In the week leading up to Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR Cup Series drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe said there will be some wild racing. We couldn’t quite figure it out, two drivers largely dominated this race while some other big names disappointed.
Let’s take a look at our winners and losers from today’s NASCAR race, highlight the standout performances from the Goodyear 400 drivers and some related developments.
Winner: Tyler Reddick did it again
Tyler Reddick easily had the fastest car in qualifying and early on it looked like he would be on his way to victory in the Goodyear 400. However, due to battery problems he was forced to drive without a cool suit and in Stage 2 he reported problems with the brakes. Despite all this, which included an extended pit stop under caution for a battery change, Reddick worked his way back to the front of the field and easily passed everyone else to take his fourth win of the season. What Redick and the No. 45 team are doing right now is absolutely ridiculous.
RELATED: Goodyear 400 results from Darlington, total points and stage results today
Loser: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team
The signs of trouble first started for Joey Logano and Team Penske on Saturday at Darlington. The No. 22 car did not have long laps in traffic and when qualifying came, Logano finished 29th. He dropped further back when the green flag waved, and fell out of the top 30 minutes of Sunday’s race. As he explained on the radio, grip was a major problem with the No. 22 car and there was no improvement after the first pit stop. Logano spent most of the day at least 2 laps down, and recorded single-digit points for the first time this season.
RELATED: State of NASCAR after Darlington, Cup Series on top right now
Winner: Brad Keselowski
Through six races this season, only two drivers had won multiple stages in the Cup Series. Brad Keselowski managed to become the first driver this year to win both stages in the same race. A quick pit stop allowed him to beat Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney to take Stage 1, and then he battled teammate Chris Buescher at the end of Stage 2. The sweep secured him 20 stage points after entering the weekend with a total of 9 stage points through the first six races. Keselowski now has a consistent top-10 finish, and he recorded more total points today than in Phoenix (22) and Las Vegas (27). Just a phenomenal day for the No. 6 team.
RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series stage winners 2026, full season stats
Loser: Ryan Blaney’s Pit Crew
Ryan Blaney certainly had one of the fastest cars in the NASCAR race today, and running early helped the No. 12 finish third in Stage 1. Unfortunately for Blaney, his pit crew’s propensity for mistakes reared its ugly head again. At a pit stop under caution after Stage 1, Blaney was forced to stop in teammate Austin Cindric’s box to tighten the left front wheel after his crew could not get it right the first time. It has happened twice in the last three races that Blaney has had to pit in someone else’s stall and fall back because his crew could not properly tighten the left wheel. Unsurprisingly, Blaney’s pit crew placed 33rd out of 36 teams coming into the weekend. Congratulations to Blaney on finishing third today even though his pit crew did him no favors.
Winner: Daniel Suarez
Daniel Suárez made it clear that he did not feel much support at Trackhouse Racing last season, and indicated that the lack of support contributed to one of the worst years of his career, highlighted by an average finishing position of 20.89. So far his move seems to be right. In his sixth points race with Spire Motorsports, Suárez drove the No. 7 car to top-10 finishes in each stage (ninth and 10th) and finished the day with his second top-10 finish of the year. He is currently outperforming his former colleagues at Trackhouse and is giving Spire plenty of reasons to consider a long-term solution for the No. 7 seat after this year.
READ MORE: Bubba Wallace Addresses NASCAR Fighting Penalty After Daniel Suarez Incident
Loser: 23XI Racing defeated Bubba Wallace
Bubba Wallace qualified second on Saturday and recorded the fastest lap of the Xfinity on Sunday. The No. 23 car clearly had the pace to finish in the top-10 and, at the very least, should have come away with a top-10 points day on Sunday. After finishing fourth in Stage 1, Wallace was forced to return to his box when his pit crew failed to secure the left-front tyre, costing him track position. Although he got back into the top 15, his day was ultimately ruined when 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin caused a multi-car incident by spinning into Erik Jones and sliding into Wallace, sending the No. 23 car into the wall. The contact seriously hampered Wallace’s handling and he was never able to finish higher than 34th.
RELATED: Insider Explains Why Corey Heim Isn’t Driving Full-Time for 23XI Racing
Winner: Ty Gibbs
At this point no one should question Ty Gibbs’ ability as a Cup Series driver with a top team. After three consecutive top-five finishes at Darlington, the No. 54 car was at a slight disadvantage when the race started on Sunday, as it dropped to 28th on the grid. He overcame that poor starting condition to finish sixth on the day and score more total points than any of his JGR teammates. Gibbs is downright sad this time, and his performance should be especially validating considering what Chris Gabehart has said about him.
Loser: Hendrick Motorsports
William Byron was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to finish in the top 10 in the Goodyear 400. Kyle Larson (32nd) had a strong day, as evidenced by the third-most stage points (14), but the No. 5 car suffered a flat tire in the final laps and dropped like a rock, finishing 11th on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chase Elliott finished a modest 15th, and another finish outside the top-20 for the replacement driver in the No. 48 car is pretty damning evidence regarding the fourth Hendrick car. HMS is still without a win in six races, and although it is no time to panic, it was a worrying performance from HMS.
Winner: Carson Hocevar
After three consecutive finishes of 20th or worse, Carson Hocevar and the No. 77 team were at Darlington. It was one of the fastest cars of the Goodyear 400, especially over long distances. Hocevar also showed tenacity and willingness to be aggressive late in the race, and worked his way into the top 10 to finish fourth. While Hocevar did not score any stage points that day, Spier and the No. 77 team should feel very good about what the young driver showed late in the race.
RELATED: Carson Hocevar Addresses Comparisons to NASCAR Legend
#Winners #Losers #Goodyear
