The debate surrounding NASCAR’s playoff format continues to fuel controversy, and it shows no signs of cooling until the sport’s leadership delivers a meaningful overhaul. Last season’s outcome, where Joey Logano slid into the Round of 8 by a stroke of luck and rode that momentum to a title while drivers like Christopher Bell failed to even crack the finale, reignited questions about the weight of the regular season and the legitimacy of the current format.
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While seasoned voices like Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick floated proposals such as a multi-race finale and a rotating championship venue, Chase Elliott recently threw his support behind a more traditional full-season points format, a take that earned a nod of approval from NASCAR icon Mark Martin.
In a recent post on X, veteran journalist Jeff Gluck shared Elliott’s thoughts on the topic: “We’ve had a really good and competitive battle to the regular season (championship) over, correct me if I’m wrong, the last two or three years. It’s really been pretty tight all the way down to Daytona.”
Elliott doubled down on his stance, stating, “If you just take that as your sample set over the first 26 weeks, it looks pretty solid to me. The system would be just fine if you just had a full season. And if somebody runs away with it, so what? Let’s celebrate the fact that somebody ran away with it, that somebody was just that good. Motorsports does not have to be like everybody else to be successful. And I’ll stand by that till I get done.”
Martin amplified Elliott’s message by reposting it on X, adding, “Mad respect for @chaseelliott here. Check it out.” The show of support sparked a chorus of fan reactions. One user wrote, “And that’s from a driver who HAS won a championship. Checkmate, Lawrence.”
Another chimed in, “I’ve never been a Chase fan, but he has climbed my respect ladder. It was the last person from whom I expected an outspoken message. Well done, Chase, and kudos.”
Mad respect for @chaseelliott here. Check it out. https://t.co/ABQjwErYkk
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) July 25, 2025
A third noted, “Definitely has a good head on his shoulders. Had we kept full-season points, he would be a Cup champion. Just not in 2020, but rather 2022.” And a fourth took a swipe at NASCAR’s leadership: “The most popular driver in the sport endorsing full season points is a BAD look for the governing body. They are not gonna like this.”
Initially, NASCAR was expected to unveil format changes ahead of the 2025 season. However, after internal deliberation, officials decided to postpone any revisions until 2026.
A special committee, including Christopher Bell, has been formed to assess potential tweaks and develop a structure that crowns a fair and indisputable champion. Until then, the current playoff format remains firmly in place.
