It is a common contention today that NASCAR isn’t what it used to be a decade or two ago. The drivers lack character, the promotion lacks ethics, and the Next Gen car lacks some serious horsepower beneath its hood. This is why, when footage of Jimmie Johnson’s 2009 championship celebrations popped up on X, the fandom was sent into a cave of nostalgic melancholy.
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The video showcases Johnson lying in wait at Turn 2 of the Homestead-Miami Speedway as the stage was being set to celebrate his fourth successive Cup Series title. The commentary, the atmosphere, and the fireworks that were in display that night impressed fans to the core and they were left wanting to see similar spectacles today.
The announcer can be heard speaking about Johnson‘s incredible rise to the top with the help of legends like Rick Hendrick as he rolls his car forward slowly. The driver then does some smoky burnouts to send the crowd into a fit of thrill. The entire scene was hard to not love and reminisce over. One fan commented below it, “Championships were just treated differently back then, man. They felt prestigious as could be.”
Keith Marek, the fan who posted the video, wrote, “It was a production. Nowadays, you cross the line, burn it down & celebrate like a race win, plus a trophy ceremony. 15 years ago? The broadcast made the viewer feel the magnitude of it all. The pageantry was fantastic. It felt worth it. After 9 months, it was all worth it.”
Championships were just treated differently back then, man. They felt prestigious as could be
— Seamore Carrington (@Seamore485) May 13, 2025
Another added, “It’s honestly sad how we were all sad that the season was over back in those days. Now it seems like we’re all ready for the season to be finished.” One more fan awed, “The monologue and the fireworks is just so damn perfect.” So, why do championships matter less now? What makes them less of an achievement compared to the old days?
It all comes back to the playoff format that NASCAR introduced in 2014. 26 regular season races followed by a 10-race playoff that includes an elimination style system. This new way of doing things has left a lot to be decided on luck and less on actual talent. Drivers and fans have been growing increasingly tired of this.
Kyle Larson said early this year, “If anything, I just think the [playoff] format, in a way, devalues a championship. Especially in the Next-Gen era.” Others including, Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin, have expressed similar takes. NASCAR is currently working on altering this playoff system. Will it be done or will fans be forced to live with things is yet to be seen.
