The Coca-Cola 600 is nearly here. Practice and qualifying are over, and the grid is set. Anything can happen in the 600, so fantasy users should be prepared.
Firstly, this race has four stages. The fantasy garage will lock at the end of stage three. With the extra stage, a maximum of 71 points is available.
Since February 2022, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have been two of the best teams at Charlotte. Between William Byron, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, and even Chase Elliott, who is starting in the middle of the pack, users cannot go wrong with selecting a Hendrick driver.
All four JGR cars looked good in practice and qualifying. Chase Briscoe put the No. 19 on pole. Ty Gibbs was the second fastest in practice and will start from 7th. Denny Hamlin was fourth fastest in practice, and Christopher Bell will start in 10th.
At this point in the season, fantasy users have likely chosen Bryon and Bell four or more times. Meaning they only have them for six or fewer races for the rest of the season. Gibbs had a fast car today, and that speed should translate to tomorrow. The No. 54 and No. 19 can give users a good points total and save a top-tier driver like Byron or Bell for down the stretch. Then again, maybe fantasy users feel like going all in for this crown jewel race.
Whether you are playing the long game or picking only the top-tier drivers, taking Hendrick or JGR drivers is a good place to start.
Aside from drivers from the two best teams in the sport, who else is bound for a good day?
Reddick and 23XI as a whole have been slumping lately, but there is nothing like one of the biggest races of the year to get a team going.
According to Racing Insights, Reddick has averaged a running position inside the top 10 in four of his five Coca-Cola 600 starts. The No. 45 car will start 12th on Sunday.
The No. 47 car will start 11th. In his last three races in the 600, Stenhouse has an average finish of 15 and two top 10s. He has performed well this season and is in a playoff position.
The No. 12 car has had a poor average finish at Charlotte in recent years, but he did win the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 and will be there at the end of Sunday’s race. The other two Penske cars qualified ahead of Blaney, but he should be the top Penske pick.
Chris Buescher, AJ Allemdinger, John Hunter Nemechek, and Noah Gragson are all honor-mention drivers this week. If possible, sprinkle one of them in your lineup. All are starting in the top 10 and could be good value picks.
Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney
Blaney is starting nine positions behind Reddick. Track position is very important, but the No. 12 will find a way to get past Reddick in the end.
Christopher Bell and William Byron
Two of this season’s hottest drivers go head-to-head. This will definitely be entertaining. Users should pick the Hendrick car over any other.
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson
Choose Larson all day. The No. 5 is starting on the front row and has been the best driver all year.
Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman
While Busch has been good at Charlotte, Bowman and his Hendrick equipment have the upper hand.
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona drew nearly 1.4 million viewers on FS1, beating the 2025 opening race number by 37%, and becoming the most-viewed Truck Series event since 2016.
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:
All Races (1 Total in 2026)
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.
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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