The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings changed after the fifth race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Pennzoil 400 ended with Denny Hamlin taking the win for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hamlin led 134 laps and finished 0.502 seconds ahead of Chase Elliott. The result delivered Hamlin 70 points and marked his first victory of the 2026 season. The race also affected the 2026
NASCAR Cup Series standings, as drivers continued to build their points totals early in the year. Tyler Reddick remains the points leader after five races, while several drivers behind him continue to close the gap as the championship battle develops.
Denny Hamlin’s Win Impacts the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Standings
Denny Hamlin started second and controlled much of the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He led a race-high 134 laps and maintained the lead during the closing stretch. Chase Elliott finished second after starting 15th and moved forward through the field during the race.
William Byron finished third after starting ninth. Christopher Bell started from the pole and finished fourth. Ty Gibbs finished fifth. Chris Buescher finished sixth, followed by Kyle Larson in seventh and Chase Briscoe in eighth. Bubba Wallace finished ninth, and Brad Keselowski completed the top ten.
The race lasted 2 hours, 41 minutes, and 17 seconds with an average speed of 149 mph. Officials recorded 21 lead changes during the event. The race featured three cautions that covered 20 laps.
Tyler Reddick Continues to Lead the Championship Race
Tyler Reddick remains the leader in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings after five races. Reddick has 255 points and holds a 61-point advantage over Bubba Wallace, who sits second with 194 points. Ryan Blaney ranks third with 188 points.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Standings & Stats after Las Vegas Race pic.twitter.com/Y12sozRidc
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Denny Hamlin moved up eight spots after his Las Vegas win and now sits fourth with 177 points. Chase Elliott ranks fifth with 168 points. Christopher Bell holds sixth place with 164 points.
Kyle Larson and William Byron both have 157 points and hold seventh and eighth place. Chris Buescher sits ninth with 146 points, and Ty Gibbs rounds out the top ten with 140 points.
Playoff Cutline Battle Begins to Form
The battle near the playoff cutoff has also started to take shape as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings tighten behind the leaders. Joey Logano currently holds 11th place with 135 points. Brad Keselowski ranks 12th with 127 points, followed by Ryan Preece with 125 points.
Michael McDowell sits 14th with 122 points. Carson Hocevar holds 15th with 118 points. Shane van Gisbergen currently occupies the final playoff transfer position, 16th, with 117 points.
Daniel Suárez and AJ Allmendinger also have 117 points but remain outside the top 16 due to tiebreakers. Zane Smith sits 19th with 108 points.
The NASCAR Cup Series now moves to the next race on the schedule as teams look to gain positions in the standings before the playoff field is set later in the season.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Standings After Las Vegas as Denny Hamlin Climbs