The stage is set for one of NASCAR’s most electrifying nights as the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 roars into Daytona International Speedway this Saturday, August 23. With the green flag scheduled to wave at 7:30 p.m. ET, the 160-lap, 300-mile showdown marks the dramatic conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. The stakes? Nothing less than the final two playoff spots, as the world-famous superspeedway promises a wild, unpredictable sprint under the lights.
Yet, the story of this year’s Daytona closer began even before the engines fired. Friday’s qualifying session was washed away by lightning, forcing NASCAR officials to set the starting grid by the series’ qualifying metric—a blend of previous race finish and owner points. That twist vaulted Ryan Blaney to the pole position, with Alex Bowman alongside him on the front row, followed closely by Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric. With 40 drivers set to take the green, anticipation is sky-high for what’s shaping up to be a classic Daytona free-for-all.
“We really see this event growing now that it’s the regular season finale. We’re up year over year on camping and we’re up year over year on fans in the stands so it makes us really proud,” Daytona Speedway President Frank Kelleher told local media. Indeed, the atmosphere at Daytona is electric. The grandstands—boasting 104,000 seats—are packed, but the real party is in the infield, where RVs, campers, and fan zones create a raucous city of racing diehards. Fans from across the U.S. and beyond have descended on Daytona Beach, from first-timers to those who haven’t missed a race in decades. For many, this is the can’t-miss weekend of the year.
Saturday’s race isn’t just about the spectacle; it’s about survival and seizing opportunity. With the field stacked and the playoff cut looming, every lap could spell the difference between glory and heartbreak. “The race is shorter and with all of the playoff implications everyone races a little bit crazier so there’s a much different cadence to this race,” said William Byron, winner of the 2025 Daytona 500 and this year’s regular season champion. But Byron’s quest for a Daytona sweep has hit a snag—he’ll start at the rear of the field after his No. 24 car was penalized for an unapproved splitter adjustment, and his crew chief Rudy Fugle has been ejected for the weekend. To make matters worse, Byron will have to serve a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag. Still, if anyone can charge from the back at Daytona, it’s Byron, who’s already clinched his playoff berth and shown he knows how to win on this storied oval.
Meanwhile, the odds board is buzzing with intrigue. Logano leads the favorites at +1000, just ahead of Cindric, Blaney, and Chase Elliott (all at +1100). Byron, despite his penalty, sits at +1200. Tyler Reddick, seeking his first win of the season and his first Daytona triumph, is a +2000 longshot. But perhaps the most compelling story comes from Chris Buescher, whom SportsLine’s predictive model pegs as a dark horse despite his +1800 odds. Buescher, currently 11th in the standings, won this very race two years ago—overtaking Kevin Harvick on the penultimate lap—and has notched top-10 finishes in four of his last five Daytona starts. He’s also got a Bluegreen Vacations Duel win at this track under his belt. With his playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Buescher’s motivation is sky-high. The model’s track record is nothing to sneeze at, having correctly predicted 27 Cup Series winners since 2021, including nine this year alone.
Brad Keselowski, another name on everyone’s lips, is tipped to finish in the top five (+145). After a rocky start to the season, the 2012 Cup champion has rallied, posting eight top-10s in his last 13 races. Keselowski is no stranger to Daytona’s chaos—he won this race in 2016 and finished runner-up to Buescher in 2023, part of a memorable 1-2 finish for RFK Racing. With four career Daytona top-fives and a whopping 32 starts at this venue, Keselowski’s experience could prove invaluable as the laps wind down and the intensity ratchets up.
For fans looking to catch every second of the action, NBC has the live broadcast, with streaming available on NBCSports.com and HBO MAX. The Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide comprehensive radio coverage. The Cup Series race headlines a packed weekend that also features the NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250, set for Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. While some tickets remain, they’re going fast, and kids under 12 get in for free—a nod to NASCAR’s efforts to keep the sport accessible and family-friendly.
The full starting lineup, set by the qualifying metric, features a who’s who of NASCAR stars: after Blaney and Bowman, it’s Larson, Logano, Cindric, Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Keselowski, and Josh Berry rounding out the top ten. Other notables include Daniel Suarez, Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, and Shane van Gisbergen. Tyler Reddick rolls off 26th, while Chase Elliott—another fan favorite—starts 29th, and Chris Buescher will need to work his way up from 23rd. Byron, as mentioned, brings up the rear in 40th.
As the sun sets over Daytona Beach, the tension is palpable. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 has a reputation for delivering heart-stopping moments and wild finishes—who could forget the photo finishes and last-lap chaos that have defined this race over the years? With so much on the line, expect drivers to take risks, push the draft, and maybe even ruffle a few feathers as they chase glory and a coveted playoff spot.
Daytona International Speedway is no stranger to drama, and with the playoff field set to be finalized tonight, every move will be magnified. Whether you’re trackside in the infield, tuning in from home, or following along on your favorite device, this is one race you won’t want to miss. The green flag is about to drop, the atmosphere is electric, and the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are within reach for those who dare to seize the moment. Buckle up—Daytona’s about to deliver another unforgettable night of racing magic.
