Author Archives: PressBox

Daytona International Speedway is set for a warm, mostly dry NASCAR weekend Friday and Saturday, with forecasters calling for sun and clouds, highs in the upper 80s and no significant rain threat for on-track activity. The outlook is favorable for both days, though August weather in Daytona can change quickly and scattered storms remain possible.

Friday’s schedule opens with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at 3 p.m. ET, followed by Cup Series qualifying at 5 p.m. ET on truTV, with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM. The Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW and ESPN, with MRN and SiriusXM also carrying the race. The Cup Series has no practice at Daytona, making Friday qualifying its only on-track session before Saturday night’s race.

The weekend closes with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, a 160-lap, 400-mile race on Daytona’s 2.5-mile superspeedway that airs on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and streams on HBO Max. The event is the regular-season finale and the final chance for drivers to reach the postseason. All 41 drivers will take part in single-lap qualifying, the slowest non-chartered car will miss the race, the top 10 from the first round will advance to a second round to decide the top 10 starting spots, and positions 11 through 40 will be set by first-round speeds. The race is the 26th of 36 on the schedule and will be run in stages of 35, 60 and 65 laps.

NASCAR’s wet-weather tire procedure at New Hampshire Motor Speedway became the focus of a broader debate after officials used a competition caution on lap 40 of the Dollar Tree 301, freezing the running order and forcing teams to switch from Goodyear wet-weather tires to slicks under controlled conditions. Rain left the 1.058-mile Loudon oval damp, and the race began on wet-weather tires before the track dried enough for slicks, but the mandatory caution removed teams’ ability to choose their own timing and erased Shane van Gisbergen’s lead. Some in the garage argued NASCAR should have let strategy play out naturally, with Kyle Larson saying drivers should be able to adapt to changing conditions and that teams should be allowed to pit in the rain, as they do in other racing series.

FedEx Freight is expected to replace Craftsman as the NASCAR Truck Series title sponsor beginning in 2027, with reports saying the deal is nearing finalization in the next few weeks. No agreement has been signed yet, but FedEx Freight has been the company most consistently linked to the opening, and if completed it would become the fourth different title sponsor name for the series.

Craftsman had not renewed its Truck Series sponsorship by the start of the 2026 season, and after the exclusive negotiating window passed NASCAR began seeking other options. The Truck Series is the third step on NASCAR’s developmental ladder. Craftsman returned as the series sponsor in 2023 after previously holding the title from 1995 or 1996 through 2008.

The expected deal is said to be worth in the low eight figures annually and to include purse payouts, rights fees, activation and media buys. NASCAR has not commented on the talks. FedEx Freight, which became a separate public company in June after being spun off, told SBJ that it does not have any current sports marketing sponsorship agreements. NASCAR previously sought about $5 million annually for the Truck Series entitlement.

Tyler Reddick said a sleep study and doctors’ exams confirmed he had obstructive sleep apnea earlier this year, after years of symptoms that included loud snoring, repeated wake-ups, morning headaches, low energy and, at times, appearing to stop breathing in his sleep. He said he began using CPAP therapy through ResMed in March, noticed a difference after his first night, and found the treatment helped him feel more energized, cut back on caffeine and become more mentally sharp at home and on race weekends.

Reddick said the diagnosis changed how he approaches recovery, preparation and performance. He also said the treatment helped his wife sleep better and has become a bigger part of his routine as he tries to regain the early-season form that made him one of NASCAR’s top championship contenders.

23XI Racing and ResMed announced a new partnership to promote sleep-health education and sleep apnea awareness through the rest of the 2026 season. ResMed branding is set to appear on Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE at Bristol on Sept. 19, Talladega on Oct. 25 and Homestead-Miami on Nov. 8. Reddick also became the first driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to open a season with three straight wins.

Carson Hocevar’s aggressive driving drew the most attention at New Hampshire, where a wet-weather spin on the opening pace laps set off a string of complaints from rival drivers and analysts. Kyle Larson said on the Door Bumper Clear podcast that Hocevar’s spin was “1000%” intentional and “just to get on TV,” while Hocevar said he was trying to test the slick track conditions before the race went green. The incident forced the field back to pit road and delayed the start again, and Joey Logano called Hocevar an “idiot” over the radio.

The criticism continued after the race, when Hocevar’s contact with Connor Zilisch on Lap 84 of the Dollar Tree 301 became another flashpoint. Zilisch said the trouble began in practice, then carried into the race when he and Hocevar traded light contact before Hocevar turned left across his car and spun, with Logano and Austin Dillon also caught in the incident. Denny Hamlin said Hocevar appeared to move down before he was clear and questioned why he kept battling if he knew he was at fault. Hocevar later said he wrecked himself.

Larson linked the New Hampshire episode to what he described as a broader pattern of over-aggressive driving, including an Iowa incident involving Christopher Bell. He said Hocevar may be “the most talented out there,” but added that his aggression often goes overboard and his persona can feel forced. Hocevar finished 19th after completing 300 of 301 laps and sat 11th in the standings afterward. He later posted a reflective message on social media, saying he and his team had come a long way in three Cup Series seasons ahead of the Chase.