Each race except the spring Charlotte race is comprised of three stages — Stage 1, Stage 2 and the Final Stage. The Coca-Cola 600 added a fourth stage. Drivers who finish in the top 10 in Stage 1 and Stage 2 earn additional race points, with the winner of each stage earning 10 points, second place earning nine points, third place earning eight points, etc., down to one point for 10th place. Stage 3 of the Coca-Cola 600 awards points in the same manner as Stages 1 and 2 in the other races.
The Final Stage produces the race results and awards points across the field.
Below is a cumulative running tally of how many stage points drivers have earned this year, as well as their stage wins — a stage win will provide an additional bonus point per win of the postseason.
Through ISM Raceway-2
Note: Does not include points earned for the Can-Am Duels at Daytona
| 2018 TOTAL STAGE POINTS | ||||
| RANK | DRIVER | TEAM | STAGE POINTS | STAGE WINS |
| 1. | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | 375 | 18 |
| 2. | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | 350 | 6 |
| 3. | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | 304 | 3 |
| 4. | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | 285 | 5 |
| 5. | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | 284 | 10 |
| 6. | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | 269 | 6 |
| 7. | Joey Logano | Team Penske | 258 | 5 |
| 8. | Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | 243 | 1 |
| 9. | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | 234 | 4 |
| 10. | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | 232 | 4 |
| 11. | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | 170 | 3 |
| 12. | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | 160 | 1 |
| 13. | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | 130 | 0 |
| 14. | Erik Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing | 108 | 0 |
| 15. | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | 71 | 0 |
| 16. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | 57 | 2 |
| 17. | Paul Menard | Wood Brothers Racing | 56 | 1 |
| 18. | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | 52 | 0 |
| 19. | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | 41 | 0 |
| 20. | Michael McDowell | Front Row Racing | 36 | 0 |
| 21. | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | 35 | 0 |
| 22. | Daniel Suarez | Joe Gibbs Racing | 34 | 0 |
| t-23. | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | 29 | 0 |
| t-23. | AJ Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | 29 | 1 |
| 25. | Kasey Kahne | Leavine Family Racing | 14 | 0 |
| 26. | Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | 12 | 0 |
| 27. | Matt Kenseth | Roush FenwayRacing | 11 | 1 |
| t-28. | Chris Buescher | JTG Daugherty Racing | 7 | 0 |
| t-28. | Trevor Bayne | Roush Fenway Racing | 7 | 0 |
| t-30. | Darrell Wallace Jr. | Richard Petty Motorsports | 5 | 0 |
| t-30. | David Ragan | Front Row Motorsports | 5 | 0 |
| 32. | Daniel Hemric | Richard Childress Racing | 1 | 0 |