Join me as I test my wits against various AI programs in picking the 2026 Cup races. Once they’ve made their picks, I’ll make my normal Favorite, Next Favorite, and Dark Horse picks (in addition to my regular O’Reilly & Truck Series picks). At the end of the year we’ll see who knows more—me, or a soulless machine gobbling up water and electricity.
ChatGPT (5 wins) sez: A few reasons I like (Joey) Logano:
Team Penske has already won at Iowa, with Ryan Blaney taking the inaugural race in 2024. Iowa is a 0.875-mile short track, which tends to reward drivers who excel at tire management and long-run speed. Several analysts are predicting Logano to continue the momentum he has built during the second half of the season.
Truck Series (2 wins) off
O’Reilly Series (4 wins) HyVee Perks 250 Saturday 5pm ET on CW: JUSTIN ALLGAIER—local winner!
Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 3:30pm ET on USA FAVORITE (1 win): RYAN BLANEY—heating up like he (almost) always does. NEXT FAVORITE (2 wins): KYLE LARSON—he DOES have to win at least once this year. DARK HORSE (1 win): ALEX BOWMAN—the retirement tour starts today.
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