Every sport requires evolution to stay ahead in the game and keep things interesting for the fans. For a long period, the NASCAR Cup championship format was based on a season-long haul of points like many other racing series such as Formula 1. However, it was what transpired in the 2003 season when NASCAR decided they had seen enough and were required to change up the structure altogether.
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This was the year when Matt Kenseth ended up winning the championship title with just one race win to his name across the season. Meanwhile, other drivers such as Ryan Newman had eight wins throughout the season and still could not win the title. This left the organizers puzzled and yearning for a new championship-deciding format to keep the series relevant for the fans.
While Kenseth’s championship feat had been incredible, his win did end up changing the sport forever.
What did NASCAR do after Matt Kesenth’s win?
It was only after they witnessed the outcome of the 2003 season that NASCAR decided to introduce the playoff format. Although, as explained by Bob Pockrass, the playoff was not called by that name back then. Instead, it was known as the “Chase.”
Pockrass explained, “The first version of the chase came 19 years ago as NASCAR looks to crown the 20th champion since its start its own version of the postseason… The original version didn’t include the knockout elimination style that NASCAR has now, as part of a system implemented in 2014.”
It is the 20th year of NASCAR’s version of the playoffs and debate still rages today over the format. In our latest edition of our You Kids Don’t Know series, we take a look back at the debate, the strategy, the cussing, the wheel and the triumph of the 2004 Chase. pic.twitter.com/PDznXvFIlp
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 31, 2023
He added that the playoffs in 2004 had only 10 participants instead of 16, and they took part in a 10-race mini-season. The top 10 drivers in the regular season standings were eligible for the chase, and NASCAR reset their points to 2000.
Additionally, the regular season champion received 50 bonus points, while the second-place driver received 45 points, and the points decreased by five for each subsequent position.
Over time, this Chase format began evolving and even introduced the elimination format that we know today. However, while NASCAR may have found a solution to keep the competition exciting, the topic remains debatable among people within the community.
What did drivers think about the introduction and evolution of the playoff format?
In the same video that Pockrass shared, the 2014 Cup Series champion, Kevin Harvick explained his thoughts regarding the introduction of the Chase system 20 years ago. He stated, “The first time that the playoffs were introduced, man what are we doing? And still, to this day, I still wonder if that’s the right way or the wrong way to do it.”
“I think from a TV standpoint, you look at it and from an excitement standpoint, it’s very exciting, but as I tell people now you don’t win championships the way that Petty and Earnhardt (Sr.) won them back at back in the day. it’s just it’s different.”
Meanwhile, not everyone was against the idea of having this new format introduced. Interestingly, the champion from the first iteration of the Chase back in 2004, Kurt Busch, explained, “I thought it was an incredible decision. Future direction for our sport. It creates that playoff mentality that you see in the NFL, literally baseball, hockey, any professional sport.”
In the end, the introduction of the playoffs did change the game, perhaps even bringing the excitement back to the sport leading up to the finale. Although, that is debatable.
Now with several changes to the points system and the way the Championship Four race is drawn out, we can all agree that there is no way that NASCAR would ever go back to its old system. Surely, that does make it different from how the grand legends of sport won it, but ultimately, evolution is the name of the game.
