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Making The Grade: Multiple Individuals Weigh In on 2026 Early-Season Stretch and Look Ahead Toward What is to Come

Statesville, North Carolina (July 16, 2026) – The Super Cup Stock Car Series wrapped up a stretch of five events and nine races in a 10-week span when summer officially began in mid-June.  It was the first time since 2022 that not a single scheduled event fell victim to rain or was canceled or postponed to another date.

While weather smiling on the venues that were visited is surely positive, it of course meant drivers and teams had to be on their game week in and week out, being ready at the track and preparing for the next one.  The current top trio of drivers in points capitalized the most and each shared their thoughts, evaluating their time since mid-April.

When the season kicked off at Shenandoah Speedway, two drivers visited victory lane.  Damian Payton was the first, achieving his second consecutive win at the 3/8-mile oval.  Chrissy Wallace took her initial green flag at the facility nestled within the mountains of Northern Virginia and won the second of twin races.

“I think we started off strong,” the current points leader in her first full season with the SCSCS recapped.  “The first week of the series we ended up winning and I felt we could have won both races that night too.  I just think that this D2 Motorsports team just keeps getting better and better.  We’re working better as a team.  Having Todd (Parrott), my dad (Mike Wallace), and Jeremy (Mayfield) here with all their knowledge motivates me to be a better driver and try even harder.”

Payton, also in his first year running the full schedule, has turned in no finishes worse than fourth.  In fact, the 64 that displays on the sides of his ride now has the best average finish of any car number in series history due to his team’s strong and consistent performances.  Nevertheless, the driver originally from Summit Point, West Virginia and now calling Winston-Salem, North Carolina home is striving for more successful outings.

“I think we’re doing good,” Payton briefly remarked.  “Wish we could have finished up front a few more times, but we’ll work on it and continue to make it faster.”

The next event of the year was another annual favorite at the renewed look showcased around the Lonesome Pine Raceway 3/8-mile complex.  Both races saw incredible competition for the top spot with Chrissy Wallace winning for the second time at a new track to her and Petersburg, West Virginia’s Brent Nelson with the highlight of his season so far, returning to his winning ways for the first time in more than a year.

The next few locations were new to many, but familiar to the Concord, North Carolina driver with two wins already up until that point.  It also brought additional competitors, mentioned prior, as factors.

Even though it was the site where the first ever exhibition race for an unnamed touring concept at the time took place in 2007, a SCSCS checkered flag had not waved at Hickory Motor Speedway in nearly 15 years.  That changed in mid-May with a debut driver having a ton of stock car racing experience ultimately taking home the trophy.  Mike Wallace joined his daughter in the field and scored a popular outcome among the local fans.

Three weeks later, the three-event-in-a-row stay in North Carolina continued with the first of two inaugural visits for the series.  Carteret County Speedway toward the coast of the state this time saw another past NASCAR Cup Series racer, Jeremy Mayfield, throw his hat into the ring.  However, it was Chrissy Wallace outrunning her teammate in both races and extending the point lead at the tricky layout that took some learning for others to figure out.

The fast and competitive Orange County Speedway rounded out the first portion of the 2026 schedule and yet again had the point leader increase her win total to six.  While the win column is rather lopsided, there has not been a repeat Pole Award winner yet in 2026.  Nelson, Chrissy Wallace, and Mayfield are joined by Ben Ebeling and “ShoTime” Mike with that accomplishment.  Ebeling has led laps in every single season he has competed, but so far has been shut out from that statistic despite a runner-up result at Hickory.  The 2021 champion will be back in action before the season comes to a close.

Another former champion, two times to be exact, has yet to win a race or a pole but has remained right in the hunt week in and week out.  Harvey Harrison graded his season where he comfortably sits third in the standings with more of a silver lining than most might.

“All in all, it’s been a good season,” the Renick, West Virginia driver commented.  “We’ve had some real good runs, the car has been fast, but in racing it’s a lot of preparation and a little bit of luck.  We’ve had some nights where we were capable of winning the race, but sometimes the fastest car doesn’t win the race.  We’ll kind of regroup here on this little break.  I think all the drivers will appreciate some time off and look forward to Ona and see what we can do.”

Ona Speedway is indeed the next round when the 3,300 pound, 600 horsepower, Gen 4-style stock cars roar back to life on Saturday, August 1st as part of the Putnam Bank Throwback Classic for the second straight year.

As it did for 2025 champion Mitch Gibson, the unique 7/16-mile oval that is the only asphalt short track in West Virginia could present some challenges for the leader in the points going in.

“Never seen, never been on it, haven’t even seen a picture, to be honest,” Chrissy Wallace admitted.  “Honestly, my plan is to call on Harvey (a past track champion there in a Late Model) a little bit for his help.  I was picking his brain a little bit earlier before we even had our features (at Orange County) and it’s like Carteret he leaned on me some.  I’m definitely going to lean on him at Ona.  No matter what, even if we don’t win either race, we’re going to go out there and have a good time and appreciate Ona for letting us to come out there as part of their Putnam County Bank Throwback Classic.”

Closing out the top five in points to date are Nelson and Dylan Godinez, also in his first full season with the series.  In addition to Mayfield and Mike Wallace, Nathaniel Owens, Roger Stivenson, and Tom Toby have climbed aboard a car in the series for the first time this year so far.

Following Ona, fans will only have to wait two more weeks until the SCSCS returns to Tri-County Speedway after a well-received non-points event occurred late in 2025.  Each of the series regulars have competed previously at the Hudson, North Carolina facility.

September remains reserved if a rain date or reschedule are to be needed.  Then it is back to the track that has hosted the most series events over recent years to crown the 2026 champion and hand out many other deserving trophies at night’s end at Shenandoah on Saturday, October 10th.

Some circumstances across the world and in everyday life unexpectedly have made an impact on short tracks and touring series in 2026, but with more distinctive drivers having started at least one race at this point in the year than any in recent past since 2022 once again, series director Bill Ashton feels the momentum and optimism is riding high going into the final stretch and closer toward embarking upon the SCSCS 20th Anniversary in 2027.

“First half of the season I feel as though was all ups,” Ashton concluded.  “We kind of ignore the downs if there are any, but even a bad day at the racetrack is better than not being there at all.  Pretty much the same stuff, just going out and having fun.  That’s what it’s all about.”

Additional information, including an upcoming preview going further in-depth about the Putnam County Bank Throwback Classic at Ona Speedway, can be found on the Super Cup Stock Car Series official website supercupstockcarseries.com, on Facebook (search Super Cup Stock Car Series), Twitter (@SCSCSRacing), Instagram (SCSCS_Racing), and https://www.youtube.com/SCSCSRacing.

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