NASCAR is set to review its current playoff format after receiving significant criticism from fans, especially following Joey Logano’s championship win with the lowest average finish for a series champion in history. While NASCAR executives defended the playoff structure during the recent season-end press conference, they acknowledged the need for evaluation. Changes could be implemented as early as 2025, though any substantial adjustments would likely wait until 2026 due to the impact on teams, sponsors, broadcasters, and tracks.
Discussions among NASCAR officials and team executives indicate potential changes, including whether a win should automatically secure a playoff spot, if the regular-season champion should advance to later rounds, expanding the final four-driver format, or holding the final round over multiple races. Despite these format concerns, NASCAR saw a 6% increase in playoff viewership in 2024, averaging 2.33 million viewers per event.
