NASCAR announced Tuesday an expansion of its Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series playoff field from eight to 10 drivers, beginning with the upcoming 2020 season. The Truck Series playoffs will remain at seven races, though.
“It seemed like the right number,” Truck Series Managing Director Brad Moran said of the addition of two trucks to the playoff field. “We only start 32 trucks; we have a great group of owners, and we did not want to water down our playoffs, but the two additional trucks kind of changes the whole layout. It changes the whole ecosystem of the playoffs. People are going to be that much more aggressive to get one of those 10 spots, and it does marry up with the other two series when we get to the Round of eight.”
Two drivers still will be eliminated after the opening three-race round of the playoffs, creating a round of eight [formerly the round of six]. Then, four drivers will be eliminated after the second three-race round to leave four driver to contest for the series championship in the season-finale at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 6.
The first playoff berths still will go to a regular-season champion [points leader at the end of the regular season] and race-winning drivers, with the playoff field to be completed with the drivers highest in the points standings among those not in the playoffs by virtue of regular-season race wins.
The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series playoff fields will remain at 16 and 12 drivers, respectively.
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