Hey Race Fans! Are you ready to add more fun to your Chase races? Are you ready to see if you have what it takes to survive the latest in fan challenges?
What’s the RLC Challenge?
The RLC Challenge adds heat to traditional racing drinking games to makes you look at Chase races in an entirely different light…
I’m intrigued? What do I need to play?
To play the RLC Challenge you need three simple ingredients:
1) Your favorite beverage. It can be adult… or not. We aren’t pushing anything. It’s your choice. Suggest it’s cold though.
2) Your favorite hot snack. Wings, chips, dip or whatever you like to add spice (and a bit of mild discomfort) to the race snack experience, and
3) A TV with the race on to tell you what you need to do for the Challenge!
OK, I’m game. How do you play?
Unlike traditional racing drinking games that can have a ton of rules to follow, https://keyj.com/nascar-drinking-game/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral the RLC Challenge only has three rules to remember!
1) At the start of the race, you can eat snacks for the first three laps.
2). Whenever there is a Racing Lead Change you can take a drink of your favorite beverage.
3). Each time there is a Caution Flag you have to eat more snacks. You can continue to eat through the first three laps of the Restart as it takes the field that long to string out and eliminate the Restart “Bunching Effect” and get to Racing.
Simple enough. What’s a Racing Lead Change?
(Editor Note: For more click HERE)
There may be many Lead Changes throughout the race, but you don’t get to drink except for Racing Lead Changes. RLCs are Green Flag Lead Changes that happen without benefit of Restart “Bunching” or the Leader pulling off the track to pit and giving the Lead over Second Place. Racing Lead Changes are Real Lead Changes like when Christopher Bell passed Kyle Larson for the win at Darlington. That was a pass we could all drink to!
One other thing. You have to watch the race. You have to see the pass to get the drink. Snooze you lose. Off to the bathroom when action happens up front? Sorry.
Snacks? Check!
Cold beverages? Check!
TV tuned to USA? Check!
Time to take the RLC Challenge!
Eats… Drinks… so where’s the Challenge?
The Challenge comes from just how much heat can you take during Sunday’s race. Going into the race there are only two certainties. 1) You start the race with a hot snack and 2) You are going to get more heat at Stage One and Stage Two.
That’s it. That is all you know for sure!
Will there be any racing at the front so you get drinks along the way to offset that heat? Maybe. Maybe not. You just don’t know.
Or maybe there is racing but all the passing takes place at the start of the race or Stage and you have long dry spells.
Can you handle the heat?
Or maybe you get lucky and get a Racing Lead Change near the end of the race like CBell gave us at Darlington. Does that change your attitude about whether it was a good race or not and how you will vote when the Gluck poll rolls around a few days later.
How do I win?
If you can make it through the race tuaking all the snacks allotted by the race action without taking on excessive beverages… you’ve beat the Challenge. If you didn’t have enough snacks for the final Caution-you lose. If those wings look too good and you sneak one in during a Green Flag Run or your mouth is burning after the fifth straight Caution Flag without a swig for an RLC, or the wings are getting cold and there is no way you’re going to let them go to waste… Sorry, you came up short. Finish up this race your own accord and try next week’s Challenge! Hopefully, you had fun though.
I’m in! What can I expect for Gateway on Sunday?
It’s hard to say. Gateway is a fickle place. She’s played very nice like in 2024 when a Start and 5 Caution Flags produced heat only six times. There was also racing up front with five Racing Lead Changes to quench the thirst and cool that heat throughout the day.
The rest of the time she’s nasty. Last year, Gateway brought the heat at nearly double that rate (12) while all but drying up the Racing Lead Changes and its liquid relief (Kyle Larson-1 RLC). And to add to the Challenge, Larson got the sole RLC on Lap 8 of the 240 affair. This means that Challengers would have been praying 232 Laps for a RLC that never came as Caution after Caution added to heat.
Which will Gateway 2026 be?
Grab some snacks, grab your favorite beverage, tune in and take the Racing Lead Challenge…
Eat up… Drink Up…
Thunder On… and Stay Safe!
If you dare!
David Nance
Finally, we need to close out with all the legalese that goes with anything that may involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Neither this author nor the site condones underage drinking and, as always, remember if you do drink, to do so responsibly. And never, ever drink and drive. Celery and tomato juice works just as well.
Now,,, Thunder On… and Stay Safe!
Photo Credit (cover): Logan Riely/Getty Images