck Race

• Chase Briscoe Joining TRICON for Bristol Craftsman Truck Series Start

• Entry List: 2026 NCTS Tennessee Army National Guard 250 at Bristol

• Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Suburban Propane 300 at Bristol

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

Share TC Daily Pit Stop

In this week’s episode, Rowdy leans into concrete-track data from Bristol and Dover, breaking down Fantasy Live head-to-head matchups, analyzing key performance metrics, and scanning the sportsbooks for value, long shots, and his bold “winner winner” pick. If you’re setting your lineup or building a betting card, this episode is loaded with numbers that matter.

Here’s what’s inside this week’s Bristol episode:

🏁 Chase Elliott vs. Brad Keselowski — Do Elliott’s superior Next Gen averages and 4-2 head-to-head edge at Bristol give him the nod?

⚡ Denny Hamlin vs. Kyle Larson — Nearly identical metrics across the board, but which way will Rowdy lean?

🔥 Ty Gibbs vs. Chase Briscoe — A statistical sweep for Gibbs, who dominates every key category and continues to outperform his teammate.

🧠 Carson Hocevar vs. Josh Berry — Hocevar’s has stronger averages and a 3-1 head-to-head advantage, but is he the clear play in this matchup?

💸 Sportsbook breakdown — Kyle Larson (+450) leads the board, followed by Denny Hamlin (+550) and Ryan Blaney (+650), with Christopher Bell (7-1) and Ty Gibbs (9-1) rounding out the top tier.

🚨 Long shots to watch — Bubba Wallace offers solid top-10 value (+200) if execution holds, while Carson Hocevar brings sneaky upside with improving consistency and a recent surge on concrete tracks.

🏆 Rowdy’s “winner winner” pick — Ty Gibbs, banking on elite recent Bristol speed, a high floor with four top-10s in his last five starts, and the potential to finally break through for his first Cup Series win.

Rowdy also checks in on his season-long Fantasy Live performance, explains why Bristol often mirrors Martinsville in terms of dominance by top-tier drivers, and emphasizes how practice and qualifying will be critical in shaping final decisions.

Whether you’re locking in your Fantasy Live head-to-heads, hunting for plus-money betting value, or preparing for 500 laps of Bristol chaos, this episode delivers the insight you need before the green flag drops.

👉 Subscribe on Substack, fire up the episode, and let Rowdy Dragon guide your fantasy picks and betting strategy for Bristol. 🏁🐉

Cleetus McFarland will not scream around the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway like a bald eagle in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in a few weeks, as NASCAR has not approved him to compete in speedways in the series.

McFarland competed at Rockingham last weekend in hopes that he could gain approval, but a 32nd-place finish, six laps off the pace, on a day where he had four near-crashes, was not enough for NASCAR to justify approval on larger tracks.

McFarland says while the decision is a “kick in the nuts,” he agrees that he needs more seat time to deserve approval. NASCAR reiterates that McFarland remains approved for short tracks in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series, and all tracks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series.

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LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Acquires Michael Guttilla As President

On the heels of the announcement that legendary singer/songwriter Darius Rucker has joined LEGACY MOTOR CLUB as a co-owner, the team announced the acquisition of Michael Guttilla, who will serve as the team’s president, on Wednesday.

Guttilla is the former Chief Operating Officer of Joe Gibbs Racing. According to a press release from LMC, Joe Gibbs Racing helped facilitate Guttilla’s move to LMC, and the move keeps Guttilla in the Toyota Racing family.

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OTHER NASCAR HEADLINES:

• Gray Gaulding to Make First NASCAR Start In Three Years At Bristol

• Seven NASCAR Cup Drivers To Compete In Bristol NASCAR Truck Race

• Chase Briscoe Joining TRICON for Bristol Craftsman Truck Series Start

• Entry List: 2026 NCTS Tennessee Army National Guard 250 at Bristol

• Entry List: 2026 NOAPS Suburban Propane 300 at Bristol

• Entry List: 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol

• Chad Finchum to Compete in Food City 500 With Garage 66

• Casey Mears Joins Beard Motorsports for Five Cup Races

Additional Resources:

• 2026 Schedules: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: Cup | O’Reilly | Trucks

• 2025 Driver Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Owner Points: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Rookie Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

• 2025 Manufacturer Standings: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

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