Farah Ben Gamra
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs start this weekend and drivers spoke about their championship hopes during Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center.
The top 5 drivers in the Playoff standings each shared their mindset, strategy and confidence heading into the long 10-race stretch until the title race. Here is what they think their Playoff run will look like:
Christopher Bell: Ready for his best shot
Christopher Bell thinks this is his best shot at a championship yet, with early-season wins and playoff experience being the key. “I think this is probably our best year for a championship, just the way the schedule lays out. We know that,” Bell said. “Adam [Stevens, crew chief] knows that. We are ready to go at them.”
Bell also said experience and learning from mistakes are important. He sees the Phoenix Raceway playoff race as a chance to make a run. “Well, believe me, we know this as good as it lines up for us. We know that this is a great opportunity for us,” he said.
Ryan Blaney: Focused on consistency and pace
Ryan Blaney is all about consistent execution through the playoffs with his ultimate goal being the Championship 4 race on Nov. 2 at Phoenix Raceway. “We’ve got to get there first,” Blaney said. “So, it’s just how do we execute week-in and week-out through the rounds? And how do you minimize your mistakes and don’t put yourself in a hole and things like that?”
He also emphasized the importance of momentum and team confidence: “I’m a believer in momentum and things like that, and in confidence and being in good moods, for everybody on the team.”
Denny Hamlin: Calm and patient
For his record 19th playoff appearance, Denny Hamlin is keeping it real, downplaying the championship hype. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran views the playoffs as “just another chance to roll the dice.”
Despite four wins this season, Hamlin knows the elimination format leaves little room for error. He’s confident in traditional ovals but superspeedways like Talladega and the Roval are wild cards.
Hamlin is focused on personal milestones as much as the championship, especially reaching 60 career wins, with Martinsville as a target track. Calm and experienced, he thinks his team is good but luck will still play a role.
William Byron: Staying cool under pressure
Just fresh off the cover of NASCAR 25, William Byron isn’t jumping on the hype. The Hendrick Motorsports driver also said he’s not worried about the “Madden curse” and “I didn’t really think about that… maybe that would be perfect, if I could carry that through.”
Byron’s numbers back him up : 2 wins, including 2 straight Daytona 500s, 13 top 10s and an average finish of 13.9. With over 900 laps led this season he’s been one of the most consistent and reliable drivers in the series.
He’s not worried about the spotlight getting in the way of his playoff run and enters the postseason as a steady contender with the speed and calm to go deep.
Kyle Larson: Momentum into the Playoffs
Larson heads into the 2025 Cup playoffs with a sense of hope after a tough summer. “We’ve just been through a lot throughout the summer. I think we’ve seen a lot of different things and we’re prepared for almost anything. I think we’re looking forward to the challenge of these next 10 and hopefully we can execute on a high level.”
Recent back-to-back top 10s at Richmond and Daytona have some momentum and Darlington is a track he wants to get to early in the playoffs. He’s focused on being steady and using their strengths to turn consistency into a long playoff run
