On one side of the NASCAR Cup Series spectrum are drivers like Joey Logano, who thrive under the current format and seemingly do well. On the flip side, drivers such as Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin are vocal critics of the chase format, which they argue places undue emphasis on luck in a single race rather than rewarding consistency throughout the season.
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Last year, after Ryan Blaney clinched the championship, Hamlin pointedly commented on the nature of the competition, suggesting that success in just the final races could disproportionately influence championship outcomes. In April 2024, the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver elaborated on his stance, stating,
“I don’t love it… The reason I don’t love it coming down to one race is that racing is a sport where luck is involved. And it’s not… luck is a very loose term that people use… There’s 33 other guys out there that can completely screw up your day.”
Hamlin proposed a more rugged test for drivers as a potential fix to the current system, suggesting, “Why don’t we have a championship round? Challenge these drivers at multiple different racetracks. I mean, I don’t care if you put a road course in the championship round. At least, your crowning achievement champion off a larger sample size…”
Echoing Hamlin’s thoughts, a fan recently proposed that NASCAR should implement a dedicated round for the Championship 4, consisting of three races on three different tracks, with the championship going to the driver who accumulates the most points during these races. The idea resonated strongly within the NASCAR community.
Support for this concept was vocal on social media. One enthusiast endorsed the proposal, commenting, “100% This is the way,” while another concurred, “Agreed – something seems wrong with pinning the championship on a single race, especially given the amount of random noise that seems to be part of determining the winner of a NASCAR race.”
Another fan criticized the current setup, remarking, “That’s better than what they have now,” and yet another simply supported the suggestion, saying, “Yes. Great plan.”
Instead of going from place to place each year, I think that it would be interesting to do a championship round instead of a single championship race and just have those 3 tracks as the final 3 races. Whoever scores the most points in the round wins the championship. https://t.co/FljBlNdeHn
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) October 25, 2024
How many drivers are not happy with the current NASCAR playoff format?
During a playoff media day at FOX Sports in September, Bob Pockrass presented the 16 playoff drivers with a written survey consisting of six questions, which they submitted anonymously in a box, ensuring their answers remained private.
Among the inquiries, which also included a question about the preferred track to host the championship race — with Las Vegas securing 7 votes — the drivers were also asked for their opinions on the current playoff format.
Out of the 16 drivers who attended, eight expressed their disapproval of the current format, responding with a firm “No.” Seven drivers voiced their approval, while one remained undecided, simply noting, “IDK.”
It seems that NASCAR drivers are advocating for a playoff system that places greater emphasis on consistency throughout the season.
