By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

On the day following each regular season 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. 

XFINITY Series

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Event: Rinnai 250

Race Winner: Kevin Harvick

Stage Winner(s): Kevin Harvick (Won Both Stages)

Who Won Big

• Christopher Bell: There’s the Bell we expected this year. The hotshot rookie claimed his second XFINITY Series pole and rattled off a third-place finish to soar up to sixth in the tour’s standings after being mired back by a crash at Daytona International Speedway.
• The Ryans: The strong start to the season continued for both Ryan Reed and Ryan Truex. The first delivered a 10th-place result to keep himself third in the series standings, while a ninth-place run kept the latter driver right behind Reed in fourth.
• Elliott Sadler: Sadler’s streak of consistency has started the 2018 season right where it left off in 2017. The Virginian tallied his second top five in as many races to take a four-point lead on JR Motorsports teammate Tyler Reddick heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Cole Custer: Ouch. Custer found himself at the wrong end of a run-in with John Hunter Nemechek for the second time in his short NASCAR career, spinning into the outside wall as he tried to avoid the rookie early in Saturday’s race. As a result the Californian was relegated to a 39th-place results, leaving him trapped back in 25th in the standings.
• Kaz Grala: In his first race at Daytona since his Truck Series victory, Grala brought home a top five to join the preliminary playoff grid after his first start for JGL Racing. But a battery issue in Saturday’s race at Atlanta left the 19-year-old with a 23rd-place finish that dropped him to ninth in the championship standings.
• Michael Annett: There were hopes among the JRM group that Annett could join his teammates at the top of the standings in 2018. But through two starts the Iowan’s 2017 struggled have continued. Annett finished 20th after a quiet night in Atlanta, dropping him to 17th in the championship standings.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver to make the playoffs.

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Atlanta Results

Season Totals

Camping World Truck Series

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Event: Active Pest Control 200

Race Winner: Brett Moffitt

Stage Winner(s): Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch

Who Won Big

• Brett Moffitt: One restart may have changed the entire season for Moffitt and Hattori Racing. The pair were left fighting from behind in the standings after suffering a 26th-place letdown in Daytona. One strong race and a beautifully-timed restart later, Moffitt’s a race winner once again and Hattori seem poised for their first playoff berth.
• Noah Gragson: He fell one spot short of a playoff-clinching victory, but Gragson’s late surge to second elevated the Nevadan to fourth in the championship standings ahead of his home race. The Kyle Busch Motorsports sophomore also snagged a stage win during the race, netting himself a playoff point should he crack the postseason field.
• Ben Rhodes: It was a tricky night for Rhodes and ThorSport Racing. The 2017 playoff participant spent time on pit road with the hood up as his team attempted to diagnose electrical issues that plagued his No. 41 Ford early on. But in the end the Kentuckian climbed into the top five to salvage a strong result and keep his playoff pursuit in good standing.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Justin Haley: After qualifying fifth for the race, Haley seemed poised to deliver another strong run to elevate his early playoff push. But instead the Hoosier was left with a 22nd-place finish after suffering a early in the race flat right-rear tire.
• Cody Coughlin: The poor luck for GMS Racing continued with Coughlin, who had a flat tire of his own in the final 15 laps. The Ohioan dropped a handful of spots to 20th as a result, turning what appeared to be a salvageable top 15 into a disappointing finish that trapped him in a tie for 13th in the championship.

Playoff Standings: 

*Technically ineligible due to missed races. Would require a waiver to make the playoffs.

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Atlanta Results

Season Totals