NASCAR at Daytona: See the starting lineup for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the regular-season finale
There's only one NASCAR race left in the regular season and one final playoff spot on the line.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale is upon us, and 15 of the 16 total playoff spots have been filled. So in addition to Saturday’s race at Daytona International Speedway filling the final spot, the regular-season title battle between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin will be decided.
In addition to Hamlin and Larson, the current field of playoff drivers includes Kyle Busch, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell and Aric Almirola.
So along with the hype of a Daytona race, there’s a lot on the line for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. ET, NBC).
However, because of the challenges related to racing during the COVID-19 pandemic, most race weekends this season do not include practice or qualifying sessions. So in the absence of qualifying, NASCAR determines the starting lineup with a formula based on these factors:
- 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
- 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
- 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
- 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
Here’s a look at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 starting lineup with Larson on the pole.