The Chase Takes Shape After New Hampshire
Denny Hamlin surged to the top of the standings with a dominant performance at the New Hampshire 2026 NASCAR Cup race, securing the No. 1 seed in the Chase and opening up a 77‑point advantage over Ryan Blaney.
The championship picture has already solidified, as the top 13 drivers in the points table have locked in their Chase berths, leaving only a handful of contenders battling for the remaining spots.
Bubba Wallace sits in 14th place, 75 points above the cut‑line, meaning he can only be overtaken if he scores the maximum 76 points available in a single race. Austin Cindric, positioned 15th, trails by 44 points and remains on the cusp of qualification.
Shane van Gisbergen and Ryan Preece occupy the bubble, separated by 31 points in the standings. Preece is the sole driver who still has a realistic pathway to climb from below the cut‑line at the upcoming Daytona event.
Ross Chastain’s last‑place finish at New Hampshire eliminated him from contention, while the tragic loss of Kyle Busch has resulted in his points being removed from the weekly driver standings.
With the stage set for Daytona, all eyes will be on Preece as he attempts to rewrite the narrative and punch his ticket to the postseason.