Landen Lewis' race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega

Landen Lewis produced one of the strongest recovery performances in Friday’s Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing sixth after starting 30th. The Niece Motorsports driver overcame a difficult qualifying effort and advanced 24 positions during the chaotic 86-lap event.

Lewis initially faced the challenge of working through a competitive field while navigating the changing drafting lanes. However, his No. 45 Chevrolet demonstrated impressive speed during the middle stages, allowing him to move toward the front. Lewis finished sixth in Stage 2, earning five additional points while establishing himself among the contenders.

He continued running competitively during the final stage, briefly leading the outside drafting lane as Tanner Gray challenged from the inside. The race’s changing circumstances provided opportunities to gain positions, and Lewis avoided the accidents that eliminated several other drivers.

When the event entered overtime, Lewis remained among the leading competitors and positioned himself to capitalize on the final-lap battle. He ultimately finished sixth, just 0.272 seconds behind winner Sammy Smith. The result earned Lewis 36 points and marked another impressive performance during his part-time Truck Series campaign.

His ability to advance from 30th to sixth demonstrated the strength of his Chevrolet and his ability to compete in superspeedway racing.

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Landen Lewis’ race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega