What is the secret behind making a deep run through the playoffs? According to the Craftsman Truck Series drivers kicking off the Round of 10 this weekend, there is one big hurdle to overcome.
"Honestly, I think it's just more execution than anything," Rajah Caruth said in response to a question from AltDriver.
This term can cover a lot of things, such as the way a driver navigates restarts or how they work through green flag pit stops. Engineers and crew chiefs also have to execute their jobs properly to put the drivers in the best possible situations.
If a driver executes and makes all of the right moves behind the wheel, they avoid incidents. If they make mistakes, they potentially end a playoff run before it begins.
"I can think of a few races where -- and thankfully, I'm not tearing up trucks -- but I think about Wilkesboro, I think about Texas, Pocono, places where I just spun out and I didn't even feel like I was trying that hard," Caruth continued.
"I just wasn't accurate and put myself in not the best situation. So just executing for myself, with our changes to the truck and how we call the races, to yellow line to yellow line on pit road. I think execution in every aspect of our team is the most important thing."
Drivers and the people on the pit box are not the only ones who must execute to the best of their abilities each race weekend. This also holds true for the pit crews.
A fast stop can help a driver gain track position and move closer to a win. A bad pit stop can result in lost positions, penalties, or numerous other issues such as loose wheels or post-race disqualifications.
Having a consistent pit crew just makes drivers more confident during playoff races.
"In terms of pit crew stuff, I don't know the exact stats -- but I think we are either first or second on pit road by a good bit," Taylor Gray said. "I want to say the last time I heard, we were first on average (time) on pit road, that is obviously exciting.
"Those guys work their butts off and are really good at what they do. In terms of pit road stuff, I'm not really worried about it -- those guys seem to perform pretty well."
Gray and Caruth are two drivers making their first appearances in the Truck Series playoffs this season. This will be the first time they experience the increased pressure that comes with the elimination format.
How they and their teams respond to these pressure cooker situations will impact how far they go in the playoffs.
"The biggest thing to realize right now going into the playoffs, this first round is all about not making mistakes," two-time champion Ben Rhodes said. "Then after that, you've got to have three absolutely perfect races for the next round."
Rhodes is not the only veteran driver who sees trouble spots for playoff contenders. Grant Enfinger has made deep playoff runs multiple times with multiple teams, and he has delivered wins at a time in the year when they mean more.
Enfinger has also seen championship dreams fade away.
"I think as a whole you've got to execute, right," Enfinger said. "And there's more on the line now, but you can't overstep that boundary and take yourself out of it.
"I think from a, I guess, veteran status or somebody that's been here before, I feel like I do have that mentality and that experience to lean on. But you've got to have everything."
Of course, having experience in the Truck Series playoffs doesn't necessarily mean that it's easy sailing to the Championship 4. Getting involved in incidents outside of a driver's control can disrupt a playoff run.
Having an ill-handling truck can also pose major problems, as can making the wrong decision on the final lap of the race.
Just ask Christian Eckes, who enters as the No. 2 seed in this season's playoffs.
Eckes has two previous appearances in the Round of 8. He delivered top-10 finishes in the three races making up this round in 2022, but he missed the Championship 4. Last season, he started the round with a runner-up at Bristol before finishing 19th and 20th at Talladega and Homestead.
Eckes took the white flag as the leader at Talladega last September. He was within reach of a win that would put him in the Championship 4. However, he tried to block Brett Moffitt, which led to him being left alone without anyone to push him to the win. Moffitt won the race while Eckes fell through the field.
The elimination race at Homestead presented even more problems for Eckes last season. He first received a restart violation penalty that took away five stage points. He then received a penalty for speeding on pit road. He missed the Championship 4 by four points.
"Not choke in the Round of 8. Is that a fair assessment," Eckes said about what he needs to do this season. "I've done that the last two years.
"So, yeah, execution, that's our biggest thing, is just to work on execution. I feel like we've done a better job of being consistent in executing this year. So I feel like we're more than capable to go do what we need to do."
Execution remains the focus for the Craftsman Truck Series drivers as they prepare for the playoff opener at Milwaukee Mile Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 25 (4 p.m. ET on FS1).
Which ones will check off this item and move one step closer to Phoenix?