A look at the 2018 Truck Series playoff grid

By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

After 2469 laps and 3061 miles of racing across 16 events, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff grid has been set.

The full field has been whittled down to eight championship contenders. Members of the elite group range from veterans and previous champions to young prospects attempting to work their way up the NASCAR ladder.

Five drivers earned their place in the postseason with wins, while three secured their spots on points. All have the capability of contending for the title, but a select few have established themselves as title favorites.

Here’s a close look at the story of each playoff contender’s path to the seven-race postseason, and a look at their odds to bring home a championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

1) Johnny Sauter

Wins: Five (Daytona, Dover, Charlotte, Texas, Bristol)

Playoff Points: 42

How He Got Here: With a dominant regular season. Sauter has been a cut above the rest of the series regulars for most of the year, scoring five wins with an average finish of 5.4 to march on to the postseason with the Regular Season Championship in hand. 

Championship Odds: High.

There are a handful of Truck Series drivers that are capable of delivering their team a title this fall, but Sauter is easily the championship favorite. 

The Wisconsinite has been the best driver in the series this season, leading the way in wins (five), top-fives (12) and top-10s (13). He’s also entering the playoffs with a series-best 42 playoff points, meaning he has margin for error in the opening two rounds. 

Should that help him make it to Homestead with ease, the lone task that will remain for Sauter is beating his fellow contenders in the season finale. If his season-high victory count is any indication, then he should be up to the task. 

2) Brett Moffitt

Wins: Four (Atlanta, Iowa, Chicago, Michigan) 

Playoff Points: 27

How He Got Here: By becoming NASCAR’s ultimate opportunist. Moffitt and Hattori Racing struggled at times though the regular season, tying for the second-worst average finish of playoff contenders at 10.4. But the Iowan made the most of winning opportunities score four wins and enter the postseason with a wealth of playoff points. 

Championship Odds: High

The team’s lack of consistency is concerning, but Moffitt and Hattori have proven capable of making their way to victory lane when circumstances are correct.

That doesn’t just make Moffitt a legitimate championship threat, it also smooths out his path to Homestead. Moffitt has 27 playoff points entering the postseason, a mark that’s second only to Sauter’s 42. That gives the 26-year-old a small margin for error should the No. 16 team hit any more snags. 

If he can take advantage of that breathing room and reach the Championship 4, Moffitt’s odds of winning the season finale and securing the title are as good as any. 

3: Noah Gragson

Wins: One (Kansas)

Playoff Points: 22

How He Got Here: With a consistent regular season. Gragson was in position to make the playoffs on points regardless of his ability to get to victory lane. But the Nevadan threw in a spring victory at Kansas Speedway for good measure. 

Championship Odds: Above Average

Gragson and the No. 18 team have struggled to make their way to victory lane this season. But make no mistake, the Kyle Busch Motorsports sophomore has a strong chance at winning the title. 

The Nevadan has been one of the Truck Series’ most consistent drivers, scoring 10-consecutive top 10s entering the playoffs. If he can keep that consistency rolling through the postseason, his odds of making it to Homestead are high. 

From there Gragson just needs to find a way to win. The season to date shows that to be his biggest weakness, but Kansas proved that he can get the job done if things play out correctly. 

4: Ben Rhodes

Wins: One (Kentucky)

Playoff Points: 14

How He Got Here: With an emotional hometown win. Just an hour away from his native Louisville, Rhodes brought home a victory at Kentucky Speedway to secure a playoff spot he was on the fringe of earning with points alone. 

Championship Odds: Average

A Kentucky win and second-place result at Chicagoland proved that Rhodes can contend for wins when things go to plan. But the ThorSport Racing prospect will need to put together a consistent playoff run if he hopes to have a chance at the title. 

Rhodes has been one of the worst drivers in the playoff field statistically, with a 10.4 average finish and seven results outside of the top 10. 

If he can minimize those poor runs and make it to Homestead then the title will be there to play for, but Rhodes will need consistency to make it happen. Time will tell if the No. 41 team is up to the task. 

5: Stewart Friesen

Wins: Zero

Playoff Points: 12

How He Got Here: By doing everything but win. Friesen overcame a sluggish spring to surge in the summer, finishing fourth to better in four of the final five regular season races and leading laps in the lone race he didn’t manage a top five at during the stretch. That stretch put the Canadian into the playoff field on points. 

Championship Odds: Above Average

He hasn’t made his way to victory lane yet — a feat he’ll likely need to make a championship run — but Friesen’s No. 52 team is peaking at the right time. 

Since his 19th-place run at Chicago, Friesen has been a consistent contender for top fives and wins. There hasn’t been a single race from Kentucky in early July through Bristol on Thursday night that he didn’t have a chance to win. 

His Halmar Friesen Racing team has made a couple mistakes along the way, and Friesen has yet to break through for a victory. But the speed and consistency he’s shown of late proves how dangerous the 35-year-old can be – both on the path to Homestead, and in the season finale itself. 

6: Grant Enfinger

Wins: Zero

Playoff Points: 11

How He Got Here: With consistent speed. Enfinger had only one finish outside of the top 15 during the regular season, scoring top-10s in 75% of his starts and easily securing a playoff position on points despite failing to get to victory lane. 

Championship Odds: Average

Enfinger’s consistency makes him a serious threat to make his way to the Championship 4. The Alabamian’s 8.2 average finish is better than anyone other than Sauter, and his 12 top-10s are tied for the second most in the series. 

But what will Enfinger do if he does make it to Homestead? Can he and the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team deliver a championship drive when it counts? 

A six-win ARCA championship campaign in 2015 showed that Enfinger has the capability of such a feat, but the season to date indicates that the 33-year-old might fall short of victory lane with the title on the line. 

7: Justin Haley

Wins: One (Gateway)

Playoff Points: Nine

How He Got Here: With a breakthrough win. Haley took himself off the playoff bubble with a summer victory at Gateway Motorsports Park, earning a postseason berth in the process. 

Championship Odds: Average

Haley’s in a similar position to Enfinger. A regular season with 12 top-10s and average finish of 9.6 show that the GMS Racing prospect has the consistent form needed to make it to Homestead. But will he be able to beat three rivals and secure the title if he gets there with his playoff hopes intact? 

The Hoosier should get the nod over Enfinger given that he’s made his way to victory lane this season. But when compared to Sauter, Moffitt, and perhaps even Gragson, Haley’s been a step behind. That puts him in the mid-pack among title contenders. 

8: Matt Crafton

Wins: Zero

Playoff Points: Three

How He Got Here: By being the best of the rest. Crafton wasn’t a dominant winning contender like Sauter or Moffitt, nor was he a consistent force like Enfinger and Haley. Instead the ThorSport veteran found himself somewhere in the middle, performing just well enough to beat out playoffs hopefuls Myatt Snider and Dalton Sargeant for the final playoff spot. 

Championship Odds: Below Average

Crafton is a two-time Truck Series champion and every bit capable making a postseason run, so his title pursuit can’t be discounted. But statistically Crafton has the worst odds of making a championship run. 

Not only is he one of three winless drivers in the postseason, Crafton also has the worst average finish (11.4) and is tied for the fewest top-10s (nine) among playoff contenders. 

There is still hope. Crafton has experience over most of his fellow competitors, and his 6.8 average finish in the past five races shows promise for a playoff surprise. But the No. 88 team may have to put together some postseason magic if Crafton’s going to make the leap from final playoff qualifier to legitimate threat.