Playoff Field Set for the 2026 Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series regular season concluded with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece secured the final three playoff positions, completing a 16‑driver field for the Chase.
Denny Hamlin entered the playoffs atop the standings with 2,100 points, while Ryan Blaney followed with 2,075 and Ty Gibbs held third at 2,065, setting a tightly contested battle for the championship.
Stage points accumulated throughout the 26‑race schedule also shaped the totals, with Hamlin’s 1,028 stage points underscoring his consistency, while drivers such as Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top tier of the points leaders.
The article also identified drivers who fell short of the playoff cut, including Shane van Gisbergen and Cody Ware, highlighting the competitive depth of the series as the playoffs begin.
What Lies Ahead
With the playoff grid now set, each of the 16 drivers — from veteran Chase Elliott to rising star Zane Smith — will battle across ten races for the title, making every stage and every lap critical to the championship narrative.