Chase Elliott on NASCAR season points system has sparked renewed debate about how stock car racing should decide its champion, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. voicing similar opinions after Elliott’s recent comments in Indianapolis. Both stars suggest the sport should revisit a season-long format, questioning the merits of the current playoff system that’s defined NASCAR Cup Series championships for a decade.
Elliott and Earnhardt Align on Championship Preferences
Chase Elliott, whose upbringing in racing leaned heavily on tradition thanks to his father, openly shared his perspective on how NASCAR should allocate its Cup Series titles. He prefers a return to the simpler, cumulative season-long points format—a view that Dale Earnhardt Jr. echoed, lending the conversation extra weight among drivers and fans alike. Earnhardt Jr. commented in support of Elliott’s stance, signaling that both well-known figures in the sport value consistency and full-season performance over the playoff-driven approach introduced in the 21st century.
“We’ve had a really good and competitive battle to the regular season [championship] over – correct me if I’m wrong – the last two or three years. It’s been really tight all the way down to Daytona. If you just take that as your sample set over the first 26 weeks, it looks pretty solid to me,”
—Chase Elliott, via Jeff Gluck of The Athletic
Elliott expanded on the strengths of the traditional approach, adding:
“The system would be just fine if you just had a full season. And if somebody runs away with it, so what? Let’s celebrate the fact that somebody ran away with it, that somebody was just that good. Motorsports does not have to be like everybody else to be successful. And I’ll stand by that till I get done.”
—Chase Elliott, via Jeff Gluck of The Athletic
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Perspective from Experience
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is uniquely positioned in this debate, having competed under the Winston Cup, original Chase, and current playoff points systems during his lengthy NASCAR Cup Series career. His background grants insight into how each approach shapes drivers’ strategies and season arcs. Earnhardt Jr. confirmed his agreement with Elliott’s call for a season-long system, although he has acknowledged he would not oppose the original Chase format, which was the first major departure from the classic method. This nuance highlights his willingness to consider multiple viewpoints while favoring tradition.
No Immediate End in Sight for Playoff Format
NASCAR leadership appears steadfast in supporting the current playoff structure, despite nostalgic calls from established drivers like Earnhardt and Elliott. The playoff system has become a significant part of modern NASCAR culture, building drama and unpredictability into the championship chase. There is no official indication from NASCAR that changes are imminent, but persistent debate may eventually influence further discussion on how best to determine a champion, as teams and fans weigh the pros and cons of each system.
With visible drivers advocating for change, the question remains whether NASCAR will revisit its roots or maintain its current formula. For now, voices like Chase Elliott’s and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s will continue driving the conversation about what constitutes a fair and exciting championship in American motorsports.
I quit watching the Race after they changed the points system to what it is now !!