After a dramatic conclusion to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series regular season is Saturday night's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the 16-driver postseason field is set.
For the first time since 2013, NASCAR is set to use the "Chase" to crown its champion, after using a "win and in", knockout-style playoff format each year from 2014 to 2025.
The 16 playoff spots were determined by points and points alone, and the points battle came down to the wire after Trackhouse Racing's Shane van Gisbergen entered the regular season finale 31 points ahead of RFK Racing's Ryan Preece for the 16th and final spot.
Consistency has been one of Preece's strengths throughout the season, as he's kept himself right around the cut line all year despite the fact that he hadn't actually finished a race any higher than eighth. So of course he managed to win his way into the playoffs, even with no more "win and in", in the regular season finale, right? It was only fitting.
Preece was one of two drivers who entered Saturday's 166-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval below the cut line, but still with a chance to qualify for the postseason.
While he qualified, knocking out SVG by 17 points (and it would have been 42 if not for his penalty) after SVG only finished 28th, teammate Brad Keselowski was unable to do so.
Keselowski, who missed the cut by 79 points after his 14th place finish, is the only active former Cup Series champion who failed to qualify for this year's playoffs. Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, plus Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, all made it in.
Following the post-regular season points reset, which is based strictly on the regular season standings, here is how the 16 playoff drivers are set to begin the 10-race "Chase". There are no more points resets from now until the end of the season.
NASCAR point standings to start the Chase
Rank | Name | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 2100 | 0 |
2 | Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford | 2075 | -25 |
3 | Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota | 2065 | -35 |
4 | Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 2060 | -40 |
5 | Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 2055 | -45 |
6 | Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | 2050 | -50 |
7 | Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 2045 | -55 |
8 | Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 2040 | -60 |
9 | Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford | 2035 | -65 |
10 | Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford | 2030 | -70 |
11 | Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 2025 | -75 |
12 | Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 2020 | -80 |
13 | William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet | 2015 | -85 |
14 | Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota | 2010 | -90 |
15 | Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford | 2005 | -95 |
16 | Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford | 2000 | -100 |
USA Network is set to provide live coverage of the Cook Out Southern 500 to get the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs underway on Sunday, September 6 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Tune in and don't miss any of the action from Darlington Raceway!
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