Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin may have clinched the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series regular season championship this past weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but his No. 1 seed is the only one of the 16 postseason seeds which is completely locked up heading into Saturday night's regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway.
In fact, only 12 other drivers have mathematically even clinched a berth in the "Chase" playoffs, with five drivers still set to battle for the three remaining spots in Saturday night's 160-lap Coke Zero Sugar 400 around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval.
Here's how the point standings and playoff picture look heading into race number 26 of 26 on the 2026 regular season calendar.
We have only included the 18 drivers still mathematically eligible to win the championship. All 17 not named Hamlin have the potential to jump up and/or drop down throughout Saturday's race.
NASCAR Cup standings before Daytona's Coke Zero Sugar 400
Rank | Name | Points | Gap | Playoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 1001 | 0 | 446 |
2 | Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford | 924 | -77 | 369 |
3 | Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 880 | -121 | 325 |
4 | Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota | 860 | -141 | 305 |
5 | Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 738 | -263 | 183 |
6 | Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 727 | -274 | 172 |
7 | Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 708 | -293 | 153 |
8 | Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 707 | -294 | 152 |
9 | Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford | 682 | -319 | 127 |
10 | Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford | 676 | -325 | 121 |
11 | Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 672 | -329 | 117 |
12 | William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 644 | -357 | 89 |
13 | Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 638 | -363 | 83 |
14 | Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota | 630 | -371 | 75 |
15 | Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford | 599 | -402 | 44 |
16 | Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet | 586 | -415 | 31 |
17 | Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford | 555 | -446 | -31 |
18 | Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford | 520 | -481 | -66 |
A full starting lineup for Saturday's race was determined by Friday's two-round, single-car qualifying session.
Follow along with our standings updates from Daytona as the Coke Zero Sugar 400 unfolds.
NOTE: Only those still in playoff contention are included after the first two stages.
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona: Standings updates
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona: Standings after Stage 1
1 - Denny Hamlin - 1001 (0)
2 - Ryan Blaney - 924 (-77)
3 - Ty Gibbs - 889 (-112)
4 - Tyler Reddick - 860 (-141)
5 - Christopher Bell - 738 (-263)
6 - Chase Briscoe - 733 (-268)
7 - Kyle Larson - 713 (-288)
8 - Chase Elliott - 707 (-294)
9 - Joey Logano - 690 (-311)
10 - Chris Buescher - 676 (-325)
11 - Carson Hocevar - 672 (-329)
12 - William Byron - 644 (-357)
13 - Daniel Suarez - 638 (-363)
14 - Bubba Wallace - 634 (-367)
15 - Austin Cindric - 599 (-402)
16 - Shane van Gisbergen - 596 (-405)
17 - Ryan Preece - 558 (-443)
18 - Brad Keselowski - 520 (-481)
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona: Standings after Stage 2
1 - Denny Hamlin - 1001 (0)
2 - Ryan Blaney - 934 (-67)
3 - Ty Gibbs - 889 (-112)
4 - Tyler Reddick - 860 (-141)
5 - Christopher Bell - 738 (-263)
6 - Chase Briscoe - 737 (-264)
7 - Kyle Larson - 718 (-283)
8 - Chase Elliott - 709 (-292)
9 - Joey Logano - 690 (-311)
10 - Chris Buescher - 676 (-325)
11 - Carson Hocevar - 672 (-329)
12 - William Byron - 651 (-350)
13 - Daniel Suarez - 641 (-360)
14 - Bubba Wallace - 634 (-367)
15 - Austin Cindric - 599 (-402)
16 - Shane van Gisbergen - 596 (-405)
17 - Ryan Preece - 567 (-434)
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona: Full standings after Coke Zero Sugar 400
Rank | Name | Points | Gap | Playoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 1027 | 0 | 422 |
2 | Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford | 938 | -89 | 333 |
3 | Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota | 894 | -133 | 289 |
4 | Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 892 | -135 | 287 |
5 | Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 761 | -266 | 156 |
6 | Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 758 | -269 | 153 |
7 | Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 724 | -303 | 119 |
8 | Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 723 | -304 | 118 |
9 | Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford | 709 | -318 | 104 |
10 | Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford | 677 | -350 | 72 |
11 | Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 676 | -351 | 71 |
12 | Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 673 | -354 | 68 |
13 | William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 666 | -361 | 61 |
14 | Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota | 651 | -376 | 46 |
15 | Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford | 631 | -396 | 26 |
16 | Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford | 622 | -405 | 17 |
17 | Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet | 605 | -422 | -17 |
18 | Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford | 543 | -484 | -79 |
19 | Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet | 518 | -509 | -104 |
20 | Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 517 | -510 | -105 |
21 | Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota | 498 | -529 | -124 |
22 | Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford | 468 | -559 | -154 |
23 | A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet | 463 | -564 | -159 |
24 | Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford | 455 | -572 | -167 |
25 | Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet | 435 | -592 | -187 |
26 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet | 430 | -597 | -192 |
27 | John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota | 418 | -609 | -204 |
28 | Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford | 414 | -613 | -208 |
29 | Harrison Burton, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota | 403 | -624 | -219 |
30 | Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 391 | -636 | -231 |
31 | Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford | 346 | -681 | -276 |
32 | Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet | 329 | -698 | -293 |
33 | Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet | 310 | -717 | -312 |
34 | Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet | 271 | -756 | -351 |
35 | Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota | 249 | -778 | -373 |
36 | Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet | 201 | -826 | -421 |
The opening race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is the Cook Out Southern 500, which is set to be shown live on USA Network from Darlington Raceway starting at 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 6.
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