NASCAR 2025 Playoff Predictions

Happy Daytona 500 Week!

The NASCAR offseason has brought plenty of changes, with new faces in new places and fresh team-driver combinations. As the season kicks off, 36 drivers and teams have one goal in mind—hoisting the championship trophy in Arizona.

Here are my predictions for who will make the NASCAR Playoffs:

Regular Season Champion

• Kyle Larson

  
  

Drivers Who Qualify by Winning a Race

• William Byron

• Ryan Blaney

• Tyler Reddick

• Christopher Bell

• Denny Hamlin

• Chris Buescher

• Chase Elliott

• Ty Gibbs

• Joey Logano

• Ross Chastain

• Shane van Gisbergen (SVG)

• Bubba Wallace

• Chase Briscoe

• Justin Haley

  
  

Driver Who Qualifies on Points

• Brad Keselowski

  
  

This is shaping up to be one of the deepest Cup Series fields we’ve seen in a long time. You could realistically make a case for around 23 drivers to make the playoffs without it being considered a fluke.

I expect Chase Briscoe to pick up at least one win with Joe Gibbs Racing, and I believe Trackhouse Racing will have a strong bounce-back season. SVG will need to capitalize on road courses, and I expect him to do just that.

I also think Ty Gibbs will finally secure his first Cup Series win. The biggest longshot on my list is Justin Haley, but Spire Motorsports has made significant investments to improve their cars. Haley is a talented driver, and I love his pairing with Rodney Childers as his crew chief.

I'm sure my predictions will be different than others but having a field this deep adds excitement that there could be so many different winners. Maybe we will be in for a surprise this weekend.