NASCAR winners and losers from Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Sports News

Ryan Blaney gained the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 in a grandstand four-wide end to conclude the 2025 common season and spark the playoffs. The Team Penske star is seeking to reclaim the Cup Series title after dropping out to teammate Joey Logano in 2024.

Blaney began Saturday night time’s race at Daytona International Speedway from pole place and weathered a number of challenges, together with cautions, to take the chequered flag. “What a wild last couple laps, honestly,” Blaney stated. “I was with Cole, I kind of asked him on the restart, if you go to the top I’m going with you. We kind of just waited and waited and then the opportunity came, and he made a good move to get to the top, and we were able to really get good shoves.

“A pair good guys behind us, and then it form of cleared the way in which for us when the 7 (Haley) and 41 (Custer) bought racing, and I used to be capable of clear on the highest and simply barely maintain out for the win,” he added. It was the 31-year-old’s second victory of the 2025 season, but it had significant playoff implications for the final two of 16 playoff spots.

Since Blaney had already booked his playoff spot with a win at Nashville in the Cracker Barrel 400, the final two spots went to the Cup Series’ highest-placed drivers. As a result, 23XI, which is still locked in a bitter antitrust lawsuit with NASCAR, and its future in the Cup series is up in the air, added 2024’s regular season champion, Tyler Reddick, to the playoff field, joining No. 23 Bubba Wallace, who won the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis.

Alex Bowman received the 16th and final playoff spot, meaning Hendrick Motorsports heads into the postseason with all of its Cup drivers in contention. Bowman joins one-time champion Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and 2025 regular-season champion William Byron in the playoffs.

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WINNERS

Ryan Blaney

The 2023 champion is looking to reclaim the Cup Series championship after ending runner-up to teammate Logano in Phoenix final November. It was a good ending to a common season full of particular person frustration for Blaney and the Team Penske crew.

23XI Racing

The Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin co-owned Cup crew continues to be at odds with NASCAR amid its antitrust lawsuit alongside Front Row Motorsports. Their future within the Cup is unsure, however they’ve scored a important win after securing a second playoff constitution by way of Reddick.

Hendrick Motorsports

Bowman accomplished Hendrick Motorsports’ four-car sweep into the playoffs. The crew is in sturdy competition to knock Team Penske off the highest spot, having held the championship for the final two seasons.

DON’T MISS

LOSERS

Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch is not going to be a playoff contender for a second Cup season working. The two-time champion admitted the devastating impact final yr’s absence had on him, and he is unlikely to take this one effectively both. However, he might be back within the Cup subsequent season at Richard Childress Racing, the place he’ll hope to get back to profitable methods, having not tasted victory since Illinois in 2023.

RFK Racing

The RFK Racing trio of vehicles pushed by Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, and Brad Keselowski didn’t make the 16-car playoff subject regardless of all ending inside the highest 20 within the Cup standings. Buescher, who completed tenth, is the primary driver out of the RFK drivers to overlook the playoffs for the second straight season.

Daniel Suarez

Daniel Suarez’s future at Trackhouse Racing was confirmed a whereas back, with the crew transferring on from the Mexican driver on the finish of this season. Xfinity phenom Connor Zilisch has been tapped to exchange him in 2026. However, Suarez missed out on a playoff run in his ultimate season with the crew after falling short within the four-wide end.