As the NASCAR championship races near, Kevin Harvick is voicing strong criticism of the playoff system, warning that if dominant drivers Corey Heim or Connor Zilisch do not secure their respective Truck and Xfinity Series titles in Phoenix, it would trigger major controversy. Harvick’s pointed remarks spotlight his ongoing argument that the current playoff structure can erase a season’s hard work in a single, unlucky moment—a message that has reignited debate just before the season’s end.
Harvick Slams Playoff System Ahead of Phoenix
Kevin Harvick, a FOX Sports analyst and Hall of Fame driver, has long been an outspoken opponent of NASCAR’s playoff format, especially since retiring. This week, he turned his attention to the extraordinary seasons put together by Corey Heim and Connor Zilisch. With 11 wins for Heim and 10 for Zilisch, the two have racked up a remarkable 21 victories combined between the Truck and Xfinity Series, raising expectations that both should claim their championships.
Harvick’s concern is about what happens if either of them falls short at Phoenix Raceway. In his view, that outcome would serve as a glaring example of everything wrong with the playoff system, where consistency across a long season can be wiped away by a single bad event. He argued that such volatility mocks what a real championship should mean for competitors.
“Here’s what I think is interesting,”
Harvick said on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.
“When you look at Corey Heim’s stats compared to everybody else — if he doesn’t win this championship, it’s going to be a nuclear meltdown, if they don’t change the points to the correct way at the end of the year. It shouldn’t even be a question of who the champion is in the Truck Series. It shouldn’t be a question of who the champion is in the Xfinity Series.”
– Kevin Harvick, FOX Sports Analyst
Calls for Overhaul Grow Louder
The crux of Harvick’s Kevin Harvick NASCAR playoff criticism is not new, but it now carries new urgency due to Heim and Zilisch’s dominance. He argues that the emphasis on a playoff format heightens randomness, risking that months of excellence no longer translate to fair championship outcomes. Even a minor fluke or mishap during playoffs can overturn an entire season’s worth of results, a prospect Harvick deems unacceptable for truly crowning the best teams and drivers.
“If Connor Zilisch and Corey Heim don’t win these championships, it’s exactly why we don’t need the system we have. It’s embarrassing.”
– Kevin Harvick, FOX Sports Analyst
What Harvick Wants Changed
Harvick doesn’t just criticize—he suggests a path NASCAR could follow. His vision? Change the format so every point earned throughout the season and playoffs truly matters, reducing the chance that one mistake at the wrong time ruins a frontrunner’s year. He believes this would restore credibility and ensure that the best performers are rewarded with titles.
“The right change is to make as many points matter as possible for as long as possible,”
Harvick added.
“My opinion doesn’t really matter to the committee. It’s not going to be made by the masses, as far as how the point system is. It’s just going to be laid out. I think that my biggest thing is if we’re going to have a playoff, you better make the points matter as much as possible or these people are going to eat you up.”
– Kevin Harvick, FOX Sports Analyst
Trust in the Championship Is on the Line
This year, both Heim and Zilisch have tallied massive point leads entering the Phoenix finale. Harvick doesn’t just see this as evidence of individual talent, but as a canary in the coal mine for the league’s system. If the drivers leading by such wide margins cannot win under the current rules, he says it would be a black mark for NASCAR’s championship integrity.
“Having the biggest sample size that you can in those playoffs for the points, you better have that,”
Harvick warned.
“Because if those two guys don’t win the championship, it’s an embarrassment.”
– Kevin Harvick, FOX Sports Analyst
“Corey Heim has a hundred more points than the next guy. … I can tell you, if Tyler Ankrum wins the championship and Corey Heim doesn’t, it’s embarrassing to the Truck Series.”
– Kevin Harvick, FOX Sports Analyst
Phoenix Finale: A Defining Test for NASCAR
Harvick sees the events at Phoenix as more than just the conclusion to a racing season—they’re a referendum on NASCAR’s entire playoff concept. If the most successful drivers lose their championships due to an outlier result, the fallout could be a dramatic controversy that forces NASCAR officials and fans to demand changes to preserve the sport’s credibility. For Harvick and many observers, a ‘nuclear meltdown’ may be the spark needed for NASCAR to revisit and reform its playoff structure and championship standards.
