Ryan Blaney closed NASCAR’s regular season with a thrilling victory at Daytona International Speedway that cemented the playoffs with a two-lap dash from 13th to first.
The Team Penske driver, who led a race-high 27 of 160 laps, scored his second victory of the season and second on the 2.5-mile superspeedway. With his 15th career victory, Blaney became the sixth driver with multiple wins this season.
He also jumped from fifth to second in the regular-season points standings and gained nine playoff points (when coupled with the five-point bonus for his first win at Daytona since August 2021).
MORE: Click here for Daytona results l Click here for the cumulative report l Click here for race notes l Click here for the penalty report
It’s the third consecutive season and fourth overall of multiple victories for Blaney, 31.
The rest of the top five at Daytona was filled by drivers who needed a win to advance to the playoffs: Daniel Suarez, Justin Haley, Cole Custer and Erik Jones.
Despite mediocre finishes because of crashes, Tyler Reddick (21st) and Alex Bowman (36th) filled the last two spots in the 16-driver playoff field (both winless drivers qualiyfing on points). The playoff field by seeding:
1. Kyle Larson, 2032 points
2. William Byron, 2032
3. Denny Hamlin, 2029
4. Ryan Blaney, 2026
5. Christopher Bell, 2023
6. Shane van Gisbergen, 2022
7. Chase Elliott, 2013
8. Chase Briscoe, 2010
9. Bubba Wallace, 2008
10. Austin Cindric, 2008
11. Ross Chastain, 2007
12. Joey Logano, 2007
13. Josh Berry, 2006
14. Tyler Reddick, 2006
15. Austin Dillon, 2005
16. Alex Bowman, 2002
Here’s the finishing order at Daytona International Speedway:
1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford
2. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Chevrolet
3. Justin Haley, No. 7 Chevrolet
4. Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford
5. Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota
6. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Chevrolet
7. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford
8. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota
9. Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford
10. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet
11. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Ford
12. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Chevrolet
13. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Toyota
14. Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford
15. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet
16. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88 Chevrolet
17. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota
18. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford
19. William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
20. Cody Ware, No. 51 Ford
21. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota
22. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet
23. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota
24. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet
25. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
26. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet
27. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford
28. Joey Gase, No. 44 Chevrolet
29. Casey Mears, No. 66 Ford
30. Austin Hill, No. 33 Chevrolet
31. Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford
32. BJ McLeod, No. 78 Chevrolet
33. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet
34. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet
35. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet
36. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet
37. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota
38. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford
39. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Ford
40. Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota
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