MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — NASCAR begins the third round of the playoffs at Martinsville Speedway with eight drivers still remaining in contention for the championship.
A win at Martinsville on Sunday, or at one of the next two races, earns one of those drivers an automatic berth into the championship finale. Kyle Busch will start from the pole as he represents the so-called Big Three at the front of the field at Martinsville.
Busch has combined with Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. to dominate most of this season, and all three are trying to earn one of the four slots at the Homestead-Miami Speedway finale. Truex is the reigning Cup Series champion and Busch is the defending race winner at Martinsville.
Harvick is the leader of a four-car effort from Stewart-Haas Racing . The team makes up half of this field of eight and wants to push through each of its drivers to the finale.
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