“I do not want to lose the win and you’re in aspect of this sport,” said Jordan Bianchi, sharing his thoughts on ‘The Teardown’ podcast. The Athletic’s journalist has been a fierce advocate of drivers being rewarded for winning races with a playoff berth, an opinion that has been dividing the NASCAR community for a while now. After all, did Harrison Burton truly deserve to fight for the championship last year, despite not finishing inside the top-5 all season, except for the one-off win at Daytona? Many don’t think so.

And Denny Hamlin is one of them. The outspoken veteran has expressed a difference of opinion regarding the ‘win-and-in’ playoff format, which has come under plenty of scrutiny in recent months. But the public outcry might not be enough for NASCAR to make the change.

Denny Hamlin gets backing from NASCAR legend

The ‘win-and-in’ playoff format rubs plenty of fans and drivers the wrong way, and for good reason. However, Jordan Bianchi has a different view altogether, saying, “I think it’s good, I think it heightens the stakes, I think it makes things more exciting, it adds another story, and today is a perfect example. Not only with Ryan Preece, but also Brad Keselowski. Brad Keselowski today, if he would have won, or if you can win one of the next three races, saving his season, that’s a big story, and the sport is better for that, and you will not convince me otherwise.”

However, Denny Hamlin was having none of it. When The Teardown podcast’s co-host Jeff Gluck reposted the video and asked if Bianchi was right and had a point, the veteran racer replied, “No, he does not. He’s picking entertainment from a casuals perspective over the sport’s integrity and our core fan base. Numbers don’t lie.” NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin echoed that sentiment and chimed in by saying, “Spitting truth here.”

It’s not hard to see where Denny Hamlin is coming from, especially from the ‘integrity’ standpoint. Last year, Kyle Larson won six races in the Cup Series, the most at NASCAR’s highest level. Yet, he didn’t qualify for the Championship 4 race, while Ryan Blaney was fighting for the silverware at Phoenix Raceway, despite having half as many wins. In an ideal scenario, drivers should be rewarded for their consistency, but the ‘single-win qualification’ format prioritizes one-off performances.

Sure, broadcasters love it. It creates a sense of uncertainty in the sport and adds to the drama. But Mark Martin claims the majority of fans want NASCAR to revert to its full-season championship format. The 66-year-old said, “I’m not saying it would be more exciting or not even saying it would be as exciting. I’m just saying that the fans want it, over 50% want 36 races, and then the next 30% want a 10-race chase.” Those are some eye-opening figures, and with NASCAR looking to expand the sport while retaining its existing fanbase, could the backlash push the sanctioning body to make the change for 2026? Time will tell.

Hamlin reveals the views of NASCAR’s Playoff Committee

With just three races remaining before the playoffs begin, the debate surrounding traditional competitive values versus promoting heightened excitement carries on. While NASCAR’s core audience wants the sport to revert to the 36-race format or even the ‘Chase’ system, broadcasters and casual motorsports enthusiasts are not in alignment. Ultimately, the decision may come down to NASCAR’s Playoff Committee, and Denny Hamlin already knows what the answer would be.

Sharing his thoughts on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin revealed that most in the committee are pushing for a new format. The veteran racer said, “I will say that most of the room, if not all of the room’s general opinion is that the one race thing needs to go. No one ever tries to throw mud on anyone that has won a championship under this format, but there is a large concern of the legitimacy of it, which is very valid.”

With NASCAR making plenty of changes to the 2026 calendar, could a tweak in the playoff format also be on the cards? It’s well within the realm of possibility, especially considering the number of high-profile active and former drivers who are speaking against the existing system. However, a complete overhaul of the playoff structure might be a few more years down the line, one that can either return the sport to its roots or deviate further away and alienate its long-term fanbase.