The Cup Series begins its Round of 8 Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN).
The round consists of Martinsville, Texas Motor Speedway and ISM Raceway in Phoenix.
Here’s a breakdown of the eight drivers who will contend for slots in the championship round in Miami.
Points: 4,055
Wins: Seven (Texas I, Bristol I, Richmond I, Coke 600, Chicago, Pocono II, Richmond II)
Career Playoff wins: Six
Best Round of 8 track: Martinsville. He’s won two of the last six races there and not finished outside the top five in that stretch.
Worst Round of 8 track: Phoenix. He has one win there (in his second start) and a low of eight top fives. But he hasn’t finished worse than seventh in the last six races.
Playoff high: Only Big 3 member to win so far in the playoffs.
Playoff low: DNF in Charlotte Roval race for crash.
Points: 4,054
Wins: Seven (Atlanta, Las Vegas I, Phoenix I, Dover I, Kansas I, New Hampshire, Michigan II)
Carer Playoff wins: 12
Best Round of 8 track: Phoenix. Harvick is the all-time leader in wins at the track with nine. Hasn’t finished lower than sixth in the last 10 starts.
Worst Round of 8 track: Martinsville. One win in 29 starts. Hasn’t finished higher than fifth since the fall 2011 race.
Playoff high: Finished second at Richmond. Only top three since Michigan win.
Playoff low: Leading 452 laps through six races (including 286 at Dover) without a win.
Points: 4,038
Wins: Four (Auto Club Speedway, Pocono I, Sonoma, Kentucky)
Career Playoff wins: Six
Best Round of 8 track: Texas. No wins, but has just one finish outside top 10 in last seven starts (crash in April)
Worst Round of 8 track: Martinsville. Four top fives – including in the last two starts – but an average finish of 19th in 25 starts.
Playoff high: Led 259 laps in first two races and finished third.
Playoff low: Led going into final two turns at the Charlotte Roval before being turned by Jimmie Johnson. He finished 14th.
Points: 4,018
Wins: Three (Watkins Glen, Dover II and Kansas II)
Career Playoff wins: Two
Best Round of 8 track: Phoenix. One finish outside top 10 in five starts. Led 140 laps in the 2017 races.
Worst Round of 8 track: Chase Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson have noted Texas is one of their worst tracks since the repave before the 2017 season. In three starts since, Elliott has placed ninth, eighth and 11th.
Playoff high: Winning two of three races in Round of 12
Playoff low: DNF in playoff opener at Las Vegas (crash).
Points: 4,015
Wins: Two (Martinsville I, Michigan I)
Career Playoff wins: Five
Best Round of 8 track: Martinsville. One win, six top five and a career-best 15 top 10s.
Worst Round of 8 track: Phoenix. Two top fives, seven top 10s in 26 starts.
Playoff high: Finishing second at Talladega
Playoff low: DNF for crash at Dover, where he led his only lap of the playoffs.
Points: 4,015
Wins: One (Talladega)
Career Playoff wins: Seven
Best Round of 8 track: Texas. Six top 10s in last seven starts.
Worst Round of 8 track: Phoenix. Only one top 10 – a win – in last five starts.
Playoff high: Won pole, Stage 1 and led 100 laps at Kansas, finished eighth.
Playoff low: Finished 14th at Richmond, one lap down. Only finish off lead lap in playoffs.
Points: 4,015
Wins: One (Bristol II)
Career Playoff wins: Three
Best Round of 8 track: Phoenix. One win and an average finish of 13.6.
Worst Round of 8 track: Martinsville. His two wins are two of his three top fives in 36 starts.
Playoff high: Consecutive top fives on the Charlotte Roval and at Dover.
Playoff low: Led career-best 108 laps at Talladega before running out of gas on last lap. Finished 14th.
Points: 4,006
Wins: One (Talladega II)
Career Playoff wins: One
Best Round of 8 track: Phoenix. One win and an average finish of 13.6.
Worst Round of 8 track: Martinsville. His two wins are two of his three top fives in 36 starts.
Playoff high: Earned second career Cup win at Talladega.
Playoff low: Lost lead at Dover in pits with less than 10 laps to go and was involved in crash.
