The nightmare stretch for the Chase bubble
The 2026 Cup Series season has split into two very different realities. At the top, Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin are absolutely blitzing the competition, while drivers like Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Ty Gibbs remain steady enough to threaten them. But look further down the order, and you find a genuine disaster unfolding for a trio that should have been championship locks.
Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace, and Joey Logano are stuck in a soul-crushing purgatory. Their numbers post-Kansas have been nothing short of a nightmare, with a combined average finish of 24.8 across seven races between Talladega and Pocono. It all culminated in a messy Stage 2 incident at Pocono Raceway that wrecked Keselowski’s day and sent Wallace and Logano finishing outside the top 20. Now, Logano sits 18th in points, 21 points behind teammate Austin Cindric for the final spot, while Wallace holds only a 43-point buffer. Keselowski, once ninth after Watkins Glen, has plummeted to become the first driver outside the top 16.
It doesn't get easier from here. With Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones surging and Spire Motorsports teammates Daniel Suárez and Carson Hocevar showing serious pace, the bubble is tightening. As we head toward unpredictable stops like Chicagoland Speedway, EchoPark Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, these drivers are officially in desperation mode.
