NASCAR
A Close Dive into the NASCAR Cup Series Standings After Five Weeks
Five races in, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series is already nearly a fifth of the way through its regular season. The racing calendar so far has been a hodgepodge of different tracks: two superspeedways, a road course, an extra-chaotic Phoenix race, and a tame intermediate from Las Vegas. As a result, the standings are very jumbled up. Plenty of racing remains between now and the Chase in September. Here’s a look at which drivers currently make up the top 20 in standings. Additionally, we’ll investigate each of their chances of staying above water or mounting a charge over the coming months.
Points Leaders
- Tyler Reddick: Few drivers across NASCAR history have seen as stellar a start as Tyler Reddick in 2026. Kicking off the year with a historically-unmatched three-peat of wins from the Daytona 500 through COTA, the 45 remains atop the points by 61 markers. Reddick went onto record a four-race top-10 streak, after an eighth-place day in Phoenix. The 23XI Racing driver was the only driver with a top-10 in the first four starts this season. Reddick’s hot start to 2026 hit a speed bump in Las Vegas, however, with a 13th-place result. After a winless 2025, Reddick has the hottest start of anyone and is cemented in early championship conversations.
- Bubba Wallace: Off to the hottest start of his career in 2026 is Bubba Wallace. The flagship 23XI Racing team led a race-high 70 laps in the Daytona 500, was a bad block away from winning Atlanta, 11th at COTA, sixth in Phoenix, and ninth in Las Vegas. Wallace and team 23 typically peak in the summer and fall months, as seen with last year’s Brickyard 400 triumph. With an already-strong foundation, it’s not unreasonable to expect multiple 2026 victories from Wallace. While Reddick has stolen much of this year’s spotlight, his teammate lurks not far back in the rearview mirror.
- Ryan Blaney: The man who ended Reddick’s win streak, Ryan Blaney got in the win column two weeks ago at Phoenix. The 2023 champion has climbed to third in points, with three top-10s since Daytona. DNFs derailed Blaney’s 2025 regular season, yet the 12 still ranked second through the opening 26 weeks. If anyone can challenge Reddick weekly for this regular season title, it’s the 12. Blaney looks to convert his weekly speed into a bevy of bonus points.
- Denny Hamlin: The most recent winner from Las Vegas, a lot of momentum looks up for Denny Hamlin. Now owning two-straight Vegas victories, some of driver 11’s best tracks loom ahead in the next month. Now only 78 points off the lead, Hamlin could easily erase this gap quickly. As a very outspoken voice in creating the Chase, Hamlin hopes to benefit big from the new format.
- Chase Elliott: Leading the charge for both Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports is Mr. Consistent–Chase Elliott. The No. 9 was a pass away from winning the Daytona 500, contended in Atlanta, was seventh on the road in COTA, and second in Las Vegas. Elliott may only have 13 total laps led through the opening five weeks. Despite this, his uncanny ability to grind out finishes should pay off under the new Chase format. Elliott is a not-so-dark horse threat for the regular season title. If this performance maintains, the 9 should also be a top seed once the reset comes. The 9 may not collect a ton of wins this year, but their week-to-week speed is hard to overlook.
Sitting Pretty
- Christopher Bell: Leading the most laps in Phoenix, Christopher Bell jumped from 24th to sixth in points in just one week. The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 now lies 91 points back of the lead, but has plenty of solid tracks ahead. Bell currently rivals Hamlin for Joe Gibbs Racing’s standard bearer, hoping to sustain this status. Struck out of a Championship 4 spot the last two years, Bell eyes a breakthrough campaign and first Cup title in 2026.
- Kyle Larson: Reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson finds himself seventh in points after five weeks. This may sound pedestrian for a Hendrick Motorsports team, but things are looking up for the 5 crew. Sixth at COTA, third from Phoenix, and seventh in Las Vegas have been their improving results the last three weeks. Larson has a litany of strong tracks ahead. Over the next four weeks alone, it would not be shocking to see Larson rack up points aplenty and possibly take multiple checkered flags. Although the 5 has not earned a win in almost a year, momentum seems to be building with this team. At 98 points back, Larson is only a few monster weekends away from being a threat for top spot in the standings.
- William Byron: Currently tied with his teammate in the No. 5, William Byron sits eighth in points. This position is fresh off of a third-place Las Vegas outing, the 24’s best result yet this season. Some of Byron’s best tracks also fall in the next chunk of the schedule. The reigning regular season champion now faces a 98-point deficit to the leader. Should Byron see more strong runs over the next few weeks, he may be positioned nicely for a second-straight title run.
- Chris Buescher: The first man outside of the Chase for two-straight seasons, Chris Buescher is ninth after four weeks. The RFK Racing veteran has seen a 2026 high point of sixth in Las Vegas, his lone top 10 since the Daytona 500. Like Chase Elliott, the consistency-based format should reward the RFK No. 17 team. Now on a 49-race losing streak, this drought and Buescher’s Chase absence could both end soon.
- Ty Gibbs: On the heels of three-straight top fives, Ty Gibbs is looking as consistent as ever in Cup. Now 10th in points, Gibbs has vaulted himself up 23 spots amid this top-fives streak. Gibbs and team No. 54 appear to be on the cusp of a breakout first Cup victory, being as fast as anyone across three very different tracks. Perhaps Gibbs will be the next man to achieve a maiden Sunday triumph. The past O’Reilly Series champion is gunning for a second career Chase appearance.
Currently in the Chase
- Joey Logano: Often called Playoffs’ biggest beneficiary, Joey Logano sits eleventh. Team Penske’s No. 22 is currently 120 points off the lead, but this gap could be smaller. Logano was a very strong third-place finisher in the Daytona 500, but hasn’t been better than 15th ever since. He led 73 laps from the pole at Phoenix before late wrecks dropped him to 31st.
With such amazing pace on the short flat oval, there is no reason to think Logano shouldn’t be a winning threat for a few upcoming races. - Brad Keselowski: Still recovering from an offseason broken leg, Brad Keselowski has risen to 12th in points. Coming off a 10th-place day in Las Vegas, Keselowski’s eyes are now set on Darlington, the site of his most recent career triumph. This victory did come almost two years ago, however, marking BK’s lone win to date in the No. 6. Reporting better health on a weekly basis, perhaps Keselowski can close out the superspeedway win he nearly saw in the Daytona 500 at Talladega in a few weeks. As motivated and driven as ever to perform, BK hopes to lead RFK’s charge back into the Chase after a 2025 lockout.
- Ryan Preece: Another RFK Racing contender hopeful who was on the cusp last year was Ryan Preece. Preece started off his year with a bang at the Bowman Gray Stadium Clash. On the points-paying side, Preece has recorded a standout ninth in Atlanta and 11th at Las Vegas. Now in his second season with team 60, Preece aims for a first career Chase appearance.
- Michael McDowell: Leading a very impressive early season charge for Spire Motorsports is their veteran Michael McDowell. The No. 71 Chevrolet has two top 10s in the last three weeks, once being eighth in points. Faster drivers with slower starts do lurk behind. Spire Motorsports could just as easily be the thorn in many teams’ sides, though, and earn an upset Chase berth. Experience and perseverance are both traits not lacking from McDowell. He may just be a surprise addition to the 16-man dance this fall.
- Carson Hocevar: Right alongside Ty Gibbs in many conversations for next first-time Cup winner is Carson Hocevar. The third-year driver in Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 is ranked 15th in points after five weeks, with one top 10 (Atlanta). Hocevar was leading on the last lap of the Daytona 500, however, before being spun. Hocevar should be solidly around the cut line battle all regular season, and could easily snag a win or two. Out of all drivers who have yet to make a Chase appearance, perhaps Hocevar is best positioned for a career-first showing.
- Shane van Gisbergen: Is the road course ace finally mastering his oval craft? Shane van Gisbergen’s early fifth-place points position owed much to COTA, but was also juiced by a sixth-place Atlanta run and 11th in Phoenix. Both of these oval results also came after recovering from multiple spins in each race, further showing SVG’s amazing car control. These two strong recovery efforts, however, were followed by a last-place finish in Las Vegas. This terrible Sunday saw SVG tumble from fifth to 16th in points. With three more road races on the horizon, SVG is almost already a Chase lock. It would not be surprising to see the New Zealander be a possible sleeper threat on an oval as well this season.
On the Bubble
- Daniel Suarez: Amid his first season with Spire Motorsports, Daniel Suarez is a respectable 17th in points. Currently losing out on a tiebreaker for the final Chase spot, Suarez has shown great contending speed in multiple races already this season. Phoenix in particular stands out as a race where Suarez was a solid top 10 presence, before being taken out in multiple wrecks. Suarez also saw a top five in Atlanta, his high point of the young year. All three Spire Motorsports teams are virtually on top of each other in points as of now. Suarez hopes his experience pays off in a third Chase berth.
- AJ Allmendinger: Outperforming many preseason expectations, AJ Allmendinger has Kaulig Racing on the cusp of a dark horse Chase bid. Thanks to their RAM Truck Series operation, Kaulig lost virtually all Chevrolet support and their RCR alliance over the offseason. This left their two-car Cup Series team on an information island with no outside help in data, simulation, or analytics. In spite of being cut off, Allmendinger has led this team to four top-20 finishes in five weeks. The highlight of this opening stretch for the No. 16 was a ninth-place run in COTA. It is not out of the question to possibly see the 16 be a top-16 threat twenty-plus weeks from now. One of the most experienced drivers on the grid, Allmendinger’s veteran presence could deliver Kaulig their first Chase showing.
- Zane Smith: Flying the flag for Front Row Motorsports after five weeks is third-year driver Zane Smith. Opening 2026 with two top 10s between Daytona and Atlanta, the No. 38 Ford was as high as second in points, only recently falling out of the Chase. With teammates currently far behind at 28th and 31st in points, Smith is FRM’s bright point of early season success.
- Ross Chastain: Off to an uncharacteristically slow start to 2026 is Ross Chastain. Through the first five weeks of the season, Trackhouse’s No. 1 has only seen third in Atlanta as their lone top-15 finish. 16 laps led and an average finish of 20.6 show that it’s been a tough uphill climb for this team. There is plenty of racing left between now and Chase time, however, giving Chastain ample opportunities to find speed. As things stand now, the 1 is only 23 points out of the top 16. With 21 regular season races remaining, Chastain’s team should find their groove and rally forward.
As things stand, NASCAR’s regular season is about to hit the one-fifth mark. The points lead stands at 61, while 12th-20th are only separated by 33. Points battles are tight everywhere, with a lot of room left for positive and negative swings. A few past Chase contenders also find themselves outside of the top 20. All trying to push back in, these hopeful teams will try and find their way back into elite status. A few contenders have appeared to already separate themselves. Looking at how things are in March, a lot of Chase berths remain wide open for the taking.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo credits to Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
