Pit Pass Network Predictions: Cup Series Playoffs

It is time for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Sixteen drivers will compete for the Cup Series championship. Every third race, four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs. The playoff road leads to the Championship Finale at Phoenix Raceway. Only one driver will hoist the trophy at the end of it all.

Meanwhile, the Pit Pass Network crew have made their predictions for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Each member went through the bracket and decided who would be eliminated from each round. Once they had their Championship Four, they picked their champion for the Cup Series.

For these predictions, there will be a scoring system to determine who won. It will be similar to March Madness tournament scoring. Each correct predicted driver who advances from a round is worth a set amount of points. The points per round are as follows:

Round of 16: 1 point per correct driver (max of 12 points)
Round of 12: 2 points per correct driver (max of 16 points)
Round of 8: 4 points per correct driver (max of 16 points)
Championship Four: 6 points per correct driver (max of 24 points)
Correct Champion Predicted: 8 points

If there is a tie in points, the tiebreaker question is: How many laps will the champion lead at Phoenix? Closest to the answer wins.