The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs driver line-up.
That’s because Supercars champion and Bathurst 1000 winner Shane van Gisbergen is among the 16 drivers in this year’s elimination series.
So how do the Playoffs work?
Before the Playoffs begin, NASCAR has its regular season, which features 26 points-paying races.
Across those 26 races, every full-time driver has a chance to win their way into the Playoffs.
Simply put, win a race and you’re into the Round of 16.
If, after the regular season finishes, there are fewer than 16 race winners, the remaining spots are decided by points.
If, after the regular season finishes, there are more than 16 race winners, NASCAR prioritises the drivers with the most wins and then breaks any ties using the points standings.
There has not been a season in the Playoffs era where more than 16 drivers have won in the regular season.
In this year’s case, there were 14 race winners. The final two spots were filled by Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) and Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports).
After the regular season, 16 drivers are locked into the Playoffs. They fight for the title while the rest of the non-Playoff drivers race for bragging rights in the form of race wins.
How many races are there in the Playoffs?
The Playoffs feature a total of 10 races. Each round of the Playoffs features three races. In 2025, there are three elimination rounds before the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.
This year’s Playoffs feature a Round of 16, a Round of 12, and a Round of 8.
How do drivers advance in the Playoffs?
After the third race of each elimination round, the four drivers with the fewest points will be cut from the Playoffs.
However, there is an exception to this rule. Any Playoff driver, assuming they haven’t already been eliminated, can win their way through to the next round – as is often the case.
How are the Playoff drivers seeded?
Seedings are prioritised first by the number of race wins, then by points totals.
When the Round of 16 begins, each driver starts with 2000 points plus however many Playoff points they earned.
After four drivers are eliminated, the points for the remaining drivers in the Round of 12 are reset to 3000 plus Playoff points.
When another four drivers are eliminated the points are reset to 4000 plus Playoff points for the Round of 8.
The title is then decided by pitting the top drivers against each other in the Championship 4. They each start on 5000 points, but no bonus Playoff points are awarded.
The best finishing driver of the four is the champion in a winner-takes-all finale.
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How do you earn Playoff points?
During the regular season, drivers accumulate Playoff points.
Bonus points are awarded by winning races (five points) or by winning a stage (one point).
At the end of the regular season, the regular season champion earns 15 bonus points. Second in the standings gets 10 bonus points. Third place earns eight bonus points.
From fourth to 10th, drivers get a sliding scale of bonus points of seven to one. Playoff points carry over in each of the first three elimination rounds, but not to the title-deciding race.
Crucially, after each elimination round, the Playoff points earned during the regular season are re-added to each driver’s reset total.
In the case of van Gisbergen, who enters the Round of 16 on 2022 points, assuming he gets through to the Round of 12 he would begin with 3022 points.
Who are the drivers in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs?
1. Kyle Larson – 2032 points
2. William Byron – 2032 points
3. Denny Hamlin – 2029 points
4. Ryan Blaney – 2026 points
5. Christopher Bell – 2023 points
6. Shane van Gisbergen – 2022 points
7. Chase Elliott – 2013 points
8. Chase Briscoe 2010 points
9. Bubba Wallace – 2008 points
10. Austin Cindric – 2008 points
11. Ross Chastain – 2007 points
12. Joey Logano – 2007 points
13. Josh Berry – 2006 points
14. Tyler Reddick – 2006 points
15. Austin Dillon – 2005 points
16. Alex Bowman – 2002 points
What happens once a Playoffs driver is eliminated?
Once any of the 16 drivers in the Playoffs are eliminated, they continue to race alongside the other non-Playoff drivers.
What about the other drivers not in the Playoffs?
The drivers that aren’t in the Playoffs still compete in every race and will battle over the remaining places in the points from 17th onwards.
2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs schedule
Round of 16 – Darlington, Gateway and Bristol
Round of 12 – New Hampshire, Kansas, Charlotte ROVAL
Round of 8 – Las Vegas, Talladega, Martinsville
Championship 4 – Phoenix