NASCAR Cup Series: How do the 2019 playoffs work?

The 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are set to get underway following the conclusion of the regular season. How do the playoffs work?

Following the 26 regular season races on the 36-race 2019 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, only the 10 playoff races remain until the champion will be crowned.

These 10 playoff races are split up into four rounds, and the first of these rounds is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, September 15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The season is scheduled to wrap up just over two months later on Sunday, November 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Here is a link to the 2019 Cup Series playoff schedule.

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So how do the playoffs work?

A total of 16 drivers have qualified for the playoffs. Of these 16 drivers, 10 qualified for the playoffs by winning at least one of the 26 regular season races while the other six did so because of their regular season point totals.

The first three rounds of the four-round playoffs all consist of three races. All 16 playoff drivers are set to compete in the opening round, the round of 16. After this round, 12 drivers will remain championship eligible while the other four will be eliminated.

The 12 drivers who have not been eliminated will advance to the second round of the playoffs, the round of 12. After this round, four more drivers will be eliminated, leaving eight that will remain championship eligible and advance to the third round, the round of 8.

Four of the eight remaining championship eligible drivers will be eliminated following the round of 8. The four drivers who stave off elimination will move on the lone one-race round of the playoffs, the Championship 4. The Championship 4 consists only of the season finale.

Regular points, including points for race results and top 10 finishes in stages, will be awarded normally throughout the playoffs like they were throughout the regular season, although the four Championship 4 drivers will be ineligible to score stage points in the season finale.

The playoff points that drivers have accrued throughout the regular season were added to their point total to start the playoffs. Race victories are worth five playoff points each while stage points are worth one playoff point each.

In addition, the playoff drivers who finished the regular season in the top 10 in the championship standings were awarded additional playoff points depending on where they finished. Playoff points will still be awarded throughout the playoffs.

Here is a link to the opening Cup Series playoff picture (available after 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, September 9).

After the end of the round of 16 when 12 drivers advance to the round of 12, the 12 drivers who advance to the round of 12 will have their point totals reset, and the playoff points that they will have accrued, including those from the regular season and the round of 16, will be added to their point totals to start the round of 12.

After the end of the round of 12 when eight drivers advance to the round of 8, the eight drivers who advance to the round of 12 will once again have their point totals reset, and the playoff points that they will have accrued, including those from the regular season, the round of 16 and the round of 12, will be added to their point totals to start the round of 8.

However, the highest finishing driver in the season finale among the four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 will be crowned 2019 Cup Series champion, as they will not have any playoff points added to their point totals before the round begins and they will be ineligible to score stage points in this round.

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Tune in to NBC Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 15 for the live broadcast of the opening race of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the South Point 400, from Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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