The debate around NASCAR’s playoff format has flared up once again after Joey Logano slipped into the Round of 8. The fact that he entered not by outdriving the field, but by capitalizing on Ross Chastain’s last-lap crash has stoked the flames. Amid the renewed chatter, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell has issued a word of caution regarding upcoming playoff format changes.
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Speaking on The Dale Jr. Download, O’Donnell said that no announcement about playoff format changes would come before the 2025 season ends. The NASCAR boss explained that he doesn’t want to overshadow whoever this year’s champion is.
O’Donnell revealed that Christopher Bell has played a key role in shaping his thoughts about the playoff system. Bell, he said, took the time to discuss the matter behind closed doors instead of airing it out publicly, and essentially offered him a candid insight that O’Donnell admitted struck a chord.
According to O’Donnell, Bell made him see the bigger picture. “‘If I [Bell] roll off 10 wins uh in a year right and I go to one race and couple other guys get into me or whatever, and I’m not the champion okay four years in a row that happens,'” O’Donnell said, revealing what Bell told him.
“I don’t want the next Christopher Bell, who’s 10 years old right now, thinking about NASCAR, wanting to go to NASCAR, wanting to be a champion, say, ‘Huh, this is a little bit more of a chance on a one race, right?'” He added.
In a way, this conversation could have prompted the officials to make the Championship 4 a full round instead of one single race. O’Donnell acknowledged that the sport has evolved and that while some of that unpredictability should remain, balance is key.
“Just looking at future stars, drivers coming in, having a multitude of races potentially that you [have] got to put a body of work together. So, I think about all those things. I’m not giving away where I’m at, but I completely recognize where we’re at today,” added O’Donnell.
He stated that any future playoff overhaul will aim to strike the right balance, one that keeps the competition fair for today’s contenders while paving a level playing field for the next generation of drivers coming up through the ranks.
