At a time when most people are probably looking forward to Christmas and the upcoming holiday season, I’m already looking past that, to the 2026 NASCAR season. While the end of the 2025 season was disappointing on a number of fronts, not the least of which seems to be the overwhelming urge by most pundits (aka “The Blue Checkmark Brigade” as I like to refer to them) to trash the entire sport and most specifically the playoff system, I still feel confident that 2026 will have some moments to remember and enjoy as a NASCAR fan.
And so, as has become a tradition here at John Milner’s Track Talk, I will publish my list of predictions for the upcoming year in NASCAR. As per usual, if I am right, you will never hear the end of it. If I’m wrong, you’ll never hear the end of it!
- Chris Buescher wins the Daytona 500.
- William Byron wins the 2026 Cup championship.
- Austin Hill, using NASCAR’s robbing him off all his playoff points in 2025 as incentive, storms to a championship in the O’Reilly Auto Parts championship.
- Layne Riggs holds off Daniel Hemric and Tyler Ankrum to win the Craftsman Truck Series championship.
- Kyle Busch announces that he is leaving Richard Childress Racing to restart Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. The team is another Dodge team and includes Thad Moffitt, Corey Day, and (of course) Kyle Busch as drivers.
- After the repeated success of Bowman Gray Stadium as the host of the Clash, NASCAR announces that it will host a Cup race in 2027.
- Corey Heim runs the #48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He grabs a handful of Top 10s and a win at Talladega for Rookie of the Year honours and a playoff run.
- Stewart Friesen makes an emotional return to the Craftsman Truck Series and wins at Michigan.
- Richard Childress Racing announces that Austin Dillon will step away from full-time racing in 2027 to focus on talent development and taking over some other executive duties from his grandfather for RCR. Austin Hill will be driving the iconic #3 car in 2027.
- Denny Hamlin, Grant Enfinger, and Justin Allgaier announce their retirements.
- Todd Gilliland (Cup), Carson Hocevar (Cup), Sheldon Creed (O’Reilly), Ryan Sieg (O’Reilly), Tanner Gray (Craftsman), and Frankie Muniz (Craftsman) all get their first win in their respective series.
Well? Am I on the money or out to lunch? Head on over to the John Milner’s Track Talk Facebook page and give me your opinion or, better yet, offer up your own.
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