NASCAR chief explains delay in announcing new – Sports News
NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde has confirmed that any modifications to its playoff format won’t be introduced till after the 2025 season concludes in Phoenix, Arizona, later this yr.
The stock car racing sequence’ playoff system has routinely been criticized by followers, in addition to drivers from the previous and current, significantly Hall of Famer Mark Martin and present Cup Series famous person Denny Hamlin.
NASCAR has already concluded its conferences to debate the championship format, however any modifications will not be introduced till after the present season. The playoffs are heading into Race 2 of the Round of 12 this weekend on the Hollywood Casino 400 in Kansas after Ryan Blaney received in New Hampshire to e book his place in the Round of 8.
“The next step is NASCAR is going to get its leadership in position and really have a discussion and lock ourselves in a room and figure it out from there,” NASCAR managing director of communications Forde mentioned on the most recent episode of the ‘Hauler Talk’ podcast. “Take all the feedback from the committee and come up with the best decision for the entire sport and our fans moving forward.”
“We don’t want to announce a format prior to Phoenix and then have everyone either devalue this year’s championship or sort of make another set of points of who would be the champion if a new format was in place,” Forde continued. “So I think that would be after this year.”
Since NASCAR discontinued its season-long championship in 2004, there have been 5 completely different playoff codecs. The present format sees 16 drivers qualify for the playoffs, with 4 drivers eradicated in every spherical till 4 stay for the Championship finale.
However, Forde has steered that the one-race championship could possibly be axed. “I would be very surprised if the one-race championship is still around,” Forde mentioned.
“That was a big talking point of we need a bigger sample size if we’re going to keep the playoffs, and the championship needs to be more than one race.”
Hamlin, a longtime critic of the present playoff format, believes NASCAR is heading in the appropriate direction, regardless of official modifications but to be introduced.
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The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is essentially the most profitable NASCAR Cup star to not win a championship, having racked up 59 wins.
“I just want the guys that show excellence every week to be rewarded for that, and not have to fight every three weeks with a reset to take away their advantage that they have built,” Hamlin mentioned.
“And so surely there’s a format out there that can give a little bit to everyone, and I think it’s possible.”
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