The 2026 Bass Pro Shops Night Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 19, 2026, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on the concrete oval, it was the 29th race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, and the third race of the NASCAR Chase.
Joey Logano won the race. Kyle Larson finished 2nd, and Carson Hocevar finished 3rd. Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top five, and Josh Berry, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Ryan Preece rounded out the top ten.
After the race, Ryan Blaney and Hocevar got into an altercation due to an incident that happened on lap 457.
Report
Background
The Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.
Besides holding racing events, the track has hosted the Battle at Bristol, a college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies on September 10, 2016, and the MLB Speedway Classic, an MLB baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds from August 2-3, 2025.
During the offseason, NASCAR announced that Bristol would now get the short track package, as opposed to running the intermediate package from previous years.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (CC) denotes chase contender. Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 66 Josh Bilicki (i) Garage 66 Ford 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Official entry list
Practice The practice session was canceled due to inclement weather.
Qualifying Qualifying for the race was canceled due to inclement weather. Kyle Larson was awarded the pole for the race as a result of NASCAR's pandemic formula with a score of 3.000.
Starting lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 3 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 5 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 6 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 7 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 8 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 11 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 12 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 13 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 14 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 15 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 16 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 17 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Ford 18 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 19 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 20 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 21 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 22 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 23 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 24 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 25 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 26 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 27 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 29 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 30 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 31 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 32 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 33 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 35 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 36 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 37 66 Josh Bilicki (i) Garage 66 Ford Official starting lineup
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 125
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 102 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 84 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 75 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 57 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 48 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 39 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 210 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 1
Stage Two Laps: 125
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 102 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 84 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 75 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 57 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 48 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 210 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 1
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 250
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 22 Joey Logano (CC) Team Penske Ford 500 732 1 5 Kyle Larson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 473 5 77 Carson Hocevar (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 500 414 12 20 Christopher Bell (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 395 13 54 Ty Gibbs (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 476 32 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 500 387 10 23 Bubba Wallace (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 500 368 3 11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 500 379 4 24 William Byron (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 3110 16 60 Ryan Preece (CC) RFK Racing Ford 500 2711 8 2 Austin Cindric (CC) Team Penske Ford 500 3012 7 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 500 3213 23 17 Chris Buescher (CC) RFK Racing Ford 499 2514 28 7 Daniel Suárez (CC) Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 498 2315 11 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 498 2416 36 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 498 2117 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 498 2018 20 45 Tyler Reddick (CC) 23XI Racing Toyota 497 1919 24 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 497 1820 22 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 497 1721 21 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 497 1622 18 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 497 1523 27 9 Chase Elliott (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 497 1424 15 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 496 1325 19 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 495 1226 17 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 495 1127 26 19 Chase Briscoe (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 494 1028 35 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 494 929 25 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 494 030 31 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 490 731 30 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 489 632 14 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 483 533 29 12 Ryan Blaney (CC) Team Penske Ford 457 1934 34 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 432 335 6 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 428 236 33 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 402 137 37 66 Josh Bilicki (i) Garage 66 Ford 338 0 Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 13 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 10 for 78 Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 2 minutes, and 20 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA Sports covered the race on the television side. Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, Marty Snider and Trevor Bayne handled reports from pit road
USABooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Leigh DiffeyColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve Letarte Dave BurnsKim CoonMarty Snider Trevor Bayne
Radio PRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Brad Gillie and Nick Yeoman called the race from the booth when the field races down the frontstretch. Pat Patterson called the race when the field races down the backstretch. Pit road was operated by Andrew Kurland, Brett McMillan, Heather DeBeaux and Wendy Venturini.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcerPit reporters Lead announcer: Brad Gillie Announcer: Nick Yeoman Backstretch: Pat Patterson Andrew KurlandBrett McMillanHeather DeBeauxWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Kyle Larson 2,206 1 2 Denny Hamlin 2,205 (–1) 3 3 Joey Logano 2,190 (–16) 1 4 Christopher Bell 2,189 (–17) 2 5 Ty Gibbs 2,164 (–42) 2 6 Ryan Blaney 2,154 (–52) 2 7 Tyler Reddick 2,145 (–61) 1 8 Carson Hocevar 2,121 (–85) 1 9 Chase Briscoe 2,119 (–87) 10 Bubba Wallace 2,114 (–92) 1 11 Austin Cindric 2,090 (–116) 1 12 Chase Elliott 2,089 (–117) 2 13 William Byron 2,085 (–121) 14 Ryan Preece 2,082 (–124) 2 15 Chris Buescher 2,082 (–124) 16 Daniel Suárez 2,072 (–134) Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Toyota 1,290 2 Chevrolet 1,117 (–173) 3 Ford 1,087 (–203)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References