The ongoing debate about the NASCAR playoff system has intensified in 2025, with many within the sport urging a fundamental change or complete overhaul. Ryan Blaney, the 2023 Cup Series champion, has stepped forward with his perspective, proposing changes to the Ryan Blaney NASCAR playoff format to improve fairness and credibility in how champions are determined.
Blaney Advocates for Extended Playoff Races to Decide Champion
Sharing his views on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Ryan Blaney emphasized the need for amendments to the current playoff format, highlighting the importance of a larger sample of races to determine the season’s best driver. He put forward a proposal featuring a 10-race playoff in which all 16 championship-eligible drivers would compete, with the champion determined by consistent performance rather than a single event.
“I do think, personally, I would like to see some kind of, if you do a playoff chase format, I would like to see more races to the end with the final guys… If you do that, and it’s your 16 guys, and it goes 10 weeks straight, and you have, you know, if you win a lot in the regular season, you have a bunch of bonus points to start it, and then it’s a 10-week sprint where you have to have some consistency.”
—Ryan Blaney, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Interview
Under Blaney’s initial scenario, playoff contenders who perform well in the regular season would start the postseason with bonus points. This setup is intended to reward consistent excellence across the calendar and ensure a competitive fight throughout the 10-week championship stretch.
Blaney’s suggestion breaks from the current elimination style, instead emphasizing the importance of ongoing performance over several races, much like traditional championships.
Alternative Format Emphasizes Stages and Points Carryover
In addition to his first idea, Ryan Blaney presented a second structure that divides the 10-race playoff into two stages. The opening five-race segment would see all 16 eligible racers compete, with the lowest eight being eliminated at the halfway point. In the final five races, the remaining eight drivers would go head-to-head for the championship, carrying forward both their regular season and playoff points. Blaney believes this approach would maintain fairness and recognize season-long success.
“I’ve also thought about if you have 10 races to the end, you have five, then you cut off the bottom eight, and then you have five to the end, and those eight guys will race, and you just kind of carry over your points from the regular season and the first part of the playoffs…I mean, there’s a lot of different scenarios out there, but I would be game for a change, you know, some kind of a change.”
—Ryan Blaney
This model would create two distinct championship battles—one for survival and another for the final title push—while preserving continuity and engagement in both segments through the accumulation and transfer of points.
Support for a Full-Season Points Championship Returns
Ryan Blaney, who drives for Team Penske, also weighed in on the idea of abandoning the playoff system in favor of a return to the original full-season points championship. He is supportive of such a move if NASCAR opts to dismantle the current structure, emphasizing the value of using more races to decide the coveted Bill France Cup.
“But I think my biggest things are get out of the win and you’re in if you do a playoff format. And then again, if you do a playoff format, have more races to the end to determine your champion, or if they want to go 36 races that’s fine with me too. So, I’m all for whatever. But I guess those would be my couple things that I would like to see changed if they do switch around a little bit.”
—Ryan Blaney
Many within the industry, including drivers and team officials, have voiced similar opinions, favoring the consistency and tradition of a full-season format used by major racing championships. A growing number are now calling for a return to the system that awards the championship to the driver earning the most points over a full 36-race campaign.
NASCAR Looks to the Future Amid Changing Opinions
NASCAR has acknowledged the calls for reform and is currently holding meetings with drivers, officials, broadcasters, and other stakeholders to consider potential revisions to the playoff structure, with planned changes possibly taking effect as soon as 2026. According to initial reports, there has been a noticeable shift within the industry, as groups previously supportive of the playoffs are now more open to reverting to the season-long format shared by many other premier motorsports organizations.
The meetings primarily serve as a venue to gauge the opinions of racers, media figures, and fans. However, any definitive changes to the playoff format will require consensus among NASCAR’s top leadership and television partners before implementation.
Should the push toward a traditional points championship lose traction, the ideas advanced by Ryan Blaney—such as a longer playoff period or a modified elimination structure—may offer a model that preserves the drama of playoffs while reinforcing the importance of consistency and season-long effort.
The Potential Impact of Reforming NASCAR’s Championship System
The suggestions put forth by Ryan Blaney have added momentum to ongoing discussions about revamping the NASCAR playoff format. As debates continue regarding the best method to determine a true champion, any future changes could reshape not only the competitive landscape for drivers but also the experience for the sport’s broad fanbase and NASCAR stakeholders. Industry players, including Team Penske and senior NASCAR officials, are expected to have an influential role as talks move forward into 2026 and beyond.
With influential drivers like Blaney expressing willingness to adapt and championing solutions that balance excitement with fairness, NASCAR faces a pivotal moment as it weighs the merits of both tradition and innovation in its pursuit of an ideal championship format.
