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.

GREAT AMERICAN READ Celebrate a fast-paced history of the Daytona 500 with new book; foreword by Richard Petty

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

On to Round of 12 (in order of points standings): Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman

First four out: AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Aric Almirola

Eventual champion: Kevin Harvick

2015: Denny Hamlin still in search mode

Round of 16 winners: Denny Hamlin at Chicagoland, Matt Kenseth at New Hampshire, Kevin Harvick at Dover

On to Round of 12: Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon

First four out: Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer

Eventual champion: Kyle Busch

2016: Martin Truex early, Jimmie Johnson late

Round of 16 winners: Martin Truex Jr. at Chicagoland, Kevin Harvick at New Hampshire, Martin Truex Jr. at Dover

On to Round of 12: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon

First four out: Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Chris Buescher

Eventual champion: Jimmie Johnson

2017: Truex starts and finishes fast

Round of 16 winners: Martin Truex Jr. at Chicagoland, Kyle Busch at New Hampshire, Kyle Busch at Dover

On to Round of 12: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray

First four out: Ryan Newman, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch

Eventual champion: Martin Truex Jr.

2018: The Roval joins the opening round

Round of 16 winners: Brad Keselowski at Las Vegas, Kyle Busch at Richmond, Ryan Blaney at Charlotte Roval

On to Round of 12: Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola, Alex Bowman

First four out: Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones

Eventual champion: Joey Logano

2019: Truex out of the blocks hot

Round of 16 winners: Martin Truex Jr. at Las Vegas, Martin Truex Jr. at Richmond, Chase Elliott at Charlotte Roval

On to Round of 12: Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Clint Bowyer

First four out: Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Erik Jones

Eventual champion: Kyle Busch

2020: Chase the Champ!

Round of 16 winners: Kevin Harvick at Darlington, Brad Keselowski at Richmond, Kevin Harvick at Bristol

On to Round of 12: Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch

First four out: Cole Custer, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Matt DiBenedetto

Eventual champion: Chase Elliott

2021: Kyle Larson leads the way

Round of 16 winners: Denny Hamlin at Darlington, Martin Truex Jr. at Richmond, Kyle Larson at Bristol

On to Round of 12: Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, William Byron, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell, Kevin Harvick

First four out: Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch, Michael McDowell

Eventual champion: Kyle Larson

2022: When playoff racers couldn't win

Round of 16 winners: Erik Jones at Darlington, Bubba Wallace at Kansas, Chris Buescher at Bristol

On to Round of 12: Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric

First four out: Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick

Eventual champion: Joey Logano

2023: Ryan Blaney barely squeaks by, then wins it all

Round of 16 winners: Kyle Larson at Darlington, Tyler Reddick at Kansas, Denny Hamlin at Bristol

On to Round of 12: Martin Truex Jr., William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace

First four out: Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell

Eventual champion: Ryan Blaney

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR Round of 12 looms. Playoff Round of 16 history with Kansas next