The theme of the NASCAR race tonight? Crashes and cautions. After rain delayed the beginning of the Cracker Barrel 400, the vehicles hit the monitor an hour later and chaos quickly turned the star at Nashville Superspeedway. Between the wrecks, some intentional, and blown brake rotors, tonight’s race was purely about survival.
Let’s dive into our winners and losers from the NASCAR race tonight.
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Winner: Denny Hamlin
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For the primary time in his Cup Collection profession, Denny Hamlin had a restart violation when he went early far too early firstly of the Cracker Barrel 400. After taking the penalty and methodically working his method via the sector, he reached fifth in Stage 2 (5 factors) after which took early management of the race on the ultimate stage. Fittingly, Hamlin then beat teammates Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell on the ultimate laps after the restart to win.
Loser: Connor Zilisch
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It’s turning right into a disastrous rookie 12 months for Connor Zilisch. The expectations for Zilisch, a real generational expertise, have been excessive coming into 2026. He had minimal expertise within the Subsequent Gen automobile and it’s not like Trackhouse Racing has a sterling status. To that time, two Trackhouse vehicles blew a rotor in Stage 1. Zilisch’s was the primary to go and the teen has now completed twenty ninth or worse in eight of 14 races this season.
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Winner: A.J. Allmendinger
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Is it nonetheless a longshot that A.J. Allmendinger makes The Chase? Sure. With that mentioned, he’s actually going to make issues attention-grabbing for the remainder of the season. Allmendinger secured the Stage 1 win, beating out Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson for these 10 factors. He’s largely stored himself proper on that cutline and if not for the brake rotor failure on the No. 16 automobile, one other instance of Kaulig Racing letting Allmendinger now, he virtually actually would’ve completed top-10 in factors for the Cracker Barrel 400.
Loser: Ross Chastain
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Ross Chastain deserves so significantly better than this. Even put him with a staff like 23XI Racing and we will virtually assure you he makes The Chase and smashes at the least one watermelon per season. Each appear out of the query proper now at Trackhouse. Chastain got here into Nashville assured after which catastrophe struck with 9 laps to go in Stage 1. Similar to together with his teammate, the rear rotor blew on Chastain’s automobile and he slammed into the wall. That’s a DNF for Chastain and he’s scored 3 whole factors within the final two races. It feels incorrect that he’s caught on this dangerous spot that’s Trackhouse’s doing.
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Winner: Shane van Gisbergen
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Shane van Gisbergen is beginning to show he can race on ovals. Whereas the motive force of the No. 97 automobile didn’t get any stage factors tonight, he delivered a top-10 end in the identical race the place his two Trackhouse teammates went down with blown brake rotors. Heck, SVG even led 12 laps within the Cracker Barrel 400. The road-coarse grasp is now demonstrating that he’s a viable risk to maintain recording top-10 finishes on ovals and that may punch his ticket into The Chase.
Loser: Brad Keselowski
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A warning earlier than the top of Stage 2 performed out in Brad Keselowski’s favor, permitting him to earn a stage level at Nashville. Sadly, whether or not it was out of revenge or only a racing incident, Austin Dillon drove into Keselowski moments later. The harm to the No. 6 automobile ended his day for a Thirty fourth-place end, incomes simply 4 factors on the evening.
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Loser: Bubba Wallace
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That is beginning to really feel quite a bit just like the 2025 season for Bubba Wallace. He picked up his third DNF of the 12 months, as soon as once more attributable to what’s happening round him. With the No. 23 battling for a top-15 spot on the ultimate stage, Chris Buescher and Carson Hocevar acquired into it. That despatched the No. 17 automobile proper up, slamming into Wallace. The No. 23’s brakes have been killed, ending his day. Wallace’s automobile didn’t have race-winning velocity by any means within the NASCAR race immediately, however that is at the least the third race this spring the place Wallace successfully will get taken out by another person’s actions.
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