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NASCAR standings update
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Ryan Blaney won the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire, shaking up NASCAR Chase standings. The regular-season finale at Daytona will decide the final Chase spots.
Background
The Dollar Tree 301 was the 25th race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, with one race left before the Chase playoffs. The race, held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, saw Ryan Blaney take the checkered flag, and the results reshuffled the standings. Thirteen drivers have clinched Chase spots, leaving three open for the finale at Daytona.
How it unfolded
- Aug 23, 2026Ryan Blaney won the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire. The race started with rain and a pace-lap spin by Carson Hocevar, causing a delay.
- Aug 23, 2026Updated Chase standings released: Denny Hamlin leads with 1,001 points, Ryan Blaney second at 924, and Ty Gibbs third at 880. Christopher Bell moved up two spots to fifth.
- Aug 28, 2026NASCAR previews the Daytona finale, noting Shane van Gisbergen holds the final Chase spot by 31 points over Ryan Preece, with Bubba Wallace 75 points above the cutline.
- Aug 29, 2026The regular-season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with three Chase spots still undecided.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Denny Hamlin's 77-point lead over Ryan Blaney is enough to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Chase.
- Caution
- Ryan Preece can only clinch a Chase spot with help, as he trails Shane van Gisbergen by 31 points.