With the NASCAR Playoffs transitioning from the Round of 12 to the Round of 8, here’s a round reset with an overview of the most recent three races and the next three ahead for the Monster Energy Series:
MORE: NASCAR Playoffs standings
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– Who’s in (in order): Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney.
– Who’s out (in order): Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Clint Bowyer, Alex Bowman.
– Best Round of 12: Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 driver had virtually clinched a spot in the Round of 8 with finishes of fifth (Dover) and third (Talladega), but capped his waltz to the next phase with a convincing Kansas victory. That made him the only driver to go 3-for-3 on converting top fives in the round.
– Worst Round of 12: Brad Keselowski. The Team Penske No. 2 driver swept to top-five finishes in all three Round of 16 events, but could not replicate it in the next three-race set. Limping to 19th down the stretch at Kansas spelled doom, making Keselowski one of two drivers to end the Round of 12 without a top 10. The other? Teammate Joey Logano, who survived to keep his title defense alive.
– Next up: Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 27), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 3), ISM Raceway near Phoenix (Nov. 10).
– Trending up for Round of 8: Kyle Busch. A third-place finish at Kansas helped the No. 18 team break up what had been an uneven postseason thus far. His surplus of playoff points helps, as does the Round of 8 schedule: Busch posted finishes of third (Martinsville), 10th (Texas) and first (Phoenix) at those venues earlier this year.
– Trending down for Round of 8: Kyle Larson. The No. 42 driver’s hopes for kick-starting this round the same way he did the previous round (see: his Dover victory) seem dim. Martinsville ranks as his worst track on the circuit based on average finish, a history that may leave him clawing for a home run at Texas and Phoenix.