NASCAR’s playoff system has long split both fans and drivers into two camps. While Mark Martin’s recent poll on X showed most fans still prefer the old format, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric laid out why he favors the current one and why fans who understand would side with the same.
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Appearing on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he drew a football comparison, pointing out that if the Kansas City Chiefs failed to win the Super Bowl despite being the league’s top team with the best quarterback and the best regular-season record, it wouldn’t erase their season.
And for those tired of watching Kansas City dominate, many would welcome seeing them get knocked off on the biggest stage. In the same vein, Cindric said fans love the thrill of seeing a driver rise to the occasion or take down the favorite.
He said, “I think the playoff format is exciting for those who understand it. And I think if there are any changes in the future that are to be made, it has to be first and foremost simplifying in order for more to understand and appreciate.”
“Because otherwise, it’s difficult to add more incentives and more items into the fold like a top 10 provisional in points or something like that. You got to stop right there because you’re going to lose people’s interest because it’s going to be really confusing.”
Cindric stressed that the format already provides plenty of incentives to perform across the season. As an example, he pointed out that with nine wins already in his rookie full-time Xfinity season, Connor Zilisch could finish 20th in every playoff race and still likely make the Championship 4.
In Cindric’s eyes, that cushion is the reward for excellence and consistency. The same logic applies to stage points and in-race performance. Incentives, he believes, keep drivers pushing hard every week. For him, the only refinement needed is simplification, so fans can clearly follow what’s at stake.
The No. 2 Team Penske driver concluded that the format strikes a balance between rewarding consistency, celebrating wins, and the added drama of an unexpected winner keeping the title fight unpredictable and compelling.
