Ryan Truex Set to Return to NASCAR at Dover

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 15: Ryan Truex, driver of the #11 Yahoo! Toyota, arrives for the driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

What’s Happening?

Announced this morning by Sam Hunt Racing and reported by Joseph Srigley, New Jersey native, Ryan Truex, is set to make his NASCAR return at his home track, Dover Motor Speedway. He will be driving the team’s number 24 entry and will be looking for his third-straight victory at the track.

  • Dover Motor Speedway has been a great track for the Truex family. Aside from being their home track, Ryan’s older brother Martin got his first Cup Series win at the facility in 2007. When it comes to the younger Truex, two of his three career NASCAR Xfinity Series wins came at the track.
  • Truex’s first win at the track came in 2023. He backed it up the following year by claiming his second-straight Miles the Monster trophy in 2024. Both of these victories came with Joe Gibbs Racing, a powerhouse in the Xfinity Series. He’ll be seeking a third straight victory with Sam Hunt Racing in a couple of weeks.
  • Expectations for Ryan Truex are through the roof. Though he’s not with JGR this time around, Sam Hunt Racing has shown dramatic improvements in performance this year, thanks in part to Corey Heim. Heim has proven that the team is capable of running towards the front. Truex is looking to put that team in victory lane for the first time in a couple of weeks at Dover.
  • Recently, Truex served as a relief driver in the number 11 JGR Toyota for Denny Hamlin while he was on baby watch. This will mark his second Xfinity start of the season.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 14: Jesse Love, driver of the #2 Whelen Chevrolet, William Sawalich, driver of the #18 Soundgear Toyota, Brandon Jones, driver of the #20 Menards/Swiffer Toyota, and Corey Day, driver of the #17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)

The Complete 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on the CW TV Ratings Tracker

NASCAR’s secondary series is facing a huge brand change, leaving the title name “Xfinity Series” to become the brand-new O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. What is not changing, however, is its broadcast partner. The CW is headed for its 2nd season with the series, and has been investing heavily in it. Year after year, we put up the rating numbers and rank them accordingly in comparison to the previous season. Here’s how it works:

  • We will directly compare each race’s viewership from 2025 to that race’s (or closest comparable race’s) 2026 viewership. We will also keep a tally of how each race weekend fared compared to the same weekend last season.
  • This can be confusing, as the “2026 Season as a Whole” section compares races not directly to themselves, but to their corresponding 2025 race weekends. For example, in that section, the 3rd race of the year is compared to 2025’s 3rd race of the season, regardless of the race track.
  • If necessary, we will also address any potential dips in ratings, such as weather delays, postponements, or debuting races, like San Diego taking over for the Mexico City race

The 2026 O’Reilly Series Season as a Whole

All Races (1 Total in 2026)

  • 2026 Total/Average Viewership to Date: (Available Data From 1 race)*: 1.812 Million/1.812 Million Per Race
  • 2025 Total/Average Viewership to Date (Available Data From 33 Races): 1.825 Million/1.825 Million Per Race
  • Total Viewership Difference (2026 vs 2025): 0.013 Million (-0.717%)
  • Average Viewership Difference (2026 vs 2025): -0.013 Million (-0.717%)

2026 United Rentals 300 at Daytona via Adam Stern

  • 2026 Viewership: 1.812 Million Viewers
  • 2025 Viewership: 1.825 Million Viewers
  • Viewership Comparison (2024 vs 2025): 0.013 Million (-0.717%)

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Impact | Driver Approvals Questioned After Decker, Cleetus Crash At Daytona

It wouldn’t be Daytona without some weird, wacky, and headline-grabbing fallout. From viral Victory Lane moments to renewed debates about driver approval, NASCAR’s biggest race once again delivered more than just on-track drama. And with Michael Jordan celebrating a Daytona 500 win, the spotlight burned brighter than it has in years.

  • Did Michael Jordan’s raw, emotional Victory Lane reaction create the most mainstream positive buzz NASCAR has seen since 2020?
  • Why did one viral clip take on a life of its own, even after Tyler Reddick addressed it publicly?
  • Has the Natalie Decker crash reignited serious concerns about NASCAR’s driver approval process?
  • And where should the line be drawn between marketing power, opportunity, and competitive fairness?

Jordan’s presence mattered. When the most iconic athlete of a generation shows genuine emotion upon winning the Daytona 500, it reminds the wider sports world that this race still matters. That kind of authentic publicity cannot be manufactured. It resonated far beyond the garage. Meanwhile, the O’Reilly Series race added fuel to another ongoing debate. The massive Decker crash, Cleetus McFarland’s Truck debut incident, and past approval inconsistencies have once again raised tough questions. Consistency, transparency, and accountability are now front and center. Add in Austin Hill’s dominance and Ryan Ellis’ career-best sixth-place run to open the season, and Daytona gave fans plenty to talk about on and off the track.

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Adam Petty’s Brief Bright Career Ended in Heartbreak

On May 12, 2000, the NASCAR world arrived at New Hampshire International Speedway expecting another race weekend. Within hours, Adam Petty was gone. His death would become the first domino in an 18-month stretch that forever changed NASCAR’s approach to safety and reshaped the sport at its core.

  • How did a suspected throttle issue in Turn 3 at New Hampshire International Speedway take the life of 19-year-old Adam Petty?
  • Why were officials and team members unable to recreate the malfunction afterward?
  • Did this tragedy expose deeper safety flaws that had gone unaddressed?
  • And how did this moment mark the beginning of NASCAR’s most devastating modern era?

Adam wasn’t just the grandson of Richard Petty or the son of Kyle Petty; he was a young driver building his own path, fresh off his Cup debut at Texas Motor Speedway and preparing for a future with Dodge and Petty Enterprises. His passing stunned the garage and deeply impacted fans who saw the Petty family as part of their own. From the unanswered mechanical questions to the emotional aftermath that eventually led to the creation of Victory Junction, this is where the Firestorm begins. The fear, the controversy, and the transformation of NASCAR safety all trace back to that Friday in Loudon.

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