The 2026 Window World 450 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on July 19, 2026, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Contested over 450 laps on the 0.625-mile-long (1.006 km) asphalt short track, it was the 21st race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, as well as the fourth race of the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge.
Joey Logano won the race. Denny Hamlin finished 2nd, and Chase Briscoe finished 3rd. Ty Gibbs and Shane van Gisbergen rounded out the top five, and Bubba Wallace, Brad Keselowski, Todd Gilliland, Daniel Suárez, and Ryan Preece rounded out the top ten.
Ryan Blaney officially clinched his spot in The Chase.
Report
Background
North Wilkesboro Speedway is a paved oval short track in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1947; primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. It has been owned by Speedway Motorsports, LLC (SMI) since 2007 with Ronald Queen serving as director of operations. North Wilkesboro Speedway is served by U.S. Route 421.
The track has a current capacity of 25,000 as of 2023, down from its peak of 60,000 in 1996. NWS retains a vintage aesthetic from the 1990s as part of an effort to preserve the historical value of the track. As a result, the facility retains some of its original buildings built before the track's first closure in 1996, including buildings featuring Winston Cigarettes sponsorship and suites built in the 1980s. Developers in recent years have also added other amenities as part of a revival effort that started in 2022.
When the race returned to the schedule, it was originally scheduled as a 400 lap event, being dubbed as the "Window World 400". However, on December 4, 2025, North Wilkesboro track officials announced the race would be extended by 50 laps, being dubbed as the "Window World 450".
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Daniel Suárez Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 66 Chad Finchum (i) Garage 66 Ford 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Christopher Bell was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 18.222 seconds and a speed of .
Practice results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18.222 123.477 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 18.236 123.382 3 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 18.283 123.065Official practice results
Qualifying Qualifying for the race was canceled due to inclement weather. Ryan Blaney was awarded the pole for the race as a result of NASCAR's pandemic formula.
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 2 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 5 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 6 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 7 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 8 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 9 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 10 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 11 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 12 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 14 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 15 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 17 7 Daniel Suárez Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 18 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 19 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 20 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 21 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 22 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 23 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 24 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 25 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 26 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 27 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 30 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 31 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 32 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 33 33 Austin Hill (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 34 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 35 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 36 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 37 66 Chad Finchum (i) Garage 66 FordOfficial starting lineup
Race Stage 1 Ty Gibbs, with a push from Carson Hocevar, pulled away at the front. Christopher Bell held third, and Erik Jones moved up to fill the fourth position. Bell moves around Hocevar for second and Tyler Reddick moved up to the inside of Jones and ran multiple laps side-by-side.
Ross Chastain’s crew had several issues with pre-race inspection. As a result, he was relegated to the rear of the field for the start and had to make a drive through penalty down pit road after taking the green flag. Chastain went a lap down in the process. It took only 22 laps for Gibbs to catch the rear of the field and begin lapping cars.
Halfway through the first stage, Ryan Blaney, who started 35th, had advanced to the 26th position, working to stay on the lead lap. The first caution of the night came out on lap 40 when Zane Smith tapped the car of John Hunter Nemechek, causing him to spin out.
Most cars took four tires on their pit stop under the caution. Shane van Gisbergen opted for just two and improved his track position into the top five. Connor Zilisch and Kyle Larson collided on pit road, causing damage to the right front wheel on Larson’s car.
Denny Hamlin stayed out and inherited the lead. Gibbs, Bell, and SVG followed. SVG got a good jump and ran up next to Hamlin on the first lap after the restart. However, he could not hold the top spot, as SVG bumped past him into the lead. With the old tires, Hamlin began dropping back into the pack.
With four fresh Goodyear tires, Joey Logano was the car on the move, charging up into the third spot.
SVG, Gibbs, and Logano raced to the green and white checkered flag with Gibbs just nosing out SVG for the stage win.
Stage 2 Gibbs, Logano, SVG, Hamlin, and Hocevar led the field off pit road. However, Gibbs was caught speeding on pit road and sent to the rear of the field for the restart. SVG and Logano raced side-by-side until SVG was able to pull ahead and block a crossover by Logano. Hocevar came up to join the lead battle, driving under Logano. The #77 car could not make the pass and dropped behind Logano. Chase Elliott ran fourth, and Hamlin sat fifth.
Ryan Blaney joined the top ten for the first time since being kicked to the rear of the field at the start. Logano went to the outside of SVG and retook the lead. Bubba Wallace replaced his boss, Denny Hamlin, in the top five.
As the leaders began moving through lapped traffic, Elliott drove into the second spot, and Hamlin found new life running back in third ahead of SVG. Chase Briscoe replaced Hocevar in the fifth position.
On lap 163 of the race, Logano put Gibbs a lap down.
Nearing the halfway point of Stage 2, green flag pit stops was coming up. Christopher Bell was the first of the leaders to hit pit road on lap 173. A. J. Allmendinger hit the outside wall while being lapped by Logano. He broke the right rear toe link and was able to nurse the car to pit road without bringing out a caution.
On lap 183, Alex Bowman and Tyler Reddick collided trying to get to pit road, and the caution was displayed. This could be a nightmare for teams that have already pitted.
Logano and Hamlin led the field back to the green. Only 15 cars remained on the lead lap, as those teams that had pitted were a lap down. Just after the restart on lap 199, Christopher Bell and Josh Berry collided, and the caution came out again. Bell complained to his crew that the brake pedal on his car was going to the floor.
Again, it was Logano and Hamlin leading the field back to the green flag.
With 30 laps to go in Stage 2, Logano, Hocevar, Hamlin, SVG, and Blaney were the top five.
With laps winding down to the green and white checkered flag, Logano was pulling away at the front of the pack. Hamlin was well-positioned in second. Briscoe, Hocevar, and SVG were battling for the most Stage points they could gain.
Final stage Logano, Hamlin, Wallace, Briscoe, and SVG are the top five heading to the restart. Ty Gibbs got his lap back, and 15 cars remain on the lead lap for the final Stage.
With 150 laps to go in the race, the top five remain the same, with Logano building his advantage at the front consistently. Logano has performed well at the All-Star races held at North Wilkesboro. Tonight’s performance was his most impressive of the season. His victory in Stage 2 was Logano’s first of the season, and he has led more laps tonight than all of 2026 combined.
With 115 laps to go, Carson Hocevar’s car had completely lost the handle. He dropped to 13th place, the last car on the lead lap.
With 90 laps to go, Hamlin was the first of the leaders to pit, followed by Logano one lap later. When Ryan Blaney came in, he was penalized for speeding, and was required to return to the pit road to serve his penalty. The penalty dropped Blaney out of contention for the win.
With all pit stops completed, only five cars remained on the lead lap. Logano, Hamlin, Briscoe, SVG, and Wallace remained in the hunt for the win. With 50 laps to go, the interval between Logano and Hamlin was a half-second.
With 30 laps to go, the leaders were catching heavy lapped traffic. Logano had built a one-second advantage. Logano worked his way quickly through lapped traffic until he reached the car of Riley Herbst. Who is Herbst’s car owner? Denny Hamlin, who closed to within less than a half-second. Logano made the pass with 10 laps to go, stretched the advantage again, and drove away to the win. He led 323 of the 450 laps at North Wilkesboro.
Race results
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 75 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 66 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 39 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 210 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1
Stage Two Laps: 185