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NASCAR is returning to Nashville Superspeedway for its annual NASCAR tripleheader weekend.
The culmination is the NASCAR Cup Series' Cracker Barrel 400 set for 6 p.m. CT (Amazon Prime Video) on May 31.
Here are five storylines entering the NASCAR Cup Series race.
NASCAR returns to Nashville with a full week removed from Kyle Busch's death on May 21. His memory will be a part of the sport going forward, and the tributes won't stop this weekend as fans here will show their support for the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing.
The most surprising thing about Daniel Suarez's Coca-Cola 600 win last weekend is that he drove a Chevrolet and not a Toyota. Three Toyotas followed Suarez in the running order. The manufacturer has won seven of 13 points-paying races this season, but Toyota has never won a Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway.
Kyle Larson finished fifth on May 24 at Charlotte and is sixth in points. However, his winless streak now dates back to last May at Kansas — 37 races in total. Hendrick Motorsports hasn't been at its best in the first half of 2026 as it works with Chevrolet's new body, but Larson is a former winner at Nashville.
'Hurricane' Hocevar has been dubbed NASCAR's next young star, and he has been backing up his aggressive driving style this season. He earned his first career Cup victory at Talladega and is ninth in points. Hocevar finished second at Nashville last year, so he'll be among the race favorites.
NASCAR upped the maximum horsepower this season from 670 to 750 for tracks shorter than 1.5 miles. Nashville and Darlington are the biggest tracks that will see the increased horsepower, but Darlington is unique as a tire-dependent race track no matter the race car. How it impacts tire falloff and the overall racing remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Top NASCAR Nashville race storylines entering Cracker Barrel 400
Continue reading...
The culmination is the NASCAR Cup Series' Cracker Barrel 400 set for 6 p.m. CT (Amazon Prime Video) on May 31.
Here are five storylines entering the NASCAR Cup Series race.
NASCAR world moving forward after Kyle Busch's death
NASCAR returns to Nashville with a full week removed from Kyle Busch's death on May 21. His memory will be a part of the sport going forward, and the tributes won't stop this weekend as fans here will show their support for the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing.
Toyota continues to dominate
The most surprising thing about Daniel Suarez's Coca-Cola 600 win last weekend is that he drove a Chevrolet and not a Toyota. Three Toyotas followed Suarez in the running order. The manufacturer has won seven of 13 points-paying races this season, but Toyota has never won a Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway.
Kyle Larson's winless streak surpasses 1 year
Kyle Larson finished fifth on May 24 at Charlotte and is sixth in points. However, his winless streak now dates back to last May at Kansas — 37 races in total. Hendrick Motorsports hasn't been at its best in the first half of 2026 as it works with Chevrolet's new body, but Larson is a former winner at Nashville.
The rise of Carson Hocevar
'Hurricane' Hocevar has been dubbed NASCAR's next young star, and he has been backing up his aggressive driving style this season. He earned his first career Cup victory at Talladega and is ninth in points. Hocevar finished second at Nashville last year, so he'll be among the race favorites.
Will increased horsepower increase the quality of NASCAR racing?
NASCAR upped the maximum horsepower this season from 670 to 750 for tracks shorter than 1.5 miles. Nashville and Darlington are the biggest tracks that will see the increased horsepower, but Darlington is unique as a tire-dependent race track no matter the race car. How it impacts tire falloff and the overall racing remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Top NASCAR Nashville race storylines entering Cracker Barrel 400
Continue reading...
