The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series has been one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory. Ryan Blaney’s dramatic victory in the regular-season finale at Daytona only reinforced the sense that no single driver has stamped their authority on the championship fight. With veterans like Denny Hamlin collecting multiple wins, and Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron consistently running at the front, the stage is set for the NASCAR playoffs with no clear favorite. That very uncertainty is what has made an industry pundit lean into a bold prediction about how the playoff picture could unfold from here.

Hamlin’s four wins this season at Martinsville, Darlington, Michigan, and Dover have proven he still has the speed to contend at the highest level. Larson, meanwhile, has shown his versatility across different tracks, while Byron continues to sit near the top of the standings after another steady regular season. As the playoff bracket takes shape, fans and analysts alike are left asking whether this is the year Hamlin finally breaks through. If Larson can add another title, or if Byron can convert consistency into a championship. And now, FOX Sports insider Bob Pockrass has weighed in with his own playoff roadmap, highlighting just how contested the road to Phoenix will be.

Pockrass maps out NASCAR playoffs scenario

Recently, Pockrass laid out who he expects to be eliminated at each playoff stage. He began by saying, “I don’t know that there is a favorite. Frankly, nobody has really dominated this year. Nobody comes to the track every week and you’re like, ‘That’s the driver you’re gonna have to beat.’” That assessment reflects the overall competitive balance of the season. Frontrunners like Hamlin, Larson, and Byron have each had their moments without establishing absolute control. It also sets the stage for tough choices on who might fall short in early rounds. Pockrass went on to point to names like Austin Dillon, Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, and Tyler Reddick as first-round exits.

As the rounds progressed, his predictions became more pointed in his “Fast Thoughts” segment. He listed Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, and Bubba Wallace as likely to bow out in the second round, before trimming the field further to eliminate Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, and Alex Bowman ahead of the Championship 4. That left the final four of Hamlin, Larson, Blaney, and Byron. Even among that group, Pockrass made it clear where he stood. “So that leaves me with William Byron, he’s my pick to win the title. I’m not saying that I’m all that confident in it.” Despite Hamlin’s surge and Larson’s pedigree, the FOX insider chose Byron as the driver best positioned to weather the unpredictable playoff gauntlet.

Looking ahead, the question becomes how these projections will hold up once the green flag drops on the playoffs. Hamlin carries both momentum and urgency as he seeks his first Cup title after years of near misses. Larson’s past championship proves he can go the distance, and Byron’s steadiness gives him a unique edge in a chaotic field. If Pockrass is correct, Hendrick Motorsports could be celebrating its second different champion in five years, but in a season this volatile, nothing is guaranteed.

Denny Hamlin awarded a big penalty at Daytona

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season concluded its thrilling regular season finale at Daytona. Ryan Blaney’s four-wide victory grabbed headlines. But behind the checkered-flag drama lurked a flurry of infractions. Especially during pit stops. This highlighted NASCAR’s renewed commitment to enforcing pit-road protocols. One name in particular stands out among the penalties: Denny Hamlin. His penalty foreshadows challenges ahead as the NASCAR playoffs begin.

On lap 28 of the race, Denny Hamlin was penalized by being sent to the tail end of the field on lap 33. In the midst of a genre-wide crackdown, Hamlin found himself caught in NASCAR’s tight enforcement net. He had 66 infractions issued for that single violation. Ross Chastain, meanwhile, incurred penalties of his own for different pit-lane violations. Notably, “pitting out of his assigned pit box” and “driving through more than three pit boxes.”

Amid 66 penalties for “pitting before pit road is open,” NASCAR officials showed no tolerance for early stops. This is a violation that can drastically alter race strategy. While several drivers faced sanctions, Hamlin’s penalty for that very misstep underscores how quickly rules infractions can derail even top contenders.

As the Cup Series transitions into the NASCAR playoffs, Hamlin’s Daytona misstep could prove costly if similar infractions persist. With competition intensifying and playoff seeding on the line, even seasoned drivers must execute flawlessly. The message is clear. NASCAR’s tightened enforcement means that championship bids hinge not just on speed but on precision under pressure.