In the five races that have taken place in the 2026 NASCAR season so far, Chevrolet has not found its way into Victory Lane even once. Four Toyota cars and one Ford have stood tall in the races so far, and as far as Chevy is concerned, it may be time to start worrying about what lies ahead.
In Las Vegas on Sunday, Denny Hamlin‘s No. 11 Toyota finished first. Many began wondering, especially Chevrolet supporters, how long this Toyota dominance might continue.
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The bowtie brigade has not won a race since the season began. Chase Elliott did win the Duel at Daytona, but that race does not count toward the official Cup Series results. In Vegas, Austin Dillon finished in 12th place, but he was never a real contender for the lead or the win. A more worrying sight was former teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez arguing on pit road after finishing 16th and 17th.
These showings would concern any fan who roots for Chevrolet. Veteran reporter Bob Pockrass spoke on Fast Thoughts after the race and explained what the reality of the situation was. He said, “If you are a Chevy fan, are you worried after Las Vegas? Yes! I think you should be. I am not saying you should be panicked. Throw away the season.”
“There’s no hope. You are not gonna win races. You are not gonna vie for the title. I am not saying that. But I think you are worried after Las Vegas,” Pockrass added.
Chevrolet debuted a new body for its ZL1 this season, surrounded by huge hype. There is a certain learning curve that drivers go through when such changes are made. But this curve needs to be as short as realistically possible.
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Where did the Chevrolets finish in Vegas?
With Hamlin in Victory Lane, Hendrick drivers Elliott and William Byron finished second and third respectively. Hamlin’s teammates Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs completed the top five. Kyle Larson finished in seventh place, the last of the Chevrolets in the top ten. Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski waved Ford’s banner, finishing sixth and tenth.
Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace, both Toyota drivers, completed the top ten in eighth and ninth. Overall, there were five Toyotas, three Chevrolets, and two Fords in the top ten. Two Chevrolets finishing on the podium was certainly a welcome sight, but it is about time at least one of them secured a win.
Darlington will provide a good opportunity next weekend. The new short track package, with added horsepower and a simplified diffuser, will be in play to make things more challenging. Time will tell if the new ZL1 can hold up against it.
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