The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs are here, and ten drivers have seven races to chase a championship. It opens Thursday, September 17 under the lights at Bristol and ends November 6 at Homestead-Miami, where the highest finisher among the Championship 4 takes the title. Here is the full field, the round-by-round schedule, and a free printable bracket and prediction sheet for your crew.
Quick facts
- Format: Round of 10, cut to a Round of 8, then a Championship 4
- Playoff races: 7, from September 17 to November 6
- Opener: Bristol Motor Speedway, Thursday, September 17
- Championship: Homestead-Miami Speedway, Friday, November 6
- Regular-season champion: Layne Riggs (6 wins)
The 2026 Truck Series playoff field
The field was locked on August 29 at New Hampshire. Layne Riggs enters as the clear favorite after a six-win regular season, but Truck racing is chaos on wheels, and one bad pit stop or superspeedway wreck can flip the whole bracket.
| Seed | Driver | Seed | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Layne Riggs | 2 | Kaden Honeycutt |
| 3 | Chandler Smith | 4 | Christian Eckes |
| 5 | Gio Ruggiero | 6 | Ty Majeski |
| 7 | Grant Enfinger | 8 | Daniel Hemric |
| 9 | Ben Rhodes | 10 | Tyler Ankrum |
Download the free printable bracket and prediction sheet
Print one for everyone watching. Page one is the field and the full playoff schedule; page two is a prediction sheet to call who advances each round and pick your 2026 champion.
Download the printable NASCAR Truck playoff bracket (PDF)
2026 Truck Series playoff schedule
| Round | Date | Track |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 10 | Thu, Sep 17 | Bristol Motor Speedway |
| Round of 10 | Sat, Sep 26 | Kansas Speedway |
| Round of 10 | Fri, Oct 9 | Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roval) |
| Round of 8 | Fri, Oct 16 | Phoenix Raceway |
| Round of 8 | Fri, Oct 23 | Talladega Superspeedway |
| Round of 8 | Fri, Oct 30 | Martinsville Speedway |
| Championship | Fri, Nov 6 | Homestead-Miami Speedway |
How the Truck Series playoff works
Ten drivers start the playoffs. After the Round of 10 (Bristol, Kansas, Charlotte), the field is cut to eight. After the Round of 8 (Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville), only four remain. Those Championship 4 drivers race at Homestead-Miami on November 6, and whoever finishes highest among them is the champion, no points math, just track position when it matters most. A win in any playoff race locks a driver into the next round automatically, which is why every race is effectively a knockout.
More from Sports Brackets
Want more printables for the fall? Grab free brackets, schedules, and trackers at SportsBrackets.net.
Frequently asked questions
When do the 2026 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs start?
They open Thursday, September 17, 2026 at Bristol Motor Speedway and run seven races through the championship on November 6.
Who is in the 2026 Truck Series playoffs?
The ten playoff drivers are Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Christian Eckes, Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Daniel Hemric, Ben Rhodes, and Tyler Ankrum.
Where is the 2026 Truck Series championship race?
The title is decided Friday, November 6, 2026 at Homestead-Miami Speedway among the Championship 4.
How many drivers make the Truck Series playoffs?
Ten drivers make the field. It is trimmed to eight after the Round of 10 and to four after the Round of 8.
