NASCAR Playoff Rankings: Chase Briscoe Makes Waves With Darlington Win

The primary spherical of the NASCAR Cup Sequence playoffs is commonly thought of certainly one of not beating your self.

However check out the 2025 postseason standings, and it seems that simply hoping one thing dangerous occurs to 4 different drivers may not be the most effective technique.

The playoffs began with solely 11 factors separating seventh by means of sixteenth within the standings. After one race, that margin elevated to 38.

Which driver will seize the NASCAR Cup Sequence Championship trophy at Phoenix?

NASCAR’s playoffs are based mostly on three-race rounds (each workforce nonetheless competes even when not a playoff workforce). If a driver who’s nonetheless alive within the playoffs wins within the spherical, that’s an automated bid to the subsequent spherical. The 4 winless drivers with the fewest factors are eradicated after every spherical. 

Drivers have earned playoff factors with stage and race wins, in addition to based mostly on their regular-season finishes, that are added to their level complete when the factors are reset in the beginning of every spherical, which might help them advance.

On the championship race, the most effective finisher among the many 4 finalists is the champion.

The 2025 playoff tracks:

Opening Spherical (Spherical of 16): Darlington (winner: Chase Briscoe), World Vast Know-how Raceway (generally referred to as Gateway, a 1.25-mile oval) and Bristol (0.533-mile concrete oval). Groups raced at Darlington and Bristol earlier this 12 months however haven’t raced at Gateway since June 2024.

Quarterfinal Spherical (Spherical of 12): New Hampshire (1.058-mile oval), Kansas (1.5-mile oval) and Charlotte street course (2.28-mile street course). The one repeat monitor on this spherical is Kansas, the place groups raced in Might.

Semifinal Spherical (Spherical of Eight): Las Vegas (1.5-mile oval), Talladega (2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway) and Martinsville (0.528-mile oval). Groups have raced in any respect three of those tracks this 12 months.

Championship: Phoenix (1-mile oval). Groups final raced at Phoenix in March.

Listed here are my playoff rankings based mostly on who has the most effective shot at successful the title:

1. Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing: No. 11 ToyotaPosition: Second, +43 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, Seventh2024 Gateway end: Second2025 Bristol end: Second

Hamlin limped into the playoffs with only one prime 10 (a tenth) in his earlier 4 begins. However he gained the pole, positioned third within the opening stage and completed seventh at Darlington. That is begin for him to really feel snug about making a run for a championship.

Prediction: Championship 4

2. Kyle LarsonHendrick Motorsports: No. 5 ChevroletPosition: Third, +38 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 19th2024 Gateway end: 10th2025 Bristol end: First

Larson completed nineteenth at Darlington after struggling harm through the closing stage when he obtained into the again of one other automotive on a restart. However the Hendrick driver strikes up a spot in these rankings as a result of he did present some velocity (he admitted he felt common) as he certified fifth and completed second and fourth within the levels. 

Prediction: Championship 4

3. Ryan BlaneyTeam Penske: No. 12 FordPosition: Seventh, +22 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 18th2024 Gateway end: 24th2025 Bristol end: Fifth

A spin through the second stage ruined an evening for Blaney, which, if we’re being trustworthy, wasn’t all that nice anyway. He began twelfth and completed tenth within the opening stage. The 2023 champion has had his share of adversity this 12 months with seven races the place he did not end, so rebounding from a pedestrian 18th-place outcome should not be too tough.

Prediction: Championship 4

4. William ByronHendrick Motorsports: No. 24 ChevroletPosition: Sixth, +25 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 21st2024 Gateway end: 15th2025 Bristol end: Sixth

The regular-season champion had a disappointing begin to the playoffs, together with the remainder of the Hendrick drivers. Byron led 243 laps within the Darlington race in April and appeared nowhere close to as quick on Sunday night time. He additionally had an extended pit cease through the race when he practically left with a unfastened wheel and managed only one stage level on his solution to a Twenty first-place end. However this workforce has been robust all year long, so it’s fairly doable that Darlington was only a hiccup.

Prediction: Championship 4

5. Chase BriscoeJoe Gibbs Racing: No. 19 ToyotaPosition: First, Superior with Darlington win 

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, First2024 Gateway end: 17th2025 Bristol end: Fourth

Briscoe dominated Darlington to advance to the quarterfinal spherical, as he gained the Southern 500 for the second consecutive 12 months and with two totally different groups. Final 12 months was with Stewart-Haas Racing and this 12 months, he did it with Joe Gibbs Racing. There may not be a warmer driver on the circuit than Briscoe, who has two wins and three second-place finishes in his final 11 begins. 

Prediction: Eradicated within the semifinal spherical

6. Bubba Wallace23XI Racing: No. 23 ToyotaPosition: Fifth, +25 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, Sixth2024 Gateway end: 21st2025 Bristol end: nineteenth

Wallace did every thing he needed to do to earn some separation between him and the bubble, as he earned 10 stage factors and completed sixth. That efficiency lifted the 23XI Racing driver from two factors above the cutoff to 23 factors. If he runs within the prime 10 all through the playoffs, he’ll have a shot to at the very least make it to the semifinal spherical.

Prediction: Eradicated within the semifinal spherical (modified from eradicated within the quarterfinal spherical)

7. Tyler Reddick23XI Racing: No. 45 ToyotaPosition: Fourth, +35 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, Second2024 Gateway end: Fourth2025 Bristol end: 18th

Reddick practically gained the race at Darlington, which might have been an enormous increase after a winless common season. His second-place end vaulted him from one level beneath the cutline to 35 factors above. That provides him some cushion and ought to be the increase the 23XI Racing driver must make it by means of if he has respectable finishes within the subsequent two races.

Prediction: Eradicated within the quarterfinal spherical (change from eradicated in opening spherical)

8. Christopher BellJoe Gibbs Racing: No. 20 ToyotaPosition: tenth, +11 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 29th2024 Gateway end: Seventh2025 Bristol end: Eighth

Bell, like Larson, noticed a doubtlessly robust day (he began seventh) ruined by harm. Bell’s harm got here from contact on pit street. The JGR driver completed two laps down in twenty ninth and for a workforce struggling to search out momentum going into the playoffs, this didn’t assist.

Prediction: Eradicated within the semifinal spherical

9. Chase ElliottHendrick Motorsports: No. 9 ChevroletPosition: Eleventh, +9 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 17th2024 Gateway end: 13th2025 Bristol end: fifteenth

The playoffs opened in irritating vogue for Elliott. He had entered the postseason realizing he wanted to qualify nicely. What occurs? He certified Twenty first and completed seventeenth (albeit the most effective among the many Hendrick quartet). If Elliott has proven something in his profession, it is his capability to focus week to week. He’ll have to have end at Gateway — the place he has not completed nicely in his two begins — to be ok with making a deep playoff run.

Prediction: Eradicated in semifinal spherical

10. Joey LoganoTeam Penske: No. 22 FordPosition: thirteenth, -3 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 20th2024 Gateway end: Fifth2025 Bristol end: twenty fourth

Logano’s Twentieth-place end was about the place he deserved, as he did not have the velocity all through the night time at Darlington. Good factor for Logano and his Penske workforce is that they’re going to Gateway, the place he gained in 2022. If he does not run nicely there, it might be an early playoff exit for the defending Cup champion.

Prediction: Eradicated within the quarterfinal spherical

11. Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing: No. 1 ChevroletPosition: Eighth, +21 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 11th2024 Gateway end: 12th2025 Bristol end: Seventh

An Eleventh-place end at Darlington mixed with 12 stage factors allowed Chastain to go from one level above the cutoff to 21 factors forward. However the Trackhouse driver has been too inconsistent this 12 months to make anybody really feel like that is the beginning of a possible deep run into the playoffs. It’s a signal, however questions stay.

Prediction: Eradicated within the quarterfinal spherical

12. Austin CindricTeam Penske: No. 2 FordPosition: Ninth, +12 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 12th2024 Gateway end: First2025 Bristol end: seventeenth

Cindric completed twelfth at Darlington and if he can come near repeating what he did final 12 months at successful Gateway, he ought to have a cushty cushion by the point he will get to Bristol. The Group Penske driver completed the most effective among the many Penske automobiles at Darlington.

Prediction: Eradicated within the quarterfinal spherical

13. Alex BowmanHendrick Motorsports: No. 48 ChevroletPosition: fifteenth, -19 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 31st2024 Gateway end: 28th2025 Bristol end: thirty seventh

Bowman wanted a robust Darlington run after slipping into the playoffs following a wreck within the regular-season finale at Daytona. He did not get that robust end, struggling harm on a Lap 1 incident after which having a disastrous pit cease within the opening stage. But when Bowman has proven something throughout his profession, it has been resiliency. The Hendrick driver goes to wish that to advance.

Prediction: Eradicated within the opening spherical (change from eradicated in semifinal spherical)

14. Shane van GisbergenTrackhouse Racing: No. 88 ChevroletPosition: twelfth, +3 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 32nd2024 Gateway end: N/A2025 Bristol end: thirty eighth

A Thirty second-place end at Darlington did not drop van Gisbergen beneath the playoff cutline, however he’s now firmly on the bubble with only a three-point cushion. He has by no means raced at Gateway in his life and Bristol was a tough expertise earlier this 12 months. The Trackhouse Racing driver will seemingly want some success to advance.

Prediction: Eradicated within the first spherical

15. Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing: No. 3 ChevroletPosition: 14th, -8 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 23rd2024 Gateway end: Sixth2025 Bristol end: tenth

Dillon began ninth at Darlington, giving him hope that he may soar above the cutline. However the Richard Childress Racing driver completed twenty third and finds himself in a bit of little bit of a gap. With Gateway having a bit of little bit of similarity to Richmond, this weekend is pivotal for Dillon and any likelihood he has to advance out of the opening spherical.

Prediction: Eradicated within the first spherical

16. Josh BerryWood Brothers Racing: No. 21 FordPosition: sixteenth, -19 on the cutoff

2025 playoff outcomes: Darlington, 38th2024 Gateway end: 36th2025 Bristol end: twelfth

A gap-lap accident at Darlington resulted in Berry spending greater than 100 laps within the storage together with his workforce engaged on the automotive. He was in a position to get again out on the monitor however with no attrition till late within the race, he did not transfer up any spots. He did earn an additional level for posting the quickest lap within the race after his return.

Prediction: Eradicated within the first spherical

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time masking motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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