It happens every fall -- in NASCAR’s Next Gen era, at least. As reliably as jack-o’-lanterns populate the front porches of America with Halloween approaching, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs take a turn toward a certain Ford team when the end of summer nears.

The 16-driver NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs field has been set following Saturday's regular-season finale at Daytona.

Connor Zilisch, one of NASCAR’s top prospects, is moving full-time to the Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing announcing Saturday the 19-year-old will replace Daniel Suarez on its driver roster.

The NASCAR Cup Series regular season ends Saturday with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, the last chance for winless drivers to reach the playoffs.