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NASCAR Cup Series Heads to Daytona for Playoff Showdown
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The coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona serves as the last chance for drivers to secure their spot in the playoffs.
The NASCAR regular season culminates Saturday night under the lights at Daytona International Speedway, where the Coke Zero Sugar 400 presents the final chance for drivers to clinch a spot in the Playoffs.
With 14 race winners already locked in, the competition for the remaining spots is fierce.Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman are currently battling for the last spot based on points. Though, a new race winner would alter the landscape, allowing only one of them to advance.
For the remaining drivers,a win is essential to continue their championship hopes. daytona’s unpredictable nature makes upsets a strong possibility. Last year, Harrison Burton secured his first career Cup Series win in this race, demonstrating the potential for unexpected outcomes.
Daytona has seen 24 first-time winners, with 12 of those victories occurring during the summer event. This makes Saturday a significant opportunity for drivers like John Hunter Nemechek or Ryan Preece to achieve a stunning upset.
Of course, seasoned superspeedway competitors such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Christopher Bell are also contenders.
Starting Lineup for the Coke Zero Sugar 400
“For everyone else, it’s win or go home, and at a track as unpredictable as Daytona, chaos is all but guaranteed.”
Here is the complete starting lineup for Saturday’s race:
| Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 5 | ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 6 | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 7 | Corey Lajoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 8 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 9 | Ty Dillon | 10 | Kaulig Racing |
| 19 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 20 | Aj general | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 21 | Michael McDowell | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 22 | ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 23 | You gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 24 | Shane van Gisbergen | 88 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 25 | carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire motorsports |
| 26 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 27 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard childress Racing |
| 28 | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 29 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 30 | Josh Berry | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 31 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 32 | chase Briscoe | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 33 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 34 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 35 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 36 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 37 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 38 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 39 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 40 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
NASCAR point standings 2025
Below are the updated standings ahead of NASCAR at Richmond.
| Rank | Driver | Points |
| 1 | William Byron | 839 |
| 2 | Chase Elliott | 771 |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 766 |
| 4 | Kyle Larson | 759 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | 756 |
| 6 | Christopher Bell | 748 |
| 7 | tyler Riddick | 714 |
| 8 | Chase Briscoe | 698 |
| 9 | Alex Bowman | 685 |
| 10 | Bubba wallace | 639 |
NASCAR Cup Series schedule 2025
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV/Winner |
| Aug. 23 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Daytona International Speedway | 7:30 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
NASCAR Cup Series playoff race schedule 2025
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV/Winner |
| aug. 31 | Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway | 6 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 7 | Enjoy Illinois 300 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 3 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 13 | bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| sep. 21 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at New Hampshire | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 28 | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Oct. 5 | Bank of America Roval 400 | Road Course | 3 p.m. | USA,Fubo |
| Oct. 12 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 5:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Oct. 19 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Talladega | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Oct. 26 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Martinsville | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Nov. 2 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
Frequently asked Questions
- How do drivers qualify for the NASCAR playoffs?