Denny Hamlin exits New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a 77‑point lead over race winner Ryan Blaney, cementing his No. 1 seed for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Chase.
Chase Positions Secured
Every driver in the top 13 of the championship standings has now locked in a Chase spot. The current order places the 13th seed on a safe margin that only the next race can threaten.
Cut‑Line Pressure and Bubbles
Bubba Wallace, sitting in 14th, holds a 75‑point cushion over the margin, safe against a maximum of 76 points possible in a single race. Austin Cindric sits 15th, a 44‑point swing above the threshold that could push him out of the 12‑spot cut‑line.
Shane van Gisbergen remains on the bubble; Ryan Preece narrowed the gap during the New Hampshire event, leaving a 31‑point difference. In the owners plot the same duo diverge by just six points.
Preece is the sole driver who could fall below the cut‑line at Daytona—Ross Chastain, finishing last, has already been removed from contention.
After New Hampshire, the standings read: Kyle Busch carried 217 points before his tragic passing; NASCAR has elected not to list him in the weekly driver tables, as per official protocol.
With the top 13 locked, the race now turns to the remaining 12 competitors, each fighting for the final heart of the qualifying bracket. The Chase field is set, and only a handful of seats remain open for contest.
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