NASCAR’s 16-driver playoff area for the 2026 Cup Series championship is about after Saturday evening’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, with Denny Hamlin coming into because the No. 1 seed.
Hamlin clinched the highest seed on the power of three consecutive victories earlier within the season at Nashville, Michigan and Pocono. Ryan Blaney enters because the No. 2 seed.
Ryan Preece claimed the ultimate playoff spot by successful the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, edging out Shane van Gisbergen for the sixteenth and final place within the area.
The full Chase area, in seed order: Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Daniel Suárez, Carson Hocevar, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece.
The 10-race Chase begins subsequent Sunday with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, with protection on USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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