NASCAR Cup Series: Only two round of 8 berths clinched

No drivers have been able to lock themselves into the third round of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoff, the round of 8, based on their point totals yet.

The first two races of the three-race round of 12, the second of four rounds in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, are in the books. The winners of these two races are the only two drivers who have clinched berths in the third round, the round of 8.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott opened up the round of 12 by winning the race at Dover International Speedway to lock himself into the round of 8, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola responded by winning the second race of the round at Talladega Superspeedway to do the same.

However, there are still six spots open in the round of 8 that the other 10 round of 12 drivers are set to compete for in this Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, as none of the other round of 12 drivers have clinched round of 8 berths based on their point totals.

A maximum of 60 points are on the table for each driver in this race, but scoring 60 points would mean that the driver who does so would win the race (10 points for winning stage one, 10 points for winning stage two and 40 points for winning the race). A win would automatically lock a driver into the round of 8.

This means that a maximum of 55 points are on the table for each driver assuming that a driver does not win the race (10 points for winning stage one, 10 points for winning stage two and 35 points for finished the race in second place).

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Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick currently sits in third place in the playoff picture behind only Elliott and Almirola, and he sits 63 points above Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, who is the first driver who currently sits below the round of 8 cut line. However, not even Harvick has clinched a berth in the round of 8 yet.

Here’s why.

If one of the four drivers who currently sit below the round of 8 cut line, including Keselowski, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, wins the Hollywood Casino 400, the round of 8 cut line would effectively move up by one spot. It currently sits below Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and above Keselowski.

If one of these four drivers wins this race, the round of 8 cut line would effectively move to what is currently below Stewart-Haas Racing’s Clint Bowyer, who currently sits in seventh place in the playoff picture, and above Truex Jr.

Truex Jr. currently sits 18 points ahead of the round of 8 cut line, meaning that Harvick leads him by 45 points. This means that if Keselowski, Blaney, Larson or Bowman wins the race to move the round of 8 cut line above where Truex Jr. currently sits, Harvick could still potentially fall below it and fail to qualify for the round of 8 since he is not 55 points ahead of Truex Jr.

The bottom line? Every round of 12 driver except for Elliott and Almirola will need to be on their A-game in the Hollywood Casino 400 to advance to the round of 8; no exceptions.

Which six drivers will join Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola in the round of 8? Be sure to tune in to the third and final race of the round of 12 of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs this Sunday, October 21. This race, the Hollywood Casino 400, is set to be broadcast live on NBC from Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.