NASCAR Chase field set after Daytona race
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 7, 2026
How the Chase works
The Chase field is set at 16 drivers after the first 26 races, and the format changes the title race from a season-long points grind to a 10-race sprint with no eliminations along the way. Points reset at the start based on regular-season standings, with the points leader opening at 2,100 and the 16th seed starting at 2,000. The championship goes to the Chase driver with the most points after Homestead-Miami Speedway. That structure keeps every result in play from start to finish, because the standings will not reset again and no driver is cut during the 10-race stretch. The field reached that point after Daytona, and now the focus shifts to the closing run of the Cup Series season. The schedule sends the drivers to Darlington Raceway first for the Cook Out Southern 500, then through nine more playoff races on USA Network, NBC or HBO Max. A strong day early can build a cushion that still matters weeks later. A poor stage can leave a driver chasing points against the same 16 cars for the rest of the run.
Hamlin leads Chase
Denny Hamlin enters as the regular-season champion and points leader, which gives him the head start under the new reset. He carries a 25-point cushion over Ryan Blaney and has won four races this season, so he arrives with both position and form on his side. That makes him the front-runner heading into the Chase, even with the tighter margins created by the reset. Tyler Reddick is set to start on the pole after qualifying was canceled because of weather, giving him track position right away at Darlington. Chase Briscoe also sits among the stronger contenders, and the early shape of the Chase suggests the gap between the top seeds and the rest of the field may not stay wide for long. Stage points should matter from the start because the standings do not reset again after the opening adjustment. With only 16 drivers in the Chase and no elimination races inside the 10-race run, one strong weekend can move a driver from the middle of the pack into the thick of the title race. Hamlin’s position at the top gives him room, but the points reset keeps the margin tight enough that every stage and every finish can shift the picture.
Darlington opens Chase
Darlington Raceway opens the Chase with the Cook Out Southern 500, a 367-lap, 501.32-mile race that will set the tone for the final stretch. NASCAR also has a new stage rule in place, ending Stage 1 or Stage 2 early if a caution comes out with 10 laps or fewer left in that stage. That change should sharpen the value of every lap and every call on pit road, because a late caution can cut short a stage and alter where points land. Hamlin, Reddick and Briscoe are among the strongest Chase contenders at Darlington, but the field also includes drivers outside the playoff group who could still make noise, including Erik Jones and Brad Keselowski. The event is scheduled to air on USA Network at 5 p.m. ET, and all 10 Chase races are set to air on USA Network, NBC or stream on HBO Max. From the first race at Darlington to the title decision at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the format keeps the focus on accumulation rather than elimination. Every stage point matters. Every finish matters. That makes the opening race more than a starting line, because the early moves can shape the chase for weeks.
