By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

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: Chicagoland Speedway

Event: Overton’s 300

Race Winner: Kyle Larson

Stage Winner(s): Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson

Who Won Big

• Cole Custer: As has been the trend in recent weeks, Custer found himself among the fastest Xfinity Series regulars at Chicagoland. The Stewart-Haas Racing sophomore tallied his fifth-consecutive top five, surging into the points lead in the process.
• Ross Chastain: A quiet 13th-place run was just what Chastain and JD Motorsports needed in Illinois. Chastain kept the final playoff position as a result, leaving with a 33-point edge over Ryan Sieg.
• Daniel Hemric: Another top five – Hemric’s fifth in the last six races – continued his climb toward the top of the charts. The Richard Childress Racing ace rose to second in the standings leaving Chicagoland, just three points behind Custer for the points lead.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Michael Annett: What had previously been a quiet race ended with a dramatic thud when Annett hit the outside wall and dropped out of the race on Lap 130. The mistake relegated Annett to a 30th-place finish, trapping him 41 points out of the playoff grid.
• Kaz Grala: Fury Race Cars’ push to lift Grala into the playoffs hit a snag in Chicagoland, dropping the rookie into a 49-point hole after he completed just one lap with electrical issues. It’ll take a combination of additional funding to keep the team afloat and solid results for Grala moving forward to creep back into the playoff picture.
• Ryan Reed: A battle between Reed and Jeb Burton resulted in an early exit for both drivers after a Lap 100 crash. Reed finished 32nd as a result. falling out of the top 10 in the points standings and therefore losing out on potential playoff points at regular season’s end.

Playoff Standings: 

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

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Chicagoland Speedway Results

Season Totals

Camping World Truck Series

Track: Chicagoland Speedway

Event: Overton’s 225

Race Winner: Brett Moffitt

Stage Winner(s): John Hunter Nemechek, Noah Gragson

Who Won Big

• Brett Moffitt: How’s that for a swing? Moffit and Hattori Racing went from unsure if they would be racing in Chicagoland to celebrating in victory lane. Moffitt secured enough sponsorship to stay afloat, and as a result is still a championship threat with 16 playoff points… So long as this team can keep going.
• Ben Rhodes: An up-and-down day for Rhodes ended with a second-place run and some much-needed comfort along the playoff bubble. Rhodes still sits eight – the final spot in the current postseason field – but he holds a 42-point edge on Myatt Snider for the spot.
• Noah Gragson: He didn’t pull into victory lane at night’s end, but Gragson scored a stage win and 52 points to gain an additional playoff point and claw within 65 points of Johnny Sauter for the points lead. If the veteran falters down the stretch, Gragson is in position to rise up and contend for the regular season title and accompanying 15 playoff points.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Dalton Sargeant: If there was any wonder about whether Sargeant would need a win to make the playoffs, Chicagoland confirmed it. A 20th-place finish in Illinois dropped the rookie to a distant 11th in the standings, with a 79-point gap on Rhodes and just five races to close it. It should be win or go home for Sargeant and his No. 25 GMS Racing team moving forward.
• Myatt Snider and Cody Coughlin: Make no mistake – Snider and Coughlin didn’t have bad nights in Chicagoland. The duo finished 10th and 12th, respectively. But they failed to close ground on their sizable playoff deficits. With just five regular season races remaining, that’s an unacceptable result if they hope to sneak into the postseason without a win.

Playoff Standings: 

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

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Chicagoland Speedway Results

Season Totals