The Fabulous Five Guys Gunning for the O’Reilly Series Title

Photo Credit to Chris Graythen/Getty Images

NASCAR

Why the O’Reilly Series Championship Finale Will be Greatness

Five drivers, 300 miles, one trophy. Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway will culminate an excellent title fight in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Hear from the five contenders below ahead of what could be an all-time classic race this weekend. 32 weeks of hard-fought racing have led us here, with NASCAR’s closest championship battle still very much up for grabs.

Justin Allgaier – 2,436 points

2026 so far has seen Justin Allgaier find the fountain of youth. The 40-year-old driver from Riverton, Illinois has seen a career-defining season to date, highlighted by six wins. Holding a 265-point lead at one point this summer, the No. 7 team stumbled a bit in The Chase. In perfect time though, Allgaier has now regained the points lead. The 2024 champion can clinch a second title with 54 points scored on Saturday. He is very much looking forward to another great race ahead as the series’ elder statesman.

“They keep getting younger and I don’t, unfortunately,” Allgaier said. “But that being said, I’m working harder and doing more studying on the craft of racing. Whether that be physically, at the gym, studying, just using the tools that we have. There’s a lot of value in the SMTs of the world and all that stuff. I think that you have to learn in order to stay relevant, and I’ve done a good job of that. As long as I have the opportunity, I’m still getting good racecars and good people I’m still going to try and give it my best and see what that looks like.”

“Young talent anymore, they’re not rookies by any stretch when they get here. Yeah they’re learning but I look at the O’Reilly Series and I’m so happy with how many veteran drivers there are in the sport. These young guys get the opportunity to move up to the Cup Series or back down to Trucks or wherever, and they’re more prepared when they leave this series.”

“I was really missing my points lead at the end of the regular season. It was pretty cool to get all those points. I got to 250 and was pretty proud of that. I got a little bit, not cocky but brazen when we got there and wanted more. We strategized things a few times just to gain more points just because we kind of could. It bit us and we lost some of those points. Either way, I’m proud of what we’ve done this year. And I’ve really enjoyed this format in all three series. I think it’s been a lot of fun. The chaos kind of ensued once The Chase started. On the Cup side, Kyle Larson went on a generational run. I don’t know if anyone will match it ever again, so hats off to the whole 5 team. That’s been fun to watch.”

“But to have five drivers and teams eligible for a championship this weekend, to have what’s going to be a barnburner of a race in Trucks, I’m loving the format and what it’s about. We’ll see what Saturday night brings but I’ll enjoy it. I’ll eat some popcorn, look out the windshield or rearview mirror, enjoy every moment of it and have some fun.”

Allgaier is the only O’Reilly Series contender to not find victory lane so far in The Chase. In spite of this fact, the fan favorite was very close a week ago. Martinsville saw the No. 7 lead 53 laps before finishing second, and retaking top spot in the championship. This was a fourth-straight top-five for the 7. Now out front by 22 points, Allgaier largely controls his own destiny at a track he won last year. Far from needing to win the race, the No. 7’s path to a second title could improve with stage points. Already announced to be back in this seat next year, Allgaier wants a new championship patch on his 2027 uniform.

Jesse Love -22 points

The late-season surge for Jesse Love and the Richard Childress Racing No. 2 crew did hit a road block. After spinning late and finishing 30th at Martinsville, the reigning champion lost his lead and now trails by 22 points. This disaster day ended a four-race stretch of top-three finishes for Love. Already moving on from that horrid performance, Love has repositioned himself to look ahead. Love’s hopes are not yet dashed at being a back-to-back O’Reilly Series champion.

“Learning about myself, my soul, my mind under pressure is an important piece of it,” Love said. “Obviously I was impressed by that on my own accord, developing that and continuing to get better in that sense. I feel that this year no different. It’s different, but I feel like the goal is still the same. The avenue because of the points situation is going to be the same as well.”

“It’s not the forefront of my mind. I want to — I have a goal to be a two-time champion and back-to-back for myself in my own goals and aspirations. And because of that, I don’t have the history behind it at the forefront of my mind. After that’s done it will be. But for the time being I want this for myself and for the work that I’ve put in.”

“I feel a lot of clarity with that mindset. I know what the goal is and I feel prepared to do that. That’s the thing, sometimes it can be challenging when you know you feel like you can play a little bit of defense and that’s a dangerous place to be. That’s also where we do our best work, is in situations like this. So everything happens for a reason and I feel we’re set up in the best spot possible.”

“It’s going to be a dog fight for sure, especially if how the points work out. It’s kind of like whoever wins the race is going to win the championship kind of thing. Because I don’t think there’ll be a whole lot of strategy at that race if that’s how it works out.

“It’s like the Kyle Larson theory. If Larson ever shows up to a racetrack, like the top lane’s just going to be naturally faster because like somebody really good at it is going to be running it. So, you’re going to see like, ‘oh, it’s going to make this much speed. Okay, I have to go do it now.’ Which I’m sure having Corey [Day] and Sheldon [Creed] in the field, it might turn out to be that way. It could be like two years ago where where Austin Hill won the thing on the bottom, right? Just don’t know.”

“So, if it is on the fence, I feel prepared for that. I feel ready for that. I thought Charlotte was good for me to really just kind of get really good running the top really well. But yeah, I guess we’re all kind of dirt guys in a sense. Because I guess Justin [Allgaier] started running, you know, dirt stuff, too. So, it’ll be a it’ll be a good battle. It’ll be a good race. And well, I’m pretty happy we’re finishing at Homestead. I love [Phoenix], but yeah, it’ll be a good one.”

Amid his last hurrah in O’Reilly competition, Love is aiming to become the series’ seventh back-to-back champion. RCR is no stranger to clutch Saturday performances, and Love has a fourth-place run at Homestead under his belt. Love is also the only one in O’Reilly to earn top-10s at every intermediate race in 2026. The California kid will try to bring the big trophy back to Welcome as he heads onward in 2027.

Corey Day -23 points

From established veterans to one of the hottest young rookies in recent O’Reilly Series history. In his first full-time season racing stock cars, Corey Day has four wins so far. This includes clutch Chase wins in back-to-back weeks. With NASCAR juggernaut Hendrick Motorsports behind him, Day heads to Homestead with a realistic chance at a first-year championship.

“Like an eight or nine, pretty confident, yeah,” Day said. “I mean, there’s a chance still, but yeah. I think I just need to win points in the first two stages and win the race. Pretty simple.”

“All things considered, this should be a very good place for me and our car. Yeah, I’m a lot happier the championship race is here this year than Phoenix. That’s for sure.”

“[Homestead] is a lot of fun. It’s just super high fall-off. You know, I enjoy that as well, as I’m sure a lot of these other guys enjoy that too. Yeah, high fall-off. There’s no tri-oval, which is different for an intermediate. But I prefer the symmetry of it, although it’s still not very symmetrical. One and two and three and four are very different. Yeah, I enjoy it. It’s a proper oval.”

“You can always hope to be here, but it’s not really what I had in mine. I didn’t think it would get this far. So, yeah, I think, you know, at the beginning of the year I wanted to win a race. And I wanted to be in The Chase for sure, whether that was last in 12th or fifth or first. I just wanted to be in it at all. I’ve exceeded my preseason goals, for sure.”

Day, 20, a northern California sprint car ace, has never raced an O’Reilly car at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Across two Truck starts there, his best result was only 15th last year. Much like his racing mentor Kyle Larson however, Day will likely be first on the fence and make up time ripping the top. Larson drove this No. 17 in last year’s O’Reilly race, however, leading 132 laps. If Day’s right side can survive 300 miles, then he is in prime position to be the fourth-ever O’Reilly Series rookie champion. Day already has the most points scored so far in The Chase, having won the last two 1.5-mile tracks.

In shades of Tyler Reddick at the last Homestead championship weekend, Day’s dirt racing prowess could turn many heads. Only owning one Chase result worse than sixth, Day’s turn in the spotlight may just come on Saturday.

Carson Kvapil -31 points

From one first-time 2026 winner to another, Carson Kvapil is JR Motorsports’ second contender. The second-generation star in the No. 1 took his first two wins back-to-back this summer. He then won again last week at Martinsville, cementing himself as a championship threat. The Rodney Childers-led team is now fourth in the title chase, 31 points back of their teammate. Kvapil’s crew chief is no stranger to success at Homestead, and neither is the Kvapil family. Carson’s father, Travis, won his Truck Series title right here in 2003. The Kvapil family now looks to win another big trophy in South Beach.

“I think it’s hard because every situation is different,” Kvapil said. “And the situation we’re in is we’ve kind of got to make it happen. We have nothing to lose and all to gain. I don’t really know if my dad, honestly, gave me much advice. Other than just go rip it and not hold back and try to be 100 percent from start to finish.”

“But I think from Rodney and Dale and everyone on the team, I think it’s more so been we’ve just got to go have a perfect day. We’ve got to qualify good. We’ve got to execute everything, from lap 1 of practice to the end of the race on the white flag. Just being perfect and not making mistakes. Obviously if you pound the fence and blow a tire, your day is over, and our championship run is most likely over. But also, if you just run eighth in the stage and barely get any stage points, then your day is also going to be over too, or our championship run is going to be over I guess you’d say. It’s going to be a hard balance. But I think just trying to be perfect and execute from day one, or lap one.”

“Rodney has been great. He’s been awesome. Just his veteran experience and his personality and everything. Whether it’s from a team aspect of bonding the team together, that’s been great, to just on-track racecars, the speed of them. Everything is really good. I think he’s still figuring it out. I think he’s starting to really hone in on it here these last couple weeks. Me and the crew guys have been talking. We’re all going to stick together next year for the 8 car.”

“But we’re just thinking about how great our next year is going to be. How strong we’re going to be out of the box. Whereas this year, even though I jumped around from car to car, Rodney was figuring it out for the first half of the season. I think next year, it’s something we’re really looking forward to. But first, we’ve got to get through this weekend and try to do everything we can to win the championship.”

Kvapil is batting a perfect .500 for top-fives in The Chase, capped by last week’s dominant win. It will likely take another victory, however, for the No. 1 to end Saturday with championship number one. In one career Homestead start last year, Kvapil did come home 10th, showing quick adaptability to this track. Kvapil should not be overlooked for Saturday; he’s earned more points than anyone dating back to July. Should Carson pull off this title, both the Kvapil and Childers trophy cases would add another NASCAR championship.

Sheldon Creed -42 points

Arguably nobody has seen a bigger step up in the O’Reilly Series Chase or this season than Sheldon Creed. The proverbial bridesmaid finally took a maiden win earlier this year in Atlanta. Creed then saw two more trophies in The Chase’s opening three weeks. This sustained success vaulted the No. 00 up to the points lead. Creed held this spot until a poor result in Phoenix. Following a fifth-place Talladega run and sixth in Martinsville, Creed has clawed his way back to within 42 points of the top. Admittedly needing help to regain total championship control, Creed looks forward to one of his favorite tracks ahead.

“Obviously we’re the furthest back, so I feel like I have the least amount of pressure,” Creed said. “I’m just going to try to go win the stages and win the race. If I can’t do that, I’m going to knock the fence down trying. But yeah, overall just cool to be a part of it, the experience. Had a great two years with Haas, and it’ll just be a lot to remember.”

“Championship-wise? I feel pretty confident that we can win the race. But I’m not in control of what everyone else does behind me. I don’t know. I haven’t even thought about it. I’ve just been focused on doing my part this week to be ready to try to win the race. I’ll be happy with whatever happens.”

“Yeah, it would be incredible. Obviously getting to win the Truck championship in 2020 was awesome. And obviously we all thought the O’Reilly experience would go better earlier on. Yeah, to take this long has been tough. But yeah, just to be in the situation that we’re in and having an opportunity to win it if everything goes right is really cool for us. Yeah, if everything goes our way on Saturday, that would be amazing.”

Creed looks to become only the 10th driver to win titles in multiple NASCAR National Series. From fifth in points, Creed aims to capitalize in his last ride with Haas Factory Team. The Californian will move onto Sam Hunt Racing for 2027, looking to bring the Toyota team newfound success. Making a case for NASCAR’s most improved driver of 2026, Sheldon Creed hopes to go out on top.

42 points are all that separate five men from winning NASCAR’s second-highest championship. If the last O’Reilly Series Championship Race from Homestead is any indicator, then we are all in store for a peak race ahead. The green flag will fly Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Each of these five drivers have a unique and compelling story deserving of the 2026 title. Whoever’s left standing on the big stage in Florida will have vanquished very stout competition to win one of racing’s ultimate prizes.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credits to Chris Graythen/Getty Images