NASCAR Truck Series playoff picture after 2018 World of Westgate 200
By Asher Fair
With one race remaining in the round of 8, the first of three rounds in the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs, how does the playoff picture look?
ThorSport Racing’s Grant Enfinger became the second driver to clinch a berth in the round of 6, the second of three rounds in the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs, with a win in one of the round of 8 races.
After GMS Racing’s Justin Haley became the first driver to do so with his victory in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park almost three weeks ago, Enfinger secured his spot in the round of 6 by winning the World of Westgate 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Enfinger entered the race as one of the two playoff drivers below the round of 6 cut line. In fact, he was in last place among the eight playoff drivers in the playoff picture. However, he exited the race as one of only two drivers who do not need to rely on a solid performance in what is almost always a wild card race at Talladega Superspeedway to secure a berth in the round of 6.
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Of the eight playoff drivers, five finished the World of Westgate 200 in the top five. Enfinger won the race ahead of GMS Racing teammates Johnny Sauter and Haley in second and third place, respectively. ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and Matt Crafton finished in fourth and fifth, respectively.
The three playoff drivers who finished outside of the top five in this race were Brett Moffitt, Stewart Friesen and Noah Gragson. They all ran toward the front of the field for most of the race but had various issues that relegated them to 11th, 17th and 18th place finishes.
Of these three drivers, only Gragson failed to finish on the lead lap. However, both he and Moffitt are still above the round of 6 cut line heading into the final race of the round of 8, which is not scheduled to take place for four weeks. Friesen, meanwhile, is not. Rhodes is the other driver who is not.
Here is how the NASCAR Truck Series playoff picture looks with two races completed and just one race remaining in the round of 8. The totals in the “behind” column show where each driver currently stands in relation to the round of 6 cut line.
| Rank | Driver | Car, Team, Manufacturer | Points | Behind | Playoff Points (Rank) |
| 1 | Grant Enfinger | #98, ThorSport Racing, Ford | 1 WIN | 1 WIN | 17 (4th) |
| 2 | Justin Haley | #24, GMS Racing, Chevrolet | 1 WIN | 1 WIN | 14 (T-5th) |
| 3 | Johnny Sauter | #21, GMS Racing, Chevrolet | 2124 | +40 | 42 (1st) |
| 4 | Noah Gragson | #18, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota | 2107 | +23 | 25 (3rd) |
| 5 | Brett Moffitt | #16, Hattori Racing Enterprises, Toyota | 2102 | +18 | 27 (2nd) |
| 6 | Matt Crafton | #88, ThorSport Racing, Ford | 2091 | +7 | 3 (8th) |
| 7 | Ben Rhodes | #41, ThorSport Racing, Ford | 2084 | -7 | 14 (T-5th) |
| 8 | Stewart Friesen | #52, Halmar Friesen Racing, Chevrolet | 2081 | -10 | 12 (7th) |
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The next NASCAR Truck Series is not scheduled to take place until Saturday, October 13. That race, the Fr8Auctions 250, is the third and final race of the round of 8. It is set to be broadcast live on FOX from Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.