With so much expectation heading into the race, talks about tire falloff, and uncertainty, we all expected a good race, somewhat similar to what we saw last spring, a race that broke the record for lead changes at the racetrack. Instead, we got one of the worst races ever at Bristol. Despite severe tire wear in practice, that was not seen at all during the race, as in hotter temperatures, the track took more rubber, helping the tires last from about 35 laps in practice to well over 170 during the race. It was, again, the Kyle Larson show, just like last fall and last Saturday. The good part is that we have much to take away from that race; the bad part is that they are mostly negative.
Learn more about the race HERE
Larson started P3, and after 40 laps, he worked his way past Alex Bowman for the race lead. He led every single one of the following 350 laps and only lost that lead because of a green-flag pit cycle. With that win, Larson now has 3 at Bristol, all of them in the last 6.
After dominating the Xfinity race on Saturday and now the Cup Series, I doubt Larson is any sad about not winning the Truck race, but it certainly must stink being so close to the three-peat on the weekend for the second time this year. Still, Larson now has led the most laps out of anyone going into the Easter break, and with 2 wins in the last 3 races, he seems like a title favorite again.
Since the introduction of the Next-Gen car, we’ve had a major problem with short-track racing on the Cup Series. However, NASCAR has tried to put it all on Goodyear to improve the product. Sometimes, you get what you want, but most of the time, you won’t, and the latter was the case on Sunday night.
Fans are unhappy with NASCAR and need to work on this product as soon as possible. Tires are a good change, but they don’t matter if your car doesn’t provide opportunities for passing. Cars could run 200+ laps on tires at Bristol; they were pitting because they needed fuel, and is that a Goodyear problem? The easy answer for NASCAR is yes, because then all they have to do is ask them to make softer tires, but how far can that go? For how much longer will NASCAR neglect that they have a CAR problem and not a TIRE problem? Fact is: Goodyear is not to be blamed; the Gen 7 car is, thus, NASCAR.
The question here is not when they will improve, nor if, but how much lower they can go. The leader is crossing the line after leading 90% of the race, and instead of Mike Joy praising that masterclass of a performance, we have Bowyer talking about how he was unable to sweep the weekend. Are we serious?
The booth isn’t the worst part, as the cameras cannot catch cars wrecking in a half-mile racetrack, or even when they do, they cut it away to a shot in which you can’t see it happening. Not to mention the absurd amount of commercials per race, including during pit stops and rare side-by-side battles in a race that desperately needed actions on screen. It’s become unbearable, and it’s curious to see how much longer that will last.
On a more positive note, if you’re a Joe Gibbs Racing or Hendrick Motorsports fan, those two teams have won 8 of the first 9 races on the season (5 for Joe Gibbs, 3 for Hendrick) and are 1 through 5 in points. It’s easy to say they’ve been the class of the field.
Gibbs had gone months without a win; in 2024, they did not have a single car on the championship four for the first time ever, which led to changes. Well, those changes seem to be working very nicely up to this point. On the other hand, Hendrick has the same formula they’ve had for long, but it clearly doesn’t need change; has been doing it for them. Those two teams are on pace to take all four slots in the championship race at Phoenix, and it’s unclear which one has the advantage
Now that the race weekend is past and we head into a one-week break from the Cup Series, what have you been thinking of this season so far, race fan? Let us know by joining the conversation on our Discord or X. Remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more updates.
As the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway, The Daily Downforce is once again tracking how fans feel about race broadcasts throughout the year, just as we did last year. This ratings tracker exists to capture fan feedback in a clear, consistent way across the entire season for each TV partner.
After each Cup Series race weekend, we will post a fan poll asking one simple question: “How would you rate this weekend’s Cup Series broadcast?” And fans can vote and comment based on their overall viewing experience. This article will be updated weekly with the most recent race’s numbers added to the tracker.
Participation is quick and open to everyone.
| Week | Network | Race | Votes | Good | Average | Bad | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FOX | Bowman Gray Clash | 368 | 16% | 43% | 42% | Check the Poll HERE |
| 2 | FOX | Daytona 500 | 989 | 42% | 46% | 12% | Check the Poll HERE |
| 3 | FOX | Atlanta | 771 | 43% | 43% | 14% | Check the Poll HERE |
| 4 | FOX | COTA | 918 | 25% | 53% | 23% | Check the Poll HERE |
Remember to follow The Daily Downforce on X to catch each weekly poll, share your thoughts, and be part of the conversation.
Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.
Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below
Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.
Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:
We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.
The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
