Ryan Preece punched his ticket to the playoffs with a win over Shane van Gisbergen in Saturday's regular-season finale at Daytona. The victory secured the final playoff spot for Preece in the NASCAR Cup Series, meaning he'll advance to postseason competition after what was likely a tense battle down the stretch to make the field.
Van Gisbergen came close but couldn't complete the pass. Preece held on through the end to grab the checkered flag and clinch his playoff berth. For Preece, it's the payoff to a season-long push to stay relevant in the standings. For van Gisbergen, it's another near-miss in what has been a solid but ultimately incomplete regular season.
The Daytona finale lived up to its billing as a potential playoff decider. That's the nature of the final race before the postseason. Drivers on the bubble know exactly what they need. Preece delivered when it mattered most.