NASCAR Truck Series Power Rankings: Playoff picture muddled after Mosport

After the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the NASCAR Truck Series playoff drivers left in a close battle.

Brett Moffitt entered the NASCAR Truck Series race weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park without any pressure. He already won the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway to clinch his round of 6 berth.

Yet he undeniably had the best truck all race weekend. He led the first practice and then took the pole position. He led the first 20 laps en route to winning stage one. To cap off his dominance, he won the race to secure his fourth victory of this season.

While no additional round of 6 berths were clinches, the Truck Series’ lone trip to a road course added drama to the playoff picture. In short, it tightened it all up. For more information about the playoff picture, click here.

With five round of 6 berths remaining after the first two of three races in the round of 8, how do the power rankings look?

NOTE: “LW” refers to last week.

1. Brett Moffitt, #24, GMS Racing, Chevrolet, LW: 1

Brett Moffitt whooped the Truck Series field in the Chevrolet Silverado 250. He led 44 of the race’s 64 laps, culminating in a 5.160-second win over Alex Tagliani. Moffitt now has 34 playoff points, by far the most of any driver. He has well-positioned himself to advance to the Championship 4. The 27-year-old is ready to defend his Truck Series title.

2. Ross Chastain, #45, Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet, LW: 4

Ross Chastain finished the first two stages in second and first place, respectively. He gained 19 stage points, one less than the maximum amount. Couple that with his eighth place finish, and he has a 28-point margin above the round of 6 cut line. He still has to run well at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as one slip up could result in him missing the round of 6. However, with the uncertainty regarding the other drivers, he is in a comfortable position to advance.

3. Stewart Friesen, #52, Halmar Friesen Racing, Chevrolet, LW: 2

Stewart Friesen led one lap in the season’s lone race in his home country of Canada. He finished in seventh place in the first stage, but he failed to accrue any stage points in the second stage with an 11th place finish. He finished the Chevrolet Silverado 250 in seventh and has a six-point margin above the round of 6 cut line. With the strength of the playoff drivers and his slim lead, he cannot afford to miss out on stage points at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

4. Matt Crafton, #88, ThorSport Racing, Ford, LW: 5

Matt Crafton failed to finish inside the top 10 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for only the second time in the seven races there. Consider this: he earned 37 points in the Chevrolet Silverado 250, but he earned 17 fewer points than race winner Brett Moffitt. He managed to gain a spot in the championship standings, but he is only a precarious five points above the round of 6 cut line. Losing more points to his fellow playoff drivers could potentially cost him a chance to win his third Truck Series championship.

5. Grant Enfinger, #98, ThorSport Racing, Ford, LW: 3

Towards the end of the first stage, Grant Enfinger spun after making contact with teammate Johnny Sauter. Enfinger finished eighth in the first stage, but he was the lowest playoff driver in the first stage. Thankfully, his 19 playoff points have him two points above the Round of 8 cut line. Despite winning the Truck Series regular season championship, Enfinger lost two spots in the point standings and he is the last driver above the Round of 8 cut line.

6. Austin Hill, #16, Hattori Racing Enterprises, Toyota, LW: 6

After finishing in fifth place in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 and earning 49 points, second-most behind race winner Brett Moffitt, Austin Hill said his strategy was to earn as many points as possible. Suffice it to say he accomplished this goal. He gained two spots in the championship standings, albeit with only a four-point margin above the round of 6 cut line. Stage points matter, and if he has a similar performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he could advance to the round of 6.

7. Johnny Sauter, #13, ThorSport Racing, Ford, LW: 7

Whether or not Johnny Sauter intended to make contact with Grant Enfinger towards the end of the first stage is immaterial. It’s the playoffs, and he is racing hard for every possible position. He lost one position in the championship standings and therefore is the first driver below the round of 6 cut line. He has a must-win mentality heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

8. Tyler Ankrum, #17, DGR-Crosley, Toyota, LW: 8

Tyler Ankrum drove his #17 Toyota with the Fox Sports 1 visor cam and bumper camera. In his first race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, he finished in fourth and third place in the first two stages, respectively. He finished the Chevrolet Silverado 250 in ninth. Unfortunately, the rest of the playoff field also ran well, so he didn’t gain any positions in the championship standings. He is 14 points below the round of 6 cut line, but he has one goal for Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

https://twitter.com/TylerAnkrum/status/1165967826584252421

World of Westgate 200 preview

The there is one race remaining in the round of 8 of the Truck Series playoffs. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host that race, the World of Westgate 200. This race’s primary storyline will be about the playoff drivers.

Of the playoff drivers, Ross Chastain, Johnny Sauter, and Grant Enfinger all have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Chastain won the Xfinity Series race there in September of 2018. Sauter won the Truck Series race there in September of 2009. Lastly, Enfinger won the Truck Series race there last September.

Tyler Ankrum has never competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Of the other playoff drivers, Matt Crafton has recorded 12 top 10 finishes in 20 starts there. In five starts there, Stewart Friesen has recorded two top five finishes. Austin Hill has recorded one top 10 finish there in three starts, but his average finish is 21.00.

The intensity between the playoff drivers will increase exponentially as the laps wind down. With the slim difference between the playoff drivers who have yet to clinch their round of 6 berths, stage points will be even more crucial. Finally, as a friendly reminder, the tiebreaker in all NASCAR playoff rounds is the best finish in that respective round.

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The World of Westgate 200 is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 13. The 134-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval in Las Vegas, Nevada is set to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET with live TV coverage provided by Fox Sports 1.

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