The final race of the Round of 8 is here. Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN) will set the Championship 4 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Right now, only Ty Majeski has clinched his way in. Chandler Smith (+30), Zane Smith (+18) and defending series champion Ben Rhodes (+3) hold the final 3 transfer spots.

Can Christian Eckes (-3), Stewart Friesen (-3), John Hunter Nemechek (-5) or Grant Enfinger (-29) bump their ways in?

With a win by non-playoff driver Matt DiBenedetto at the series’ last race at Talladega Superspeedway, only one driver has secured his spot in the Championship 4 Round at Phoenix Raceway with his win at Bristol Motor Speedway – Ty Majeski. 

The remaining seven Playoff drivers will have to give it their all if they want a chance to compete for the 2022 title. Below is a look at what it will take for each driver to make it in. 

Already Clinched

The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Ty Majeski.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Chandler Smith, Zane Smith or Ben Rhodes.

 

• Chandler Smith: Would clinch with 26 points
• Zane Smith: Would clinch with 38 points
• Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 52 points
• Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
• Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help
• John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
• Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help

 

If there is a new winner from Christian Eckes or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 3rd winless driver in the standings.

 

• Chandler Smith: Would clinch with 29 points
• Zane Smith: Would clinch with 41 points
• Ben Rhodes: Could only clinch with help
• Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
• Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help
• John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
• Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help

 

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Chandler Smith, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen, John Hunter Nemechek and Grant Enfinger.

 

Playoff Bubble: Eckes, Friesen, Nemechek, Enfinger outside Champ 4 cutline

Looking at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff standings following the second race in the Round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway, the postseason competitors are tasked with trying to make the Championship 4 Round with only one race to go.

 

ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski won at Bristol in the Round of 8 opener and non-playoff driver Matt DiBenedetto snagged the win at Talladega, leaving three spots still up for grabs. Heading into their next Playoff race, Chandler Smith and Zane Smith assume the second and third Playoff positions, respectively.

 

Ty Majeski’s ThorSport Racing teammate Ben Rhodes is currently ranked in the fourth and final transfer spot on points to the Championship 4 Round, up only three points on teammate Christian Eckes in fifth. Behind Eckes is Halmar Friesen Racing’s Stewart Friesen in sixth (-3 points below the cutline), then Kyle Busch Motorsports’ John Hunter Nemechek in seventh (-5 points) and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger in eighth (-29 points).

 

Make it or break it: One shot for the Championship 4

Playoff drivers will have to give it their all next weekend as it will be their last opportunity to prove they have what it takes to compete for the championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 4.

 

All but one Playoff driver have given Homestead-Miami Speedway a go in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

 

Ty Majeski: The driver of the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota has one start at Homestead-Miami Speedway (2020) and posted a 10th-place finish 

 

Chandler Smith: The driver of the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota will be posting his first Truck Series start at the Miami track next weekend. 

 

Zane Smith: The driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford has one start at the track (2020). He finished 37th after an incident early sidelined his truck on Lap 19. 

 

Ben Rhodes: The driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota has five starts at the 1.5-mile Miami track. He has posted one top-10 finish (2018) and has led 45 laps. He has an average start of 7.8 and an average finish of 15.8

 

Christian Eckes: The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Toyota has made two starts at Homestead-Miami posting one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 3.0 and an average finish of 5.5.

 

Stewart Friesen: The driver of the No. 52 Halmar-Friesen Toyota has made five starts at the 1.5-mile track just north of the Florida Keys with one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 11.2 and an average finish of 13.0.

 

John Hunter Nemechek: The driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota has four starts at Miami with one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 7.5 and an average finish of 8.8.

 

Grant Enfinger: The driver of the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet has posted five starts, one top five, three top 10s and one pole (2018) at the Miami track. He has an average start of 7.6 and an average finish of 11.4.

Homestead Trends

• 11 of the last 12 race winners came from the top 4 rows including 10 of the 11 from the top 5 at that.
  • 4 of the last 6 were won from the front row
• Toyota has won 7 of the last 8
• Chevrolet last won here in 2012
• In 3 of the 4 races in the stage era here, the eventual race winner finished in the top 3 at the end of Stage 1
• In all 4 races in the stage era here, the eventual race winner finished in the top 3 at the end of Stage 2 with the Stage 2 winner winning this race the last 3 years.
• In all 4 years under this stage era, the driver to lead the most laps won in the end.

Who Wins?

1. 4 Nemechek – A Toyota driver, needing a win, on a track he has 2 top 7’s including a runner-up (2015) on. JHN also won at a like track in Darlington this past May too. He has 2 top 2’s in his last 4 starts on the season as well.
2. 23 Enfinger – 3 top 8’s in his last 4 starts here including a runner-up in 2018. He also has 4 top 5’s in the 5 playoff race thus far. He finished 3rd at Darlington.
3. 88 Crafton – He’s made 20 starts on this track including 7 straight top 10’s. He was 5th 2 races ago in Bristol.
4. 13 Sauter – 5 top 7’s in his last 6 Homestead starts.

Be Wary

Ben Rhodes: 0 top 5’s in 5 career Homestead starts with just 1 top 10 at that. He’s finished 18th or worse in 3 of his 5 tries there He’s also finished 12th or worse in 6 of his last 8 starts on the season too.

Chandler Smith: A rookie here to go along with 2 top 5’s in his last 9 starts on the season. However, both of those top 5’s are wins. With such a big cushion, l think he just keeps it in the top 10 to advance.

Stewart Friesen: 1 top 5 and 2 top 10’s in only 5 starts. He also has just 1 top 5 finish in the last 6 races on the season too.

Championship 4 Prediction:

Ty Majeski, John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Zane Smith