NASCAR Playoffs begin at Darlington, eligible drivers and format

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series head to Darlington Raceway. It will be the first race in the Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 and the opening race in the Round of 10 for the Truck Series.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series has two races remaining in the regular season. They will compete at Portland International Raceway this Saturday and World Wide Technology Raceway Sept. 6. The series playoffs begin on Sept. 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Cup Series Playoff Drivers

  1. Kyle Larson (2,032 points)
  2. William Byron (2,032 points)
  3. Denny Hamlin (2,029 points)
  4. Ryan Blaney (2,026 points)
  5. Christopher Bell (2,023 points)
  6. Shane van Gisbergen (2,022 points)
  7. Chase Elliott (2,013 points)
  8. Chase Briscoe (2,010 points)
  9. Bubba Wallace (2,008 points)
  10. Austin Cindric (2,008 points)
  11. Ross Chastain (2,007 points)
  12. Joey Logano (2,007 points)
  13. Josh Berry (2,006 points)
  14. Tyler Reddick (2,006 points)
  15. Austin Dillon (2,005 points)
  16. Alex Bowman (2,002 points)

Craftsman Truck Series Playoff Drivers

  1. Corey Heim (2065 points)
  2. Layne Riggs (2026 points)
  3. Chandler Smith (2019 points)
  4. Daniel Hemric (2011 points)
  5. Tyler Ankrum (2010 points)
  6. Ty Majeski (2010 points)
  7. Grant Enginger (2007 points)
  8. Rajah Caruth (2005 points)
  9. Kaden Honeycutt (2003 points)
  10. Jake Garcia (2002 points)

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Format

Round of 16: The 16 eligible drivers compete in three races, including Darlington Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway. After the third race, the four drivers with the lowest points are eliminated.

Round of 12: The remaining 12 drivers compete in the next three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. The four drivers with the lowest points are eliminated.

Round of 8: The remaining 8 drivers compete in the next three races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway. The four drivers with the lowest points are eliminated.

Championship 4: The final four drivers compete in the last race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. The highest-finishing driver wins the championship title.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs Format

Round of 10: The 10 eligible drivers compete in three races, including Darlington Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After the third race, the two drivers with the lowest points are eliminated.

Round of 8: The remaining eight drivers compete in the next three races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway. The four drivers with the lowest points are eliminated.

Championship 4: The final four drivers compete in the last race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. The highest-finishing driver wins the championship title.

Are you a die-hard NASCAR fan? Follow every lap, every pit stop, every storyline? We're looking for fellow enthusiasts to share insights, race recaps, hot takes, or behind-the-scenes knowledge with our readers. Click Here to apply!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Angie Campbell
Angie Campbell
A native of Charlotte, NC, Angela (Angie) was first introduced to racing by her father. An avid fan of NASCAR, she found a way to combine her love of racing with her passion for writing. Angie is also an award-winning member of the National Motorsports Press Association. Follow her on Twitter @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest articles

Rossi Powers ECR to Top of Speed Chartsat Phoenix Open Test

Alexander Rossi’s last oval victory in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES came in August 2018 at Pocono Raceway.

Carson Kvapil joins DGM Racing for four-race O’Reilly campaign; finalizes 2026 full-time schedule

The 22-year-old Kvapil from Mooresville, North Carolina, has completed his full-time O'Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule in 2026 by adding a four-race campaign at DGM Racing with his remaining starts at JR Motorsports.

2026 Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Preview: Echo Park Speedway

Niece Motorsports drivers showed flashes of speed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) season opener in Daytona and look to parlay that success in the second super speedway style race at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta.

OnlyBulls announced as entitlement sponsor for NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at St. Petersburg

Green Savoree Racing Promotions is proud to announce a dynamic new partnership with OnlyBulls, naming the digital wallet and mobile app as the entitlement sponsor for the upcoming NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event.

Best New Zealand Online Casinos