NASCAR 2025 Playoffs: Who qualified for the Round of 8 after Shane van Gisbergen’s win at Charlotte ROVAL?

The action-packed 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoff added a new chapter on Sunday, October 5. This year’s Cup Series playoff grid has gone from 12 to eight drivers with the end of the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen became the first non-playoff driver to win in the postseason. SVG dominated the race, leading a race-high 57 laps, and took the checkered flag with a convincing margin of 15.160 seconds at the 2.32-mile, 17-turn Charlotte Roval.

The second round of the 2025 playoff was filled with chaos and unexpected results. In the first two playoff races of the Round of 12, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott took the checkered flag at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively.

Four drivers saw their NASCAR title hunt end after the 109-lap race at Roval, leaving eight drivers to qualify into the next round of playoffs.

Both 23XI Racing drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, failed to make the Round of 8. Meanwhile, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Team Penske’ Austin Cindric were the other two drivers who also fell out.

Joey Logano, who finished 20th, secured the final playoff spot over Chastain, who lost his bid to advance to the next playoff round by four points.

---

NASCAR Cup Series updated playoff grid: Eight drivers who qualified for the semi-final round

With eight drivers now left to fight for the 2025 championship, veteran Denny Hamlin has grabbed the top spot to begin the Round of 8. Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano enter the next playoff round as the four drivers below the cut-off line.

Take a look at the eight remaining drivers battling for the 2025 Cup Series championship:

Car No. – Driver – Points

1. #11 - Denny Hamlin – 4036 (+8)
2. #12 - Ryan Blaney – 4034 (+6)
3. #5 - Kyle Larson - 4032 (+4)
4. #24 - William Byron - 4032 (+4)
5. #20 - Christopher Bell - 4028 (–4)
6. #9 - Chase Elliott - 4018 (–14)
7. #19 - Chase Briscoe - 4018 (–14)
8. #22 - Joey Logano - 4008 (–24)

The NASCAR Cup Series returns next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first race of the Round of 8. The action will go live at 3 pm ET on Sunday, October 13.