TC Daily Pit Stop: Ryan Ellis Joins Young's Motorsports for 2026; Hamlin Knew What It Was Like to Be Champion Before Heartbreak
TC Daily Pit Stop: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Ryan Ellis Reveals New Team for 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Season
Ryan Ellis officially has a new home for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. In an announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Monday afternoon, Young’s Motorsports officially introduced Ellis as a full-time driver for the organization, beginning with the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.
The agreement between Ellis and the Young’s Motorsports team is a multi-year driving contract, and the team feels Ellis is a perfect fit for what they’re building in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan to Young’s Motorsports,” said team principal Tyler Young. “He brings a wealth of experience, professionalism, and determination that aligns perfectly with the direction we’re taking as a team. Ryan is exactly the kind of driver we want representing our organization, someone who’s respected, understands the grind it takes to compete at this level, and consistently gets the most out of his equipment.”
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Hamlin ‘Knew What It Was Like to Be Champion’ Before Phoenix Heartbreak
As he continues to find peace with his latest heartbreak, which transpired a couple of weeks ago at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin has been attempting to slide back into offseason mode as he ramps up for his 21st attempt to chase a NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2026.
Last Thursday, Hamlin participated in a unique event at Joe Gibbs Racing, the 13th annual Progressive Keys to Progress event, where he and legendary Coach Joe Gibbs handed out the keys to two brand-new Toyota street cars to veterans of the U.S. Army.
For Hamlin, the event helped him put his loss on the racetrack at Phoenix Raceway in perspective.
“Yeah, it is [keeping it in perspective],” Hamlin explained in an exclusive interview with Racing America On SI. “You know, back to work. You’ve got to just do the best you can to reset. I’ll certainly need some time to do that. But generally speaking, this is the race hangover time. You’ve got to just take a little break, get a reset, get recharged, you know, it’s just this year will probably take a little bit longer than years past.”
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Other NASCAR Headlines:
Trackhouse Finalizes Driver-Crew Chief Lineup, Car Numbers for 2026
Corey Day Gets Nod to Run Full O’Reilly Schedule with Hendrick Motorsports
Parker Retzlaff Announced as Driver of Viking Motorsports’ No. 99 in 2026
Jimmie Johnson Intends to Compete in NASCAR Cup Street Race at San Diego
Zilisch’s Bittersweet Ending: From Xfinity Heartbreak to a Missed WEC Opportunity
Judge Rules in Favor of 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, Again
Denny Hamlin ‘Plans to’ Return in 2026, But ‘Is Going to Need Some Time’
AJ Allmendinger Competing in 2026 Rolex 24 with Meyer Shank Racing