NASCAR ejected two car chiefs at World Wide Technology Raceway after their respective cars failed pre-race inspection twice. The cars belonged to Chase contender Chris Buescher and Cody Ware. The ejections occurred befor…
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This week in NASCAR · updated Mon Sep 21 2026
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener at Darlington reshaped the championship picture, with Christopher Bell winning the Southern 500 to end a 33-race drought and leap to second in points. Denny Hamlin, despite finishing 18th after a clash with Michael McDowell, still holds a 12-point lead over Bell. The race was marred by several incidents, including Carson Hocevar facing sharp criticism from Hall of Famers for spinning Brad Keselowski, and William Byron's puzzling engine failure ending his day early. Elsewhere, NASCAR ejected two car chiefs (for Chris Buescher and Cody Ware) after pre-race inspection failures at Gateway. The week highlighted both on-track drama and off-track penalties.
AI-written weekly briefing drawn from this topic's recent stories.
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NASCAR Removes Two Car Chiefs After Pre-Race Inspection Failures
Christopher Bell Wins Southern 500 as JGR Dominates Chase Opener
Christopher Bell captured the Southern 500 at Darlington, giving Joe Gibbs Racing a strong start in the NASCAR postseason. The victory highlighted JGR's continued dominance in the Chase.
Hamlin Extends Championship Lead Over Bell After Darlington
Following the Darlington race, Denny Hamlin holds a 12-point advantage over Christopher Bell in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. The updated points list reflects the results from the opening playoff round.
Hocevar Faces Backlash from Hall of Famers Over Keselowski Spin
Carson Hocevar drew sharp criticism from several NASCAR Hall of Famers for his dismissive reaction after spinning Brad Keselowski at Darlington. The incident and his subsequent interview overshadowed his on-track perform…
Byron Baffled by Engine Failure That Ends Darlington Day Early
William Byron's race at Darlington came to an abrupt end when his engine blew, forcing a DNF. The failure was a major setback for his championship hopes, and Byron was left puzzled by the sudden mechanical issue.
Elliott and Blaney Lend a Hand to Stalled 23XI Cars at Darlington
After a rain delay at Darlington, both Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick had trouble restarting their cars. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney stepped in to push the stalled 23XI entries, helping them get back underway.
Hamlin Frustrated After McDowell Clash Derails Darlington Opener
Denny Hamlin finished 18th at Darlington after an on-track encounter with Michael McDowell, a result that dampened the start of his playoff campaign. He expressed disappointment over the incident, which cost him valuable…
Bell ends 33-race winless drought with Southern 500 triumph, jumps to second in standings
Christopher Bell won the Southern 500 at Darlington, snapping a 33-race losing streak and moving from sixth to second in the championship standings. He finished 12 points behind leader Denny Hamlin, who struggled to 18th…