Updated Aug. 30, 2026, 12:25 a.m. ET
Ryan Preece’s team pushed all their chips into the middle of the table, gambling with low fuel as a two-lap overtime shootout approached.
After Carson Hocevar wrecked to bring out a caution flag with six laps to go, the No. 60 team knew it controlled its own destiny. They kept their RFK Racing Ford on the track at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night to maintain their second-place position.
If Preece won the race, he would eclipse Shane van Gisbergen in points and make the postseason Chase. Pushing and shoving near the front of the pack ensued when the pace car left the track for a high-speed overtime. Just as Preece moved into first place on the final lap, Zane Smith spun out and collected several cars in the field.
With debris flying and smoke rising behind him, Preece was well in front of Daniel Suarez when the caution flag came out for the final time, declaring Preece an improbable winner of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in the regular-season finale of NASCAR’s Cup Series. Not only did the victory put Preece in the Chase — giving the 35-year-old from Connecticut his first postseason berth — but it was also his first Cup Series win in seven seasons at NASCAR’s top level. Simply put: the gamble paid off. Just as the result was confirmed, Preece let out a primal scream on his radio and his pit crew started jumping up and down. He burned out near the start-finish line in celebration.
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“I’m just speechless right now. Those guys, that 60 group, we’re fighters, and when you put our backs against the wall, we swing hard,” Preece told NBC on the frontstretch. “Two years ago there was a lot of keyboard warriors saying I was nothing. Well, we just kicked their butts tonight. I’m a racer, I know what it takes to build speed.
To every man and woman at RFK, thank you for giving me a rocket ship so I could go to the moon tonight.”
NASCAR’s postseason Chase is now set. On Saturday night at Daytona, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric and Preece clinched the final three spots up for grabs with van Gisbergen left on the outside of the cutline after a 28th-place finish. “One night doesn’t sum up our year. I guess we haven’t been good enough,” said van Gisbergen, who won road course races this year at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. “It’s been cool to be close. Shame we’re not in it.
… I’m proud that I’ve been able to match my teammates on the ovals.
I think I’ve stepped up this year. But yeah, obviously you want to be in that Chase.”
Preece entered Saturday night trailing van Gisbergen by 31 points. van Gisbergen won the opening stage as Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher and Preece slid across the grass coming to the finish line, boosting his lead over Preece to 38 points. But Preece made up ground in Stage 2 by finishing second with van Gisbergen outside the top 10, trimming the deficit to 29 points. When the dust settled, Preece cleared van Gisbergen by 17 points with the victory.
“I’m going to drink some beer tomorrow, have a good time with my family and my friends,” Preece said. “We won Daytona.”
Beginning next weekend at Darlington for the crown jewel Southern 500, the Chase field is as follows, in order: Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Christopher Buescher, Daniel Suarez, Carson Hocevar, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece. Of note, Preece is now the 42nd driver in the history of NASCAR to have at least one victory in all three national touring series. He has two wins in the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and two victories in the Truck Series.
Preece is also the fifth driver since 2018 to notch their first career Cup Series win in Daytona’s summer race. “I’m proud of the way I’ve gotten here because I’ve done it with respect and I’ve done it my way,” Preece said. “If I was in a street fight, my knuckles would be pretty torn up right now.”
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Elsewhere in the race, Suarez finished second behind Preece while Reddick was third. Michael McDowell finished fourth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fifth. Josh Berry extended his streak of top-10 finishes to five races by placing ninth in the No.
21 Ford for Wood Brothers. He will be replaced in that ride next season by reigning O’Reilly Series champion Jesse Love, leaving Berry without a Cup Series ride for 2027.
Cole Custer finished 10th, marking his best finish of the year in the No. 41 Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team. Austin Hill, who just signed a deal with Richard Childress Racing to be in the No.
33 Chevrolet full-time in the Cup Series next season, led the most laps on the night with 27. Hill finished in the top 10 in the first two stages, but settled for a 27th-place finish after a pit stop strategy for fuel didn’t pan out in the final stretch of the race. Harrison Burton, who won this race in 2024 but is now racing in the O’Reilly Series, filled in for Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota for 23XI Racing after Herbst was still feeling what the team called “lingering effects” from his wreck at New Hampshire last weekend. Burton secured a solid 12th-place finish. This race marked the first in which NASCAR deployed a new competition package for its races on large drafting tracks, reducing horsepower and trimming spoilers in an effort to create more passing opportunities. “I thought it was a little different.
Was it dramatically different? No, but I thought the racing itself felt different. I didn’t as locked into one lane as what I had in races past,” said Hamlin, the regular-season champion. “I didn’t feel like it was log-jammed three-by-three where you couldn’t go anywhere.
It seemed like we could run three-wide for about 12 laps and then handling became a factor. Guys couldn’t hold the bottom as well. It definitely made you make choices. Overall, I was happy with the changes NASCAR made.”
Drivers and fans alike will get another look at this package on Oct. 25 at Talladega, the eighth race in the Chase. Here’s how the Coke Zero Sugar 400 unfolded at Daytona:
Highlights from the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona Overtime finish coming after Carson Hocevar’s wreck With six laps to go, Carson Hocevar shot low onto the track in an attempt to pass Ryan Preece for second place. But Hocevar got loose and spun down the track, then overcorrected and steered back up the track into the field.
Hocevar hit the SAFER barrier on the outside wall in turn 4 hard and was then hit by Erik Jones. Ty Gibbs spun out on the apron trying to avoid the wreck, and Shane van Gisbergen avoided it completely by checking up and cruising around the madness. “I just lost it and it kept going,” Hocevar said. “It caught me off guard, for sure.”
During the caution, Preece stayed out and remained in second place behind Zane Smith. Chase contender Ryan Preece takes the lead with 10 laps to go Ryan Preece, who is battling Shane van Gisbergen for the final spot in the postseason Chase, has taken the lead with 10 laps to go.
Preece pushed Zane Smith past Tyler Reddick, then used a strong run to get in front of Smith. Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick takes the lead Tyler Reddick, who won the Daytona 500 in February, has taken the lead after several cars hit pit road. With 14 laps remaining, Reddick is trailed by Carson Hocevar, Daniel Suarez, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Preece and Zane Smith. Hendrick cars, others pit Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron all hit pit road with 17 laps to go along with Ty Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe. These six cars have the most fuel On the 121st lap, a group of Chevrolets made a pit stop for fuel: Austin Hill, Ross Chastain, Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Connor Zilisch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. While they’re still running near of the pack now with 19 laps to go, they could make a charge to the front if fuel savings strategies don’t work out for the leaders. William Byron leads with 30 laps to go William Byron has jumped into the lead with 30 laps to go in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.
Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Cody Ware and Ty Gibbs trail Byron. Brad Keselowski leads with 50 laps to go Brad Keselowski is mathematically eliminated from the Chase, but the veteran is still aiming for his first win of the season. His No. 6 Ford is in the lead with 50 laps remaining. Daniel Suarez, John Hunter Nemechek made contact on pit road Ryan Blaney wins Stage 2, Ryan Preece scores crucial points Chase Elliott was leading entering the final lap of Stage 2, but Ryan Blaney pulled out and two Fords followed the No.
12, giving Blaney the push he needed to win the second stage. Here’s how the top 10 shook out:
Ryan Blaney Ryan Preece Zane Smith William Byron Todd Gilliland Kyle Larson Chase Briscoe Daniel Suarez Chase Elliott Austin Hill For Preece, the points scored in the stage were crucial.
He and Smith were the two Fords that pulled out behind Blaney and pushed to the front. Preece now trails Shane van Gisbergen by 29 points heading into the final stretch of the race for the last spot in the postseason Chase. Ryan Blaney shoots to the front of the pack With 13 laps to go in Stage 2, Ryan Blaney has taken the lead at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.
Blaney won this race last season. He made his way to the front by getting pushes from teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano. Chase Elliott still leads with 20 laps to go in Stage 2 Chase Elliott has battled with Ryan Preece and Zane Smith for the lead and has managed to maintain it with 20 laps to go in Stage 2. A few times, Elliott has driven low on a corner to complete a single-car pass of Preece or Smith, something that was very hard to do at Daytona under the previous rules package.
Trailing Elliott in the top five are Preece, Smith, William Byron and Chase Briscoe. Chase Elliott leads midway through Stage 2 With 30 laps to go in the second stage, Chase Elliott has taken the lead at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.
Trailing him are William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Zane Smith, Austin Hill, Todd Gilliland, Cody Ware and Ryan Preece. Joey Logano, Shane van Gisbergen lead at start of Stage 2 Following pit road stops during the stage-break caution, Joey Logano and Shane van Gisbergen start the second stage side-by-side on the front row. Shane van Gisbergen wins Stage 1 at Daytona as cars wreck Shane van Gisbergen emerged clean as was the first to cross the finish line as the leaders wrecked at the end of Stage 1. The chain reaction began when van Gisbergen bumped Kyle Larson, who then got into Chris Buescher off turn 4, causing the cars to lose control. Ryan Preece — who is aiming to gain ground on van Gisbergen for the final spot in the Chase — was also collected as he, Buescher and Larson went sliding into the infield grass. Preece and Larson were still awarded stage points by NASCAR. The stage win was the sixth for van Gisbergen this season.
Here’s how the top 10 ran at the end of 35 laps:
Shane Van Gisbergen Ty Gibbs Joey Logano Erik Jones Chase Briscoe Kyle Larson Bubba Wallace Ryan Preece John Hunter Nemechek Austin Hill Heading into Stage 2, van Gisbergen now has a 38-point lead over Preece. Bubba Wallace has clinched a spot in the Chase with his first stage finish, while Brad Keselowski has been eliminated from the postseason. Austin Hill still leading with 10 laps to go Austin Hill has led 15 of the last 25 laps at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 as the first stage nears its end. While he has yet to take a checkered flag in his Cup Series career, Hill has established himself in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as one of the best plate-racers in the sport, excelling at drafting tracks like Daytona and Talladega.
Hill has four wins at Daytona in the O’Reilly Series and one win at the iconic track in the Truck Series. Austin Hill, Kyle Larson battling for the lead Austin Hill and Kyle Larson are battling for the lead in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, 15 laps into Saturday night’s race at Daytona. Hill, in the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, is pulling double duty in the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this year following the death of Kyle Busch.
Hill will run in the No. 33 full-time in the Cup Series next season.
Hill finished second in the O’Reilly Series race on Friday night. Larson has never won at Daytona. Hill is aiming for what would be his first career win in the Cup Series. Buescher, Preece lead early at Daytona NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin waved the green flag and former NBA champion Danny Green gave the starting command to get the Coke Zero Sugar 400 underway at Daytona. Teammates for RFK Racing, Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, have powered their Fords to the front. Buescher is first and Preece is second, eight laps into the race.
Trailing them are Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe and Austin Hill. Engines fired for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona Green-flag racing will begin shortly with Ross Chastain as the pole-sitter in the No. 1 Chevrolet. Chris Buescher joins him on the front row, followed by Austin Hill and Chase contender Ryan Preece. Tom Cruise attends Daytona drivers’ meeting after announcing ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is at Daytona International Speedway today after announcing a sequel to his 1990 hit film, “Days of Thunder.” Cruise will reprise his role as the scrappy and bold racecar driver Cole Trickle in the sequel and is set to star alongside Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway.
Cruise attended the drivers’ meeting at Daytona on Saturday alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Cruise snapped a photo with Carson Hocevar before taking his seat. He then addressed the drivers during the meeting.
“I’m so excited to be back here,” Cruise said, telling stories about the last time he filmed at Daytona. “It’s a real honor for me to be here today…
When I brought ‘Days of Thunder’ to Jerry Bruckheimer in the 80s, it’s not just about racing — it’s about the community and the people here. There’s something very special about racers and the community. It’s a culture. I was very proud to reflect that in the first ‘Days of Thunder.'”
The Days of Thunder sequel is set for a June 2028 release date. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said the sport is “incredibly excited” about the sequel and that filmmakers have a “commitment to getting NASCAR right.”
Riley Herbst to miss Daytona race, Harrison Burton filling in for 23XI Riley Herbst will miss the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday night due to what 23XI Racing called “lingering effects” from the wreck he was involved in last weekend at the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire. Harrison Burton will drive the No. 35 Toyota for 23XI.
23XI Racing said in a statement: “After a strong effort in qualifying yesterday, Riley Herbst woke up with lingering effects from last weekend’s incident and, along with the team, decided it was in his best interest to step out of the car for tonight’s race at Daytona International Speedway.”
Herbst crashed on the 225th lap last Sunday after receiving some contact from Michael McDowell on his right rear quarter panel. Herbst’s No. 35 Toyota spun and hit the SAFER barrier hard on the outside wall in turn 4, then got tagged by Connor Zilisch who was unable to avoid the wreck. McDowell was not penalized for the incident.
The 25-year-old Burton has raced in the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in each of the last two seasons, but is a former full-time Cup Series driver. The son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Burton, Harrison steered the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers for three years and won this race in 2024.
This year, he has been the reserve driver for another Toyota Cup Series team, Legacy Motor Club. In Friday night’s O’Reilly race at Daytona, Burton finished eighth in the No. 24 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing. Herbst qualified fifth on Friday, but the No. 35 will have to move to the rear due to a driver change.
What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona start? The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona on? The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will be broadcast on NBC. Pre-race coverage will start at 7 p.m. ET. Leigh Diffey will have the call alongside analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte, while Dale Jarrett and Brad Daugherty will offer additional analysis from the pit box. Burton and Letarte will join host Marty Snider on pre- and post-race shows. Former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne will be the pace-car analyst.
Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona? Subscribers to Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV can watch through those services. HBO Max will continue to provide live streams of in-car cameras, while MRN will carry the live radio broadcast. Stream the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on Fubo
How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona? The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is 160 laps around the 2.5-mile asphalt track for a total of 400 miles.
The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 35 laps; Stage 2: 60 laps; Stage 3: 65 laps. Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona last year? Tyler Reddick won the last time the NASCAR Cup Series visited this historic track, taking the checkered flag at the season-opening Daytona 500 back in February. That race is longer and a bit of a different beast than Daytona’s summer race though. Ryan Blaney won Daytona’s summer race last year, finishing ahead of Daniel Suarez. A driver behind the wheel of a Ford has won this race in four of the past five years.
Previously called the Firecracker 400 in the old days of NASCAR, this race has a knack for handing drivers their first career Cup Series wins. In recent years, Harrison Burton (2024), William Byron (2020), Justin Haley (2019) and Erik Jones (2018) all picked up their first career victories in this race. David Pearson has the most summer wins at Daytona with five, while Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough each notched four. Among active drivers, Blaney is the only one with two victories in this race.
What is the lineup for the Coke Zero Sugar 400? (Car number in parentheses)
Ross Chastain, (1) — Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Chris Buescher (17) — RFK Racing, Ford Austin Hill (33) — Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Ryan Preece (60) — RFK Racing, Ford Riley Herbst (35) — 23XI Racing, Toyota Shane van Gisbergen (97) — Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Connor Zilisch (88) — Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet Austin Cindric (2) — Team Penske, Ford Joey Logano (22) — Team Penske, Ford Kyle Larson (5) — Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Corey Heim (67) — 23XI Racing, Toyota Chase Briscoe (19) — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota William Byron (24) — Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Ty Gibbs (54) — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Erik Jones (43) — Legacy Motor Club, Toyota Cole Custer (41) — Haas Factory Team, Chevrolet Tyler Reddick (45) — 23XI Racing, Toyota Michael McDowell (71) — Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet Ryan Blaney (12) — Team Penske, Ford Alex Bowman (48) — Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Brad Keselowski (6) — RFK Racing, Ford Chase Elliott (9) — Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Daniel Suarez (7) — Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet Josh Berry (21) — Wood Brothers Racing, Ford Cody Ware (51) — Rick Ware Racing, Chevrolet Bubba Wallace (23) — 23XI Racing, Toyota John Hunter Nemechek (42) — Legacy Motor Club, Toyota Carson Hocevar (77) — Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet Austin Dillon (3) — Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Ty Dillon (10) — Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Denny Hamlin (11) — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) — HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet Todd Gilliland (34) — Front Row Motorsports, Ford Zane Smith (38) — Front Row Motorsports, Ford Christopher Bell (20) — Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota AJ Allmendinger (16) — Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Noah Gragson (4) — Front Row Motorsports, Ford Casey Mears (62) — Beard Motorsports, Chevrolet Daniel Dye (78) — Live Fast Motorsports, Chevrolet Joey Gase (44) — NY Racing Team, Chevrolet Note: Gray Gaulding in the No. 66 Ford did not qualify.
