There is a new points leader in the NASCAR Cup Series points for the first time in the 2026 season. Through 17 races, Tyler Reddick was in command and led by as many as 129 points.
However, after a last-place finish of 36th in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Sonoma Raceway, there is a new driver atop the standings. Denny Hamlin, who co-owns Reddick’s car at 23XI Racing, is the new points leader.
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Hamlin entered Sunday’s race eight points behind Reddick for the top spot. With a 26th-place finish at Sonoma, the driver of the No. 11 holds the points lead by a scant one point over Reddick.
With just eight races remaining until The Chase, the battle for the points lead is as close as it has been all season.
Hamlin leaves with the points lead, but left points on the table
Hamlin has made up a ton of ground on Reddick’s point lead in recent weeks.
The 45-year-old rattled off three straight victories, coming at Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono to cut into the deficit. Reddick, who won five of the first nine races and an unprecedented three straight wins to start the season, has not found victory lane since.
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In addition, the driver of the No. 45 has suffered misfortunes. Reddick has three finishes of 25th or worse in the last four races, allowing Hamlin to close the gap on the points lead.
Although Hamlin ultimately moved up to first in the standings, there were more points that ultimately got away from him.
Late in the race, the 64-time Cup Series winner was running inside the top 10 and looked to be closing in a solid finish. Unfortunately for Hamlin, contact involving Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar sent him spinning, shuffling him back outside the top 30.
Hamlin was able to rally to finish 26th, but could have left more points up on Reddick without the spin-out.
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The bottomline is Hamlin is the new points leader, which shows how many gains the veteran driver has made up on Reddick over the last month. At the start of the season, it looked as though Reddick would have the regular season title locked up.
Now, it is a dogfight between himself and his car owner. The points lead matters a ton at the end of the regular season as whoever that driver is will have a 25-point advantage over second place when The Chase begins.
Hamlin, Reddick both seeking first Cup championships
Hamlin and Reddick are both aiming for their first Cup Series championship this year, but both have two drastically different stories.
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Hamlin, in his 21st full-time season of Cup Series competition, has won just about everything that can be won in NASCAR except for a championship. He was three laps away from claiming his first title last year at Phoenix.
In heartbreaking fashion, a caution followed by differing pit strategies shuffled Hamlin out of the championship lead, allowing Kyle Larson to claim his second Cup title.
Reddick, meanwhile, is in his fourth season at 23XI Racing. The California native went winless last year, but has bounced back with five victories and has emerged as a championship contender.
If Reddick wants to become a Cup champion, his boss might be the guy he has to go through to do so.
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