With the 2026 NASCAR season almost here, there's a lot of excitement for the new playoff format and how the increase in horsepower will lead to better racing. While the stakes are high for the best NASCAR drivers, there are some in the Cup Series who are under pressure for another reason.
Let's take a look at the NASCAR hot seat for 2026.
alex bowman
It's never a good place to be when you're recognized as the fourth-best driver for a top team in NASCAR. That's where Alex Bowman has found himself for several years. To make matters worse for him, it's a contract year and there are plenty of great replacement options available. The new playoff format makes the path to securing a spot even more difficult, as the No. 48 team and the equipment and crew that Hendrick provides make it difficult for almost any above-average driver to get behind the wheel to clinch one of the 16 playoff spots. If Bowman goes without a win for the second consecutive season, and has only had one in the past three seasons, perhaps it will be time to make a change behind the wheel.
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Riley Herbst
Everyone in NASCAR acknowledges the role Riley Herbst plays for 23XI Racing. He brings deep pockets, which were important last season when the team was undefeated in the second half of the year and mired in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the game. This saga is one of the reasons Herbst signed a multi-year deal to drive the No. 35 despite having limited success in the Xfinity Series. Coming off a season where he recorded only eight top-20 finishes and finished in the bottom-three in average finishing position, Herbst is effectively fighting for his career in the Cup Series entering the 2026 campaign.
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Daniel Suarez
It's now or never situation for Daniel Suarez. He had to settle for a one-year deal with Spire Motorsports after Trackhouse Racing announced during the 2025 season that it was moving on from him. No one would mistake Suarez for being one of the Cup Series' best drivers, but he at least performed well in 2024 (209 laps led, nine top 10s and one win). However, after what happened in 2025, they had just one cup win in the last three seasons, leaving them with minimal options on the open market. If Suarez can't make the most of his last opportunity with Spire, his only full-time offer is set to come from the Xfinity Series next season.
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noah gragson
Even with the new charter agreement, mid-tier NASCAR Cup Series teams' costs are higher than ever, and revenue margins may be in jeopardy. For Front Row Motorsports, this only gives the team a limited amount of patience. Noah Gragson joins FRM for the 2025 campaign, extending his winless streak to 111 races, and the only 11 top 10s in his career. He finished in the top 15 in only six races last season. If he can't find much success in his second season behind the wheel of the No. 4 car, it may be time for FRM to move on as there will be no shortage of better options or drivers with higher mileage.
Todd Gilliland
Todd Gilliland is still one of the youngest full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers, turning 26 in May. That said, his decision to leave the Xfinity Series a few years ago didn't work out. In 144 career races at the Cup level, he has never finished higher than 22nd in points, and his average finishing position has been 20.8 or worse in each of the past four years. If he finishes another season with fewer than 50 laps led and five or fewer top 10s, Front Row Motorsports should move on and allow Gilliland to spend time in the Xfinity Series.
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