Joey Logano’s third NASCAR Cup Series championship has reignited discussions about the playoff format, with many suggesting it might need an overhaul—though Logano himself is firmly opposed to any changes.
A Controversial Path to the Title
Logano’s 2024 season was a mixed bag. While he won four races, including a dramatic victory in Nashville after stretching his fuel tank through five overtimes, his overall performance in the regular season raised eyebrows. With only 13 top-10 finishes in 37 races, Logano’s consistency wasn’t on par with some of his competitors. Yet, he still managed to clinch the title. He qualified for the playoffs in part due to his Hail Mary win in Nashville and later got another break when a competitor’s car was deemed illegal, allowing him back into the postseason after elimination in the second round.
Despite the championship, the manner in which Logano reached the title has led some drivers to question the current playoff format and whether it truly rewards the best performance over the entire season.
Drivers’ Calls for Change
Several drivers, including Denny Hamlin, have voiced their concerns about the current system. Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing and co-owns 23XI Racing, believes the regular season should carry more weight.
"The message we are trying to send is: Make the regular season matter more," Hamlin said.
He proposed increasing the bonus points awarded during the regular season, giving drivers like
Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson, who have strong seasons, a larger buffer heading into the playoffs. "There are 26 regular season races, and they are proving to be not that substantial to winning a championship," Hamlin added.
Hamlin also pointed out that, in recent years, Team Penske drivers, including Logano and Ryan Blaney, "didn't have to do much" during the regular season, suggesting that this trend undermines the integrity of the championship process.
NASCAR’s View on the Playoff Format
NASCAR, however, remains a strong proponent of the current playoff system, which emphasizes the high-stakes nature of each race as the season winds down. The governing body sees the playoffs as crucial for creating dramatic, Game 7-like moments for fans. Christopher Bell, while open to tweaks, expressed his enjoyment of the current playoff format. "I love that aspect of it," Bell said, adding that adjustments to the points system could ensure the right cars make it to the championship event.
Blaney’s Suggestions for Change
Ryan Blaney, another driver pushing for change, proposed several tweaks to make the system fairer. In his "ideal world," Blaney would like to see the top 16 drivers on points from the regular season automatically qualify for the playoffs. He also suggested that race winners should earn more points—10 or 15 instead of the current five—and that the regular-season champion should receive an additional 30 points. Blaney also proposed reducing the number of elimination races, suggesting the 16-driver playoff field should be cut down to eight after five playoff races, with the remaining eight competing over the final five races for the championship.
"I would like to see a group of races to end the year where you are not going to have anyone run away with it, You're still going to have some really good competition going on," Blaney said.
Logano’s Defense of the Current System
Logano, who has now won three championships since 2018, was quick to dismiss the idea of changing the format. When asked at the annual awards ceremony in Charlotte if there were any changes needed,
Logano responded firmly, "Nothing, personally. I wouldn't change a thing." He also expressed his belief that the current format is “super entertaining” and serves its purpose well.
Logano also reminded critics why the playoff format was initially implemented. “I think we all need to understand why we changed it in the first place," he said. "It’s because the fans said they didn’t like the way it was, so we changed it. And then everybody loved it. And it was great. And now, oh, we’re going to complain about it again? C’mon, guys. Geez.”
The Future of the Playoff Format
While Logano remains a staunch defender of the current format, the debate is far from over. Some drivers, including Hamlin and Blaney, are pushing for adjustments to better reflect the overall performance of the season while keeping the intensity of the playoffs intact. Whether NASCAR will make any changes remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the conversation around the playoff system is only gaining momentum.
