Race number 21 on the 36-race 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the track that hosted that All-Star Race each year from 2023 to 2025 but has not hosted a points race since 1996.
In fact, 2026 is set to be the first year since 1956 in which the four-turn, 0.625-mile (1.006-kilometer) North Wilkesboro, North Carolina hosts exactly one points race, as it had traditionally hosted two before it was removed from the calendar three decades ago.
This weekend's two In-Season Challenge tournament matchups include Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell vs. Team Penske's Ryan Blaney and Hendrick Motorsports' Chase Elliott vs. Front Row Motorsports' Todd Gilliland. Interestingly, neither Elliott nor Gilliland has posted a top 10 finish the entire tournament.
Blaney took the pole position for Sunday's 450-lap race after Saturday's qualifying session was canceled due to storms and the starting lineup was set by the qualifying metric. But due to a pre-race penalty, it was Bell who moved up into Blaney's initial spot. Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs joined him on the front row for the green flag.
Follow along with our Window World 450 race updates from North Wilkesboro.
NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro: Race updates
NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro: Window World 450 Stage 1 results
NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro: Window World 450 Stage 2 results
NASCAR Cup Series at North Wilkesboro: Full Window World 450 results
The next race on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the season's final race set to be shown live on TNT. The Brickyard 400 is set to be broadcast live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 26. Don't miss the final race of this year's In-Season Challenge!
