The Chase format has won over most NASCAR drivers, particularly those whose consistency exceeds their win totals. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. now counts himself among that group. The 2023 Daytona 500 winner stands on the threshold of his 14th NASCAR Cup campaign and expects an improved showing in 2026 under the new format.
Stenhouse Jr. drove under the original chase format for just one full season in his 2013 rookie campaign. He finished that year, placing 19th in the driver standings. But since the elimination format began in 2014, he has punched his playoff ticket only twice, finishing 13th in 2017 and 16th in 2023. Last year saw Stenhouse land 30th overall in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
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About that, the Hyak Motorsports driver pointed out to Racer, “Early on last year, up to around race 12, we were in the NASCAR Playoffs. We had what we needed points-wise to be in the playoffs. We want to capture that again. If you do the season in thirds, in that first third, we just want to make sure we are still in contention for top 16 in points.”
And he understands that, “With the new Chase format, you’re going to have to be top 16 in points.”
With the Chase structure now in place, Stenhouse intends to nail that opening one-third of the series, then attack the next segment while maintaining position. Last season, Stenhouse strung together three top-10 finishes and consistently landed inside the top 15, which is why the reintroduced format seems to sit well with him.
Ricky Jr. now believes he has done a good job resetting everything during the offseason. His team has undertaken the same process. “I think one race at a time, but I’ve got this gut feeling that I feel more confident going into 2026 than I did last year. I’m ready to hit the track running,” he declared.
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Stenhouse Jr. refuses to adopt the underdog label
Throughout much of the summer, Stenhouse and the rebranded Hyak Motorsports organization struggled to produce competitive results, at one stage enduring 13 straight races without cracking the top 20. However, over the final five weeks of the season, the Tennessee native began turning things around, posting three finishes of 19th or better heading into winter, including a top-15 result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Carrying that momentum forward, Stenhouse plans to leave nothing on the table. “I feel like we show up to the racetrack and we don’t feel like we’re an underdog. We don’t have that mentality. We’ve got the mentality of, we’ve got really good quality people. We’ve got good quality cars. Our ownership group doesn’t hesitate to get us stuff that we need.”
Compared to teams like Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing, Hyak Motorsports certainly operates as an underdog regarding resources and assets other teams possess. However, Stenhouse Jr. and Co. simply concentrate on maximizing what they control.
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The 38-year-old driver has seen his team grinding through the offseason, tightening organization and streamlining operations. They also participated in January testing, a rarity for the outfit that delivered substantial benefits.
The test session allowed Stenhouse and his crew to validate offseason adjustments and build chemistry before competition resumes. That extra track time he feels will prove invaluable for an organization seeking every advantage possible against better-funded rivals.
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