Ross Chastain is going to be keeping himself quite busy during the 2026 NASCAR season, committing to Niece Motorsports for a total of eight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events.

The Alva, Florida-native will return to the organization for a ninth consecutive season, piloting the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST — the same entry that he drove to a Championship 4 berth in 2019. Phil Gould, a long-time NASCAR Truck Series crew chief, will be the shot-caller for the entry.

During the off-season, NASCAR made adjustments to the eligibility rules for drivers competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now, under the tweaked rules, drivers with three or more years of full-time experience at NASCAR’s top-level are able to run eight races, instead of five. It’s a rule change that Chastain is taking full advantage of.

“It’s great to be back with Niece Motorsports in a larger capacity this year,” said Chastain. “When I heard about the rule change, I knew we had to run more races together. We’ve got a great core group of people here in Salisbury, and I want to bring them all back to victory lane. I’m thankful to have the opportunity and appreciate the ownership group and our partners for making it happen, along with everyone at Trackhouse for allowing me to run in the Truck Series.”

Chastain, a six-time race-winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, will be one of three drivers who pilot the No. 45 Chevrolet in 2026. Landen Lewis will also take a turn behind the wheel, as well as a third driver, who will be announced at a later date.

“We’re thrilled to have Ross (Chastain) in our trucks for more races this year,” said Cody Efaw, CEO of Niece Motorsports. “Ross has been a huge part of our team since he first joined us, and his input is invaluable. Considering the young group of drivers we have in the fold this year, Ross will be a tremendous asset for those guys to learn from. We look forward to having him contend for wins each time he straps into the No. 45 truck this year.”

An official race schedule for Chastain with Niece Motorsports will be revealed as the season progresses, along with primary sponsorship announcements.

The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign will begin at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13 at 7:30 PM ET. Coverage will be on FOX Sports 1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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Ever since retiring from the sport, Jimmie Johnson has shifted to several other ventures, including team ownership. The owner of Legacy Motor Club has recently invested a significant amount of time in growing the team and taking it to new heights. Along with that, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has also been behind the wheel from time to time.

However, there is one format where Johnson has not appeared for almost two decades now – the Craftsman Truck Series. After a long hiatus from the format, Johnson has finally announced his return to trucks, and this time, it will be quite emotional for him.

Jimmie Johnson’s Return to the NASCAR Truck Series

When NASCAR announced its schedule for the upcoming season, one of the biggest highlights was the inaugural race in San Diego. The Naval Base setup for the contest only made it that much interesting.

Now, Johnson, who is a California native, was thrilled by the announcement and had hinted at his return behind the wheel for the contest. However, the seven-time champion had not given an official word until recently.

Johnson will participate in multiple contests in the San Diego weekend, starting Friday, where he will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra Pro for Tricon Garage. Following which, he will drive the No. 84 Toyota for his own team, Legacy Motor Club.

WELCOME SEVEN-TIME!@JimmieJohnson returns to the @NASCAR_Trucks for the first time since ‘08 to take on San Diego in the No. 1 🙌 pic.twitter.com/6blyQhnHQ6

— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) January 8, 2026

As for the 50-year-old’s sponsorship, Carvana, an e-commerce platform for buying and selling cars that has been a partner of Johnson and his team, will once again support the NASCAR icon in both his ventures over the weekend.

Johnson Shares His Thoughts on Running in San Diego

The California native, who was quite excited to run on the 3.4-mile track, shared his thoughts in his statement after the announcement. Johnson began, “Racing in San Diego means everything to me – it’s home. Getting behind the wheel of a Truck Series entry has been on my mind for a while.”

Following this, he described what it meant to race in his hometown and added, “The competition is incredible, and doing it at a historic street race on a Navy base in my hometown? That’s special.”

ALSO READ: Jimmie Johnson Bypasses Daytona 500 Qualifying With Guaranteed Entry Under NASCAR Rule

The NASCAR legend even thanked his sponsor and Tricon garage for making the venture possible. He said, “I’m grateful to TRICON and Carvana for making this happen, and honestly, I can’t think of a better way to honor our military and celebrate where I’m from.”

Johnson’s return to the track will undoubtedly be an iconic moment, especially since it is in California, and given that the seven-time champion has been away from the Truck Series for a while.

The contest in San Diego, California, is scheduled for Juneteenth and will kick off with the Truck Series race on June 19, broadcast live on FS1 and NASCAR’s SiriusXM Radio.

On Monday, NASCAR is set to announce the 2026 championship format

The 2026 NASCAR season is set to begin in just a few weeks. Yet, we still don’t know the playoff format.

Throughout 2025, NASCAR had a committee put in place to discuss possible changes to the format. The committee then gave suggestions to NASCAR itself.

The NASCAR playoff format will be changing for the 2026 season.

At first, just one person on the committee was open to a full-season championship. However, more people became open to the discussion as time went on.

However, at the end of the day, it’s still NASCAR’s decision. And, we’ll find out on Monday what the plan is for 2026.

Details

The following is from a NASCAR press announcement

When:
Monday, January 12
3:30 p.m. ET

Post-Announcement Show:

A special ‘Inside the Race’ studio show will be streamed following the formal press conference.

Watch Live:

Press conference and ‘Inside the Race’ show will be live streamed on NASCAR.com, NASCAR YouTube and The NASCAR Channel.

Dale Earnhardt Jr confirms change to 2026 NASCAR playoff format

Links

NASCAR

IMSA has introduced a stringent new rule for the 2026 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season that effectively prohibits teams, drivers, manufacturers, and associated personnel from publicly criticizing or commenting on the Balance of Performance (BoP) process.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The clause, buried in the updated sporting regulations released in early January 2026, mirrors a similar policy implemented by the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2023 and has been dubbed a “gag order” by observers.

Article 2.2.3.a of the 2026 regulations states: “Manufacturers, Competitors, Drivers, Constructors, and any persons or entities associated with their entries must not attempt to influence the establishment of the Balance of Performance (BoP) or make any public comments regarding the BoP process, methodology, data, or outcomes, including but not limited to statements made through traditional media, digital media, or social media platforms.”

The rule goes further by granting IMSA sole discretion to determine violations “regardless of intent,” with penalties possible at any time—before, during, or after events. This broad authority underscores the sanctioning body’s firm control over discussions surrounding BoP, a tool used to equalize performance among diverse manufacturers in classes like GTP and GTD.

The policy aligns IMSA closely with the WEC, where a comparable rule has largely silenced direct public complaints, though teams have resorted to euphemisms—such as referring to BoP as “she who shall not be named.” In the WEC, the only notable enforcement came in 2024, when Toyota Gazoo Racing received a suspended €10,000 fine for comments deemed critical of the process’s transparency.

IMSA’s move comes despite the series historically facing fewer high-profile BoP controversies than the WEC, where longer race formats amplify performance discrepancies. In 2025, IMSA adjusted its BoP methodology mid-season in response to Porsche Penske Motorsport’s early dominance in GTP, aiming for faster convergence through data-driven changes. President John Doonan described the process as “transparent” and focused on “enlivening the field.”

The timing of the rule’s announcement—just weeks before the Roar Before the Rolex 24 and the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours—has raised questions in the paddock. While no official team statements have emerged criticizing the clause (perhaps tellingly), social media reactions from insiders highlight concerns over restricted speech, with some comparing it unfavorably to expectations of IMSA’s more open culture compared to the FIA.

Critics argue the rule shields BoP decisions from scrutiny, even as ongoing collaborations between IMSA, the ACO, and FIA aim for a “simpler” performance management system in 2026. Proponents see it as preventing undue influence and maintaining focus on racing.

As the 2026 season approaches, teams will navigate this new landscape cautiously, knowing that even indirect remarks could invite penalties under IMSA’s iron-fisted oversight of BoP discourse.