Overview

• The Southern 500 at Darlington on Sunday starts the 10-race NASCAR Cup postseason for 16 drivers, culminating at Phoenix on Nov. 2.
• Regular-season champion William Byron carries 15 playoff points and strong Darlington form, including a record 243 consecutive laps led there in May.
• Denny Hamlin, a four-time winner this year, calls the playoffs a dice roll yet says the 23XI antitrust trial set for December will not divert his focus.
• Drivers and owners publicly press for changes to reward season-long performance, with Christopher Bell proposing that all 36 races determine the champion and Rick Hendrick favoring the old system.
• The bracket features new playoff stops at Gateway and Loudon that many drivers welcome, as Joey Logano touts a week-to-week approach and some analysts tip Hamlin as a title favorite.