Regular‑Season Showdown at New Hampshire Redefines Playoff Picture
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series regular‑season finale unfolded at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where veteran Denny Hamlin captured the championship with a commanding performance that left the standings set for the playoffs.
Fourteen drivers have already secured their spots in The Chase, but the cutline sits 76 points below the leader, a threshold that has already knocked out several contenders and left a tight battle for the remaining three places.
Among those still in the hunt, Shane van Gisbergen tops the list with 586 points, 31 above the cutline, while Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric sit at 630 and 599 points respectively, keeping them comfortably above the margin.
Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski remain the only drivers yet to lock a Chase berth, each eyeing the final openings before the season‑ending race at Daytona, where the last spots will be decided.
The elimination of names such as Ross Chastain, Erik Jones and others underscores the high stakes of the upcoming event, as the sport turns its focus to the historic Daytona race that will finalize the playoff field.