Multiple NASCAR drivers eliminated from championship contention after Talladega

Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suárez, Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Ty Gibbs have all been eliminated from the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship chase following the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Buescher finished 32nd after leading 53 laps before being caught in a late crash. Preece led portions of the race, finishing 13th, while Suárez ended 18th, both unable to overcome significant damage from accidents. Wallace, Elliott, Byron, Hocevar, and Gibbs faced similar challenges, resulting in their exit from title contention. The focus for these competitors now shifts to the remaining races at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami as they aim to improve their standings.

• 5:33 AMYahoo Sports — Chris Buescher eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:33 AMYahoo Sports — Ryan Preece eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:30 AMYahoo Sports — Daniel Suarez eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:27 AMYahoo Sports — Bubba Wallace eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:24 AMYahoo Sports — Chase Elliott eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:21 AMYahoo Sports — William Byron eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:21 AMYahoo Sports — Carson Hocevar eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026
• 5:18 AMYahoo Sports — Ty Gibbs eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026