The playoff format remains one of NASCAR’s most polarizing topics, and in a recent conversation, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell hinted at possible changes, suggesting NASCAR could test alternative points systems in the Truck and/or Xfinity Series before rolling them out in Cup. Fans, however, remain skeptical, unconvinced by both his answers and the hinted solutions.
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O’Donnell acknowledged the balancing act between honoring tradition and delivering modern entertainment, stressing that crowning a legitimate champion is paramount, though there’s room for fine-tuning. Speaking with Eric Estepp, the NASCAR president revealed they are in the “final processes” of shaping the 2026 format and noted that sticking to the current system would require a compelling explanation.
As he put it, “The decisions are going to be, ‘Do you put something immediately in the Cup Series? Do you try something around next year’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in the Trucks? Do you try three different things?’ Most sports will look at, ‘Hey, let’s try this in Triple-A baseball, and if it works, great. If we want to tweak it, okay, let’s make those tweaks and then put it to the next level.’
“We’ve historically not done that. So, we’re just going to try to beat up a lot of those things. I will say that if we stay status quo and don’t do anything in all three series, there’s got to be a pretty good explanation as to why and to who we spoke to.
“But there is some momentum to try some things for sure. I think you’ll see that. I don’t have the final answer yet, but I can assure the fans that there’s been a lot of really good debate, a lot of things to think through.”
Fans wasted no time voicing frustration over the pace of the decision-making. One remarked, “It shouldn’t take a whole damn year to decide on legitimate format. It’s really not that complicated.” Another, unsure whether change was actually coming after O’Donnell’s comments, wondered, “So in other words, we’re not getting a new format next year or anytime soon.”
Steve O’Donnell suggests NASCAR could experiment with different points formats in the Trucks and/or Xfinity (O’Reilly) Series before bringing them to Cup.
“There is some momentum to try some things.”
Full interview: https://t.co/OvNNIXVRvS pic.twitter.com/cXqGjIkcqk
— Eric Estepp (@EricEstepp17) August 19, 2025
A long-time supporter dismissed the idea of experimenting across three series, saying, “No need to experiment, there is no gimmicky format they can come up with that will consistently produce deserving champions. We need to go back to full season points and stop with the fake manufactured drama.”
One fan bluntly declared, “Nobody wants to hear this [crap], it costs nothing to change the format and it could happen immediately.”
O’Donnell clarified he is not on the playoff committee, but from what he’s gathered, discussions have been productive. He described three camps in the debate: those who reject the playoffs entirely, those who favor tweaks, and those who are content with the current setup. With so many voices in the mix, NASCAR’s challenge is finding the most effective road forward.
