NCS: 2025 NASCAR Playoff Preview – Speedway Digest

Published

4 months ago

August 31, 2025

Currently leads the 2025 NASCAR playoff points standings with 2,032 points
Won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship and has 11 total wins during his career in the playoffs
2025 marks the ninth time Larson has competed in the playoffs
In 2025, Larson has 3 wins, 11 top fives with an average start of 13.2 and an average finish of 13.9

2. William Byron (24) Hendrick Motorsports

Currently sits second in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series points standings with 2,032 points
2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season champion
Has made the Championship 4 twice (2023,2024) and has seven appearances in the playoffs
In 2025, Byron has 2 wins along with 9 top fives with an average start of 10.9 and an average finish of 13.9

3. Denny Hamlin (11) Joe Gibbs Racing

Currently sits third in the 2025 points standings with 2,029 points
Finished a career-best of second in the 2010 playoffs
Has won 12 times over the course of his playoff career and has four appearances in the Championship 4
2025 marks the 19th time he has competed in the playoffs
In 2025, Hamlin has 4 wins, 11 top fives with an average start of 14.4 and an average finish of 13.9

4. Ryan Blaney (12) Team Penske

Currently sits fourth in the points standings with 2,026 points
Won the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship
Has won five times in the playoffs over the course of his career
2025 marks the ninth time Blaney has competed in the playoffs
In 2025, Blaney has 2 wins, 10 top fives with an average start of 14.7 and an average finish of 15.3

5. Christopher Bell (20) Joe Gibbs Racing

Currently sits fifth in the points standings with 2,023 points
Finished a career best of third in the 2022 NASCAR playoffs
Has won three times over the course of his playoff career and has made the Championship 4 twice in his career
In 2025, Bell has three wins, 9 top fives with an average start of 14.1 and an average finish of 12.5

6. Shane Van Gisbergen (88) Trackhouse Racing

Currently sits sixth in the 2025 playoff standings with 2,022 points
2025 marks his first appearance in the playoffs
Made his debut in the Cup series in 2023 part-time winning his first race at the Chicago Street Course
In 2025, SVG has 4 wins, 4 top fives with an average start of 22.7 and an average finish of 21.1

7. Chase Elliott (9) Hendrick Motorsports

Currently sits seventh in the points standings with 2,013 points
2020 Cup series champion and 2022 regular season champion
Has won seven times in his playoff career and has made the playoffs nine times
Has appeared in the Championship 4 three times
In 2025, Elliott has 1 win, 7 top fives with an average start of 16.3 and an average finish of 12.0

8. Chase Briscoe (19) Joe Gibbs Racing

Currently sits eighth in the 2025 Cup series playoffs with 2,010 points
2025 marks the third time Briscoe has competed in the playoffs
Highest career finish in the playoffs was ninth in 2022
In 2025, Briscoe has 1 win, 10 top fives with an average start of 10.3 and an average finish of 13.7

9. Bubba Wallace (23) 23XI Racing

Currently sits ninth in the points standings with 2,008 points
Career best finish of 10th in the playoffs back in 2023
2025 marks the second time Wallace has competed in the playoffs
Failed to make the playoffs in 2024, finishing 18th in the points standings
In 2025, Wallace has 1 win, 4 top fives with an average start of 16.6 and an average finish of 18.9

10. Austin Cindric (2) Team Penske

Currently sits 10th in the playoff standings with 2,008 points
2025 marks his third appearance in the playoffs
Ended his 2024 season 11th in playoff standings
In 2025, Cindric has 1 win, 2 top fives with an average start of 13.1 and an average finish of 19.7

11. Ross Chastain (1) Trackhouse Racing

Currently sits 11th in playoff standings with 2,007 points
2025 marks his third playoff appearance and one appearance in the Championship 4 that came in 2022
Failed to make the playoffs in 2024, finishing 19th in standings
In 2025, Chastain has 1 win, 3 top fives with an average start of 21.9 and an average finish of 16.2

12. Joey Logano (22) Team Penske

Currently sits 12th in the playoff standings with 2,007 points
Is a three-time Cup series champion, winning the championship in 2018, 2022 and 2024
Has won in the playoffs 15 times over the course of his career, making the Championship 4 six times
2025 marks the 12th time Logano has competed in the playoffs
In 2025, Logano has 1 win, 7 top tens with an average start of 13.0 and an average finish of 17.0

13. Josh Berry (21) Wood Brothers Racing

Currently sits 13th in playoff standings with 2,006 points
2025 marks Berry’s first appearance in the playoffs
In 2025, Berry has 1 win, 2 top fives with an average start of 16.4 and an average finish of 20.8

14. Tyler Reddick (45) 23XI Racing

Currently sits 14th in playoff standings with 2,006 points
Finished a career best of fourth in the 2024 playoffs
Has won three times in the playoffs over the course of his career
In 2025, Reddick has 5 top fives with an average start of 12.9 and an average finish of 15.4

15. Austin Dillion (3) Richard Childress Racing

Currently sits 15th in playoff standings with 2,005 points
Finished a career best of 11th three times over the course of his playoff career
2025 marks the sixth time Dillion has competed in the playoffs
In 2025, Dillion has 1 win, 1 top five with an average start of 19.3 and an average finish of 20.0

16. Alex Bowman (48) Hendrick Motorsports

Currently sits 16th in points standings with 2,002 points
Finished a career best of sixth in the playoffs in 2020
Has 1 win in his playoff career that came at Martinsville in 2021
In 2025, Bowman has 6 top fives with an average start of 15.4 and an average finish of 16.4

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