Debate is intensifying around the current Joe Gibbs championship format in NASCAR, with both fans and team members expressing dissatisfaction after controversial outcomes in recent seasons. This ongoing push for reform follows Joey Logano’s 2024 title win, which came despite a regular season marked by only average results and the lowest-ever points average for a champion in series history.
The widespread frustration among fans was further fueled when no significant updates were implemented for 2025, sparking hope that 2026 will finally bring change. Notably, a top Joe Gibbs Racing driver is at the forefront of efforts to restore what many consider a more credible era for the championship rules.
Joe Gibbs Racing Driver Advocates for an Overhauled System
Amid industry debates, concerns have been raised that the current playoff system fails to reward season-long consistency. In its present form, a competitor can deliver steady performances throughout the year but miss the final race and forgo the title, making a single event the defining moment of the entire season—a situation that many believe needs fixing.
After the contentious 2024 campaign, NASCAR assembled a playoff committee including key stakeholders. Christopher Bell, representing the drivers, has been actively participating in these discussions. The group is inching closer to a new solution, aiming to reshape how the next champion will be determined.
Mike Forde, NASCAR’s managing director of communications, recently commented on the ongoing deliberations during an appearance on Hauler Talk.
“I don’t know yet what the format will be, but I think we’re narrowing it down. There has been a 36-race championship and eliminating the playoffs altogether. It started with really one voice for that, and several people spoke up saying, ‘I’ve been thinking about it a lot more and I think 36 races would be interesting.’”
— Mike Forde, NASCAR managing director of communications
Two main scenarios are under review: One would expand the ending to a trio of final races, looking for the driver with the highest point total over that set. The other, gaining significant support, would eliminate the playoffs entirely and return the championship to a cumulative 36-race points system, reminiscent of the years before the playoff concept arrived. Christopher Bell has made it clear he favors this comprehensive, season-long measure.
During a recent interview ahead of the Kansas event, Bell stated,
“I think there’s only one true, legitimate champion crowning format and that’s to count every race. I think that is how you get a legitimate champion. I’m hopeful that there is compromise on what we have now. You know, I’ve been very vocal about taking as many we can get. I think that 36 races are full points for the entire year and that is the best way to go.”
— Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Arguments for Returning to a Full-Season Format
Bell’s preference for evaluating the champion based on every event is understandable, especially considering that the 2024 season’s stats would have given him his first championship under such a system. Last year, Bell recorded three victories, made the top five in fifteen races, secured twenty-three top-ten finishes, and posted the best average result at 12.8.
Nevertheless, Bell remains realistic, indicating he would accept a multiple-race finale if the total points format doesn’t shift.
“I don’t think we are going to get there, so I’ll take whatever they give us. Anything more than one is better,”
he commented, signaling willingness to compromise. — Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
The Push for Change Gains Support Across the Sport
This intensifying momentum for reform reflects wider questions about the integrity and fairness of NASCAR’s system.
“I think there’s only one true, legitimate champion crowning format and that’s to count every race.”
— Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Bell is not alone in this belief, as it resonates with many inside and outside the organization, including other contenders and teams like Joe Gibbs Racing, who have collectively tallied eleven wins so far this year. However, as the playoffs persist under the current guidelines for 2025, qualifying drivers face ongoing hurdles and unexpected drama.
Illustrating the unpredictable playoff environment, Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing clashed with teammate Denny Hamlin during the New Hampshire event. After an aggressive move by Hamlin forced Gibbs into the wall, Gibbs responded with a determined message over the radio: “Game On.” This rivalry has added extra pressure, especially since further conflicts could severely damage the team’s overall championship prospects—particularly with the Kansas race approaching.
What’s Ahead for NASCAR’s Championship Structure?
The hope is that from the ongoing committee discussions, clarity and a decision will emerge during the upcoming offseason, allowing for a revamped approach by 2026. Several possibilities remain, but drivers like Christopher Bell and others at Joe Gibbs Racing continue their advocacy for a system that rewards consistent performance over an entire season, rather than hinging on a single decisive race. This outcome could restore historic values in the championship and reduce the current turbulence felt by teams and fans alike.
"I think there's only one true, legitimate champion crowning format and that's to count every race."@CBellRacing wants to see the championship determined by more than a single race. #NASCAR
Presenting partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/8zbUlGKmno
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) September 27, 2025
"I think there's only one true, legitimate champion crowning format and that's to count every race."@CBellRacing wants to see the championship determined by more than a single race. #NASCAR
Presenting partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/8zbUlGKmno
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) September 27, 2025
