Bristol Motor Speedway Entry List: 39 Drivers Ready for Round of 16 Finale Showdown

The moment has arrived. After months of battles, crashes, and championship dreams, the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 16 comes down to one final race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The entry list for Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race tells the story of 39 drivers ready to put everything on the line, but only some will advance to the Round of 12. The tension builds as drivers like Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry find themselves below the playoff cutoff line. One mistake, one mechanical failure, or one aggressive move could end their championship hopes before October even begins.

Entry List Reveals Playoff Desperation

When you scan the entry list for this weekend’s race, the numbers tell a brutal story. Kyle Larson sits comfortably with 60 playoff points, while Ryan Blaney holds 42. But Austin Cindric? He’s hanging on by his fingernails with just 11 points above the cutline. The drivers below that line are feeling the heat like never before. Austin Dillon (-11), Shane van Gisbergen (-15), Alex Bowman (-35), and Josh Berry (-45) know that Saturday night could be their last chance to stay alive in this championship fight.

Look at this entry list, and you see veteran champions mixed with hungry young drivers. Ross Chastain leads off the field in the No. 1 Chevrolet, followed by Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford. Every single entry on this list represents months of preparation, millions of dollars invested, and championship dreams that could be crushed or fulfilled in 500 laps around the half-mile concrete bowl.

The Gateway Grudge Carries Over

The drama from Gateway still hangs in the Tennessee air. Kyle Larson’s contact with Ryan Blaney on Lap 135 created more than just a spinning race car—it created bad blood that could boil over at Bristol. When Blaney marched up to Larson after the race, demanding answers, you could feel the intensity crackling between these two championship contenders.”I misjudged it,” Larson admitted, but sometimes racing forgiveness doesn’t come that easily.

Bristol Motor Speedway has a way of settling scores, and with both drivers’ championship hopes on the line, that Gateway incident could become a defining moment in this playoff race. The entry list shows both drivers will be on track Saturday night, and Bristol’s concrete colosseum doesn’t forgive or forget. Blaney recovered to finish fourth at Gateway despite the contact, proving his resilience. But championship racing is about more than just recovering—it’s about making sure incidents like that don’t happen again.

Entry List Features Championship Contenders and Bubble Drivers

Scanning through the complete entry list, you see the depth of talent that makes NASCAR Cup Series racing so compelling. Denny Hamlin brings his Gateway victory momentum to Bristol in the No. 11 Toyota. Chase Elliott, who finished third at Gateway, pilots the No. 9 Chevrolet with renewed confidence. The middle section of this entry list tells fascinating stories. Christopher Bell in the No. 20 Toyota needs a strong run to secure his playoff position.

Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford represents the experience and clutch gene that makes him dangerous in elimination scenarios. Then you have the young guns scattered throughout this entry list. Noah Gragson in the No. 4 Ford, Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 Toyota, and Carson Hocevar in the No. 77 Chevrolet all represent the future of NASCAR, but they’re hungry to make their mark right now.

Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Cup Series: Entry List

(i) indicates drivers ineligible for obtaining playoff/championship points 

• 1. Ross Chastain, No. 1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 4. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 5. Kyle Larson, No. 5  (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 6. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 7. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 8. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 10. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 12. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 14. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 15. Chase Briscoe, No. 19, (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 16. Christopher Bell, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 17. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 18. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XI Racing, Ford)
• 20. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 21. Austin Hill (i), No. 33  (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 22. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 23. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 24. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 25. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 26. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 27. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 28. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 30. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 31. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
• 32. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 33. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 34. Chad Finchum, No. 66 (Garage 66, Ford)
• 35. Corey Heim (i), No. 67 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 36. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 37. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 38. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
• 39.  Daniel Suarez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)

Bristol’s Concrete Challenge Awaits

Bristol Motor Speedway demands respect from every name on this entry list. The half-mile concrete oval creates racing unlike anywhere else on the NASCAR schedule. Tempers run hot, contact is inevitable, and championship dreams can evaporate in the blink of an eye. The track’s 26-degree banking creates side-by-side racing that puts drivers mere inches apart for 500 laps. When you’re fighting for playoff survival like Austin Dillon or Shane van Gisbergen, those inches feel like miles.

Every position matters, every point counts, and every lap becomes a negotiation between aggression and survival. The weather won’t be a factor Saturday night with clear skies and perfect racing conditions forecast. That means no excuses, no rain delays, and no weather-shortened races. The entry list represents 39 drivers who will have to earn every position through pure speed and racecraft.

Championship Implications Drive Every Move

As you review this complete entry list, remember that Saturday night isn’t just about winning one race. It’s about survival in NASCAR’s elimination-style playoff format. The drivers below the cutline have to race with controlled desperation that’s aggressive enough to gain positions but smart enough to avoid the kind of mistake that ends their season. Alex Bowman, sitting 35 points below the cutoff, knows his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet needs to perform flawlessly.

One mechanical failure or on-track incident could end his championship hopes before the leaves finish changing colors. Shane van Gisbergen faces an even steeper challenge at 15 points below the line. The former Supercars champion has shown flashes of brilliance in his NASCAR transition, but Bristol demands a level of precision in stock car racing that takes years to master.

Saturday Night Under the Lights

When the green flag waves at 7:30 p.m. ET, every name on this entry list will understand the stakes, and some drivers will advance to continue their championship chase. Others will see their season effectively end in the Tennessee mountains. Bristol Motor Speedway has crowned champions and crushed dreams for decades. Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race will add another chapter to that legacy, with 39 drivers from this entry list all believing they have what it takes to survive and advance. The concrete colosseum awaits, and only the strongest will escape to fight another day.