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BRISTOL, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 19: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 19, 2026 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Bristol Motor Speedway didn’t just deliver another chaotic night under the lights. It changed the complexion of the NASCAR Chase standings.

With 29 races now complete, there is a new driver sitting atop the Cup Series points table. And the margin separating first and second could hardly be smaller.

Kyle Larson emerged from Bristol with 2,206 points, moving up one position and taking over the championship lead from Denny Hamlin.

His advantage? One point.

Hamlin slipped from first to second with 2,205 points, setting up an extraordinarily tight fight at the top as NASCAR moves deeper into the Chase.

But Larson and Hamlin weren’t the only drivers whose positions changed at Bristol.

Joey Logano Makes Huge Jump in NASCAR Chase Standings

Joey Logano was one of the biggest winners in the standings coming out of Bristol.

The three-time Cup Series champion climbed four positions to third with 2,190 points, leaving him only 16 points behind Larson. Christopher Bell dropped one spot to fourth with 2,189, meaning just 17 points separate the top four drivers.

Ty Gibbs also moved forward, climbing one position to fifth with 2,164 points.

Ryan Blaney went the other direction following his turbulent night at Bristol. Blaney dropped two spots to sixth and now sits 52 points behind Larson with 2,154.

Tyler Reddick also fell two positions to seventh, while Carson Hocevar gained one spot and moved into eighth.

Chase Briscoe dropped to ninth, with Bubba Wallace holding steady in 10th.

Full NASCAR Chase Standings After Bristol

Here is the top 16 following the Sept. 19 race at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Rank
Driver
Points
Behind

1
Kyle Larson
2,206
—

2
Denny Hamlin
2,205
-1

3
Joey Logano
2,190
-16

4
Christopher Bell
2,189
-17

5
Ty Gibbs
2,164
-42

6
Ryan Blaney
2,154
-52

7
Tyler Reddick
2,145
-61

8
Carson Hocevar
2,121
-85

9
Chase Briscoe
2,119
-87

10
Bubba Wallace
2,114
-92

11
Austin Cindric
2,090
-116

12
Chase Elliott
2,089
-117

13
William Byron
2,085
-121

14
Ryan Preece
2,082
-124

15
Chris Buescher
2,082
-124

16
Daniel Suarez
2,072
-134

The most striking number remains at the very top.

After 29 races, Larson and Hamlin are separated by a single point, while Logano’s four-position surge suddenly has him firmly in the picture as well.

Bristol didn’t settle the championship race.

It compressed it.

With Larson now holding the top spot, Hamlin directly behind him and the first four separated by only 17 points, the NASCAR Chase leaves Bristol with considerably less breathing room at the front than it had entering the weekend.

Maggie MacKenzie Maggie MacKenzie covers NASCAR for Heavy.com. She previously worked for NASCAR.com, where she reported, wrote, and edited race-weekend coverage and traveled to key events throughout the season. She has more than ten years of experience in sports media and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. More about Maggie MacKenzie