NASCAR 2025 Playoff Field Set: Who are the 16 drivers who qualified after Ryan Blaney’s win at Daytona?

The 26-race NASCAR Cup Series regular season came to an end with the conclusion of Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, where Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag.

The result of the regular-season finale sets the 16-driver Cup Series playoff field. These drivers will compete in the 10 postseason races to become the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

14 of the 16 playoff positions were already decided via victories. With no new winner from below the cut-off line at Daytona International Speedway, 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick and Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman clinched the final two spots in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, and Daniel Suarez, who were in contention, were knocked out of the race for playoffs.

Speaking about his intent for the playoffs, here’s what Bowman said (via NASCAR on NBC):

“We’re going to be hitting hard the next 10 weeks and trying to get a win, whether we’re in the playoffs or not. While I have certainly stayed off social media, I’m going to sit in front of a TV and watch. But yeah, bummed for Hendrick Motorsports and everybody that worked so hard to not have a shot at it here tonight”

The potential drivers who missed the playoff this season are two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, 2012 champion Brad Keselowski, and Daniel Suarez. Busch missed the Cup Series playoffs for the second consecutive season.

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NASCAR Cup Series playoff field: 16 drivers who advanced to postseason

With 16 out of 36 Cup drivers advancing to the 2025 Cup Series championship, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson, who had a great season so far with three wins, grabbed the top spot to begin the Round of 16.

Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, and Alex Bowman enter into the first round of playoffs as the four drivers below the cut-off line.

See below the 16 drivers who make the 2025 Cup Series playoffs:

1. #5 - Kyle Larson
2. #24 - William Byron
3. #11 - Denny Hamlin
4. #12 - Ryan Blaney
5. #20 Christopher Bell
6. #88 - Shane van Gisbergen
7. #9 - Chase Elliott
8. #19 - Chase Briscoe
9. #23 - Bubba Wallace
10. #2 - Austin Cindric
11. #1 - Ross Chastain
12. #22 - Joey Logano
13. #21 - Josh Berry
14. #45 - Tyler Reddick
15. #3 - Austin Dillon
16. #48 - Alex Bowman

The Cup Series returns next weekend at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, the first race of the 2025 playoff season. The action will go live at 1 pm ET on Sunday, August 31, 2025.