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Ryan Preece wins Daytona regular-season finale to claim final NASCAR Cup Series playoff spot
Preece clinched the 16th postseason berth in overtime, while Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric also secured playoff spots.
The short version
- Ryan Preece won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway in overtime to secure the final playoff berth.
- Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric locked up the other remaining postseason spots, joining Preece in the 16-driver field.
- The 10-race Chase for the championship is set to begin at Darlington Raceway next Sunday.
Key facts
- Ryan Preece won the regular-season finale under caution after a final-lap crash involving leader Zane Smith.[Associated Press]
- Preece's victory earned him the 16th and final playoff spot over Shane van Gisbergen.[Associated Press]
- Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric claimed the other available playoff positions entering the race.[Associated Press]
- Riley Herbst missed the race due to lingering effects from a crash the previous weekend and was substituted by Harrison Burton.[Associated Press]
- Tom Cruise announced a follow-up to the movie 'Days of Thunder', scheduled for release on June 2, 2028.[Associated Press]
- Jimmie Johnson revealed the paint scheme for his final planned Cup Series start at the 2027 Daytona 500.[Associated Press]