As the month of August winds on, the NASCAR Cup Series is winding down its regular season before the playoffs begin.
Only 2 races remain in the regular season before the playoffs begin. I’m going to explain to you how the NASCAR playoffs work. 16 drivers make the playoffs. If you win a race during the regular season, you are locked into the playoffs as long as you finish at least 30th in the regular season point standings. Some playoff spots will be decided on winners, with some being decided on points. Just remember, you do not have to win a race to make the playoffs. The playoffs are contested over 10 races with 4 rounds. The first round of the playoffs is the Round of 16. After those 3 races, the drivers who are 13th to 16th in the playoff standings are eliminated and their chance to win a championship ends. 12 drivers move on to the Round of 12. For each round, if a driver wins a race in a round, they are automatically advanced to the next round. After 3 races, the drivers who are 9th to 12th in the playoff standings are eliminated. The Round of 8 is next. After 3 races, the drivers who are 5th to 8th in the playoff standings are eliminated. The Championship 4 is next. The final race of the year is the Championship 4. The top 4 drivers in the playoff standings have a shot at the championship. Whichever Championship 4 driver finishes the race ahead of the other 3 drivers wins the NASCAR Championship. Technically, any driver eliminated in the Round of 16 can still finish as high as 5th in points. Same with the other drivers.