In a heroic shot at redemption, Christopher Bell surged from fifth place to first in the final four laps of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race to claim his first victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, his fourth of the season, and the 13th of his career in NASCAR’s top flight. 

While Bell capped off a clean sweep of the Round of 16 for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, joining his winning teammates Chase Briscoe (Darlington) and Denny Hamlin (Gateway), who each won earlier in the round, not all are celebrating. With tire wear adding to the chaotic nighttime showdown, four drivers saw their championship aspirations come to an end in Thunder Valley – veterans Alex Bowman and Austin Dillon, as well as newcomers Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry. All entered Saturday’s race below the elimination round with the latter tallying three last-place finishes in the inaugural round. The Kiwi street race sensation spun multiple times, sealing his 26th-place finish while Dillon skidded into 28th. Bowman was the only wheelman of the eliminated quartet to record a Top-10 finish. 

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As the postseason contenders rev up for the Mobil 1 301 in Loudon, New Hampshire this Sunday, September 21 on USA Network, here’s a look at the 12 remaining drivers in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs returns to NBC and Peacock for the final three races of the postseason: the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 19, followed by the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, and the Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 2.

The 12 Remaining Drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

1. Denny Hamlin, 3,034 points, +26
No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Prior to suffering a 31st-place finish in Tennessee, Denny Hamlin notched two consecutive top-10 finishes, including his win at Gateway. If history repeats itself, that momentum could keep rolling up north. In addition to his 11 Top-5 finishes in the Granite State, Hamlin’s previously cruised to three wins at New Hampshire, paving the way for him to punch his ticket early into the Round of 8. If he’s successful this weekend, get ready to hear a lot more of, “Could this year be his year?”

2. William Byron, 3,032 points, +24
No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Also potentially poised to have a successful day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is William Byron. The 27-year-old HMS driver scored a crucial victory at New Hampshire during the inaugural race of the Round of 8 in the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs. 

3. Kyle Larson, 3,032 points, +24
No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

In terms of the NASCAR postseason, Kyle Larson is a name that’s about as synonymous as they come. That said, because of his struggles on shorter, flatter tracks, Yung Money said plainly in his own words that he’s not “thrilled” about competing on New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Still, the former champ’s a perennial threat to make a deep playoff run.

4. Christopher Bell, 3,028 points, +20
No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Coming off a dramatic win at Bristol, the ball’s in Christopher Bell’s court as he heads to New Hampshire. Bell celebrated with Loudon the Lobster and a broom in 2024 after sweeping both races on “The Magic Mile,” so he’s got the experience to make it happen.

5. Ryan Blaney, 3,027 points, +19
No. 12 Team Penske Ford

Ever since Dover, Ryan Blaney has been consistently finding the necessary speed, recording an average finish of 6.1 in his last nine races. He might be publicly irked about the role of tire wear, but the former champ is quietly heating up when it matters the most. 

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6. Chase Briscoe, 3,018 points, +10
No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chase Briscoe dominated Darlington Raceway this year to earn his second consecutive Southern 500 victory. While he may be the lesser known of the trifecta, he’s a pivotal member of the emerging Joe Gibbs Racing juggernaut of Hamlin, Bell, and Briscoe. 

7. Chase Elliott, 3,013 points, +5
No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Chase Elliott’s 2025 Cup Series season continues to slip away. Despite making it into the Round of 12, Bristol marked Elliott’s second DNF since he did so in Richmond five races ago. Considering his struggles at New Hampshire, now’s the time to dial in the focus. 

8. Bubba Wallace, 3,009 points, +1
No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

Entering his second career Cup Series Playoffs, Bubba Wallace’s performance at New Hampshire, like his results throughout the year, have been mixed. He motored his way to a third-place finish in 2022 only to falter in 2024 with a DNF. 

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9. Austin Cindric, 3,008 points, -1
No. 2 Team Penske Ford

Currently first on the chopping block, Austin Cindric’s playoff future is a bit tenuous. The Team Penske driver has never found the right gear at New Hampshire, failing to ever secure a Top-10 career finish there. That said, his real Kryptonite’s at Kansas. The Ford driver has an approximate average finish of 26, thanks to several final landing spots in the 30s. 

10. Joey Logano, 3,007 points, -2
No. 22 Team Penske Ford

Like Larson, Joey Logano’s a driver that lives for the postseason. The three-time NASCAR champion might currently be treading water two points below the cutoff line, but New Hampshire is his home track. He’s scored two victories there, including his first career Cup Series win.

11. Ross Chastain, 3,007 points, -2
No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Ross Chastain enters his third Cup Series postseason in four years. Though his qualifying speed has lagged some this year, his energy and unpredictable nature means you always have to account for him. In his lone win of the season at the Coca-Cola 600, the Watermelon Man shockingly surged from 40th and final starting position to first – a wild feat that had never been achieved in the 66-year history of the event.

12. Tyler Reddick, 3,006 points, -3
No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota

Tyler Reddick’s 2025 Cup Series campaign continues its topsy-turvy run. His second-place finish at Darlington exhibited flashes of his 2024 Regular Season Championship form, but other than that, he’s fallen to 15th place or worse six times in his last eight races.  

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs returns to NBC and Peacock for the final three races of the postseason, including the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 19, followed by the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, and the Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 2.