With 25 races in the rearview mirror, the NASCAR Cup Series is revving for the grand finale. It’s time for the epic face-off – the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the prestigious Daytona International Speedway. And it all happens this Saturday night under the stars.
NASCAR returns to Daytona with high stakes. Here, drivers will pit their skills against the high-speed, high-banked superspeedway. But that’s not all. The race will also determine the last playoff berth into the 16-driver field. Precisely two drivers secured berths after last weekend’s race at Watkins Glen.
So now, only one spot remains. If a driver without a win this season steals the show at Daytona, he snags the last playoff spot. Hence, the points tally no longer matters. If any of the already secured 15 playoff drivers win, the final playoff spot goes to the driver without a win but with the most regular-season points. As of now, Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing holds this spot.
The race starts at 7 p.m. ET, airing on NBC. Besides, viewers can live stream it on the NBC Sports website and app and on Peacock. At 160 laps around the 2.5-mile oval, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is a classic 400-mile race split into three segments of 35, 60, and 65 laps each.
The previous year’s winner, Austin Dillon, narrowly evaded a sizable wreck to clinch the final playoff berth in a rain-soaked race. He finished mere seconds ahead of Tyler Reddick, adding his fourth Cup Series win to his name. In February 2023, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. tasted his third career Cup Series victory, beating Joey Logano.
So, who will emerge as the victor? Will an underdog surprise all by taking home the win, or will the seasoned drivers uphold their legacies? We wait for Saturday night to watch the drama unfold at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
