Analysis: Breaking down Gander Outdoors Truck Series playoff outlook

The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series playoff picture isn’t just heating up. It’s on fire. Five of the eight postseason spots virtually are secured thanks to wins, so the remaining three spots will be tightly contested for the remainder of the regular season. With just a trio of races remaining before the start of the seven-race dash to the championship, in a series known for aggressiveness, business is about to pick up even more. RELATED: Gander Trucks standings | Latest Gander Trucks news | Series schedule Here’s a look at the full picture: CURRENTLY IN Having already claimed checkered flags this season, Brett Moffitt, Johnny Sauter, Austin Hill, Ross Chastain and Tyler Ankrum are all but locked into the eight driver playoff field. Moffitt, the defending series champion, and Sauter, the 2016 title winner, were expected to be in this position despite both champions changing organizations in the offseason. Hill, also in a new place for 2019, kicked this season off with a win at Daytona International Speedway for reigning champions Hattori Racing Enterprises. Chastain and Ankrum have unique stories of their own. Ankrum’s win this past weekend at Kentucky Speedway came in the reigning K&N Pro Series East champion’s rookie season for DGR-Crosley, one in which he missed the first three races due to NASCAR's age restriction. Chastain declared for Gander Trucks points before the race at Texas Motor Speedway and set his sights on immediately accomplishing two things  – winning a race and entering the top 20 in points, both of which would qualify him for the postseason. He did each rather quickly, crossing the finish line first at Iowa Speedway – although his truck failed post-race inspection resulting in a disqualification. However, he followed that up the next week with an official victory at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, propelling him up the series points standings and into the playoffs. Chastain is now inside the top 20 and a legitimate threat to hoist the hardware at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A first-time winner for this season, though, would give Chastain reason to worry. ON THE BUBBLE: IN As he has done for most of the season, ThorSport Racing’s Grant Enfinger currently leads the points standings and is in a strong position to earn the 15 extra playoff points as the Regular Season Champion. Two-time series champion Matt Crafton as well as Stewart Friesen also are in on points, resting comfortably above the cut line. Below that line is where things get interesting. NEEDS TO WIN Simply put: If you haven’t already been named, you’re in must-win mode. A pair of Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates find themselves on the outside looking in – Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Harrison Burton and two-time K&N West champion Todd Gilliland, who experienced engine issues after running in the top 10 at Kentucky. Kyle Busch’s organization has been stellar in the series for years. If neither qualifies for the playoffs, it would be the first time since 2013 a KBM truck won’t finish in the top six of the standings. Loop Ben Rhodes in with Burton and Gilliland – close behind the cutoff, but not close enough to be guaranteed to qualify on points. Rhodes, driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing truck, will more than likely need to earn his third career victory (first this season) to be playoff bound. Don’t sleep on GMS Racing’s Sheldon Creed either. The reigning ARCA Menards Series champion has yet to score a top-five finish this season, but three of his four top-10 results have come in the last five races. The Gander Outdoors Truck Series returns to the track Saturday at Pocono Raceway for the Gander RV 150 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).