Ross Chastain moves up in NASCAR Cup Series standings following a pivotal Michigan race, which also saw Team Penske’s Joey Logano drop down the leaderboard. On Sunday at Michigan, Denny Hamlin took the win while several drivers reshuffled positions, impacting both playoff hopes and season momentum.
Changes at the Top After Michigan Race
Denny Hamlin secured his third victory of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Michigan, moving him up to third place in the regular season standings. This change came at the expense of his Joe Gibbs Racing colleague, Christopher Bell, who was overtaken by Hamlin with the win. William Byron managed to retain his position at the very top despite facing a fuel issue late in the race that led to a disappointing 28th-place finish. His closest competitor, Kyle Larson, has now closed the gap to just 41 points behind Byron, setting the stage for a tighter championship battle.
Ross Chastain Rises, Logano Slides
Ross Chastain’s sixth-place finish at Michigan helped him advance from ninth to eighth place in the standings. This move was significant, as it pushed Joey Logano, one of Team Penske’s leading drivers, down to ninth after his challenging performance in the No. 22 car. Logano’s tough race at Michigan was a setback, while Chastain’s consistent results have started to pay off in a highly competitive field.
The Michigan event also affected other Team Penske members. Austin Cindric, who finished thirty-first, slipped from thirteenth to sixteenth in the overall rankings. Still, Cindric remains secure in the playoff picture due to his earlier win at Talladega. Teammate Ryan Blaney holds steady in seventh place, continuing to accumulate points for Team Penske despite the challenges faced by his counterparts.
Full Standings Overview and Playoff Picture
The current standings highlight strong performances from Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. William Byron is still in first place with 576 points and twelve playoff points, while Kyle Larson is second with 535 points and twenty-three playoff points. Denny Hamlin now holds third, followed by Christopher Bell in fourth. Chase Elliott sits in fifth, and Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing maintains sixth.
Ryan Blaney stands in seventh with 427 points and eight playoff points, followed closely by Ross Chastain, who now has 414 points and five playoff points. Joey Logano, impacted by his Michigan result, follows in ninth. Bubba Wallace rounds out the top ten after consistently scoring points for 23XI Racing. Other notable names in the standings include Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Busch, each working to secure their playoff positions as the season progresses.
Austin Cindric, despite his fall in the standings, remains playoff-bound alongside Josh Berry, who sits in seventeenth. The race for the playoffs is heating up, with several drivers close in points and ready to capitalize on any further changes at the top. Notably, the asterisk next to a driver‘s name indicates qualification for the playoffs by virtue of a race win.
Looking Ahead as Season Intensifies
With NASCAR’s 2025 Cup Series season moving into its critical phase, every race and every point is proving vital. Ross Chastain moves up in NASCAR Cup Series standings, capitalizing on opportunities presented by his rivals’ misfortunes. Joey Logano and Austin Cindric from Team Penske will be eager to make up lost ground as the playoffs approach, while top drivers like William Byron and Kyle Larson look to cement their dominance. The next races will likely see further shifts as teams adjust strategies and drivers vie for every advantage on the road to the championship.
