Larson took Cup lead as Hamlin slipped to second after Bristol

NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 21, 2026

Larson Leads Standings

Larson finished second at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and added 12 stage points, enough to move him to the front of the standings after a night that tightened the championship race again. Hamlin had led the standings since Sonoma, but his stretch of results at the Southern 500, Gateway and Bristol wiped out the 25-point cushion he carried into the playoffs. His 18th-place finish at the Southern 500, ninth at Gateway and eighth at Bristol left him chasing Larson instead of controlling the table. Larson became only the third driver to lead the standings this season, which underscored how often the front of the points race had shifted. The margin was small, and the battle at the top then ran through every stage point and every finishing spot.

Logano Wins Bristol

Joey Logano delivered the biggest result of the night by winning the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol. It was his 40th career Cup Series victory and his third win of the 2026 season. The victory also lifted him from ninth to third in the standings, where he trailed Larson by 16 points. That put Logano right back into the title conversation after a strong run at Bristol changed his position in a hurry. Christopher Bell stayed in the hunt in fourth, 17 points behind the lead, while Ty Gibbs moved up to fifth. Tyler Reddick slid to seventh. The standings cluster around the front remained tight, with Larson and Hamlin separated by a point and Logano, Bell and Gibbs all within striking distance. Logano’s rise gave the front of the playoff field another contender and added more pressure to the drivers trying to hold position in the final stretch of the season.

Blaney Drops Back

Ryan Blaney’s night turned when he was crashed into the wall with 43 laps remaining after contact with Carson Hocevar. The damage sent Blaney to a 33rd-place finish at Bristol and dropped him to sixth in the standings. That result pushed him out of the group just behind the leaders and made the points shuffle even more pronounced after Bristol. NASCAR reviewed the Blaney-Hocevar incident and did not expect penalties. Officials were set to discuss the crash during their weekly postrace meeting, but the immediate standings impact was already clear. Blaney’s fall opened another spot in the chase order and added to a night that saw the top of the championship race rearranged from first through seventh. The result also showed how quickly one late-race crash can change the playoff picture when the margins are this small.