RADIO
Denny Hamlin Earns the first Nashville Cup Series Victory of his Career on Sunday
Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing won for the first time at Nashville Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday Night in the Cracker Barrel 400. It did not come easily, however, as Hamlin jumped the initial restart and had to do a pit road pass-through penalty, sending him to the back of the pack from the start. It would not be until lap 103 in the second stage that Hamlin would regain a position in the top 10. Even then, Hamlin quietly made effective use of pit strategies and had a fast enough car to make it back to fifth by the end of the second stage. In the final stage, he finally recovered to the lead after staying off pit road during the stage break and led the race until being passed by his teammate, Christopher Bell, on lap 245. Hamlin then went to pit road early before Bell on lap 257, hoping to use fresher tires to beat Bell, but was not fast enough to beat him without a caution that came up on lap 293, leading to the race's final restart on lap 297. Hamlin faced off with Bell and their other teammate, Chase Briscoe, in the closing laps, but it was on the final lap that Hamlin cleared both Bell and Briscoe to get his second victory of the 2026 season. This win kept Hamlin second in the regular season standings behind Tyler Reddick, but cut the gap between them to 97 points with 14 races completed.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Christopher Bell Finishes as the Runner-Up at Nashville
Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell had the fastest car of the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, but could not translate the speed into a victory on Sunday night. Bell started the race from fourth and ran inside the top five through most of the first stage. The No. 20 Toyota driver fought with Tyler Reddick, Shane Van Gisbergen, and Kyle Larson for the lead at various points in the stage, but was unable to make it to the front. Bell ended the first stage in 20th after he was shuffled to the back of the pack after pit stops on lap 72 and could not make up ground from drivers who took no or two tires on pit road. In the second stage, Bell worked his way up through the pack over time on track and through pit stops, but only made it up to eighth, earning three stage points. The first half of the final stage saw Bell chase down his teammates, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe, for the lead. He was able to successfully get by both of them by lap 245 and even maintained the lead through pit stops until the race's final restart on lap 297. Bell raced side-by-side with Hamlin and Briscoe all the way to the final lap, but Hamlin cleared Bell to win the race, leaving Bell as the runner-up for the second week in a row. With his best career finish at Nashville, Bell moves to seventh in the regular season standings after 14 races.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Chase Briscoe Earns First Career Podium Finish at Nashville
Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing was one of the main contenders for the win in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night. Briscoe started the race from 31st position after qualifying was canceled on Saturday and spent the first stage trying to move up through the pack. Thanks to the top-notch speed of his car and some pit strategies, Briscoe went from 31st all the way to eighth by the end of the first stage. In the second stage, Briscoe finally advanced to the lead past Kyle Larson on lap 127 until he went for a green flag pit stop for tires and fuel on lap 140. Due to a caution a couple of laps later, however, Briscoe got shuffled back in the pack as he fell off the lead lap. After taking the wave around, he spent the rest of the stage recovering positions, but only made it up to ninth by the end of the stage. In the final stage, Briscoe made it back to the top five and spent the first half of the stage chasing down his teammate Denny Hamlin for the lead. Briscoe was unable to pass Hamlin, and his other teammate, Christopher Bell, also passed them both. Briscoe then passed Hamlin for second, but then went to pit road on lap 259 after Hamlin pitted two laps prior. Despite running ahead of Hamlin after pit stops, Briscoe then went to chase Bell until the race's final restart on lap 297. On the final lap, Briscoe attempted to go three-wide with Bell and Hamlin for the win, but was unable to move his car past his teammates and settled for third. This was a new career-best finish for Briscoe at Nashville, and he is now 14th in the regular season standings after 14 races.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Ryan Blaney Scores A Solid Top-10 Finish at Nashville
Team Penske's Ryan Blaney ended with a solid finish of eighth at the end of the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Blaney started seventh in the race and quietly ran inside the top 10 through the entire first stage. On lap 72, the No. 12 Ford driver made a call to get two tires instead of four for a caution to gain track position. The call worked as Blaney then competed for the stage win alongside A.J. Allmendinger and Kyle Larson, but fell behind both of them to end the stage in third and score eight stage points. In the second stage, Blaney started from second, but lost a few positions to be in the back half of the top five until a caution on lap 146 shuffled him back to the lead. Blaney lost the lead again after pitting during a lap 173 caution and put himself further back in the pack. The No. 12 Ford driver tried regaining positions, but only made it up to 14th and failed to earn further stage points at the end of the second stage. In the final stage, Blaney quietly rode around the top 15 until he went to pit road on lap 217 during another caution. From here, Blaney attempted to save fuel and make it to the end without pitting, which worked until lap 274, when he went to pit for tires and fuel. After one last pit stop on lap 292, Blaney charged from the back to the front and made it up to his eventual finishing position of eighth. This was Blaney's fourth career top-10 finish at Nashville, and it helped move him to third in the regular season standings after 14 races.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Kyle Larson's Top-10 Streak at Nashville Ends after Late Flat Tire Spin
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports had a disappointing finish of 23rd in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night despite running well for most of the event. Larson began the race from the fifth position and had one of the fastest cars in the field in the first stage, as he went from fifth to the lead by halfway through the stage. Larson kept leading the race until a lap 72 caution that caused him to get four tires and fall a few positions behind the pack. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver recovered to finish second at the end of the first stage behind A.J. Allmendinger and earn nine stage points. In the second stage, Larson continued to lead until he was passed by Chase Briscoe on lap 127, then he went to pit road on lap 139. A couple of laps later, another caution occurred for Austin Dillon spinning, which put Larson behind other drivers, as some did not pit during green flag pit stops. Larson spent the rest of the stage regaining positions, but only made it up to 15th, and he failed to score further stage points. In the final stage, Larson reached back out to the top 10, where he ran for most of the stage and was about to reach the top five until he had a flat tire that caused him to spin on lap 299. The flat tire turned a potential top-10 run into a lackluster finish outside of the top 20, causing Larson's perfect streak of top-10 finishes at Nashville to end. After the 14th race of the season at Nashville, Larson is now sixth in the regular season standings.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Tyler Reddick Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing is starting outside of the front row in second for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway after qualifying was canceled due to rain. In five previous starts at Nashville, Reddick has two top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.6. With 13 races completed so far in the Cup Series this year, Reddick has five wins, 10 top-10 finishes, and a series-leading average finish of 5.4. In practice for this week's race, Reddick displayed top-5 speeds in all categories, including second in 15 and 20 consecutive lap averages. Based on equipment, practice speeds, and season-wide performance, Reddick is one of the top favorites to compete for the win this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Kyle Larson May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports will start in fifth for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Larson is starting in that position after qualifying for the race was rained out on Saturday, while starting positions were awarded based on the NASCAR rulebook's metric. In five Cup starts at Nashville, Larson has one win, a series-leading average finish of 5.2, and is the only driver in the field to finish in the top 10 in all five races at the site. After 13 races so far this season, Larson has seven top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.3. In practice for this week's race, Larson displayed top-10 speeds in almost all categories, including sixth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Larson's consistency at Nashville, as well as his practice speeds and equipment, do make him a favorable DFS option, especially in tournaments as an alternative play to some of the other top drivers.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Christopher Bell Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing will start in the fourth position for this week's NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, the Cracker Barrel 400. In five Cup starts at Nashville, Bell has four top-10 finishes. In the one start where he did not finish in the top 10, he did lead 131 laps and then failed to finish due to a late accident. Through 13 Cup races so far this season, Bell has five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 16.6. In practice for this week's race, Bell ranked fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages, third in 15 consecutive lap averages, and fifth in 20 consecutive lap averages. Considering his practice speeds, equipment, and overall track history, Bell is one of the top favorites to compete for the win this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chase Briscoe Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe is starting in the 31st position for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Briscoe was given the starting position after qualifying for the event was canceled on Saturday due to the weather. In five races at Nashville, Briscoe's best finish was 17th in last year's event at the track, where he also led 51 laps. In 13 races so far this season, Briscoe has five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 18.8. In practice for this week's race, Briscoe ranked among the top 10 fastest drivers in all categories, including fourth in 25 and 30 consecutive lap averages. With some of the highest upside in the entire field and top-notch equipment, Briscoe is a must-start for DFS lineups in this week's race.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chase Elliott has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, Chase Elliott, will be starting in the 29th position for this week's NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, the Cracker Barrel 400. In five previous races in the Cup Series at Nashville, Elliott has one win and two top-5 finishes. In 13 races completed so far this season, Elliott has two wins, seven top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.2. In practice for Sunday's race, Elliott ranked among the top-5 fastest drivers in the field, including second-fastest in 30 consecutive lap averages. Elliott's starting position provides plenty of upside, making him one of the top drivers to roster in all DFS lineups this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports is starting in the eighth position for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Byron was awarded the start position after qualifying was canceled on Saturday due to rain. In five previous races at Nashville, Byron has three top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13.6. Through 13 races this year, Byron has seven top-10 finishes with an average finish of 15.5. In practice, Byron ranked 13th in overall lap averages and 10th in 10 consecutive lap averages. Although Byron has some of the best equipment in the field by being aligned with Hendrick Motorsports, his starting position gives him little upside. Fantasy players looking to roster Byron should consider him for tournaments mainly as a contrarian option.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Carson Hocevar Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar will be starting 17th in this week's race at Nashville Superspeedway, the Cracker Barrel 400, after qualifying was canceled due to weather on Saturday. In two prior Cup starts at Nashville, Hocevar has two finishes of 16th or better, including a runner-up finish in last year's race at the site. After 13 races so far this year, Hocevar has one win, five top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.2. In practice for this week's race, Hocevar ranked 10th in 15, 20, and 30 consecutive lap averages. With Nashville being a strong track historically for Hocevar and his practice speeds, he is worth consideration for all DFS formats as a driver who is likely to place in the top 10.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing is starting in 18th for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway after qualifying for the event was canceled due to rain. In five starts in the Cup Series at Nashville, Wallace has two top-10 finishes and an average finish of 12.0. With 13 races completed so far this year, Wallace has six top-10 finishes with an average finish of 17.4. In practice for this week's race, Wallace ranked among the top 15 fastest in 10-30 consecutive lap averages. Considering his equipment and recent track history at Nashville, fantasy players can start Wallace as a top-10 option for DFS with confidence.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chris Buescher Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
RFK Racing's Chris Buescher will start in the 22nd position for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Buescher was given the starting position for the Tennessee track after qualifying was canceled due to weather on Saturday. In five Cup starts at Nashville, Buescher has two top-15 finishes with a best finish of fifth in 2024. In 13 races completed so far this year, Buescher has six top-10 finishes and an average finish of 12.8. During Saturday's practice, Buescher ranked 19th in 15 consecutive lap averages and 17th in both 20 and 25 consecutive lap averages. The No. 17 Ford driver makes for a decent DFS option for all formats with upside, as his equipment is capable enough to compete for a top-15 finish.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Daniel Suarez is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Last week's Coca-Cola 600 winner, Daniel Suarez, will start in the third position for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway after qualifying was canceled due to rain. In five prior Cup starts at Nashville, Suarez has one top-10 finish and an average finish of 14.4. Through the first 13 races this season, Suarez has one win, four top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.9. In practice for this week's race, Suarez ranked 34th in overall lap averages and 35th in five consecutive lap averages. With Suarez's starting position being set so high at a track where he normally has not competed for the win, he is a huge risk to utilize in DFS. Even if he can be used as a tournament play, fantasy players should not feel encouraged to consider Suarez with some of the slowest speeds set in practice.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
