It's always important not to overreact to any race during the 2026 NASCAR season, especially since a lot can change depending on the track. However, coming off the first points race of the season, we can say that there are some drivers who are headed in the right direction and others in the wrong direction heading into Atlanta this weekend.
Let's dive into our NASCAR Stock Watch after the Daytona 500, highlighting the full-time Cup Series drivers whose stock is up or down ahead of the second race of the season.
Stock Up: Zane Smith
Zane Smith is in the spotlight at a time when 19-year-old Connor Zylisch and 23-year-old Carson Hocevar are viewed as the future faces of the NASCAR Cup Series. However, Smith made his name in the Daytona 500. He won Stage 1 – the first stage win of his career – and then moved up from 15th in Stage 2 to finish sixth behind Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski. Smith's 41 points are one of his highest totals since joining the Cup Series, and he led the same number of laps as Logano and Christopher Bell (nine) in the 500. We're not saying Smith is a safe bet to reach the playoffs by any means, but surpassing his career highs in top 10s (five) and laps led (22) seems possible.
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Stock Down: Chase Briscoe
This is certainly not the time to panic for Chase Briscoe or the No. 19 team; It's too early in the season for that. He made Championship 4 last season in his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing and performed as a top-five driver in the second half of the season. However, Briscoe left Florida with only 2 points after starting 2nd in the Daytona 500 and leading the field in Duel 2. He is already 41 points behind third place in the regular season points, and the new Chase format is unforgiving for many of the underperforming top drivers. Briscoe will still reach the playoffs, but its championship chances took a hit last Sunday.
Read more: Denny Hamlin predicts who will win the NASCAR championship
Stock up: Shane van Gisbergen
We know that Shane Van Gisbergen finished 30th in the Daytona 500 with only 7 points out of the No. 97 car. However, he led three laps and was regularly in the top 10 of the field before getting stuck in the Big One. He was in 12th place when the incident began and his car was so damaged that he could not effectively continue. What matters is that SVG demonstrated he is much better in oval racing than he was a year ago – good enough to crack the top-20 this year and potentially score some top-10s and stage points. SVG stock is on a rise.
RELATED: NASCAR Predictions 2026, 16 Playoff Drivers Projected
Stock Down: Connor Zylisch
With 20 laps to go in Stage 2, Conor Zylisch found himself leading the field in the Daytona 500. As the teen began earning praise from the broadcast crew, he twice got into the side of Justin Allgaier and his car came loose from there before losing control. There's no denying that this rookie is one of the best prospects to enter the Cup Series in the last few years, but troubles are brewing and he has a lot to learn. He will be very competitive on road courses this year, but struggles on ovals in the Next Gen car will keep him out of the playoffs.
READ MORE: Denny Hamlin explains when NASCAR drivers should worry about points, standings
Stock Up: Tyler Reddick
After failing to win a single race in 2025, Tyler Reddick started his 2026 campaign with a Crown Jewel win. Although he wasn't dominant, his last lap move to get to the front of the field and win the Daytona 500 shows what Reddick is capable of and why he was the NASCAR regular-season champion in 2024. After a turbulent season on the track last year, Reddick has regained his confidence and focus. More wins are coming this year.
RELATED: NASCAR points standings after Daytona 500
Stock Down: Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports' fourth-best driver always feels some pressure to perform. Alex Bowman has phenomenal equipment and a great team, but results in recent seasons – only one win in the last three years – have been disappointing. Unfortunately for Bowman, his 2026 campaign got off to a bad start. Not only did the No. 48 car fail to lead a lap in the Daytona 500, but it completed only 123 laps after its car suffered race-ending damage in a collision during the Big One. With that result, he now ranks 22nd in average finishing position (20.3) over the last 15 races, with the likes of Daniel Suarez, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Allgaier having multiple top-five finishes (one).
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