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Examining playoff picture for Cup, Xfinity, Truck Series

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Martin Truex Jr. breaks down what happened at the end of the Southern 500 and explains how proud he is of clinching regular-season title.

Here is a breakdown of the playoff situation for each of NASCAR’s three national series.

Monster Energy Cup Series


  • One race remains in the regular season (Saturday at Richmond at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN)
  • 13 drivers are locked into the playoffs with a win (Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon and Kasey Kahne).
  • Three drivers (Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray) are the only drivers capable of making the playoffs on points.
  • 17 drivers can still make the playoffs with a win,
  • Martin Truex Jr has clinched the regular season championship and the 15 playoff points associated with it.

Xfinity Series


  • Two races remain in the regular season (Friday at Richmond and Sept. 16 at Chicagoland).
  • Four drivers are locked into the playoffs with a win (William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Reed and Jeremy Clements).
  • Elliott Sadler, Brennan Poole and Daniel Hemric clinched a playoffs spot on points.
  • Cole Custer is in the playoffs if there is not a new winner who is outside the current playoff cutoff
  • At least three drivers will make the playoffs on points.
  • Elliott Sadler will clinch the 2017 regular season championship if he has a 61-point lead over second place in points following Richmond (he enters with a 91-point lead).

Camping World Truck Series


  • One race remains in the regular season (Sept. 15 at Chicagoland Speedway).
  • Six drivers are locked into the playoffs with a win (Christopher Bell, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Cindric and Kaz Grala).
  • Chase Briscoe has locked into the playoffs on points
  • Only one spot remains in the playoffs at Chicagoland
  • Only seven points separate the drivers currently eighth (Ben Rhodes) in playoff standings and ninth (Ryan Truex) in playoff standings