Chase Elliott delivered a strong performance at Texas Motor Speedway to win Race 11 of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 267-lap NASCAR Cup Series race included late cautions and key strategy calls. Elliott took the lead with 35 laps remaining and held on to secure his third win of the year.
Tyler Reddick started on pole, led 61 laps, and swept both stages but finished third. Denny Hamlin recovered from an early issue to finish fifth. The NASCAR Cup Series standings tightened after the Texas Motor Speedway race, with the gap at the top reduced as the season moves past its early phase.
NASCAR Cup Series Standings After Texas Motor Speedway Race
The NASCAR Cup Series standings changed after the Texas Motor Speedway race, with points now closer across the field. Tyler Reddick remains first with 526 points, while Chase Elliott moved into third and closed the gap. The full NASCAR Cup Series standings after Race 11 are:
Tyler Reddick – 526
Denny Hamlin – 417
Chase Elliott – 409
Ryan Blaney – 371
Chris Buescher – 345
Carson Hocevar – 333
Ty Gibbs – 330
Kyle Larson – 318
Brad Keselowski – 311
William Byron – 308
Bubba Wallace – 304
Ryan Preece – 298
Christopher Bell – 291
Daniel Suárez – 271
Austin Cindric – 248
Chase Briscoe – 242
Joey Logano – 235
Ross Chastain – 216
Shane van Gisbergen – 215
AJ Allmendinger – 199
Zane Smith – 198
Erik Jones — 196
Michael McDowell – 189
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 187
Todd Gilliland – 186
Kyle Busch – 182
Austin Dillon – 182
Riley Herbst – 173
John H. Nemechek – 157
Josh Berry – 155
Noah Gragson – 153
Ty Dillon – 136
Connor Zilisch – 124
Alex Bowman – 115
Cody Ware – 92
Cole Custer – 91
Casey Mears – 9
BJ McLeod – 3
The NASCAR Cup Series standings show how tight the field remains after 11 races, with several drivers still within range of moving up with a single strong result.
NASCAR Playoff Battle Tightens After Texas
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race has tightened after the result at Texas Motor Speedway. There are 15 races left before the playoff field is set, and drivers near the cut line face growing pressure.
Bubba Wallace moved up with a sixth-place finish, while Christopher Bell dropped after an engine failure left him deep in the field. He now sits close to the playoff cutoff.
Joey Logano and Ross Chastain remain outside the top 16 and need strong results in the next races. The NASCAR Cup Series standings continue to change as drivers fight for position.
Nine different drivers have already won races this season, showing the level of competition across the NASCAR Cup Series field.
NASCAR Cup Series Heads to Watkins Glen International as Points Battle Builds
The Cup Series now heads to Watkins Glen International on Sunday, May 10, at 3:00 pm ET for the Go Bowling at The Glen. The 100-lap, 245-mile road-course event is expected to test driver skill on the 2.45-mile layout with 11 turns, where road-course specialists often shine.
With the regular season heating up, every position and every point will carry extra weight as the playoff cutoff approaches. Reddick still holds the top spot and a healthy win cushion, but Elliott’s resurgence at Texas has proven that the championship battle is wide open.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Standings after Texas Motor Speedway-Trouble Brewing?