After Points Reset, Larson Starts Cup Playoffs As Top Seed

Kyle Larson begins the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the No. 1 seed. (Scotte Sprinkle/Motorsports Hotspot photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With 26 regular-season races complete, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson enters the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the top-seeded driver among the field of 16 championship hopefuls.

A sixth-place finish in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona Int’l Speedway wasn’t the flashiest of runs, but it was just enough to keep Larson third in the final regular season standings and afford him with nine bonus playoff points as a result.

That elevated Larson to a total of 32 playoff points banked for the year thus far, giving him 2,032 points entering the 10-race stretch that will decide the winner of the Bill France Cup.

Though it puts Larson tied with teammate and regular-season champion William Byron, Larson got the nod in the seeding process thanks to his three wins compared to Byron’s two.

“I think we’ve been kind of quietly getting better here lately with the [No.] 5 team, and we get to go to one of our better tracks next week in Darlington, and hopefully can just get some momentum for our final 10 weeks going,” said Larson of his outlook heading into the postseason.

“It’s a fun time of year, [I’m] excited about the opportunity to race for another championship, and wouldn’t want to do it with any other group. Looking forward to it with our Hendrick Motorsports team and Hendrickcars.com, and [we’ll] see if we can get a Chevy [championship] win when it’s all over.”

Byron enters the pursuit of his first Cup Series title second in the order, with both he and Larson holding an early 26-point edge over the playoff elimination line.

Four-time season winner Denny Hamlin is the third seed with 2,029 points, followed by Saturday night’s winner Ryan Blaney (2,026) and Christopher Bell (2,023).

Another four-time race winner – all on road courses – is the sixth seed in Shane van Gisbergen (2,022), while 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott (2,013) starts his path to a potential second title from the No. 7 seed.

Chase Briscoe (2,010), Bubba Wallace (2,008), Austin Cindric (2,008), Ross Chastain (2,007), and Joey Logano (2,007) make up the rest of the top 12 seeds entering the Round of 16.

Those coming in below the initial cut line as the Nos. 13 through 16 seeds are Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway winner Josh Berry (2,006), Tyler Reddick (2,006), Richmond (Va.) Raceway winner Austin Dillon (2,005), and Alex Bowman (2,000), who earned the final playoff berth on points Saturday night.

Broadcast coverage of the Cup Series playoff opener, the 76th Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, airs Sunday night, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. ET on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

Logano is the defending Cup Series champion and is seeking his fourth premier series title this year.