Shane van Gisbergen will make a return to the Craftsman Truck Series at Watkins Glen with an entry for Niece Motorsports.

The post Road course ace van Gisbergen set for Truck Series race at Watkins Glen appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Reactions to “clinical excellence,” a crowded pit lane and obsessing on the guy running 14th among Long Beach observations stuffing this week’s Mailbag.

The post The RACER Mailbag, April 22 appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Changes to stage lengths may have been made, but don’t expect dramatic changes to NASCAR’s speedway product just yet.

The post Be prepared for familiar frustrations as NASCAR goes superspeedway racing again this weekend appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Who wins the NASCAR race this weekend? Dega has arrived, with the Cup Series headed to Talladega Superspeedway for the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday afternoon. As we do every week, our NASCAR predictions attempt to project what will happen, from who wins the pole to stage winners and who makes it to victory lane.

Let’s dive into our Jack Link’s 500 predictions at Talladega.

Kyle Busch Wins the Pole at Dega

The lone bright spot for the No. 8 team this season came when it won the pole at the Daytona 500. During this Kyle Busch winless streak, superspeedways have been one of the few tracks where he’s had some success. Richard Childress Racing, for as much as it does wrong with the car setup everywhere else, knows how to build its cars for Talladega, as evidenced by Busch’s 3.3 average starting position since 2024. At the track where he qualified fourth in the spring race of 2024 and second in spring 2025, Busch gets the pole on Saturday at Dega.

Related: Kyle Busch Doubles-Down on Denny Hamlin Feud, Reveals His Hate List

Austin Cindric Wins Stage 1

Team Penske needs to rebound after a miserable showing at Texas. To Austin Cindric’s credit, he (12th place) greatly outperformed his two teammates. Now the driver of the No. 2 car arrives at Talladega, where he earned a stage win in both races during the 2024 season and turned a third-place finish in Stage 2 last spring into a win in last year’s Jack Link’s 500. While we aren’t projecting Cindric to make it back to victory lane this weekend, he will get a Stage 1 victory and jump above The Chase cutline after Sunday.

Related: Controversial NASCAR Driver Added to Cup Series Entry List at Talladega

Joey Logano Wins Stage 2

We’re predicting a sweep of the stages for Team Penske at Dega. Logano will finish in the top four in Stage 1 and then, with some help from crew chief Paul Wolfe and the No. 22’s pit crew, navigate the much-shorter Stage 2 to get 10 much-needed points. All of this will just be a part of an outstanding points day for the No. 22 car, which finishes top-five in the scoring and heads into next week in the top 10 of the NASCAR Cup Series points leaders.

Related: NASCAR Cup Series Stage Winners 2026, Stage Results By Race

Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs Finish Outside Top 10

Ty Gibbs has a top-10 finish in seven consecutive races, and Tyler Reddick, in addition to his five wins this year, boasts a stellar 10.5 average finishing position at Talladega in the last four races. We’re projecting both drivers won’t finish that high come Sunday. For Gibbs, his performance at Texas honestly left a lot to be desired, and we have real concerns about how well he’ll fare in traffic at Dega. Meanwhile, in a season where so much has gone right for the No. 45 team, Reddick’s luck runs out on Sunday with car issues that keep him outside the top 20 at the end.

Related: NASCAR Weekend Schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

Carson Hocevar Wins The Jack Link’s 500

In his 90th race, Carson Hocevar will deliver his first-ever win in the Cup Series. He’s proven since last year that he has the speed to make it to victory lane, and now the experience of running all those races is paying off. Hocevar is going to find himself in a battle with Logano, Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, and Chase Briscoe in the final laps on Sunday at Talladega. His peers might not like what he does to win, but Hocevar comes through with a victory and a finish that proves to be one of the most exciting moments of the 2026 season.

Related: NASCAR Cup Series Entry List for Talladega

More must-reads:

• Kyle Busch Doubles-Down on Denny Hamlin Feud, Reveals ‘Hate List’ of NASCAR Drivers
• NASCAR Entry List Talladega: Cup Series Drivers for Jack Link’s 500
• Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports

The post NASCAR Predictions Talladega: 5 Bold Projections and a First-Time Winner appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Kyle Busch made headlines this weekend ahead of the NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway by suggesting he could get payback on Denny Hamlin for comments he made earlier in the week. With Busch’s on-track performance not adding anything to the feud, he’s now doubling down behind the microphone.

In a recent interview, Busch said that Hamlin has taken on his role as the villain driver who is winning a lot. However, they aren’t talking much, and Hamlin could get “run into again here soon” for “running his mouth” and saying Busch is “washed” as a driver.

“He’s got his own podcast and he’s been running his mouth lately so he might get run into again here soon…He’s been telling me that I’m washed up and can’t drive anymore.”

Related: NASCAR Insider Sheds Light on Kyle Busch’s Options in Free Agency

To correct the record, Hamlin never said his former teammate is washed or can’t drive anymore. Instead, on last week’s episode of Actions Detrimental, the driver of the No. 11 car said that Busch should “carry it better” amid the ongoing struggles Richard Childress Racing is going through. Hamlin also said anyone still expecting Busch to recapture his former glory as a consistent winner is “going to be very disappointed” because the 40-year-old “doesn’t know how to get the speed out of the Next Gen car on a consistent basis.”

Hamlin, who has recorded 12 Cup Series wins since Busch’s last trip to victory lane in he No. 8 car, also said that he “can’t hold the guy’s helmet talent-wise” when comparing himself to Busch. Evidently, Busch didn’t hear that part of the segment. It’s also worth mentioning that when Busch was on the podcast last year, Hamlin credited him for his career development.

Related: Denny Hamlin Offers Blunt Message on Kyle Busch’s Struggles

Busch also revealed his “hate list” of fellow NASCAR drivers, which consists of Carson Hocevar, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski. As is the case with Hamlin, the only problems he can cause for them is when he is about to get lapped, and potentially not even for the first time in that race.

NASCAR stats back that up. In the last six races, Busch ranks 31st in average finishing position (25), which puts him far behind Hamlin (5.3, second), Keselowski (10.0, sixth), Hocevar (14.3, 13th), and even a struggling Logano (19.8, 21st).

Related: Kyle Busch Winless Streak, What’s Happened Since and Before Last Win

Even going back to the last 15 races ahead of Talladega, Busch ranks 21st in average finishing position (20.6), while Hamlin is fifth (11.8), Keselowski is sixth (12.5), Logano is 12th (15.3), and even Hocevar (19.6) ranks slightly ahead of the future Hall of Famer. None of these drivers can truly see Busch as a rival because he’s not providing them with any competition.

Busch’s frustration with RCR is evident, but what has put an even greater spotlight on his struggles is the fact that Dillon is outperforming him this season. Both are forced to deal with RCR giving them insufficient support, but the driver of the No. 3 car seems to be handling it better and delivering greater results.

Notably, Hamlin didn’t respond to Busch’s weekend comments during Monday’s episode of Actions Detrimental. It will be interesting to see how things between the two drivers may be influenced in the coming weeks when Hamlin inevitably ties Busch for career Cup wins and eventually passes him this season.

Related: NASCAR Cup Series All-Time Wins List, including Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin

More must-reads:

• NASCAR Predictions Talladega: 5 Bold Projections and a First-Time Winner
• NASCAR Entry List Talladega: Cup Series Drivers for Jack Link’s 500
• Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports

The post Kyle Busch Doubles-Down on Denny Hamlin Feud, Reveals ‘Hate List’ of NASCAR Drivers appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Who is racing in NASCAR this weekend? The NASCAR entry list for the Cup Series race this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway is the most crowded field of drivers all season. There are 41 entrants for the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, meaning someone won’t make the cut after qualifying on Saturday.

In addition to the 36 full-time drivers competing in Sunday’s NASCAR race, there are five additional entrants. Jesse Love is in the No. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing, Joey Gase is behind the wheel of the No. 44 car for the NY Racing Team, Casey Mears will be driving the No. 62 for Beard Motorsports, Garage 66 has Chad Finchum in its car and Daniel Dye is getting a shot with Live Fast Motorsports in the No. 78 car.

Related: Controversial NASCAR Driver Added to Cup Series Entry List at Talladega

Let’s dive into the crowded NASCAR Cup Series entry list for Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR Entry List Martinsville: Cook Out 400 Field

Related: NASCAR Weekend Schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

More must-reads:

• NASCAR Predictions Talladega: 5 Bold Projections and a First-Time Winner
• Kyle Busch Doubles-Down on Denny Hamlin Feud, Reveals ‘Hate List’ of NASCAR Drivers
• Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports

The post NASCAR Entry List Talladega: Cup Series Drivers for Jack Link’s 500 appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Joe Gibbs Racing has proposed a November 16 date for its trial with Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports, with the latter pair pushing for a May 2027 date.

The post Gabehart, Spire file response to JGR’s expedited trial request appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Just three weeks after NASCAR Truck Series team Kaulig Racing parted ways with driver Daniel Dye after he made insensitive comments on a livestream in March, the recently reinstated driver will now find himself running multiple Cup Series races later this season.

Live Fast Motorsports announced on Monday that Daniel Dye will be driving the No. 78 car in four Cup Series races, including this coming weekend at Talladega Superspeedway in the the Jack Link’s 500 in Alabama.

Related: Daniel Dye, Kaulig Racing Part Ways

Even putting Dye’s suspension and insensitive comments to the side, his results in the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series make this an odd decision from Live Fast Motorsports. The 22-year-old driver has no experience in the Cup Series, and his results in the lower series don’t exactly warrant a multi-race seat at the highest level.

He’s raced 48 times in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, including at The LiUNA at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14. He finished 15th in that and placed inside the top-20 in just two of his three OARS races this year. In his last 21 races in that series, he had an average finishing position of 21.9.

Read More: Cleetus McFarland Reveals When He’ll Run Next O’Reilly Race

In the Truck Series, he failed to record a top-12 finish in the three races before his suspension. Going back further, he had a modest average finishing position of 16.44 with just a single top-five finish (Talladega) in his last 13 Truck races.

As for off the track, in addition to the insensitive comments he made, Dye was arrested in April 2022 while a student at Father Lopez Catholic High School and charged with felony battery, only to have it later reduced to a misdemeanor.

As for why Dye is getting this ride with Live Fast Motorsports in the Cup Series, it’s worth noting that his father, Randy Dye, is a former Pro Late Model driver who owns the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership in Daytona Beach and serves on the board of directors for the NASCAR Foundation. Money and influence certainly seem to be heavy factors in the opportunity being handed to Dye.

More must-reads:

• NASCAR News: Cleetus McFarland Reveals When He’ll Run Next O’Reilly Series Race
• NASCAR Rumors: Insider Sheds Light on Kyle Busch’s Limited Options as Free Agent
• Best NASCAR Races 2026: Ranking Every Cup Series Race This Season from Best to Worst

The post Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports appeared first on Mr PitBox.

A week after YouTuber Cleetus McFarland was denied entry into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race this coming weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, he’s now revealed when he’ll get his next chance to get behind the wheel of an O’Reilly car for Richard Childress Racing.

McFarland announced Monday afternoon on Instagram that he’ll be driving the No. 33 car for RCR on May 30 in the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250 at Nashville Superspeedway.

“Look out guys, your boy is going back O’Reilly raccing. On May 30th, I’ll be in the No. 33”

Cleetus McFarland announcing he’ll run in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on May 30 at Nashville Superspeedway

McFarland, age 31, made his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Rockingham Speedway in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 on April 4. He struggled in qualifying, posting the fourth-slowest lap time, and found himself in the back of the field for the majority of the race. However, he avoided wrecking and finished the day in 32nd, with NASCAR drivers praising him for making it through the entire race.

NASCAR ultimately determined that he hadn’t quite shown enough, even with time to prepare for Talladega, to race in the upcoming Ag-Pro 300 on Saturday. Instead, his next opportunity behind the wheel came in the ARCA Menards Series this past weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Related: NASCAR Schedule This Week for Talaldega

While McFarland only finished in 20th, he ran much better than that in the No. 30 car. He demonstrated the ability to make passes on the outside, navigating his way through the field to get as high as seventh with 41 laps to go, and he was 10th with 25 to go in the race. Unfortunately, the engine blew and he was forced to save it just to avoid a wreck.

McFarland has continued to earn praise from fellow drivers and NASCAR media members for his dedication to improving his craft, committing a significant amount of time to learning in the simulator and gaining insight from his peers.

He’ll now have six weeks to prepare for the O’Reilly Series race at Nashville, another opportunity to gain experience in the car. While McFarland will almost certainly finish near the back of the field in the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250, NASCAR and the CW Network will get great TV ratings from it, and the race should help him improve even more moving forward.

More must-reads:

• Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports
• NASCAR Rumors: Insider Sheds Light on Kyle Busch’s Limited Options as Free Agent
• Best NASCAR Races 2026: Ranking Every Cup Series Race This Season from Best to Worst

The post NASCAR News: Cleetus McFarland Reveals When He’ll Run Next O’Reilly Series Race appeared first on Mr PitBox.

The Kyle Busch winless streak in the Cup Series has now reached triple digits, with a contract year likely to end with him going a third consecutive season without a trip to victory lane. With a departure from Richard Childress Racing feeling inevitable, it appears the future Hall of Famer may discover in NASCAR silly season that he doesn’t have much better options.

On the latest episode of The Teardown, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic stated that Busch will have to settle for a similar situation to what he’s in now because he won’t have an opportunity to join one of the four best teams in NASCAR.

“Let’s say he decided to go somewhere else and you look at the landscape. He’s not going to a big team. He’s not going to Hendrick Motorsports, he’s not going to 23XI, he’s not going back to Joe Gibbs Racing. Like, what are his options? You start looking at where the landscape is and it’s going to be in a similar situation where it’s a team where, yeah they have got some potential and promise, but they also have some warts.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on Kyle Busch’s team options for next seaosn

Related: Kyle Busch Fires Back at Denny Hamlin

Let’s start with 23XI Racing. Bubba Wallace, who sits eighth in points, is already under contract for the 2027 season in the No. 23 car. Meanwhile, reporting has hinted that top prospect Corey Heim will be replacing Riley Herbst in the No. 35 car next season. As for Tyler Reddick, who has won five times in nine races this season, co-owner Denny Hamlin made it clear a contract extension is coming, even if it’s going to be pricey.

As for Joe Gibbs Racing, they are more than happy with the results delivered by Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs. While there will need to be a plan for who drives the No. 11 car after Hamlin retires following the 2027 season, all signs point to that being Brent Crews.

Related: Denny Hamlin Offers Blunt Message on Kyle Busch’s Struggles

Busch won’t be going to Team Penske, which is having its own issues with inconsistency this season, and Hendrick wants a long-term option for the No. 48 car if it’s going to replace Alex Bowman. That leaves all of the top four teams off the table.

Spire Motorsports seemed like the most logical option for Busch coming into the season. However, Carson Hocevar is the future face of the team, and Daniel Suarez is exceeding expectations for them coming into the year driving the No. 7 car.

Related: NASCAR Cup Series All-Time Wins List, including Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin

It’s also worth noting that Busch has been outperformed by teammate Austin Dillon this season, and the No. 3 car is the only one that has delivered wins for RCR in the last few years. So, while he almost certainly won’t be behind the wheel of the No. 8 car in 2027, Busch might wind up with a team where the results are eerily similar. If that happens, the conversations might shift to whether or not it’s time for him to retire.

More must-reads:

• Controversial NASCAR Driver Handed Cup Series Ride with Live Fast Motorsports
• NASCAR News: Cleetus McFarland Reveals When He’ll Run Next O’Reilly Series Race
• Best NASCAR Races 2026: Ranking Every Cup Series Race This Season from Best to Worst

The post NASCAR Rumors: Insider Sheds Light on Kyle Busch’s Limited Options as Free Agent appeared first on Mr PitBox.