What’s Happening?

For many NASCAR Craftsman ruck Series drivers, it all comes down to this one race at Richmond Raceway. It’s the final race of the regular season, and for many drivers, the hopes and dreams of competing for a Championship will officially end for the year. Here is a look at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff bubble and those who are safe alongside those in danger.

• The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff field includes 10 drivers. To qualify, a driver must have won a race during the regular season or be among the highest-placed winless drivers in the regular season standings.
• The “Win and you’re in” style format often changes the Playoff bubble. One upset win could take a driver from safe to fighting for their Playoff lives.
• There have been very few upset wins this season, but a few prominent drivers have had difficult seasons. As a result, some big names are in danger of missing the Playoffs.

Locked In (Race Winners and in on Points)

The Drivers: Corey Heim (5 Wins), Christian Eckes (3 Wins), Nick Sanchez (2 Wins), Ty Majeski (1 Win), Rajah Caruth (1 Win), Tyler Anrkum (+83), and Grant Enfinger (+77)

With only one race left in the regular season and five winners, there will not be any drivers who miss the Playoffs despite winning a race. Tyler Ankrum and Grant Enfinger have already clinched a Playoff spot on points, and for the rest of the field, it’s about those Playoff bonus points for finishing in the top 10 in the standings (15 for 1st, 10 for 2nd, 8 for 3rd, etc. until 1 for 10th.

None of the top-10 points positions are fully solidified, so each of these drivers can gain or lose Playoff points. The most interesting battle is for the top seed, as Corey Heim can still earn the top seed in the Playoffs even if Eckes wins the regular-season Championship. If Eckes does not win at Richmond, Heim will be the top seed in the Playoffs.

Feeling Pretty Good (Drivers In on Points)

The Driver: Taylor Gray (+48)

Taylor Gray sits a comfortable 48 points above the cutline. The only way he misses the Playoffs is via a catastrophic failure, and multiple drivers below him in points need to finish up front and probably score a boatload of stage points.

If there is a new winner below 10th in the standings, Gray’s scenario gets slightly more risky, but he still holds a 43-point lead over 10th in the Playoff standings. As long as he stays out of trouble at Richmond, Gray should make the Playoffs pretty easily.

In Danger (Drivers on the Bubble)

The Drivers: Ben Rhodes (+22), Tanner Gray (+5), Daniel Dye (-5), Stewart Friesen (-16), Matt Crafton (-43), Chase Purdy (-44)

The Truck Series Playoff bubble is tight, with Tanner Gray and Daniel Dye within five points of each other. If either driver has an issue, someone can pounce. However, Stewart Friesen is also not far behind, and he is a genuine threat on short tracks.

Ben Rhodes is in a slightly more comfortable scenario. He should make the playoffs as long as he runs reasonably well without any major trouble. Matt Crafton and Chase Purdy are almost in must-win territory, but some early chaos could allow them to make it in on points.

Panic Mode (Must-Win Territory)

The Drivers: Every winless driver below 15th in Points, notables include Dean Thompson (-71), Layne Riggs (-75), Jake Garcia (-82), and Ty Dillon (-104)

The rest of the field is in absolute Must-Win territory, and there is no mathematical way to make the Playoffs on points. This includes surprising faces like Ty Dillon, Jake Garcia, and Layne Riggs. Richmond is not known for being a “Wild card” track, but it is a short track.

Riggs cut his teeth on short tracks and has shown some speed on them this year. Ty Dillon is a former series winner and is always a dark horse. Garcia and Thompson have teammates who have won on short tracks this year, so the equipment is capable. However, it’s unlikely we’ll see a surprise winner.

What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.