Cup Series
The pinnacle of NASCAR competition — 39 races, 30+ tracks, one champion.
View 2027 ScheduleSeries Overview
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top tier of American stock car racing, tracing its roots to 1949 when Bill France Sr. organized the first strictly stock race at Charlotte Speedway. What began as a grassroots Southern motorsport has grown into one of the most-watched racing series in the world.
Today the Cup Series visits over 20 unique venues across the United States — from superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega to road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen, short tracks at Bristol and Martinsville, and street circuits like COTA and Naval Base Coronado.
The 2026 season marked the return of The Chase format, rewarding consistency and race wins across a 10-race postseason. Kyle Larson claimed his third career championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, cementing his place among the sport's all-time greats.
2026 Season Recap
Kyle Larson
No. 5 Chevrolet
Hendrick Motorsports — 3rd career title
Larson dominated the 2026 Chase with a remarkable 7.3 average finish across the postseason, winning at Talladega and two other Chase events to build an insurmountable points lead before clinching at Homestead with nearly 300 miles to spare.
Most Wins
Season Highlights
Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 and led the series with 6 wins in the regular season
Three drivers age 23 or younger — Ty Gibbs, Carson Hocevar, and Corey Heim — earned their first Cup victories
Shane van Gisbergen won twice on road courses, at Watkins Glen and Sonoma
Denny Hamlin entered The Chase as the No. 1 seed but costly mistakes at Darlington and Phoenix ended his title bid
Kyle Larson won from the No. 7 seed, becoming the first non-top-6 seed to claim the championship in the Chase era
The Chase Format
Introduced in 2004 and revamped for 2026, The Chase presented by Mobil 1 is NASCAR's postseason playoff system — a 10-race sprint that crowns the Cup Series champion.
Round of 16
3 races
Darlington, Richmond, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire
The top 16 drivers in points enter The Chase. Four drivers are eliminated after three races.
Round of 12
3 races
Kansas, Las Vegas, Charlotte
Twelve drivers compete. Race wins automatically advance a driver to the next round. Four more are eliminated.
Round of 8
3 races
Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville
Eight drivers remain. The intensity peaks as four more are cut heading into the finale.
Championship Race
1 races
Homestead-Miami Speedway
The final four drivers compete for the title. The highest finisher among them is crowned champion.
A race win during The Chase automatically advances that driver to the next round, regardless of points standing.
Where to Watch
The 2027 Cup Series season is split across four broadcast partners, with races airing from February through November.
Feb – May
Season opener, Daytona 500, COTA, and early-season races
May – Jun
Coca-Cola 600, Nashville, Pocono, Michigan, Chicagoland
Jul – Aug
Iowa, Sonoma, Atlanta, Indy, Naval Base Coronado
Aug – Nov
Bristol Night Race, Daytona, Darlington, and all 10 Chase races
Drivers to Watch
From reigning champion to rising stars, here are the names to know heading into 2027.
Kyle Larson
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
Reigning 3x champion. Dominant in the Chase.
Tyler Reddick
23XI Racing
Toyota
Led the series with 6 wins in 2026. Daytona 500 winner.
Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing
Toyota
5 wins in 2026. Entered The Chase as No. 1 seed.
Chase Elliott
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
Fan favorite and road course specialist.
Ryan Blaney
Team Penske
Ford
2026 regular-season standout with 4 wins.
Ty Gibbs
Joe Gibbs Racing
Toyota
Breakout 2026 season. First Cup win at Bristol.
2027 Schedule Preview
Start times and TV designations will be added as they are confirmed. Chase races marked with ★.
Wheatley Vodka Clash
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona 500
Daytona International Speedway
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Coke Zero Sugar 400
Daytona International Speedway
Southern 500
Darlington Raceway
Championship Race
Homestead-Miami Speedway