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NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas.
The balance of power in the NASCAR Cup Series could be changing early in the 2026 season. For years, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske have often been grouped as the sport’s “Big Three.” Those teams have won championships and races regularly, which helped shape that label throughout the garage.
But during a recent episode of The Teardown podcast on Dirty Mo Media, NASCAR analyst Jordan Bianchi said the conversation may need to expand. Based on what has happened in the opening stretch of the season, Bianchi believes 23XI Racing now deserves to be mentioned alongside those organizations. His comments came as Toyota teams have started the year with strong results across several types of tracks.
Toyota’s Early Wins Show a Strong Program
Bianchi pointed to Toyota’s early performance as a sign that the manufacturer’s program is working well across the Cup Series. Toyota teams have won four of the first five races of the season, doing so on different types of tracks.
“Toyota has been really impressive. They’ve won four of the first five races. They’ve won on a superspeedway, a road course, and now they come to an intermediate track and show speed again. It just looks like everything is clicking for them right now.”
Those wins have come across different racing styles, which shows strength across the board. Success on superspeedways, road courses, and intermediate tracks requires different setups and strategies.
Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have both benefited from that early speed. Their drivers have stayed near the front of the field and have looked competitive in several race conditions during the opening part of the season.
Jorndan Bianchi Says 23XI Racing Now Belongs Among NASCAR’s Best
Bianchi also spoke about the growth of 23XI Racing. The team, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, entered the Cup Series in 2021 but has expanded and improved its performance in recent seasons.
“I think we need to tip our hat to 23XI Racing. When you compare where 23XI is right now to Team Penske, this might be a hot take, but I feel more confident in what 23XI is going to do over the course of the season.”
Drivers Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick have shown speed, especially on intermediate tracks. Those tracks make up a large portion of the playoff schedule later in the season.
Bianchi said that could matter when the championship battle begins.
“If you’re Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing, you’d love to bottle this up and bring it back in the fall. When you look at how the playoffs are structured, intermediate tracks are going to play a big role in deciding the championship.”
Team Penske is Still Searching for Consistent Speed
Bianchi also discussed Team Penske and its results so far this season. While the organization has shown moments of speed, he said the team has not been as consistent as some of its rivals.
“I think this format could hurt Penske in some ways. They haven’t shown consistent speed on intermediate tracks for a while.”
He said the No. 12 team with Ryan Blaney has shown strong runs at times. However, the other two Penske entries have struggled to match that pace every week.
“They’ve had moments, especially with the No. 12, where they look fast. But the No. 22 and the No. 2 have had races where they’re up one week and down the next. There just hasn’t been that steady, high-level performance.”
As the season progresses, early results suggest the group of NASCAR’s top teams may now include four organizations instead of three. Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and 23XI Racing are all competing near the front in the early part of the 2026 Cup Series season.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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