Denny Hamlin earns No. 1 seed for 2026 Chase in NASCAR Cup Series

Denny Hamlin will enter the Chase as the driver to beat in the NASCAR Cup Series. On Sunday afternoon, Hamlin clinched the No. 1 seed for the Chase during the 2026 Cup Series season. With an over 70-point lead entering Daytona International Speedway, no one can pass Hamlin in the points standings.

NASCAR won’t reward a regular-season championship, so Hamlin won’t receive the honor or a trophy for his accomplishment. Instead, Hamlin and the No. 11 team for Joe Gibbs Racing will enter the Chase with a 25-point advantage over second-place in the standings.

It is isn’t a massive gap with 10 races, including Talladega Superspeedway, but the higher a driver finishes in the standings, the better. For Hamlin, there will be on one in front of him. If a driver wants to win the 2026 Cup Series championship, they must go through Hamlin in the Chase.

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Denny Hamlin earns No. 1 seed for 2026 Chase in NASCAR Cup Series