-
Follow Us
On Facebook
On Flipboard
NASCAR power rankings: Rankings shuffle with the regular season closing
Ryan Blaney scored his second win of 2025 at Daytona on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series playoff field is officially set after 26 races. Here’s where the field stacks up going into the postseason.
1. Ryan Blaney (Last week: 2)
Blaney has scored six consecutive top-10 finishes going into the playoffs. The No. 12 team will be incredibly dangerous in the postseason, and Blaney has an excellent chance to snag his second title - so long as he can avoid DNFs.
2. William Byron (Last week: 1)
Byron could only muster a 19th-place finish at Daytona on Saturday, but he’s still the regular season champion and is seeded second for the start of the playoffs. Byron is looking for his third consecutive Championship 4 appearance.
3. Kyle Larson (Last week: 6)
Larson won Stage 1 and finished sixth on Saturday at Daytona. He’s the No. 1 seed going into the playoff opener at Darlington, and despite a slight summer slump, there’s plenty of reason to believe that the No. 5 team will be a title threat again.
4. Chase Elliott (Last week: 5)
Elliott finished 10th on Saturday and is seeded seventh for the playoffs. The No. 9 team has been consistent this year, but that may not be enough to get them through the postseason.
5. Denny Hamlin (Last Week: 4)
It’s hard to bump Hamlin down too far, considering he’s the third seed in the Cup Series playoffs. He’ll once again chase his first Cup championship this season.
6. Christopher Bell (Last week: 10)
Bell finished 13th at Daytona and is seeded fifth for the playoffs. He’s looking to get back to the Championship 4 after being controversially excluded from the championship race last season.
7. Chase Briscoe (Last week: 3)
Briscoe finished 23rd on Saturday and he’s only seeded eighth for the first round of the playoffs. However, the No. 19 team has only gotten better as the year has gone on - keep an eye on Briscoe as a dark horse title contender.
8. Tyler Reddick (Last week: 8)
A 21st-place finish for Reddick at Daytona wasn’t a great result, but he locked up a playoff bid. He’s below the cut line to start the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him above the cut line after Darlington.
9. Bubba Wallace (Last week: 7)
A crash relegated Wallace to a 37th-place finish on Saturday, but his playoff spot has been locked up for weeks. Wallace will start the second playoff run of his career seeded ninth.
10. Ross Chastain (Last week: Not ranked)
Chastain only finished 15th at Daytona, but the Coke 600 winner won Stage 2 and is above the cut line to begin the playoffs. A lack of playoff points could hurt him in the postseason, however.
11. Joey Logano (Last week: 11)
Logano finished 27th after a late spin on Saturday, but his No. 22 Ford was fast Daytona. The defending Cup Series champion enters the playoffs as the last man above the cut line.
12. Alex Bowman (Last week: 9)
Despite a crash and a 36th-place finish, Bowman held on and earned a playoff spot by virtue of a repeat winner at Daytona. He’s last of the 16 drivers on the playoff grid going into the postseason.
13. Ryan Preece (Last week: 14)
Preece was hung out to dry in the closing laps of Daytona, resulting in a 14th-place finish and Preece missing the playoffs. It’s still been a solid season for the No. 60 team in their first season, however.
14. Chris Buescher (Last week: Not ranked)
Buescher also missed the playoffs despite a consistent season and a seventh-place run at Daytona. He may not be running for a title, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Buescher get into victory lane over the last 10 races.
15. Shane van Gisbergen (Last week: 15)
Van Gisbergen drove a solid race at Daytona and finished 16th. He’s seeded sixth going into the playoffs by virtue of his four road course victories.
16. Austin Dillon (Last week: 13)
Dillon finished 24th at Daytona, but the Richmond winner was guaranteed a playoff spot going into the weekend. He goes into the postseason seeded 15th on the playoff grid.
More must-reads:
- Wild Daytona finish produced something not seen in 52 years
- Ryan Blaney in championship form as NASCAR playoffs loom
- The 'Season TD pass leaders by NFL team' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
