Wednesday, September 10, 2014
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Playoffs? A look at NASCAR, elimination style

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[September 10, 2014]  The Sports Xchange
 
 Sixteen drivers remain in contention to become NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series champion, and for the first time there will be elimination-style playoffs to get there.

NASCAR's Chase format now features three elimination rounds and a one-race climax at the usual finish line, Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16.

Sixteen drivers enter the playoffs this week at Joliet's Chicagoland Speedway, where the 26-race regular season gives way to the expanded Chase. Thirteen drivers are in by virtue of winning regular-season races and three earned a spot with their position in the standings.

The favorite is Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 team, which had a Sprint series-best four victories in 2014, including two 1.5-mile speedways (Las Vegas and Kentucky), and there are five such tracks in the Chase.

The Standings

All drivers bank 2,000 points, plus three points for regular-season victories. Keselowski leads with 2,012 and four are even with 2,009: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano. Among drivers with the same point total, order of finish determines their place in the official standings. The first tiebreaker is most second-place finishes.

Gordon is No. 2 entering Chicagoland with wins in Indianapolis, Kansas and Michigan.

As in the regular season, drivers must start ever race or receive a NASCAR waiver to remain in contention.



The First Round

Races at Chicagoland, New Hampshire and Dover define NASCAR's "Challenger Round." A race victory by drivers who have not yet been eliminated from the Championship guarantees a spot in the final 12, or the "Contender Round."

Points will determine the rest of the field.

The Contender Round

All remaining drivers are reset at 3,000 points. Four more drivers are eliminated over the course of three races -- at Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway -- and, again, a victory guarantees a spot in the subsequent round.

The Eliminator Round

Eight drivers, all starting with 4,000 points when the green flag drops at Martinsville Speedway -- followed by spins through Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway -- are fighting to be in the final four. Only the four remaining drivers are eligible for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship at Homestead on Nov. 16.

The highest finisher among the four finalists is champion.

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The Field

Place/Driver/Points/2014 victories

1. Brad Keselowski / 2,012 (Las Vegas, Kentucky, Loudon, Richmond)

2. Jeff Gordon / 2,009 (Kansas, Indianapolis, Michigan)

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. / 2,009 (Daytona, Pocono, Pocono)

4. Jimmie Johnson / 2,009 (Charlotte, Dover, Michigan)

5. Joey Logano / 2,009 (Texas, Richmond, Bristol)

6. Kevin Harvick / 2,006 (Phoenix, Darlington)

7. Carl Edwards / 2,006 (Bristol, Sonoma)

8. Kyle Busch / 2,003 (California)

9. Denny Hamlin / 2,003 (Talladega)

10. Kurt Busch / 2,003 (Martinsville)

11. Kasey Kahne / 2,003 (Atlanta)

12. Aric Almirola / 2,003 (Daytona)

13. AJ Allmendinger / 2,003 (Watkins Glen)

14. Matt Kenseth / 2,000

15. Greg Biffle / 2,000

16. Ryan Newman / 2,000

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