A curious thing is happening in NASCAR’s B-series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity), as we head into 2026.

This series, which has been dominated by Chevy and Toyota teams in recent years (especially by Chevy and JR Motorsports), will have essentially no presence from Ford teams in 2026.

The news has long been out that Haas Factory Team will switch from Ford to Chevy starting in 2026 in O’Reilly Series, and today it was announced that RSS Racing will be moving from Ford to Chevy as well, and continue partnering with Haas Factory Team.

What it means is that, from a distance, it looks like Ford is giving up on the series for now. No major teams are currently affiliated with Ford, and anything that remains (Potentially AM Racing, and some of the backmarker teams who help fill out the field) is not going to earn them many strong finishes.

As someone who has watched teams like Roush Racing and Penske Racing dominate this series in the past, that’s tough to see.

BROOKLYN, MICH. – If you've ever wanted to get a lap in at Michigan International Speedway, now is your chance.

The track will host the 17^th annual MIS Cares Charity Track and Toy Drive event on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. Fans are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item or a new, unwrapped toy in exchange for a drive around the track in their personal vehicle.

Donations from this event go to support local charities, including St. Mary’s of Good Counsel Parish Food Pantry, Jackson County Toys for Tots, and Lenawee County Toys for Tots.

“We’re ready to kick off the holiday season in just a few weeks and the MIS Cares Charity Track and Toy Drive is the perfect event to start spreading holiday cheer,” said Joe Fowler, Michigan International Speedway President. “It’s important to give back to the community and to play a role in helping make the upcoming holidays special for families in the Irish Hills is what it’s all about.”

Guidelines for participants running laps at the track include:
— Speed limit of 65 MPH
— No passing allowed
— Valid driver’s license required
— Must be age 18 or older.
— Must be properly insured (and able to show proof of insurance)
— No burnouts allowed anywhere on property.
— Drivers are responsible for ensuring all passengers are properly restrained.
— Must maintain the speed of your group. 
— Must stay above yellow line
— Street legal passenger vehicles are allowed, but no RV’s, motorcycles, or tractor trailers.
— For safety reasons, Michigan International Speedway officials may refuse track access at their discretion.
— Those attending can access the event via US-12 entrance.
— If weather prevents driving on the track, make-up date will be scheduled.
 

Nite Lites

Another upcoming event at MIS is Nite Lites, which is also Michigan’s largest Christmas Light display

This event will be held at MIS from Nov. 21 through Jan. 4. Hours for this 5-mile drive-thru display are 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday; and 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays. 

Cost to attend is $35 per car/vehicle, while limos, motorhomes and minibuses are $50 each, and tour buses are $100. Cash and credit cards are accepted, and you can visit www.nitelitesshow.com for more information.

Looking ahead to 2026, fans can purchase tickets for the 2026 NASCAR race weekend at Michigan International Speedway at www.mispeedway.com.

All the racing world’s eyes will be on the Motor City on Jan. 15, specifically at the newly renovated Michigan Central Station, when Ford Racing will host its Season Launch event in conjunction with the spotlight being on Detroit for the annual Auto Show.

Mark Rushbrook, global director for Ford Racing, says he wanted a special location for the unveiling.

“This iconic landmark, steeped in the city’s spirit of grit, perseverance, and undeniable love for cars, is the perfect place to kick off an epic year on the track and in the dirt. It’s a powerful statement, complementing the energy of the 2026 Detroit Auto Show happening the same week, truly making Detroit the global hub of automotive excitement,” Rushbrook said. 

Rushbrook said all elements of the Ford Racing lineup will be on display.

“From the thunderous roar of NASCAR to the grueling challenges of Mustang endurance sports car racing, and the relentless grit of our off-road teams tackling Dakar and Baja — every facet of Ford’s global racing prowess will be on full display. This isn’t just a launch; it’s a declaration of intent across every racing discipline, a true embodiment of the “Go Like Hell” spirit that drives us,” he explained.

Beyond racecars, Rushbrook said the event will also feature an exclusive sneak peek at an all-new Ford Racing production road car.

BROOKLYN, MICH. – Michigan International Speedway announced today that the MISCamping.com infield for the June NASCAR race weekend has officially sold out for the fifth year in a row. General camping, grandstand tickets, and hospitality are still available for fans to experience NASCAR’s return to the Irish Hills in 2026.

“It’s truly remarkable to sell out our MISCamping.com infield for the fifth year in a row and to do so before the new year,” said Joe Fowler, Michigan International Speedway President. “Our fans made this possible as their desire to see NASCAR at MIS only continues to increase. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for an unforgettable weekend of racing, reunions, and adrenaline in the Irish Hills.”

Fans can still get in on all the race action with grandstand tickets, outside campsites across Michigan’s largest registered campground, and hospitality options for the weekend. Campsite areas still available include Brooklyn Trails located on Brooklyn Highway across from the track, Brookfest Acres located outside of turn 4, M50 Creekside located behind turn 3, Graves Family Campground located on US-12, High Banks located outside of turn 3, and Tree Farm which is just outside of turns 3 and 4.

DETROIT — Five weeks after lowering the curtain on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a Victory Circle celebration, Cadillac Racing continues preparations for 2026 championship runs with a two-day test at Daytona International Speedway.

In addition to eight returning Cadillac Racing drivers seeing track time in the Nos. 10 and 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.Rs and No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, Cadillac Formula 1 Team test driver Colton Herta and American stock car racing star Connor Zilisch will take the wheel of a Cadillac Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) racecar for the first time.

Five sessions November 14-15 for GTP competitors are scheduled on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course, which will host the 2026 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

Herta, 25, who will contest the upcoming FIA Formula 2 season with Hitech Racing, recently was confirmed to compete in the 2026 IMSA Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta endurance races in the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R.

NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season champion and rookie of the year Zilisch will get an early look at Daytona International Speedway – where he’ll make his NASCAR Cup Series full-season debut in February in the No. 99 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing – by driving the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R campaigned by Action Express Racing at the test.

“Hopefully, we’re going to make the most of it and see if this can lead to more opportunities for me in the Cadillac because it would be super cool for me to be able to race at the highest levels of endurance racing,” said Zilisch, 19, of Mooresville, North Carolina. “That’s always been a dream of mine.”

Championship weekends are supposed to be celebratory. Fun. Thrilling.

While the losing team’s fans may be upset, they can still appreciate a game well-played between competitors.

2025 Championship Weekend was a whole different vibe for NASCAR, and not in a good way.

With nonstop talk going into the weekend about the legitimacy of the one-race battle for the title, we knew the results were going to be looked at under a microscope.

To be frank, this weekend at Phoenix had a funereal feel to many fans, who saw this as the end of an era where changes that have been implemented have had unintended consequences that have hurt the sport’s integrity — and as the weekend played out, we saw two more heartbreaking examples of why this playoff format needs to end and a major reset is needed for the sport in 2026.

Friday Miracle from Heim, but disappointment for Zilisch on Saturday

To start the weekend, disaster was averted on Friday courtesy of a late 7-wide banzai move by Corey Heim that allowed him to claim a title that rightfully should have already been his. If he hadn’t won the championship due to late cautions, it would’ve been a travesty, as Heim had perhaps the most dominant season ever in the series’ history. So, we got through one day without a calamity.

But then our luck ran out.

When Talladega was included as part of this final elimination round of the 2025 playoffs, it was sure to be a Wild Card. Everyone wondered just how this unpredictable round would play out as the Final Four was determined.

Interestingly, despite lots of drama, a common trend returned at the end of the Talladega race — Joe Gibbs Racing contenders stepping up when it mattered most. The flagship Toyota team, fresh off a Vegas win by Denny Hamlin to lock into the Final Four, took the victory with Chase Briscoe at Talladega (after a strong push from teammate Ty Gibbs on the final lap). Now, two JGR drivers (Denny Hamlin and Briscoe) are going to contend for the title at Phoenix, and their third playoff driver Christopher Bell sits 37 points above the cutoff line heading into Martinsville this weekend.

In what is likely the final Cup series championship decided under this one-race Final Four format, JGR and Toyota have stepped up to take the reins and dominate the playoffs in 2025, and are likely to have a 75 percent chance of claiming the title at Phoenix — a feat also accomplished by JGR previously in 2019 (Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin).

“I don’t know what’s more unbelievable – the fact that we’re going to the Championship 4 or that I won a superspeedway race. It’s unbelievable,” Briscoe said after his win. “Super excited to try to get some redemption and have a shot to win a championship. It’s going to be just an unbelievable opportunity.”

In addition to revealing the long-awaited Cup series schedule, NASCAR also recently unveiled its schedules for the 2026 calendar year in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly known as Xfinity Series), and Craftsman Truck Series. Here are my takes on the best and worst changes made in those schedules. 

Xfinity schedule changes

GOOD:

IN THE NAVY NOW: All three series will be racing at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego in June, which should be an amazing location for the race. Assuming the track design allows for competitive racing, this is an event that should be a home run all weekend, and it’s nice to see NASCAR introducing these new locations instead of the copy/paste schedules we had for so many years. Whether it’s a one-year deal or multiple years, I am circling this on the schedule for all three series.

MORE DARLINGTON, PLEASE: Like most racing fans with half a lick of sense, I love to watch NASCAR racing at Darlington. The Lady in Black delivers every time in my book, so adding a second O’Reilly race at Darlington in 2026 is a no-brainer to me. It's an old-school track that is one of few I would argue deserves two dates.

After much anticipation and details trickling in about impending changes, the 2026 Cup series schedule is finally official.

Let’s dissect the good and the bad to come out of next year’s schedule updates. 

First, here are the positive takeaways:

• GOING BACK TO CALI: Exciting addition of San Diego street race to the schedule, bringing all three of NASCAR's top series back to the important California market. It will take place at the Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, which should be an awesome backdrop. Chicago's street race had run its course, and I’m glad to see other exciting new additions to the schedule. Should be a fun weekend for fans and a popular one with drivers as well.
  
  
• AND BACK TO JOLIET: While I didn’t like Chicagoland back when NASCAR had races there years back (the final one was in 2019; all I remember from the years at the track was the giant orange bouncing down the track in qualifying). I always thought it was a bit of a bore with previous generation Cup cars. But, this Next Gen car races extremely well on the 1.5-mile tracks, so maybe it’s the right time to bring it back.
  
  
• NORTH WILKESBORO POINTS RACE: People wanted more than an All-Star race at North Wilkesboro, and they got it. I just hope it delivers and isn’t a snoozefest due to this car’s struggles on short tracks. The solid Bristol race this past weekend gives me some hope.
  
  
• EXTRA WEEK OFF: Drivers and teams will appreciate this. A second off weekend (in addition to Easter) lands in early August.
  
  
• HOMESTEAD FINALE: As we know from the many years we ended the season there, Homestead is a great finale location with tremendous racing. It’s only for 2026, as we’ll start a finale rotation for the years ahead, changing locations each year. I’m curious how the rotation goes moving forward. It’s nice to know it’s not locked in long-term at one place, as there are plenty of deserving tracks. Phoenix has run its course as the finale location and we needed a shakeup.

With a flurry of debate surrounding them, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are upon us. Whether you like the format or not, it’s time for 16 drivers to battle for the crown, with cuts along the way to 12, 8 and 4 remaining combatants.

Even with playoff points in the mix, everything is very tight as we begin the playoffs at the Lady in Black. Co-leaders Kyle Larson and William Byron are just 26 points ahead of the cut line entering the first round — which will take place at Darlington, Gateway and Bristol. All it will take is a quick Darlington stripe to knock someone from the points lead to below the cut line.

Read on for my full playoff predictions as we enter this 10-week battle.

Round of 16: Darlington, Gateway, Bristol

The big question as we start the playoffs is whether any of the drivers below the cut line will be able to claw their way out of danger and push others into that predicament. The points are so close, that of course this can happen, even in week 1, but once the three weeks are complete, I predict that only one of the four currently below the cutline (Tyler Reddick) will survive and move on.