Xfinity Series 2018 Playoff Drivers

1. Justin Allgaier; Points: 2039
Outlook: With five wins -- equaling his career total until this season -- this is shaping up to be the best season of Allgaier’s career. Lil’ Gator has come on strong, winning three of the final six races. He seems to be the one to beat.
Playoff history: Advanced to Championship 4 in 2017 and 2016, finishing third both years.
Favorable track: ISM (Phoenix). Allgaier has an average finish of 7.8 with one win and 11 top 10s in 16 starts there.

2. Christopher Bell; Points: 2032
Outlook: Four wins in his inaugural full-time Xfinity Series season is not too shabby. Yet, Bell has also cooled off of late with two finishes outside the top 20 in his last four races.
Playoff history: This is the first Xfinity Series Playoffs for the 2017 Camping World Truck Series champ.
Favorable track: Kansas. Bell won the race in his only start at Kansas Speedway.

3. Elliott Sadler; Points: 2011
Outlook: Sadler’s final full-time season has not been his best, but it has still been strong. The veteran has four runner-up finishes in the standings and should be in the hunt again.
Playoff history: Reached Championship 4 in both 2016 and 2017. Finished second in 2016 to Daniel Suarez, and second to William Byron in 2017.
Favorable track: Kansas. Sadler has an average finish of 10.9 in eight starts -- somewhat troubling because that isn’t even among his 10 best career Xfinity Series tracks.

4. Cole Custer; Points: 2011
Outlook: The 20-year-old continues to show potential on the track as he accrued 21 top 10s and five poles in his second full-time season in the Xfinity Series. Though he has yet to find Victory Lane, he’s capable of making a postseason run.
Playoff history: Qualified for 2017 Xfinity Series Playoffs; eliminated after 2017 Round of 8.
Favorable track: Texas. Custer has three top fives with an average finish of 4.7 in three starts.

5. Tyler Reddick; Points: 2010
Outlook: A near-win in Indianapolis -- where he lost out to teammate Justin Allgaier -- has to have Reddick feeling confident headed into the playoffs. His average finish of 14.7 this season is less impressive than the upswing he seems to be on at the end of this season.
Playoff history: First season in playoffs, though he won the 2017 playoff opener at Kentucky.
Favorable track: Kansas. Reddick finished second in his only start there.

6. Ross Chastain; Points: 2010
Outlook: Chastain has shown flashes of great promise capped off with a victory at Las Vegas to close out the regular season. He's gained nine playoff points in the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet -- which he'll be in at Richmond.
Playoff history: First playoffs appearance.
Favorable track: Kansas. Chastain has an average finish of 14.7 in three starts.

7. Daniel Hemric; Points: 2010
Outlook: A year ago, Hemric snuck into the Championship 4 despite not having a win all season. This year, he’s still winless, but has nine finishes of second or third in 2018 and improved his average finish. He’s poised to make some noise.
Playoff history: Advanced to Championship 4 in 2017, finishing fourth in final standings.
Favorable track: ISM (Phoenix). Hemric has three top 10s and an average finish of 6.0 in three starts.

8. Brandon Jones; Points: 2006
Outlook: Jones has rebounded nicely from last season’s off year to be on par with his playoff season in 2016. He has two top fives -- including a runner-up in Talladega -- and 12 top 10s. That has the 21-year-old on the verge of making waves.
Playoff history: Qualified for 2016 playoffs, eliminated in Round of 12.
Favorable track: Kansas. Jones has an average finish of 9.5 in two starts.

9. Matt Tifft; Points: 2003
Outlook: Tifft has shown incremental progress in this second full-time season in the Xfinity Series, doubling his top fives from a year ago (four to two in 2017). A run of five straight top 10s entering the playoffs makes us think he has a stealth postseason run in him.
Playoff history: Qualified for 2017 playoffs; eliminated in Round of 8.
Favorable track: Dover. Tifft is four-for-four in top 10s at the 1-mile track.

10. Ryan Truex; Points: 2003
Outlook: In his first year with Kaulig Racing, his 10 top 10s and a steady spot in the top 10 of the standings is certainly respectable. He’ll likely need to get a win to advance past the Round of 8.
Playoff history: First appearance in Xfinity Series Playoffs.
Favorable track: Dover. Truex has five starts at the Monster Mile, with an average finish of 10.6.

11. Austin Cindric; Points: 2001
Outlook: The 20-year-old has had a bit of a roller-coaster time in his first full-time Xfinity Series season. To wit: He has two poles, but just three top fives. With three finishes of 34th or worse before Las Vegas, he’s trending in the wrong direction.
Playoff history: First Xfinity Series Playoffs appearance.
Favorable track: Richmond. In Cindric’s lone start here, he finished fifth.

12. Ryan Reed; Points: 2000
Outlook: Steady, mid-pack consistency is what has helped Reed in the playoffs the last two years. He’ll need to do better than his average finish of 16.5 to make it through the postseason.
Playoff history: Eliminated in Round of 8 in both 2017 and 2016.
Favorable track: Kansas. In four starts, Reed has one top 10 and an average finish of 13.8.