The 2026 NASCAR Silly Season has been fun to keep an eye on so far, and some big questions have been answered on Friday morning. From the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series to the Cup Series, here are the biggest stories so far this morning.

Parker Retzlaff will join Viking Motorsports

The No. 99 Chevrolet of Viking Motorsports will have a new driver for 2026. Parker Retzlaff will take the ride full-time next season. Rumors are that Viking has received many of the former Kaulig Racing Xfinity cars, which could add serious power to the team for 2026.

TrackHouse Racing Number Lineup

TrackHouse Racing will shake up their Cup program’s visuals for the 2026 season. Ross Chastain will remain in the No. 1 Chevrolet. However, Connor Zilisch will take over the No. 88 from Shane van Gisbergen. Biggest news of all, Shane will make a move to his historic No. 97 from the V8 Supercar Series.

Corey Day and Hendrick Motorsports go Full-Time in OAPS

Corey Day was announced as Hendrick Motorsports’ first development driver in many years. He has since made starts under the Hendrickcars.com branding in numerous racing series, including the ARCA Menards Series, the Craftsman Truck Series, and the Xfinity Series. But for the first time since 2007, Hendrick Motorsports will compete for an O’Reilly Auto Parts Championship full-time. Corey Day will field the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick in search of the first-ever O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship for 2026.

Image Credit: Patrick Vallely