The NASCAR playoffs, and the championship format as a whole, have been heated points of discussion ever since the conclusion of the 2024 season.
In January, NASCAR formed a playoff committee consisting of current drivers, former drivers and industry personnel, with the goal of evaluating the current playoff format to see if any changes are necessary for 2026.
The discussion was reignited on Tuesday (July 22) when Larry McReynolds and Danielle Trotta remarked on SiriusXM that a driver on the committee that hasn’t won a Cup Series championship (likely referring to either Mark Martin or Denny Hamlin) has been “screaming” to go back to a full-season points format — an argument that both Trotta and McReynolds disagreed with.
McReynolds denied that he was referring to Martin in his comments, while Trotta tagged Martin in a reply that expressed her disagreement.
Needless to say, Martin has remained adamant in his position that NASCAR doesn’t need a playoff format.
Is Martin correct? Have the various playoff formats used for more than two decades run their course?
Or is a playoff system a necessity for present-day NASCAR?
Two Frontstretch regulars offer their takes.
No Playoffs Necessary
Somebody had to say something, and Mark Martin’s been saying it for years before what happened on Tuesday.
Thanks to criticism provided by Trotta and McReynolds this weekend, the can of worms of the NASCAR playoffs being a terrible way to crown a champion has officially been reopened.
Despite McReynolds backing off Martin, saying that he wasn’t talking about him, Trotta still responded to him when a good portion of NASCAR’s Twitter fanbase took to the medium to give their take on the situation.
However, whether it’s Martin, Hamlin or whomever Trotta was mentioning, the NASCAR playoffs has undeniably been a system that continually reward drivers who can deliver at the end of the season rather than reward the driver who was the best across the entire season.
Just ask Joey Logano, who only made the playoff field because of a five-overtime victory at Nashville Superspeedway and only advanced to the Round of 8 thanks to a disqualification of Alex Bowman.
The disqualification allowed him to advance to the Championship 4 and steal the 2024 title with an average finish of 17.1: the worst average finish of a champion in Cup Series history. Quite a championship resume, there.
That’s simply not how this sport should go about crowning their champion.
This format hasn’t rewarded the most consistent driver at all in the three years of the Next Gen era, and it has constantly been under scrutiny for the use of win-and-you’re-in to determine advancement in the regular season and the playoff rounds.
The one-race championship finale has also been the cherry on top of this flawed system since its inception in 2014.
A segment of the fanbase has voiced their displeasure through polls of over 30,000 responses via Jeff Gluck’s Twitter and over 20,000 via Martin’s Twitter stating that this playoff system isn’t what they want. In fact, the majority of fans in these polls wanted the 36-race format to return.
This isn’t a problem for racing series like Formula 1 or IndyCar that continue to use a traditional points system to determine a championship.
So why doesn’t NASCAR and its establishment just listen to the fanbase here? It’s mostly because television flaunts the money to put on this entertainment at the end of the year to spice the season up.
However, many fans just tune out or just simply don’t care who wins the championship since the winner ends up being some out-of-nowhere driver in the end more often than the true most dominant driver of the year.
NASCAR’s history continues to get tarnished because of this playoff format, but those associated with the business continue to put fan interest for the championship to the wayside when we get closer and closer to another miserable November, and there seems to be no sight of an end to that if they continue to stay the course.
So, the way forward should 100% be to look to what worked in the past, whether it’s the 36-race format or the old 10-race “Chase for the Cup” format. What NASCAR has had for the last 11 years is a joke of a championship.
Fans want the sport to thrive and champions to be properly celebrated, but it’s nearly impossible to do when all you need to do is win one race in the regular season, get hot in at least one race in three rounds, and be good at Phoenix Raceway to poach a title.
We should all listen to Martin — or whoever was being criticized by the pair of Trotta and McReynolds. – Wyatt Watson
The Full-Season Era Is Viewed with Rose-Colored Glasses
Let’s clear the air, shall we? Mark Martin is one of, if not the, greatest driver of all time to never win a championship.
His opinion carries some weight, as it should.
However, he’s wrong on this one.
The old points system was the most broken piece of the sport on its way out. The cars were good, the driver talent was prevalent and the sport should have been running smoothly on all fronts, but it wasn’t.
I distinctly remember a young Tanner, talking to his dad, who had brought me up in the racing community and world alike, saying that it’s kind of dumb that no one cares who actually wins the races.
It was true then, and it would be true now.
As much as we like to romanticize the good ol’ days (which are scarily becoming the early 2000s, oddly enough), we often forget the problems that were prevalent in those times, too.
The human brain often looks back at the good in things and tends to forget the bad with time. It’s natural, and that’s why nobody should be offended that some think the old points system should make a comeback, even if they’re not quite correct in thinking so.
The Latford Points System led to some of the greatest championship finishes of all time, sure (see 1992). But a large part of why we look back on those championships so fondly is because it was one of the few years in which the championship race was actually a close one, and it was only so because quite literally everything fell into place exactly when it needed to for the late, great Alan Kulwicki.
More times than not, the champion had been decided weeks ago and the final few races of the season were a mere formality for most drivers and fans.
To draw a parallel, just look at the past few F1 seasons. Sure, things are intriguing now with McLaren finding its speed and its two young drivers coming into their own, but just a few short years ago, it was the Max Verstappen show week in and week out, and it was borderline unwatchable.
That was the reality of the Winston points era more times than not, and there’s no reason to go back to it. Each system has its flaws, and plainly put, the current system has less than the old one.
All of that can be true, though, and still delivered without any actual malice.
Since the NASCAR community made sure to call out McReynolds and Trotta for referencing a driver who’s apparently been very vocal about returning to the old points system earlier this week, tensions around the issue have risen to what is seemingly an all-time high.
Initially, fans thought McReynolds was referencing Martin, but he took to social media to correct that narrative. Trotta, however, doubled down, even if they weren’t referencing Martin.
Whoever was referencing who doesn’t exactly matter, though.
What does matter is getting our heads out of the space that the good ol’ days are 1) coming back and 2) were all that they were cracked up to be. Every era of NASCAR has and will always have its problems, and the power of the current media landscape lends itself to creating an echo chamber of wishing for times that have long since passed to come back around. It’s like someone let a funeral home loose on Twitter, and everyone is mad about something that is never going to happen.
That reminds me: I never told you what my dad said in response to my question, did I?
“That’s alright, son. They’ll change it in a few years, people will forget it, then get mad about it again later. You can never please everybody.”
He’s a pretty wise fella, that dad of mine. -Tanner Marlar
Tanner Marlar is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated’s OnSI Network, a contributor for multiple automotive news outlets, an award-winning sports columnist and talk show host, and a PhD. student at a premier college of media and mass communication. Tanner began working with Frontstretch in 2022, covering the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch's primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch's Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt's written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch's social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.
Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing
Trotta is a vapid talking head. McReynolds should stick to mechanical analysis. All he ever did in the booth was squeal “Hiiiindrick cars” like a schoolgirl, when not just blindly promoting whatever was the NASCAR decision of the month (taking away the Southern 500, adding “playoffs,” whatever). Mark Martin is a real-life superhero to legions of race fans. Sh*tting on him is a good way to alienate viewers.
McReynolds is towing the company….Trotta what does she knows making prepared statements and asking prepared questions
That’s what I was thinking too. Trotta and McReynolds are still actively employed and in some manner tied to NASCAR to earn their dinner. They dare not dissent. Mark, on the other hand, is retired and free to speak his mind. Remember, there were about 10 different seasons throughout his career where maybe a playoff system might have got him that elusive championship, but he still believes the old system was fair and just (just better, lol). As do I.
The current playoff system is a joke. Lets think about what could happen:
A drive could potentially win the first 35 races of the season and finish 2nd in the last race of the season to a Championship 4 driver. Thus not winning the Championship. What other major professional race championship would this occur? None is the answer. The playoff system is a joke or at least NASCAR is a joke.
To be honest with you if I do not have a driver that I like in the final 4, I do not care about the championship, which is the same as if someone runs away with the full season championship. Additionally, I really do not watch the race in this case because the only 4 drivers that are broadcast on the TV, are those 4.
I have watch and been a NASCAR fan since the ABC Wide World Sports days (1976, 6 Years old). I do not even like watching Daytona or Talledega, because it is not racing. I could just get a helicopter to hover over LA insterstates during rush hour and get the same thrill.
How often has your scenario happened? Never.
How often has the year-long championship battle been as close as ’92? A handful of times?
How many times has an MLB division race come down to the last game of the regular season? MLB hasn’t tried to change the rules to guarantee it. And it hasn’t stopped fans from other teams from getting involved in the races for the other positions. It applies to track championships too.
At some point you have to hope NASCAR will realize much of what they have changed it not for the good of racing Much like MLB finally realizing the “shift” was taking too much away from the way game is to be played Canned Car & Parts purchased from the owner cannot possibly be entertaining Everything is done for the benefit of broadcaster not the fan
As a longtime race fan, this all could be argued till the end of time. All I know is this. Since the inception of the Chase or Playoffs, in the area I live in, (Northeastern N.C. and Southeastern East Va.) NASCAR and racing is hardly ever discussed or talked about like it used to be. You don’t see many people with hats or shirts of their favorite drivers and if you ask someone about the race on Monday, all I ever hear is “I don’t keep up with it anymore”. It used to not be that way. I think that’s the answer to the question!
The win your in format really diminishes the championship. In any other sport, be it March Madness or super bowl, you can only get there because of season long performance. That is the mark of a championship eligible team. Want to keep the playoffs, fine, then earn you way in the whole season. Even if it is with “stage points”.
Joey Logano should not have been in the playoffs let alone champion last year. He and his team didn’t earn it.
Did the old system always result in compelling championships, no. The Elliott Kulwicki year was compelling. In the years the champion was decided with 3 to go, it happened. But at least the teams earned it. Doesn’t hurt F1 that way.
So what if the title was determined before the last race? Does anyone think that drivers decided to just coast until the season was over? How ridiculous is it to have a ‘playoff’ when every team competes against every other team every week? Stick and ball sports teams rarely play against each other, and the ultimate game is between different divisions.
I wrote this before… I’ll believe in NA$CAR “playoffs” when there are 32 teams on the field for the Super Bowl.
Wait. Do drivers still try to win after a championship is decided? Racers race!
Remember when outlaws only ran big money races. I go to see racers racers
Outlaws still race in big payout events and the fans show up. Try to get a ticket to the Topless 100 (BZF thinks it is 50 women on a stage)!
We may as well go outside and shout at the clouds here, for all the good it’ll do us. But here goes.
Barring a seismic change in thinking, the old points system isn’t coming back. The TV networks have made it clear the sponsors prefer some form of “playoffs”, and at the end of the day, the sponsors will prevail.
Personally, I prefer the old points system, as it’s a more pure method to determine the best driver/team. Auto racing has more variability than stick and ball sports within a given race/game. As for playoffs determining the champion in other sports, sure, a star athlete can get injured, but this does not end a team’s season. It just makes the path more difficult.
Building off that, common sense indicates more NASCAR DNFs occur due to wrecks caused by others, not fault by the team/driver. The variability is too high for any playoff system to be anywhere close to free of random outcomes.
I don’t find the argument of F1 being “unwatchable” during Verstappen’s recent reign (until this year) compelling, as that era corresponds with F1’s recent explosion in popularity. Liberty Media has done a masterful job of promoting their sport. I’ve watched F1 for many years now, and just as other eras of dominance (Hamilton, Schumacher), the competition down the order, as well as the random chance of an upset any given week makes watching enjoyable.
If you grew up with the year-long system, chances are you’re going to like that. The younger audience probably likes the chase. I think the chase, stages, and now this in-season system are just gimmicks. Nascar reacted to situations that came up and keeps changing things. We’re not baseball, football, basketball, soccer. It’s a year long and if someone wins it a couple races early, good for them.
I agree with Mark Martin. NASCAR doesn’t need a playoff system and most fans don’t love it.
However what the fans want is of zero interest to NASCAR or the tv partners
The fact that there are now multiple choice for where the race is broadcast thru the season speaks volumes
I was a diehard fan who worked my weekend plans around the race schedule and was fortunate enough to attend many races in person. That is no longer the case. I hate the stage racing and the idiotic playoffs I watch when it suits me or if the weather keeps me inside.
Martin is spot on! The playoffs are merely a gimmick.
A driver can work hard, amass the most points for the year, have a bad race in the “playoffs,” and he’s out. That’s really fair, right? (Sarcasm intended if you missed it.)
OK,(just thinking outside the box here) this thread mentioned in most sports you don’t play every team each week. That is the distinctive difference between racing and ‘playoff’ sports.
So, to have a complelling playoff scenerio NASCAR would need to go into divisions like North, South, East and West(maybe just two divisions to start with). Now teams aren’t racing every team every week. After the division’s battle out for ‘playoff spots’; they could have a race(s) to determine the champion.
Nothing new here but think about expanding the field of teams to 60-80, mixing in a few ‘all comers events’ with heats or qualifying, and you maybe you can create the drama the media is looking for. You would dilute the product a little but it wouildn’t be a gimmickey joke.
That’s the out of the box thinking that we need.
Another idea: Split the field into 2 divisions of 20 drivers each. Have 2 races on Sunday. This is where playoffs would work. Take the Top 10 in each division after race 26 to run for the championship over the last 10 races.
The non playoff teams can still race every Sunday during the playoffs for their own smaller consolation prize at the end of the year. That way fans see their driver every week and they can crown a more legit champion.
Non playoff drivers racing against playoff drivers just doesn’t work.
This probably sounds crazy to some, but it isn’t any worse than the current format we have to determine a champion.
Who should fans believe? Mark Martin or a NA$CAR suit still following Brian’s “vision”?
Trust me if Nascar switched course and said the full season championship is the best format, these shills like Trotta, McReynolds and Moody would all be on board.
Pretty sad, isn’t it!
I know its hard for the younger fans to understand but back when it was a season long points system to determine the champion, the actual races every Sunday were the most important thing every week. Nobody cared who the points leader was until the end of the season. And it worked well.
That’s why the legacy fans like myself are clamoring for it to come back. I’m tired of hearing that we will never go back to the way it was because of the networks. Why? Ratings and attendance were at its highest under the old way of crowing a champion. If people tune in to watch, advertisers will come, so why wouldn’t the networks be on board?
I’d t to b l get rid of the playoff system and also no points for leading laps under caution