BROOKLYN, Mich. – The math is as simple as 5-3-2.
The are five drivers who have qualified for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs by winning races—defending series champion Johnny Sauter, Brett Moffitt, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley and Ben Rhodes.
There are currently three Playoff spots available on points, with Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen and two-time series champion Matt Crafton poised to claim them.
There are two races left in the NCWTS regular season. That means there are two more chances for a new winner to make the Playoffs with a victory—and potentially to knock out one of the drivers planning to earn a berth on points.
Enfinger is in the most enviable position. He’s third overall in the standings, nine points ahead of Friesen and 39 ahead of Crafton. Accordingly, the driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford isn’t planning to drive defensively in the final two regular-season races at Michigan and Bristol.
Nor is Enfinger taking anything for granted.
“I’m definitely not comfortable with our situation,” Enfinger said after opening practice for Saturday’s Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I wish we were locked in… to breeze through these next two weeks and focus on the Playoffs.
“We can’t really do that, but we’re not in a bad spot either. At the end of the day, we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing to get us to this point, and I think we’ll be all right. Really, it’s kind of business as usual for us.”
With two races left before the Playoffs begin, Enfinger will secure a Playoff spot if he stays ahead of both Friesen and Crafton in the standings—no matter what else happens.
Source: Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service
