By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

Following each points race, Kickin’ the Tires takes a deep look at the current playoff grids for both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, evaluating the postseason picture for NASCAR’s second and third tours. 

Truck Series

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Event: Fr8Auctions 250

Race Winner: Timothy Peters

Stage Winner(s): Grant Enfinger, Todd Gilliland

Who Won Big

• Matt Crafton: A 26th-place finish was far from desirable for Crafton, but the veteran was able to hold on to secure the final place in the Round of 6. His quest for a third championship continues on.
• Brett Moffitt: He finished 17th after a challenging afternoon, but Moffitt did enough to keep his playoff push alive to the Round of 6. Hattori Racing’s attempt at an underdog title will last for at least three more races.
• Grant Enfinger: He was already locked into the next round, but Enfinger snuck a stage win and playoff point in for good measure.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Ben Rhodes: Try as he may, Rhodes couldn’t close the playoff gap in Talladega. His championship hunt is over.
• Stewart Friesen: A poor showing in Canada meant Friesen likely needed a win at Talladega to keep his playoff hopes alive. He came close with a sixth-place run, but the much-needed victory wasn’t meant to be.

Playoff Standings: 

Playoff Points

Playoff Points Earned On-Track
Rank	Driver	Playoff Points
1	Johnny Sauter	27
2	Brett Moffitt	21
3	Noah Gragson	15
4 (tie)	Justin Haley	10
4 (tie)	Grant Enfinger	10
6	Ben Rhodes	9
7 (tie)	Stewart Friesen	5
7 (tie)	Timothy Peters	5
9	Todd Gilliland	2
10 (tie)	David Gilliland	1
10 (tie)	Christian Eckes	1

Stage Points

Talladega Results

Season Totals