NASCAR Cup Series: Who will advance to the round of 8? (track averages)

If track averages have a say in the matter, which of the NASCAR Cup Series drivers who are in the round of 12 will advance to the round of 8?

The round of 12, which is the second of four rounds in the 10-race 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, is set to get underway this Sunday, October 7 with the Gander Outdoors 400 at Dover International Speedway, as the round of 16 reached its conclusion this past Sunday, September 30.

The point totals of each of the 12 drivers who advanced to the round of 12 were reset to 3,000, at which point the playoff point totals that they have earned throughout the season were added to their respective point totals.

As a result, here is the current playoff picture heading into the 400-lap race around the four-turn, 1.0-mile (1.609-kilometer) Dover International Speedway oval in Dover, Delaware. The totals listed in the “behind” column show where each driver currently stands in relation to the round of 8 cut line.

Rank – Driver, Car, Team, Manufacturer: Points (Behind)
1st – Kyle Busch, #18, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota: 3055 (+47)
2nd – Kevin Harvick, #4, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3050 (+42)
3rd – Martin Truex Jr., #78, Furniture Row Racing, Toyota: 3038 (+30)
4th – Brad Keselowski, #2, Team Penske, Ford: 3025 (+17)
5th – Clint Bowyer, #14, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3015 (+7)
6th – Joey Logano, #22, Team Penske, Ford: 3014 (+6)
6th – Kurt Busch, #41, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3014 (+6)
8th – Ryan Blaney, #12, Team Penske, Ford: 3013 (+5)
9th – Chase Elliott, #9, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: 3008 (-5)
10th – Kyle Larson, #42, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet: 3006 (-7)
11th – Aric Almirola, #10, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford: 3001 (-12)
12th – Alex Bowman, #88, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet: 3000 (-13)

More from NASCAR Cup Series

After the race at Dover International Speedway, the two races at Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway will remain on the schedule before the round of 12 comes to close.

Which of the 12 driver who are competing in the round of 12 will be among the eight drivers who earn the right to compete in the round of 8?

If the results of the round of 12 races are based on each driver’s track average at each of the three tracks where the three round of 12 races are set to be held, here is how the playoff picture would look at the end of the round of 12.

NOTE: Included in this chart are the current point totals of each driver as well as the point totals the would earn in the round of 12 races at Dover International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway if the rank of their track average at each track compared to the track averages of each of the other 11 round of 12 drivers at each track determines the finishing order of each race. These point totals are added to show what each driver’s point total would be at the end of the round of 12 if this is the case.

Example: Chase Elliott’s average finish at Dover International Speedway is 5.00, which is the best among the 12 round of 12 drivers. He is given 60 points (40 for the win, 10 for the stage one win and 10 for the stage two win). Kyle Larson’s average finish at the track is 8.11, which is the second best among the 12 round of 12 drivers. He is given 53 points (35 for the second place finish, nine for the second place stage one finish and nine for the second place stage two finish). The procedure continues for all 12 drivers from the best to the worst track average at each track, going from 60 total points for first place through 25 total points for 12th.

Rank – Driver: Points – (Dover – Talladega – Kansas): Points (Behind)
1st – Chase Elliott: 3008 – (60 – 60 – 35): 3163 (+42) – 2 WINS
2nd – Kevin Harvick: 3050 – (38 – 53 – 60): 3201 (+80) – 1 WIN
3rd – Brad Keselowski: 3025 – (44 – 50 – 53): 3172 (+51)
4th – Kyle Busch: 3055 – (35 – 35 – 38): 3163 (+42)
5th – Martin Truex Jr.: 3038 – (47 – 29 – 47): 3161 (+40)
6th – Clint Bowyer: 3015 – (50 – 44 – 41): 3150 (+29)
7th – Kurt Busch: 3014 – (29 – 47 – 44): 3134 (+13)
8th – Joey Logano: 3014 – (41 – 38 – 32): 3125 (+4)
9th – Ryan Blaney: 3013 – (26 – 32 – 50): 3121 (-4)
10th – Kyle Larson: 3006 – (53 – 26 – 29): 3114 (-11)
11th – Aric Almirola: 3001 – (32 – 41 – 26): 3100 (-25)
12th – Alex Bowman: 3000 – (25 – 25 – 25): 3075 (-50)

If track averages determine the results of the three round of 12 races, the eight drivers who would advance to the round of 8 are Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola and Alex Bowman would be eliminated.

Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark. Next

Be sure to tune in to NBC Sports Network at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, October 7 for the live broadcast of the Gander Outdoors 400 at Dover International Speedway to see who will open up the second round of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on a high note and who will fail to do so.

Home/NASCAR Cup Series