NASCAR 2026 BOLD Prediction Game

Charlie Spencer

Charlie Spencer

Road courses and short tracks.
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The Racing Forums BOLD PREDICTION game is back for the 16th consecutive year. Last year we had 44 predictions; only seven were correct.

The rules remain the same:

  • Eligibility - RF members are invited to submit one prediction that concerns the upcoming NASCAR 2026 racing season. Predictions can concern virtually anything related to NASCAR's Cup, Xfinity, or Craftsman Truck series. A prediction regarding Xfinity or Craftsman Trucks must say so explicitly; otherwise predictions will be consider as applying only to the Cup series.
  • Prediction Window - The predicted event must occur any time after the prediction is made and before 11:59 pm, Sunday, November 8th, the last race day of the 2026 season. (See Note 1 below)
  • Prediction Clarity - All predictions, to be posted to this thread, must be as specific as possible (especially numeric predictions) and easily verified. Game management reserves the right to reject any prediction it considers to be too difficult to verify, especially predictions with multiple conditions or multiple series. Predictions with specified numbers of wins, top tens, etc. will be interpreted as minimums; i.e., 'Matt Kenseth wins five times' would be considered accurate if he has more than five wins. 'Game Management' is a pedantic, anal-retentive sumbich and may ask for clarification. Players are invited to analyze others' predictions for possible (mis)interpretations.
  • Submission Method - Submit your prediction by posting it in this discussion. Before making a prediction, check the discussion to see if the prediction has already been posted. If game management decides identical predictions have made, only the first one posted will be accepted; the second poster will be notified and may submit a new one. If you want to change your prediction, submit the new prediction in a new post. Your last prediction will be the only one entered; any previous predictions will be discarded (see Note 1 below).
  • Submission Acceptance - Predictions will be marked as accepted by being 'Liked' by Charlie Spencer.
  • Submission Deadline - The deadline for prediction submittals is set at noon Eastern Standard Time, Sunday, February 15th, 2026 the scheduled date of the Daytona 500. A spreadsheet listing all accepted predictions will be posted prior to the start of the Daytona 500.
  • Prediction Status - Several times during the season, game management will post an updated spreadsheet showing the status of each prediction.
  • Prediction Vote - After the racing season, all predictions will be evaluated and a final spreadsheet will be posted. Each prediction will be marked as accurate or inaccurate. A list of the accurate predictions will be posted on a new, separate thread with a poll for voting. All RF members may vote for the prediction they consider them most BOLD. The winner will be the prediction with the most votes; a majority is not necessary to win.
  • Note 1 - If a prediction is proven inaccurate before the submission deadline, the player is NOT eligible to submit a new prediction (the 'FLRacingFan Rule').
  • Note 2 – Unless explicitly excluded, predictions regarding road courses will be considered as including street courses.

Good luck! Need some examples? Here's the 'RF Bold Prediction Hall of Fame', a list of the previous winning predictions:
  • 2025 - @Zerkfitting - 48.5% - Five green-white-checker races will be won by a driver who was not leading at the advertised distance.
  • 2024 - @DIDIT - 57.6% - Two cup winners will be disqualified following post race inspection
  • 2023 - @Zerkfitting - 71.4% - Two drivers will be suspended by NASCAR for a least one race during the 2023 season
  • 2022 - @hmmm298 - 41.3% - There will be at least 5 wins by drivers who have never won a Cup series race before this season
  • 2021 - @Zerkfitting - 55.3% - A non-charter team wins a (Cup) race
  • 2020 - @be9ak7ts16 - 37.5% - Chase Elliott wins his first Cup title
  • 2019 - @LewTheShoe - 37.2% - At least one 2019 Cup winner will fail to make the playoff field
  • 2018 - @Snappy D - 47.6% - Matt Kenseth is driver of the #6 car by the 2nd half of the year
  • 2017 - @SlicedBread22 - 56.1% - No Chevy's in the Final (Championship) Four
  • 2016 - @Zerkfitting - 43.5% - Tony Stewart will win a race this (2016) season
  • 2015 - The game thread was lost when the RF site crashed.
  • 2014 - @Wrangler1 - 72.5% - HMS (#5, #24, #48, and #88) WILL NOT be among the final four eligible for the title
  • 2013 - @BobbyFord - 47.2% - Matt Kenseth will get 5 wins in the JGR #20
  • 2012 - @FenderBumper - 50.0% Brad Keselowski wins 5 or more races
  • 2011 - @dpkimmel2001 - 46.2% - Paul Menard will win his first Cup race with RCR in 2011
 
donthaveanickname said:
Yep

Out of curiosity: How else could best Chevy driver in the standings be defined?
Click to expand...
Most wins, best average finish, average of most positioned gained, and those are just off the top of my head. Those are all tracked in standings and stat pages across the Internet; that's why I also asked you to confirm which standings to use to measure the prediction's accuracy.

I get paid to pick these nits now, so we won't be picking them in November.
 
i was going to say Jim France would not be in charge at the end of the year,but iam going the save that for next year.
so i will go with Zilisch and SVG will both win two or more races and both will win 1 or mores on a oval.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Most wins, best average finish, average of most positioned gained, and those are just off the top of my head. Those are all tracked in standings and stat pages across the Internet; that's why I also asked you to confirm which standings to use to measure the prediction's accuracy.

I get paid to pick these nits now, so we won't be picking them in November.
Click to expand...
Most Toyota drivers wives banged.
 
acmerocket said:
i was going to say Jim France would not be in charge at the end of the year,but iam going the save that for next year.
so i will go with Zilisch and SVG will both win two or more races and both will win 1 or mores on a oval.
Click to expand...
The use of the word 'both' implies combined wins of two drivers together; i.e., two or more wins total between both drivers with at least one of those two wins on an oval. If that's what you mean, please confirm.

Otherwise I suggest 'each', as in
Zilisch and SVG will each win two or more races and each will win 1 or mores on a oval
Click to expand...
Please confirm whether you want your original wording or my suggested revision. Thanks.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
The use of the word 'both' implies combined wins of two drivers together; i.e., two or more wins total between both drivers with at least one of those two wins on an oval. If that's what you mean, please confirm.

Otherwise I suggest 'each', as in

Please confirm whether you want your original wording or my suggested revision. Thanks.
Click to expand...
each
 
NASCAR will revert to a 10-race Chase for the Championship but with 16 drivers instead of 10; no win-and-in; no playoff points; only one reset and no rounds; and winning a race will increase to 55 points. ;)
 
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