For 26 races, the entire NASCAR Cup Series field had worked to be among the 16 drivers with the opportunity to compete for a championship when the playoffs began at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Then came the matter of surviving the Round of 16 and ensuring that their championship ambitions were more than just a fleeting fancy.

NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway in the throes of three playoffs among the national touring series, headlined by Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 Cup Series race to open the Round of 12.