Time to have some fun and see just how much you know about the 2026 Cup Regular Season… especially when it comes to things like Racing Lead Changes.
What’s a Racing Lead Change?
It’s what most fans think of when they hear “Lead Change”. It’s when during Green Flag Racing, the Second-Place car races past the first place car to take the lead. It’s a Green Flag Lead Change that isn’t due to bunching on the Start or the Restart nor is it a Green Flag Lead Change that’s a result of the Leader deciding to make a Green Flag pit stop and relinquish the lead to the Second Place Car.
Think of it as overtakes… or Real Lead Changes.
Why are RLCs important?
Simply, if a driver can’t pass for the lead, can they win? If they can’t win, can they be a Champion?
So let’s tighten those belts and here we go!
Q1-Which driver or drivers had the most RLCs during the 26 race Regular Season?
A1-The 2026 Regular Season RLC Champion was a tie with Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace having the most RLCs over the 26 Regular Season races. Congratulations!
Q2-How many RLCs did each of them have for the season?
A2-Each had 22 RLCs to earn Regular Season Top Honors.
Q3-How many races did each score one or more RLCs?
A4-Blaney got his 22 RLCS by going to the front in 9 of the 26 Regular Season Races. Wallace got his 22 in 7 races, primarily at the “restrictor plate tracks.”
Q5-Which driver had RLCs in the most Regular Season Races?
A5-Regular Season Champ Denny Hamlin went to the point in 10 Regular Season Races, earning 20 RLCs. This was one race more than Blaney, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell each at 9 races with RLCs each.
Q6-Which driver had the most RLCs yet failed to make the Chase?
A6-Current Carson Hocevar foe, Brad Keselowski scored 10 RLCs over the season. He was the only double digit RLC driver who did not make the Chase yet had 2 more RLCs than his nemesis, who qualified for the Chase. Kez also went to the front more than former Champs Chase Elliott (9) and Joey Logano (9)
Q7-Besides Keselowski, are there any other drivers who did not qualify for the Chase who had more RLCs than Chase Qualifiers?
A7-Keslowski (10), Shane van Gisbergen (8), Ross Chastain (7) and Corey Heim (4) went to the front more often than other drivers who qualified for the Chase. SVG having two wins and still not making the Chase only adds to the sting.
Q8-Name the driver who qualified for the Chase without having a single RLC for the Regular Season.
A8-Daniel Suarez went through the entire Regular Season without making a single Racing Lead Change pass but accumulated enough points to enter the Chase ranked eleventh. The question now becomes can he win the Championship without passing a competitor for the lead?
Q10-Besides Suarez, how many Charter drivers went through the Regular Season without a single RLC?
A10-Eleven Charter drivers besides Suarez went through the Regular Season without a single RLC. They include: Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, Ty Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Cole Custer, Erik Jones, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman and Connor Zilisch.
Here is a breakdown of all the drivers, their RLCs and the number of races they scored an RLC. See what additional questions or interesting observations concerning their ability to go to the front and take the lead.
Q11-Which Race had the most RLCs?
A11-The Season Opener at Daytona saw a total of 43 Racing Lead Changes among 15 different drivers. The Regular Season finale at Daytona also saw 15 drivers go to the front in that 400 miler.
Q12-How many races had double digit RLCs?
A12-Daytona (2), Atlanta (2) and Talladega (1) had 10 or more RLCs. They ranged from a high of 43 (Daytona 1) to a low of 17 at Atlanta 2. 21 Regular Season races had single digit RLCs.
Q13-Which race had the fewest number of Racing Lead Changes?
A13-The Indianapolis Brickyard 400 saw a total of 15 Lead Changes but none were Racing Lead Changes. It was the only Regular Season Race that registered a RLC goose egg.
Q14-How many Lead Changes were scored during the Regular Season and how many of those were Racing Lead Changes?
A14-There were a total of 627 Lead Changes in the 26 Regular Season races. 460 were Green Flag Lead Changes with 221 of those being Racing Lead Changes. Do you think that is high or low based on this year’s competition?
Q15-Outside the Daytona-Atlanta-Talladega double digit Racing Lead Changes, which track had the next most with 9 RLCs?
A15-Richmond scored the highest number of RLCs of the remaining “non-plate” tracks! Let that sink in for a moment.
Q16-After Richmond, which race had the next most RLCs with 8?
A16-That honor goes to the Anduril 250 Race the Base at the Naval Base Coronado. That much action up front on a road course ahead of the ovals that are supposed to produce racing at the front, makes its inclusion on the 2027 Schedule totally understandable!
Q17-What about all the exciting restarts. How much passing did we have up front frp, the numerous restarts?
A17-The194 Regular Season Starts or Restarts produced 104 Lead Changes. Does that rate support the “Wild Restart” narrative we hear?
Q18-Some say Lead Changes and Racing Lead Changes don’t reflect the action going on throughout the field. There is ton of passing taking place elsewhere. Are there any metrics that support such claims?
A18-NASCAR tracks Green Flag Passes at the various scoring loops around the track and track how many took place near the front of the field (Quality Passes for P1-P15) and those mid-pack to rear (P16-P40). Plate tracks (Daytona-Atlanta-Talladega), plus Bristol produce more passing at the front of the field. Overall, approximately 62% of the 110,094 Green Flag passes happen P16 on back. There is passing throughout the field but only those at the track get to see it as TV coverage is front of field focused.
Q19-When you look back over the Regular Season is there anything in the Racing Lead Change Realm that might be considered a surprise?
A19-Overall, the drivers who are at the top of the Points and top of the Win List are also near the top of the Racing Lead Change standings as well. Bubba Wallace atop the RLC standings was a bit of a surprise-almost as much of a surprise that it took the rest of the season to catch him. Denny went into the Chase with a six race no RLC streak and Larson was riding a five race streak. The biggest surprise might be just how few RLCs the leaders have scored over the Regular Season. 221 RLCs over 5286 Green Flag Racing Laps seems to be a bit light. Hopefully, the intensity will pick up over the Chase.
Q20-Any final RLC thoughts?
A20-I’d like to congratulate Darlington for a new Gen7 Southern 500 RLC record this last weekend. Christopher Bell (2), Tyler Reddick (2) and Denny Hamlin (1) scored a total of 5 RLCs, the most in this era. Hopefully this is the start of something big!
How about you? What caught your eye?
What can we expect at Gateway?
Since 2022, there have been 7 RLCs at Gateway. Christopher Bell has 3 RLCs, Ryan Blaney has 2 with Austin Cindric and Kyle Larson getting one each. Is this weekend a chance for CBell to continue to close the gap on Chase Leader Denny Hamlin or will Ryan Blaney add to his RLC lead?
If you can’t be there be sure to tune in and see how Race 2 of the 2026 Chase plays out.
Till then…
Thunder On… and Stay Safe!
David Nance
Photo Credit (cover): James Gilbert/Getty Images
I kinda want to say “Ditto what Dave said”, but then I get think of all the time you must put in to get all these statistics, and think I am missing something. But then, you lay it out in a way which we can understand if we read it over again.
Seriously, tv announcers miss a lot and they lead us to believe a lead change is a lead change, regardless. And, after reading what you wrote, I realize a lot of us do recognize the difference. I do know if someone passes someone back in the pack, we don’t always hear about it unless it is one of the Toyota drivers. When it is at the front, we usually do hear about it, but not always. Just depends on who the driver is.
David, this is an amazing article, and I thank you for it.
Thanks Vivian,
The stats are really not that bad. The trick is when it comes to analyzing the results and trying to be objective with what we got so readers can draw their own conclusions.
That’s the true challenge.
Thanks again and have a great race day!
Thanks, David. To answer your lead question, I learned I did not know jack! And now I can even confound friends & enemies by talking about RLC even if I still don’t understand RNC! Seriously, these are amazing statistics you’ve compiled. Glad to see Richmond having some green flag changes again. Not surprised to see the Brickyard number. That venerable institution just doesn’t lend itself to stock car racing. Thanks for an enlightening study.
Thanks Dave. Obviously RLC is a term I made up because F1 Overtakes are close but not close enough.
Dr. D finally decided to stick her toe in the water and calls them Earned LC. Does that mean all the other GFLCs are unearned? That can get sketchy.
Thought you and Frank would like the Richmond numbers. Definitely heading in the right direction.
Indy is Indy. As a fan I’d be a bit miffed to pay that much and sit that long to not see P2 pass P1 to take the lead.
If folks would just take a closer look they may get a better idea of just what they are getting!