One race remains, and the playoff picture is changing before the green flag even flies at Daytona.
Kurt Busch has withdrawn his playoff waiver, and will not be part of the playoffs. The No. 45 remains locked in on the owner side, but Busch, who is still recovering from a July concussion, is now out. Ty Gibbs will continue to fill-in for Busch in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota.
This news suddenly puts Martin Truex Jr. back above the cut line. He and Ryan Blaney gare separated by just 25 points, but as long as there are no new winners this weekend, they are both safe. With that being said, it is Daytona, and there are over a dozen drivers who are in a must-win situation.
Chase Elliott clinched the regular season title at Watkins Glen, netting him 15 more bonus points. Kyle Larson won the race, after some contact with his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.
How to watch NASCAR at Daytona
- Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400
- Date: Sunday, August 27th
- Start time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- TV channel: NBC | TSN 3/5 (Canada)
- Live stream: Peacock, fuboTV
- Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will be racing at Daytona this weekend. No active Cup driver has more Daytona victories than Denny Hamlin, who has three wins in the 500. Austin Cindric won the Daytona 500 earlier this year, while Blaney is the defending winner of the 400-mile event.
Rick Allen leads the NBC Cup Series broadcast team in the booth, where he’s joined by former star racers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton. Veteran crew chief Steve Letarte adds his technical knowledge for extra analysis.
NBC will cover all races from now through the playoffs either on the main NBC channel or USA Network.
Here’s how and where to watch all the on-track activity for NASCAR this weekend:
Friday, August 26
- (Schedule is tentative and subject to change)
- 3 p.m. ET – NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying – USA NETWORK
- 5:05 p.m. ET – NASCAR Cup Series qualifying – USA NETWORK
- 7:30 p.m. ET – NASCAR Xfinity Series race (100 laps / 250 miles) – USA NETWORK
Saturday, August 27
- 7 p.m. ET – NASCAR Cup Series race (160 laps / 400 miles) – NBC
Who’s on the entry list for NASCAR Cup at Daytona?
There are 37 cars on the NASCAR Cup Series entry list with one open entry, being Noah Gragson in the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet.
| David Ragan | |||
What’s next on the NASCAR Cup schedule?
After the regular season finale at Daytona, the 10-race playoffs finally begin at Darlington with the Southern 500.
| Date | Track | Network | Time | Radio |
| Sunday, September 4 | Darlington | USA | 6:00 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, September 11 | Kansas | USA | 3:00 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |
| Saturday, September 17 | Bristol | USA | 7:30 p.m. ET | PRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, September 25 | Texas | USA | 3:30 p.m. ET | PRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, October 2 | Talladega | NBC | 2:00 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, October 9 | Charlotte Roval | NBC | 2:00 p.m. ET | PRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, October 16 | Las Vegas | NBC | 2:30 p.m. ET | PRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, October 23 | Homestead | NBC | 2:30 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, October 30 | Martinsville | NBC | 2:00 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |
| Sunday, November 6 | Phoenix | NBC | 3:00 p.m. ET | MRN/SiriusXM |