Overview
- The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on Saturday will determine the 16 drivers who advance to the 10-race Chase and lock the post‑season points reset.
- Denny Hamlin has already clinched the regular‑season points lead and will carry a 25‑point cushion into the Chase, giving him the top seed and a measurable seeding advantage.
- NASCAR will run a new superspeedway package at Daytona that shortens rear spoilers from seven to four inches and reduces horsepower from about 510 to 465, changes designed to break up long drafting lines and increase passing.
- Forty‑one cars are entered for 40 spots, with five non‑chartered teams (Joey Gase, Casey Mears, Gray Gaulding, Corey Heim and Daniel Dye) racing for four berths and owner points set to decide the field if qualifying is rained out.
- Ryan Preece sits outside the cutline largely because of a 25‑point penalty for radio threats and payback, a sanction that now leaves him about 31 points behind the 16th spot and makes Daytona a must‑have day for his Chase hopes.