NASCAR Round of 12 looms. Playoff Round of 16 history with Kansas next

Three races down, seven to go in NASCAR’s Cup Series playoffs.

Four racers gone, 12 remain. 

NASCAR’s postseason playoff system was born 20 years ago. Ten years ago, the current system was adopted — 16 drivers, cut to 12 after three races, eight after three more, then a final four for the championship race. 

Ten years, as mentioned here before, is a decent sample size from which to draw some conclusions. 

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Or not. 

Sometimes, the eventual champ got a win in the first three starts of the playoffs, sometimes not. Sometimes, he went into the Round of 12 in or near the points lead. Sometimes not.

Let’s take a look back at a decade of 16-team playoffs.

2014: No fast start for Kevin Harvick

Round of 16 winners: Brad Keselowski at Chicagoland, Joey Logano at New Hampshire, Jeff Gordon at Dover