Charlotte Motor Speedway

Tom Ringer captured his first victory of the 2026 Elite NextGen Series season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, advancing from his second-place starting position to claim the checkered flag in the season finale. Starting from pole, Brandon Hinton led a race-high 71 laps but ultimately settled for second place, while Ringer commanded 39 laps en route to victory. The lead changed hands twice during the 115-lap contest, which featured minimal interruption with just two cautions consuming six laps total.

The hard charger performance belonged to Tommy Wynne in the #71, who surged eight positions from his 14th-place start to finish sixth. Wynne's climb through the field highlighted an evening where track position proved crucial, as several drivers struggled to maintain their starting spots. Jonathan McIntosh also delivered a strong drive, advancing six positions from ninth to claim the final podium spot while leading five laps during the race.

Despite finishing 14th after starting seventh, John Crosby secured the 2026 Elite NextGen Series championship with 476 points, capitalizing on a 89-point advantage over second-place finisher Brandon Hinton, who ended the season with 387 points. Ringer's victory moved him to third in the final standings with 378 points, just nine behind Hinton despite winning fewer races this season.

The season finale showcased the depth of competition in the series, with half the field recording clean races without incidents. Ronald Hall suffered the evening's biggest disappointment, plummeting 15 positions from his fourth-place start to finish 19th, while drivers like Brian Sousa and Cameron Gulley overcame early adversity to salvage respectable finishes despite accumulating multiple incidents during the race.