Since 2014, NASCAR has been running the playoffs format. Earlier, the most successful driver used to win the championship. Now, one has to run well in the last 10 races of the season to contend for the title even if they did not have that great of a season before that point.
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The playoffs have four rounds of racing. The first three rounds have three races each and the final round is a single race for the championship. The format has drawn mixed reactions from fans and insiders and when it was first introduced, a lot of people were surprised.
The playoffs start with 16 drivers. These include race winners and winless racers with a lot of points. After three races, four are eliminated and the process continues until four drivers are remaining for the final race. The conditions for qualification are either winning a race in each round or having a lot of points. When this was announced, a lot of drivers were shocked. However, there was also excitement for the future.
Jimmie Johnson had won six Cup Series championships at the time and was looking to match the record. He was informed of the changes by NASCAR Chairman at the time, Brian France. “It just caught me off guard and shocked me and I told Brian when he called me, ‘Just give me a minute to adjust because I’m on my heels.’ ,” he said to NASCAR.
The then driver of the #48 car took a while but adjusted to the new format and won his seventh Cup Series championship eventually. The idea received a lot of praise at the time from some eminent drivers as well.
Keselowski, Earnhardt Jr. expressed support for the move
Brad Keselowski said that the decision would help the sport grow and make it sustainable. It has been 10 years since the playoff format came into play so the 2012 Cup Series champion has been proven right. “If those metrics show that it’s working, then I’m a fan of it. My connection to the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase format is purely based on our fans’ reaction in a positive form. If that’s the case, then I’m supportive,” he mentioned.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. understood why the format was introduced and he believes that it was successful. NASCAR wanted to get more eyeballs on the sport with a playoff format and it had worked. “I think it did work, because NASCAR wants more attention and more people talking, and I think that’s what happened,” he said.
If not anything, the new format has made the final race of the season thrilling. That element of suspense makes the closing few races of a season a treat to watch.
