The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase field is officially set after a dramatic regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, with 16 drivers advancing to the championship battle.
Denny Hamlin will enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed after putting together a dominant summer stretch. Hamlin won three consecutive races at Nashville Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway before securing the top seed following the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Ryan Blaney earned the No. 2 seed after victories at Phoenix Raceway, EchoPark Speedway and New Hampshire. His Daytona night, however, ended in disappointment when he was collected in a final-lap crash and finished 33rd.
Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe will begin the Chase as the third-, fourth- and fifth-seeded drivers. Christopher Bell is sixth, followed by Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Chris Buescher, who complete the top 10.
Daniel Suárez secured the No. 11 position following one of the strongest regular seasons of his Cup Series career. His campaign included a rain-shortened victory in the Coca-Cola 600. Carson Hocevar will start 12th, while William Byron enters the postseason as the 13th seed despite going winless during the regular season.
Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric claimed the 14th and 15th positions, leaving the final Chase berth to be decided at Daytona.
That final spot produced the biggest drama of the night.
Ryan Preece delivered when it mattered most, winning the Coke Zero Sugar 400 to secure the 16th and final postseason position. The victory was the first points-paying Cup Series win of Preece’s career and allowed him to leapfrog Shane van Gisbergen for the final Chase berth.
Preece’s path to victory was far from straightforward. He was involved in a Stage 1 incident with Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson but recovered to remain in contention. A strong second-place finish in Stage 2 helped offset the points lost earlier in the race.
The RFK Racing driver then held his nerve through the closing laps, ultimately taking the checkered flag under caution and celebrating his breakthrough victory at Daytona.
For van Gisbergen, the result brought a disappointing end to his Chase hopes. He entered Daytona holding the provisional 16th position with a 31-point advantage over Preece, but Preece’s victory and the points swing were enough to change the postseason picture.
The Chase now moves into its 10-race championship pursuit, with the opening race scheduled for Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin will lead the 16-driver field as the championship battle begins.
Source: nascar
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