Kyle Busch weighed in on potential changes to the NASCAR championship format during a critical moment of discussion among insiders, as the organization prepares to rotate the season finale to Homestead-Miami Speedway next year. This shift marks the first time the championship event will rotate among several climate-friendly tracks in November, with insiders forming a dedicated committee to reexamine the 11-year-old playoff system, especially after Joey Logano’s surprising championship run despite subpar season statistics.
On Monday, Kyle Busch joined Denny Hamlin in a wide-ranging conversation on the Actions Detrimental podcast, considering alternatives to the current format, where the Final Four drivers compete in a one-race, winner-takes-all showdown. One idea presented was replacing this with a three-race points system, where the driver with the most points across those races claims the title. The proposal sparked debate, revealing the complexities and tensions at the heart of NASCAR’s playoff structure.
Kyle Busch, who has experienced both the 10-race Chase for the Championship and the newer, condensed formats, conveyed mixed feelings about expanding the championship round.
“I’ve heard a lot of variances. I kind of think the three or four-race one is pretty cool, but if you have one bad race in those three or four races, then you automatically sort of eliminate yourself unless somebody eliminates (themselves) by having a bad race,”
Busch explained, highlighting how extended formats can be both thrilling and punishing for competitors.
The 10-race Chase system, which saw Jimmie Johnson capture six championships with remarkable consistency, left a mark on both fans and participants. Kyle Busch recalled,
“I always kind of hated the 10-race thing. How many times did you or I have a bad race or two in that 10-race format and then you’re fifth in points? You don’t have the opportunity to win it because Jimmie [Johnson] perfects it and he’s good all the way through.”
Busch’s words reflect both respect for Johnson’s dominance and frustration with how a handful of poor finishes can ruin a season.
In his analysis, Kyle Busch expressed a certain respect for the current system, which incorporates three-race rounds, giving drivers a chance to advance by being consistent or seizing victories.
“When they started having the three-race ones, where it was like you can point your way through if you want. If you’re good enough and you can win and automatically put your way through and it resets each time and it resets with the points that you have the whole year, because you’ve been strong the whole year, I felt like that was the most fair system that we’ve had. But it coming down to a one-race take-all moment, I don’t know,”
he said, exposing his uncertainty about the winner-take-all approach and suggesting that season-long performance should matter more in the final outcome.
Denny Hamlin, offering a different perspective, indicated that he largely supports the existing elimination format but wants to see greater rewards for regular-season success.
“I’m okay with the elimination every three races as long as those who perform well during the regular season have a far enough jump in head start,”
Hamlin noted, proposing the idea of doubling playoff points for wins and top regular-season finishes. Instead of five playoff points for a win, drivers would receive ten, and the regular season champion’s bonus would rise from fifteen to thirty. Hamlin argued,
“It then really does make it rewarding to go out there and perform and get bonus points during the regular season, and it makes it harder for our favorites to get eliminated early.”
Hamlin also suggested shrinking the playoff field from sixteen drivers to twelve, pointing to the example of Harrison Burton, who, despite ranking thirty-third in points, made the playoffs by winning Daytona. Hamlin explained,
“I think that will eliminate the guy in 33rd that’s going to win a race, making it into the playoffs. I also believe that once you get eliminated, you should go back to whatever points position you were or where you should be.”
Under his proposal, Burton would have quickly returned to his position outside the top thirty following elimination, rather than being locked into a sixteenth-place finish.
The debate around the NASCAR championship format, shaped by Kyle Busch’s candid insights and the broader dialogue among seasoned drivers and insiders, raises urgent questions about fairness, competition, and how best to honor season-long excellence. As NASCAR faces mounting calls for reform, the upcoming season finale in Homestead-Miami could mark the beginning of a new era, potentially reshaping how champions are crowned. With these proposals on the table and voices like Kyle Busch expressing both hope and concern, the next steps remain uncertain, ensuring intense scrutiny and spirited debate among drivers, fans, and officials alike.
