Overview

• Zilisch clinched the regular-season crown with his Gateway win and opens the postseason with a 59 playoff-point cushion, per NASCAR.com, as the 12-driver field is set.
• The 19-year-old has nine victories, including seven of the last eight and four straight, and Bristol on Sept. 12 offers a shot at a fifth in a row.
• Denny Hamlin forecasts that the No. 88 could win double-digit races yet fall short of the title under the one-race finale format.
• Justin Allgaier’s track record at Phoenix — two wins and frequent top-fives — and Zilisch’s 16th there in March frame the championship-round hurdle.
• Zilisch is slated to move to the Cup Series full time with Trackhouse Racing in 2026, adding weight to this playoff run as a capstone season.