After much anticipation and details trickling in about impending changes, the 2026 Cup series schedule is finally official.

Let’s dissect the good and the bad to come out of next year’s schedule updates. 

First, here are the positive takeaways:

• GOING BACK TO CALI: Exciting addition of San Diego street race to the schedule, bringing all three of NASCAR's top series back to the important California market. It will take place at the Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, which should be an awesome backdrop. Chicago's street race had run its course, and I’m glad to see other exciting new additions to the schedule. Should be a fun weekend for fans and a popular one with drivers as well.
  
  
• AND BACK TO JOLIET: While I didn’t like Chicagoland back when NASCAR had races there years back (the final one was in 2019; all I remember from the years at the track was the giant orange bouncing down the track in qualifying). I always thought it was a bit of a bore with previous generation Cup cars. But, this Next Gen car races extremely well on the 1.5-mile tracks, so maybe it’s the right time to bring it back.
  
  
• NORTH WILKESBORO POINTS RACE: People wanted more than an All-Star race at North Wilkesboro, and they got it. I just hope it delivers and isn’t a snoozefest due to this car’s struggles on short tracks. The solid Bristol race this past weekend gives me some hope.
  
  
• EXTRA WEEK OFF: Drivers and teams will appreciate this. A second off weekend (in addition to Easter) lands in early August.
  
  
• HOMESTEAD FINALE: As we know from the many years we ended the season there, Homestead is a great finale location with tremendous racing. It’s only for 2026, as we’ll start a finale rotation for the years ahead, changing locations each year. I’m curious how the rotation goes moving forward. It’s nice to know it’s not locked in long-term at one place, as there are plenty of deserving tracks. Phoenix has run its course as the finale location and we needed a shakeup.

With a flurry of debate surrounding them, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are upon us. Whether you like the format or not, it’s time for 16 drivers to battle for the crown, with cuts along the way to 12, 8 and 4 remaining combatants.

Even with playoff points in the mix, everything is very tight as we begin the playoffs at the Lady in Black. Co-leaders Kyle Larson and William Byron are just 26 points ahead of the cut line entering the first round — which will take place at Darlington, Gateway and Bristol. All it will take is a quick Darlington stripe to knock someone from the points lead to below the cut line.

Read on for my full playoff predictions as we enter this 10-week battle.

Round of 16: Darlington, Gateway, Bristol

The big question as we start the playoffs is whether any of the drivers below the cut line will be able to claw their way out of danger and push others into that predicament. The points are so close, that of course this can happen, even in week 1, but once the three weeks are complete, I predict that only one of the four currently below the cutline (Tyler Reddick) will survive and move on.

While the race at Pocono on Sunday was largely a snoozefest and left much to be desired (though to its credit, a lot of folks likely enjoyed a nice nap), there is plenty to talk about in the aftermath of Chase Briscoe’s first win for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 19 car.

Top of mind is the increasingly small number of playoff spots that remain open, and whether or not any drivers will be able to make the playoffs through points alone.

At this moment, there are 11 drivers who have won a race, and should make the playoffs barring extreme circumstances. But there are 9 races left until the playoffs start, including drafting tracks at Atlanta and Daytona, plus the Chicago street course, and road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. All five of those are wild cards, and unique and unexpected winners could emerge.

While I don’t think we’ll have more than 16 winners when the checkered flag falls at Daytona and the playoff lineup is set, anything is possible. So the following drivers need to realize their postseason is in danger if they don’t get a win:

Bubba Wallace: After a recent run of decent finishes, Bubba was snakebit at Pocono — not even making a qualifying run due to technical difficulties, then hitting the wall hard after brake failure during the race. He is now hanging by a thread and ranked 15th in the playoff grid, but that could easily evaporate if his bad luck continues. Bubba’s best chance to win his way into the playoffs is either next week at Atlanta, or at Daytona, and he’ll need to hold his own at the road courses to make sure he doesn’t drop major points there. This nine-week stretch will be a serious test for the 23 team.

FLAT ROCK — In a finish that was not unexpected, 15-year-old Max Reaves continued his hot streak in the ARCA East Series on Saturday night, winning his third straight race in Joe Gibbs Racing equipment to begin his young career in the series. He is just the second driver in East Series history to win his first three races entered.

Reaves — a protege of NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte, who was at the track Saturday and signed autographs for a long line of fans — won the pole for Saturday’s Dutch Boy 150 and held off the hard-charging 17-year-old Tyler Reif, who kept him honest for the entire 150-lap distance. Reif managed to lead 6 laps on Saturday, but Reaves dominated with 144 laps led.

The win follows two earlier wins for Reaves at Five Flags Speedway and Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. He’ll aim to be come the first driver to win four straight races to start his East Series career when the series returns July 18 at Dover. That race will be televised live on FS1.

Others who fought hard all night and came home with solid finishes include Takuma Koga, who came all the way from Japan to race and took him an ARCA career-best 3rd-place finish. The driver was ecstatic after the race, proclaiming his love for short tracks and saying, “I love Detroit!” Koga battled for much of the race with East Series points leader Isaac Kitzmiller, who ended up 7th after a flat tire derailed his race.

Matt Kemp also had a strong night, qualifying 2nd and finished 4th, his first ARCA East top-5 finish. Austin Vaughn scored his first career ARCA Menards Series East top-5 finish in fifth.