NASCAR does not always appreciate drivers speaking out against the organization or its rules. It expects obedience and prefers that drivers walk a straight line that does not upset investors or sponsors, and teams often expect the same. At times, however, a situation becomes so dire that internal criticism is warranted, and you know it has merit when the top brass is willing to welcome it. That is why Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin were widely praised by NASCAR leadership following the sweeping changes the sport has seen of late.
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While most of the field bends to the unspoken rules of the sports, figures like Hamlin and Martin care more about the future of the sport. They realize that the demands of the fans matter more.
Hamlin took on the promotion through an antitrust lawsuit and emerged victorious, helping make charters permanent and giving teams something they had long wanted. Martin, meanwhile, went to battle against the elimination-style playoff format and has come out a winner as well.
This unruliness has impressed many within the Daytona headquarters itself. NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell told the press after announcing on Monday that the Cup Series will return to the Chase format, “The two loudest voices I have heard in my career on formats are Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin.”
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell says O’Reilly and Trucks will both shift to Chase formats as well.
Details here: #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/M9doPgP4Jk
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) January 12, 2026
“What I give those guys an extreme amount of credit for is that their job was to go out and win races, right? At the end of the day, they could say, ‘You guys figure it out.’ But they care. They care about the future of the sport. Seeing their passion and seeing their inputs have been hugely important.”
Ben Kennedy credits Martin for the format change
Kennedy currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer for NASCAR. He said that Martin had created an impact on them in the very first playoff committee meeting by explaining how the sport was getting more disconnected from the traditional fan.
“He had a very particular viewpoint, and he was one of the loudest voices in the room,” he said. “He was a large contributor to the format we came up with today. If Martin hadn’t been in that room that day, we would be announcing something different today, where consistency may not be this important.”
Ben Kennedy says had it not been for @markmartin being in the Playoff Committee meetings, he feels #NASCAR likely would have landed on a different format that wouldn’t have put as much emphasis on consistency. pic.twitter.com/TX7muis0YI
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) January 12, 2026
Martin’s campaign against the elimination-style format began after the 2025 Daytona 500 weekend. That’s when NASCAR decided to form the committee and discuss in which direction the sport must head to serve fans the best. Since then, he has ridden a demanding roller coaster and finally landed the train here. Thanks to him, for the first time in many years, the next NASCAR champion could be decided without much controversy.
