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: Iowa Speedway

Event: Iowa 250 Presented by Enogen

Race Winner: Justin Allgaier

Stage Winner(s): Justin Allgaier (Won Both Stages)

Who Won Big

• Justin Allgaier: For the second time this year, Allgaier found himself in victory lane. Assuming this one is penalized – the last one was – the win should elevate the Illinoisan out of his spring slump and back into the championship discussion.
• Daniel Hemric and Cole Custer: They did it again. For the third-consecutive week, Hemric and Custer found themselves in a virtual stalemate, scoring a pair of top fives and maximizing their points. With Elliott Sadler having another shocker – oh, we’ll get to that – the duo now each find themselves within 10 points of the championship lead.
• Kaz Grala: This entry is dependent on whether Fury Race Cars and Grala can continue to run beyond Iowa. But if they can, then they might be fringe playoff contenders. A top 10 in Iowa elevated Grala to within 26 points of 12th-place Ross Chastain.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Elliott Sadler: Another week, another disappointment. Sadler had an early flat tire and found himself mired multiple laps down en-route to a 28th-place result. As a result the Virginian’s points lead dropped to a mere four points over second-place Custer.
• Ross Chastain: He still the final position in the current playoff grid, but Chastain’s 19th-place run at Iowa kept him within reach of the drivers behind him.

Playoff Standings: 

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

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Iowa Speedway Results

Season Totals

Camping World Truck Series

Track: Iowa Speedway

Event: M&M’s 200

Race Winner: Brett Moffitt

Stage Winner(s): John Hunter Nemechek, Stewart Friesen

Who Won Big

• Brett Moffitt: Nothing like a win at home to make a season feel even more special. Moffitt surged late to claim his second victory of 2018, elevating his Hattori Racing team into the battle for second in playoff points behind the dominant Johnny Sauter. If Hattori can find the budget to keep going, they and Moffitt have a chance to complete a storybook season.
• Myatt Snider and Cody Coughlin: They still have a steep hill to climb, but Snider and Coughlin each helped their odds with top 10s in Iowa. Snider now sits 31 points out of the playoff grid in ninth, with Coughlin following with a 44-point deficit in 11th.
• Stewart Friesen: Dark horse alert – Friesen scored his third stage win of the year in Iowa, helping solidify his playoff standing and securing yet another playoff point. It’s time to start considering Friesen to be a legitimate Championship 4 contender.

 Who Hurt Their Odds:

• Todd Gilliland: If there was any doubt as to whether Gilliland will need a victory to sneak into the playoffs, Saturday’s 29th-place run brought an end to it. Gilliland sits 17th in the standings after missing four races early in the year due to his age, 123 points out of the postseason field.
• Matt Crafton: The happiness of a strong early run gave way to disappointment when Crafton blew a tire after contact mid-race, signaling a large crash that ended his day in 26th.

Playoff Standings: 

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

Playoff Points

Stage Points

Iowa Speedway Results

Season Totals