It happens every fall -- in NASCAR’s Next Gen era, at least. As reliably as jack-o’-lanterns populate the front porches of America with Halloween approaching, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs take a turn toward a certain Ford team when the end of summer nears.

NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway to finalize its 16-car playoff lineup, with two spots up for grabs and a win-and-you’re-in opportunity for any driver yet to visit victory lane this season.