2020 Playoffs: The Quest for the Bill France Cup

Kevin Harvick is the 2/1 favorite to win title.

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoff is an ‘elimination-style’ postseason format that is competed over the final 10 races of the year, and includes 16 drivers and four rounds – the Round of 16, the Round of 12, the Round of 8 and the Championship 4.

A quick overview:

A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Playoffs. The remaining spots not filled by drivers with wins will be filled by drivers who have gained access to the postseason through points.

The number of Playoff drivers in contention for the championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 16 to start; 12 after race No. 3; eight after race No. 6; and four after race No. 9.

The first three races (Nos. 27-29) will be known as the Round of 16; races 30-32 will be known as the Round of 12; races 33-35 will be the Round of 8; and race No. 36 will be the Championship 4.

A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Playoff round.

Four drivers will enter the Championship 4 race with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series championship and the Bill France Cup.

NASCAR renamed the (Bill France Cup) trophy at the beginning of the season and it pays tribute to Bill France Sr., who founded NASCAR in 1947, as well as his son, Bill France Jr., who elevated the sport to a national phenomenon as the sanctioning body’s chief executive from 1972 to 2003.

"As the sport ushers in a new era, it’s fitting that my father’s name is associated with the highest mark of excellence in our sport," said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "My father and brother’s vision for NASCAR has been realized, many times over, as millions of fans follow and engage each week with the best racing in the world."