If you’re looking at the track today, January 15, 2026, and wondering who winning NASCAR race right now, the short answer is: nobody on the asphalt. Not yet. We are currently in that weird, frozen limbo of the offseason where the engines are quiet at Charlotte but screaming in the dirt pits of Oklahoma.
Honestly, the "winning" part depends on what kind of racing you’re watching. While the Cup Series stars are busy moving their motorhomes toward Daytona, the actual trophies are currently being handed out under a roof at the SageNet Center in Tulsa.
The Current Winner: Who’s Ruling the Dirt?
As of this morning, the guy winning everything in sight is Kyle Larson. It feels like a broken record, but the man is just on another planet. We are right in the middle of the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals, and Larson just took the checkered flag in Monday night’s preliminary A-Main feature. He started fourth, diced through traffic, and by lap 10, he had the lead and never looked back.
But he isn't the only one collecting hardware this week. Christopher Bell—the Oklahoma native who treats the Chili Bowl like his own backyard—dominated the Race of Champions on Monday night. He led flag-to-flag. It was a statement win, especially since he’s doing it as an owner-driver this year.
Last night, Wednesday, January 14, Emerson Axsom pulled off a late-race slide job to win his preliminary night. If you’re checking the box scores today, Axsom is the "now" winner, but the big Saturday finale is where the real glory (and the Golden Driller trophy) lives.
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Looking Back: Who Won the Last Big One?
If your search for who winning NASCAR race is actually about the Cup Series, we have to look back to the high-stakes drama of Phoenix in November 2025.
That race was a total head-scratcher. Ryan Blaney actually won the race itself, but Kyle Larson won the war. In one of the most statistically bizarre finishes in the sport's history, Larson secured his second Cup Series championship despite not leading a single lap at Phoenix.
- The Winner's Circle: Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag.
- The Champion: Kyle Larson finished 3rd (the highest of the Championship 4).
- The Heartbreak: Denny Hamlin led 208 of 319 laps but lost it all on a late-race caution and a two-tire pit stop gamble by Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels.
Basically, Hamlin had the fastest car, but Larson had the better strategy when the world turned upside down with three laps to go. That’s NASCAR for you.
What Everyone Gets Wrong About the 2026 Standings
Right now, the standings are a flat zero. Everyone is tied. But there is a massive shift happening that changes how we define a "winner" this year.
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NASCAR just dropped a bombshell by bringing back The Chase for the 2026 season. They are ditching the elimination-style playoffs we've had for a decade. No more "win and you’re in." No more three-race rounds.
Instead, we’re going back to a 10-race points battle among the top 16 drivers. This means a guy like William Byron, who was the regular-season points leader for most of 2025, won’t get "reset" out of a championship just because of one bad afternoon in a random playoff round. It rewards the grinders. It rewards the guys who finish fifth every week instead of the guys who win once and then coast.
Who to Watch in the 2026 Opener
The real racing starts in just a few weeks. If you want to see who will be winning the first NASCAR race of 2026, mark your calendar for February 1st.
We’re heading to Bowman Gray Stadium for the Clash. It’s a 0.25-mile short track in Winston-Salem. It’s going to be a 200-lap fistfight.
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Drivers with the best odds to win the 2026 opener:
- Kyle Busch: He’s desperate. He hasn’t won a points race since 2023, and he’s starting 2026 with a new crew chief, Jim Pohlman.
- Chase Elliott: He finished 2025 strong and has always been a "rhythm" driver.
- Denny Hamlin: He’s still chasing that elusive title, and he’s tied with Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time wins list (60 wins). One more win and he owns that spot solo.
Your 2026 Racing Checklist
Since the season hasn't officially kicked off its points-paying schedule, here is how you can stay on top of who’s actually winning:
- Watch FloRacing this Friday and Saturday: That’s where you’ll see if Larson or Bell can hold off the dirt specialists for the Chili Bowl title.
- Keep an eye on the Daytona 500 entry list: We’re seeing some wild entries, including Tony Stewart potentially running a truck race and Jimmie Johnson confirming his bid for the 500 in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club car.
- Forget the "Win and You're In" mindset: Start looking at average finishing positions. With the return of The Chase, the driver who wins the most races might not actually be the "winner" at the end of the year if they don't have the consistency to back it up.
The 2026 season officially begins at Bowman Gray, but the battle for momentum is happening right now in the mud of Tulsa.
Check the entry lists for the Duel at Daytona on February 12th to see which open teams are actually going to make the big show.