Ryan Blaney wins at Daytona and qualifies Alex Bowman for the NASCAR Cup Playoffs

Ryan Blaney took the victory in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway ahead of Daniel Suárez and Justin Haley. The driver of the #12 Ford capitalized on a move in the final laps to secure his second win of the season and clinch a Playoff spot for Alex Bowman on points.

Blaney advanced from the 12th position with three laps to go in a race that recorded 44 lead changes among 19 drivers. Cole Custer finished fourth ahead of Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry, and Chase Elliott.

The key move occurred when Custer moved from the top lane to block Haley, which opened the space Blaney needed to take the lead and hold it until the checkered flag.

Photo By Nascar Media

Bowman avoids elimination from the garage

Alex Bowman was knocked out of the race on lap 27 in a 12-car multi-car accident, but Blaney's victory secured him the 16th and final Playoff spot on points. The driver of the #48 Chevrolet arrived at Daytona with a 29-point deficit to Tyler Reddick.

An early accident for Reddick on lap 18 gave Bowman hope, but his own incident forced him to watch the remainder of the race from the garage. A victory by Suárez, Haley, or Custer would have eliminated him from the postseason.

"It was all so far out of our control," said Bowman. "I hate that we had such a bad run in the first stint. The bottom line just collapsed behind us. We had to overcome that, but we had worked our way back to the tail end of the top 10. Sadly, it just didn't work out."

Bowman joins his teammates William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott in the Playoffs. Byron was crowned the regular season champion.

Photo By Nascar Media

Blaney ends 11-week drought for Ford

Blaney's victory ended an 11-week drought for Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series. The manufacturer's last win had also been by Blaney on June 1st at Nashville Superspeedway.

Blaney jumped to second place in the final regular season standings, surpassing Elliott, Denny Hamlin, and Larson. The 10 bonus points he receives for that position place him as one of the top contenders for the Playoffs.

"To get to second in regular season points after the year we've had with seven DNFs, I think that just shows how good we've been," assessed Blaney. "And the good thing about the last six weeks is that I feel like we've finished where we've been running and where we deserved to finish."

Joey Logano, Blaney's teammate, led most of Stage 3 with 27 laps out front, the same number Blaney led throughout the entire race. Logano lost his chances when he spun in front of Jones with 11 laps remaining.

Darlington opens the Playoffs on August 31st

The 10-race Playoffs will begin at Darlington Raceway on August 31st with the Cook Out Southern 500. The second race will be at World Wide Technology Raceway, an oval where the organization has shown particular strength.

Logano won the inaugural Cup race at Gateway in 2022, while Austin Cindric triumphed there last year after Blaney ran out of fuel while leading with two laps to go.

The four Fords advancing to the Playoffs are those of Blaney, Logano, Cindric, and Josh Berry in the #21 of Wood Brothers Racing. The organization is seeking its fourth consecutive championship in the Next Gen era, after titles by Logano in 2022 and 2024, and by Blaney in 2023.

Ross Chastain won Stage 2 while Larson took Stage 1 in a race that had eight caution flags for 39 laps.

Results Table - Coke Zero Sugar 400

Daytona International Speedway - August 23, 2025