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 s

See Full Page