Well, these NASCAR playoffs, especially the Round of 8, haven’t exactly played out like surely most people expected — unless, of course, you expected Kyle Larson to win four of the eight postseason races so far.
Not only did Larson win the Round of 12 closer at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval, but he also won the first two of three Round of 8 races and heads into this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as the only driver locked into the Championship 4. And that means the three remaining spots are up for grabs for the other seven playoff drivers.
Larson aside, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch are the other drivers who are ahead of the top-4 cutoff line going into Martinsville, and, if the standings remain the same through the Xfinity 500 (which is highly unlikely), Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will be the next four drivers eliminated from championship contention.
NASCAR playoffs guide: Everything you need to know about the postseason format
So who will advance, and who will be eliminated?
Here’s a breakdown of the playoff picture, how drivers can advance and our predictions for the final Championship 4 lineup.
