The NASCAR 26 cover reveal will be taking place on Thursday, June 18th, as announced on Monday. Last year, there were three featured drivers. William Byron, Christopher Bell, and Ryan Blaney. These other five drivers have the best chance to be on the cover of the latest NASCAR video game.

Chase Elliott

NASCAR 26 cover reveal
May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (9) celebrates in victory lane with the trophy after he was victorious in the 2026 Wurth 400 cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Chase Elliott is the fan favorite, having a fantastic year, already featuring two wins. Him being on the cover of NASCAR 26 would be no surprise, especially since he was left off the cover last year.

Carson Hocevar

NASCAR 26 cover reveal
May 2, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar (77) is interviewed after winning the pole position in the qualifying session for the 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Carson Hocevar is already one of the biggest personalities in the NASCAR world, and even on the outside. He has the highest IRacing presence amongst the entire garage and is practically the voice of the NASCAR video game scene. He isn’t the star power on the track yet, but it would be no surprise to see him on the cover.

Kyle Larson

NASCAR 26 cover reveal
Mar 22, 2026; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson (5) comes out for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Kyle Larson is the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, with that being the only reason he’s a candidate to be on the NASCAR 26 cover. He hasn’t been able to reach victory lane in over a year, but the championship may be enough to put him on the cover.

Denny Hamlin

NASCAR 26 cover reveal
May 23, 2026; Concord, North Carolina, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (11) during qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin is the best driver in NASCAR right now and is only getting better. He’s won three races in a row for the first time in his illustrious career, including his eighth career win at Pocono. He currently sits at second in points, but he has cut into Tyler Reddick’s lead by nearly 100 points in the past three weeks.

Kyle Busch

NASCAR 26 cover reveal
Apr 7, 2019; Bristol, TN, USA; Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) celebrates winning the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Kyle Busch, with permission granted from his family, would be the obvious selection for the NASCAR 26 Cover. The tragic passing of one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers shook the entire racing world earlier this season. Any opportunity to celebrate the life and accomplishments of one of the best to ever do it would be proper. Putting him on the cover would be giving respect to Busch and his greatness. Again, this all ties back to the family. If they don’t feel it is the right time, then it’s obvious to go in a different direction.

End Of My NASCAR 26 Cover Reveal Rant

The NASCAR 26 Cover reveal will be coming in just a few days. These five drivers all have their respective cases to be featured on the games front cover.