NCS: Previewing Coca Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway with clinch scenarios - Speedway Digest

Winning at Daytona International Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most prestigious tracks, is a significant achievement. It’s no surprise that the Cup Series’ most successful driver at Daytona is a legend in the sport.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, known as ‘The King,’ holds the record for the most NASCAR Cup Series wins at Daytona with 10 victories throughout his career (Feb. 1964, Feb. 1966, Feb. 1971, Feb. 1973, Feb. 1974, July 1975, July 1977, Feb. 1979, Feb. 1981, July 1984).

Among active drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads with three Daytona wins (Feb. 2016, Feb. 2019, Feb. 2020), although none of these victories came in the summer race.

Out of the 70 NASCAR Cup Series winners at Daytona, 42 have won the summer race, accounting for 60% of the total. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads in summer race victories at Daytona with five wins (1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978).

This weekend, 12 previous Daytona winners will compete, with eight of them having won the summer event at the 2.5-mile track. Notably, six of these drivers need a win this weekend to secure their spot in the Playoffs.

Daytona International Speedway is renowned for its unpredictable finishes, often producing first-time winners in the NASCAR Cup Series. In fact, five of the last 12 Cup Series races at Daytona have seen first-time winners.

A total of 23 drivers have claimed their first NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona, with 11 of these victories occurring in the summer races. The most recent first-time winner at Daytona was Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, who won the 2022 Daytona 500, becoming the first rookie to win the prestigious season opener.

The latest first-time winner in the summer race was William Byron, who secured his spot in the Playoffs with his victory in August 2020. Among these first-time winners, Justin Haley holds the record for starting from the deepest position in the field, winning his first race from a 34th-place start in 2019.

This Saturday, the NASCAR Cup Series field will feature 12 former Daytona winners, led by Denny Hamlin with three wins. The most recent Daytona winner in the lineup is Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, who won the 2024 Daytona 500 earlier this season. Byron returns to Daytona aiming for a season sweep.

If Byron succeeds, he will become the sixth driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to sweep both Daytona races (Daytona 500 and Summer Race) in a single season. He would join an elite group that includes Fireball Roberts (1962), Cale Yarborough (1968), LeeRoy Yarborough (1969), Bobby Allison (1982), and Jimmie Johnson (2013).

Byron has made 13 series starts at Daytona, achieving two wins (2020, 2024), three top fives, four top 10s, and one pole position.

Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile paved superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, has hosted 154 NASCAR Cup Series races since its inaugural event in 1959. These races include 66 that were 500 miles, 61 that were 400 miles, and four that were 250 miles, along with 23 qualifier races that counted as point races. This weekend marks the first time the summer race will serve as the penultimate race of the regular season, a shift from its role as the regular season finale from 2020 to 2023.

The race promises to be a thrilling spectacle as drivers vie for crucial points and a spot in the playoffs. With the unpredictability of Daytona, anything can happen under the lights.

Clinch Scenarios per NASCAR

Already Clinched

The following 12 drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Tyler Reddick, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs or Chris Buescher.

Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch with 35 points
Ty Gibbs: Could only clinch with help
Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Ross Chastain or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 3rd winless driver in the standings.

Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch with 50 points
Ty Gibbs: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Todd Gilliland, Michael McDowell, Carson Hocevar, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Austin Dillon, Daniel Hemric, Corey LaJoie, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Harrison Burton