I can't remember what I had for breakfast let alone a year ago...lol!!
If I remember correctly you have to have win,place and show (1st,2nd and 3rd) for a box, therefore your #4 disqualifies for a box since he came in also ran.
Having to pick in specific order for playoffs sounds like a curveball but not really. If you pick car #'s 11 22 33 44 in that order and the race ended 11 22 44 33 you would still get the boxed bonus because you still picked 1st 2nd and 3rd.
That was for illustration purposes only because those picks above qualify you for the pick 4 boxed bonus.