LAS VEGAS – As the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs narrow to its final eight contenders, the championship battle intensifies with this weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor speedway poised to significantly impact each driver’s title hopes.Here’s a ranking of those drivers,assessing their current form,historical performance at key tracks,and overall championship outlook.
No. 1 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Denny Hamlin
Hamlin enters the final stretch with momentum, but his performance at Las vegas in the spring (25th-place finish) is a concern. Though, his past record at the track is strong, highlighted by a win in 2021 and no finishes worse than 11th in other races.
No. 2 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for William Byron
Byron is well-positioned to climb the standings with upcoming races at Las Vegas and Talladega. He boasts a consistent record at both tracks, having recorded top-10 finishes in each of his last five races at both venues, and leading in each of those five las vegas races.
No. 3 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Christopher Bell
Bell is a strong contender, notably at Las Vegas, where he has three top-5 finishes in the last five races, finishing as runner-up in the last two fall races. He’s also coming off strong performances,finishing third in the last two 2025 playoff races after a win at Bristol.
No. 4 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Chase Elliott
Elliott has demonstrated consistency throughout the 2025 regular season and playoffs, but lacks notable point gains. His performance at Las Vegas has been mixed, with a 10th-place finish in the spring of 2025, but also 33rd in the fall of 2024, 12th in the spring of 2024, and 32nd in the fall of 2023. he has been in the top-10 in four of the last five 2024 playoff races.
No. 5 NASCAR cup playoff chances for Kyle Larson
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No. 6 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Joey Logano
Logano narrowly secured his playoff spot at Charlotte,benefiting from Ross Chastain’s misfortune.Recent races haven’t been strong – 20th at the Roval and 21st at Kansas – and he will need to repeat his late-season heroics to contend for the 2025 championship.
No.7 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Chase Briscoe
Briscoe is the only driver among the remaining eight who has yet to reach the championship race. While showing advancement in the 2025 playoffs compared to 2024, he remains a longshot, having failed to finish in the top 10 in the last seven races of the 2024 playoffs.
No.8 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Martin Truex Jr.
(Information about Martin truex Jr.was missing from the original text and therefore cannot be included in this ranking.)
