Overview

• Austin Dillon dominated at Richmond, leading 107 laps to claim his sixth Cup win and become the 14th different winner to clinch a playoff berth.
• With 14 race winners locked in, the final regular-season race at Daytona will decide the last two spots on points or bump a points driver if a new winner emerges.
• RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, along with Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, must win at Daytona to qualify, with Busch about 148 points below the cutline.
• Daytona’s unpredictability looms large as recent history shows surprise winners can upend the field, putting either Reddick or Bowman at risk if a first-time 2025 winner prevails.
• Denny Hamlin amplified criticism of the win-and-you’re-in format, warning that a low-ranked driver such as Cody Ware winning Daytona could erase season-long consistency from Reddick or Bowman.