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  • Denny Hamlin has secured a spot in the championship race after his victory at Las Vegas.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are in the Round of 8, with upcoming races at Talladega and Martinsville.
  • Several former champions, including Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott, are currently below the cutline to advance.

With only three races remaining in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, it’s time to look at the drivers with the best chances to keep their championship hopes alive.

The playoffs, which are in the second of three races in the Round of 8 , head to the NASCAR Talladega race on Oct. 19 (1 p.m., NBC).

The final race in the Round of 8, when the field will be cut to four drivers, is Oct. 26 at Martinsville with the championship set for Phoenix on Nov. 2.

Denny Hamlin has momentum, having clinched a berth in the championship after winning at Las Vegas on Oct. 12.

Other drivers, including former Cup Series champions Joey Logano (2018, 2022, 2024), Ryan Blaney (2023), and Chase Elliott (2020), along with 2025 regular season champion William Byron, find themselves beneath the cutline as they head to the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Speedway.

No.1 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Denny Hamlin

Hamlin is 44 years old, won his 60th Cup race at Las Vegas, and has never won a Cup Series championship. He is in prime position to finally add his name to the list of champions.

Rather than taunt fans with his “I beat your favorite driver” line after climbing from his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Las Vegas, Hamlin dedicated the victory to his ill father, Denny Hamlin Sr. It’s an indication that Hamlin is focused and determined to claim his first title.

No. 2 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Kyle Larson

Behind Hamlin, Larson has been the most impressive driver since the playoffs moved to the Round of 12. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has runner-up finishes in the last two races and not been below seventh in the last four.

The 2021 Cup champion has been solid throughout the playoffs with the exception of Bristol where he spun out, broke a toe link and hit the inside wall tire barrier.

No. 3 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Chase Briscoe

Briscoe is primed to make a move at Talladega where he has run well over the last few seasons. He has been in the top 15 in five of the last six races there.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, however, isn’t only good at Talladega. He has the best average finish (6.3) among all the drivers in the playoffs. Throw out his 14th-place finish at the Charlotte Roval and Briscoe has been in the top 10 every race.

No. 4 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for William Byron

Talk about drivers who have been strong at Talladega, check out Byron, who has posted five straight finishes in the top seven there.

Byron was outstanding at Las Vegas before disaster struck when he slammed into Ty Dillon late as Dillon was slowing on the way to pit road. Byron led 55 laps and was in second place.

No. 5 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Christopher Bell

Consistency in the playoffs has been Bell’s strong suit. He has been in contention in each of the last three races while scoring points in each of the last seven stages.

Bell is equipped with what it takes to win the championship. But he faces a big challenge at Talladega where his average finish is 20.9.

No. 6 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Chase Elliott

It’s surprising to see Elliott below the cut line after the solid regular season he put together. A less-than-impressive race at Las Vegas dropped the 2020 Cup champion into sixth place in the point standings and only one point ahead of seventh-place Joey Logano.

Elliott still has hope and could move up at Talladega. He and Blaney are the only two current playoff drivers who have won at won at Talladega in the last nine races..

No. 7 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Ryan Blaney

A DNF at Las Vegas was Blaney’s eighth of the season. The fact that the Team Penske driver is still in playoff contention, considering the bad luck he has had this season, is amazing.

At 31 points below the cutline, he is last among the eight remaining playoff drivers, but like Elliott, Blaney is counting on his past success at Talladega to keep him in it.

Blaney has three wins in the last 12 races at Talladega, which are his most at any track.

No. 8 NASCAR Cup playoff chances for Joey Logano

Even after a strong finish at Las Vegas (sixth place), Logano faces an uphill battle entering the NASCAR Talladega race in a 24-point hole.

But like his Team Penske teammate Blaney, Logano has three wins at Talladega, which are his most at any Cup track as well. Most recently, however, Logano has only one top-10 finish in the last 12 races at Talladega.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.

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