How do NASCAR playoff points work?

After 26 races in the 2017 NASCAR regular season, the long-awaited playoffs are here. The top 16 drivers in the sport will compete for the next 10 weeks to determine this year’s champion. Here is a look at how that winner will be determined.

The regular season is comprised of 26 races. Win one of those races, and you are in the playoffs. If more than 16 drivers win races, the playoff spots will go to the top 16 by race wins, then points. Similarly, if fewer than 16 drivers win races during the regular season, any remaining spots will be filled by the non-winning drivers with the most points.

In addition to points awarded based on the finish each week — 40 points for the winner, 35 for second place, 34 for third, down to one point for those 36th to 40th — this year brought a new system, with points for the first two stages of each race. The top 10 in each of the first two segments were awarded points, from 10 for winning the stage down to one point for 10th place.

Winning a stage also earns a driver one playoff point, and winning a race adds five playoff points. The top 10 finishers in the regular season also earn bonuses — 15 points for the points leader (Martin Truex Jr. this year), 10 points for second place, eight points for third, seven for fourth place, down to one point for 10th place.

These points can be carried over through the playoffs.

”This format puts a premium on every victory and every in-race position over the course of the season,” NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said in January when the new format was unveiled. ”Each point can eventually result in winning or losing a championship.”

Thirteen drivers made the playoff field with wins during the regular season: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ryan Blaney, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, and Austin Dillon.

Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray secured the final three playoff spots on points.

Here are the 16 drivers and their point totals heading into the playoffs:

Starting off with 16 drivers, the playoffs are split into three rounds of three races each, with the bottom four drivers eliminated after each round. Winning a race in any of the first three rounds automatically advances a driver to the next round, regardless of points.

That leaves four vying for the championship on Nov. 19 at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, the final race of the playoffs. The final four drivers will have their points reset for the final race, with the simple goal of beating the other three to the finish line to win the 2017 Cup championship.

Here are the 10 races that comprise the 2017 NASCAR playoffs:

Round of 16
Sept. 17: Tale of the Turtles 400 | Joliet, IL | 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Sept. 24: ISM Conenct 300 | Loudon, NH | 2 p.m., NBCSN
Oct. 1: Apache Warrior 400 | Dover, DE | 2p.m., NBCSN

Round of 12
Oct. 8: Bank of America 500 | Concord, NC | 2 p.m., NBC
Oct. 15: Alabama 500 | Talladega (Lincoln, AL) | 2 p.m., NBC
Oct. 22: Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas City, KS | 3 p.m., NBCSN

Round of 8
Oct. 29: First Data 500 | Martinsville (Ridgeway, VA) | 3 p.m., NBCSN
Nov. 5: AAA Texas 500 | Fort Worth, TX | 2 p.m., NBCSN
Nov. 12: Can-Am 500 | Phoenix (Avondale, AZ) | 2:30 p.m., NBC

Championship 4
Nov. 19: Ford EcoBoost 400 | Miami (Homestead, FL) | 2:30 p.m., NBC

NASCAR champions since the current playoff system began in 2004:

2004: Kurt Busch
2005: Tony Stewart
2006: Jimmie Johnson
2007: Jimmie Johnson
2008: Jimmie Johnson
2009: Jimmie Johnson
2010: Jimmie Johnson
2011: Tony Stewart
2012: Brad Keselowski
2013: Jimmie Johnson
2014: Kevin Harvick
2015: Kyle Busch
2016: Jimmie Johnson

What about the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup itself? The 2017 champion gets a 68-pound, 37-inch tall trophy, one that has the outlines of all 23 racetracks on the schedule adorned all around the cup, which holds approximately 600 ounces of liquid: