Nearly eight months after the announcement was made that the "Chase" would be returning to the NASCAR Cup Series postseason, replacing the "win and in", knockout-style format that was used from 2014 to 2025, the playoffs are underway with Sunday's Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
With the playoffs no longer utilizing "rounds", the one and only points reset of the 2026 season took place after the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway, and the bonus points awarded to the playoff drivers were based exclusively on their finish in the regular season standings.
Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin, who won the regular season title by 89 points over Team Penske's Ryan Blaney, opened up the playoffs with a 25-point advantage.
Here's how things look to start the 10-race postseason.
NASCAR Cup Series standings before Darlington
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 |
A full starting lineup for Sunday's 367-lap race around the four-turn, 1.366-mile (2.198-kilometer) egg-shaped Darlington, South Carolina was determined by the qualifying metric after Saturday's single-car qualifying session became the sixth of the year to be rained out. 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick started on pole, alongside Spire Motorsports' Daniel Suarez.
Follow along with our standings updates from Darlington as the Cook Out Southern 500 unfolds. Note that the start time was moved up due to the threat of bad weather as the evening progresses.
NOTE: Only the playoff drivers are included.
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington: Standings after Stage 1
1 - Denny Hamlin - 2108 (0)
2 - Ryan Blaney - 2081 (-27)
3 - Tyler Reddick - 2075 (-33)
4 - Ty Gibbs - 2061 (-47)
5 - Chase Briscoe - 2060 (-48)
6 - Christopher Bell - 2057 (-51)
7 - Kyle Larson - 2045 (-63)
8 - Chase Elliott - 2040 (-68)
9 - Joey Logano - 2035 (-73)
10 - Chris Buescher - 2030 (-78)
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington: Standings after Stage 2
NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington: Full standings after Cook Out Southern 500
The Enjoy Illinois 300 is the second race on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series postseason schedule, and it is set to be shown live on USA Network from World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 13.
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