NASCARS Playoff Picture

It’s been a while but we are back with another article. Today we talk about the playoff format, a subject that has been talked about ever since the introduction of “The Chase”. We talk about the current format, how we got here, and where do we go from here. Let’s dive in.

The very first induction of a NASCAR postseason began in 2004 when the chase was introduced. During this time the top 10 drivers (added to 12 in 2007) in points were locked into the format and given a points reset. All bonus points accumulated during the regular season were added to each drivers point reset respectively. The top drivers then had 10 races to race for a championship. This format lasted until the end of 2010. After this 11th and 12th on the chase grid were transformed into wildcard spots. The wild card spots were for the two highest scoring drivers in 11th-20th in points with the most wins. This was an attempt to give more drivers an opportunity to fight for a championship but also to show a greater importance of winning. This format lasted until the end of 2013, however in 2013 the chase grid included a 13th seed due to a match fixing scandal involving Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer. Bowyer self spun and teammate Brian Vickers pit late in the race to both help other teammate Martin Truex Jr lock in on points. Truex was battling with Ryan Newman for the last playoff spot and Newman was the leader at the time of the spin, but ended up finishing 3rd. There was also radio transcripts that showed David Gilliland intentionally giving up a position to allow Joey Logano to lock himself into the playoffs over Jeff Gordon. The fallout from both incidents changed the sport as we knew it. Martin Truex was knocked out due to points penalty and Newman locked in on points. Also Logano kept his playoff berth but Gordon was added as a 13th seed. This would be the last year that this format would be used before a complete overhaul in January of the following year.

This current format of the playoffs has been in place since 2014, with tweaks here and there, and has received backlash from the fanbase because many believe that this isn’t the true way to crown a champion. The format takes 16 winners, and if there aren’t 16 winners then the rest of the playoff grid will be lined up by points. The grid then has a point reset with wins and stage wins counting towards their reset total. The field then goes through 3 rounds where the bottom 4 on points in each round are eliminated. The points are reset after each round, only this time with bonus points from the previous round adding to reset total. This consists until the last round which is a one race winner take all race with the final 4. Many also believe that this format encourages more rough driving when a driver is in a “do or die” situation because they feel that their season is on the line. Another aspect of the rule is something that changed recently which was the top 30 rule. The top 30 rule was a rule that allowed you to make the playoffs if you win a race, if you stay in the top 30. Now as we saw this year with Harrison Burton, the rule is as long as you don’t miss a race, if you win then you’re in. Not to pick on Burton but at the time of his win he was the lowest scored driver in the points standings based on full time drivers. Chase Briscoe also won a race to enter the playoffs while running 23rd in points at the time. Both of these drivers won the last two races before the playoffs and eliminated drivers like Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, and Bubba Wallace who were right at the cut line before the two drivers won. This raised the question of “should a guy who was 34th in points be able to run for a championship?” This problem didn’t stop there as Joey Logano was able to advance to the final 4 by winning at Atlanta in round 1, pointed by in round 2 after Alex Bowman suffered a DQ at the Charlotte roval, and was able to win at Vegas on a epic strategy call to become the first driver to clinch a final 4 spot. The problem that people have? Joey is currently 7th in points and -33 below the cut line if it wasn’t win and you’re in. Also after the seasons that Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell had, this means one of them will be getting eliminated at Martinsville, while Logano who’s had a down year may be able to potentially win the championship.

So with that said, what needs to change to add legitimacy to this points format? I actually wouldn’t mind a playoff under certain circumstances. The field should be seeded how it originally was for the 2004 chase with the field set by points and then you add in the teams bonus points once the field has been set. Each round should also have clinching scenarios based on points and no automatic berth into the next round. Also instead of having a 1 race winner take all and a 3 race opening round, I would flip those around and have a 1 race wildcard round and then round of 3 for the next three rounds, that way the championship isn’t just a one race winner take all but a 3 race round. If NASCAR wants to keep the playoffs I believe this is the best way it can be done. If that’s not the way then I believe NASCAR should go back to the 10 race chase and set the field based off of points, and just have a ten race round. I think these two options are the best for everyone.