Time for the next domino to fall. A few weeks ago, a conversation between two guests on ‘Door, Bumper, Clear’ led to a rumor spill. Jordan Bianchi told Austin Cindric about what he thinks of a 3-3-4 NASCAR playoff format. That hint was all that the community needed to launch a storm of debates. From two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch to the diehard fans, everyone had a say in the topic. Now, another update is in place to spark another buzz.

NASCAR is currently in the process of revamping its playoff format. Although the changes may come as late as 2026 or even 2027, the anticipation is gripping people. That is because most want to do away with the current elimination format. But is the replacement going to be better?

NASCAR playoff blues may remain

Before 2004, NASCAR followed a 36-race season-long points format, which many fans are clamoring for. But the sport has already witnessed the problems of this system, with many champions clinching titles with several races left on the schedule. The current system, on the other hand, features a four-round elimination format which climaxes with the Championship 4 race. In pursuit of Game 7 moments, NASCAR created doubts about the champion’s legitimacy – Joey Logano had the worst average finish as a title winner in 2024, with 17.1. Hence, the playoff committee is seeking a middle ground in the new format. While the three rounds are already clear, Freddie Kraft divulged what the drivers’ situation would look like.

In a recent episode of ‘Door, Bumper, Clear’, the No. 23 Toyota spotter let slip the latest rumor. Freddie Kraft said, “I think it’s gonna be, the rumors I’ve heard, 6 drivers probably. Now you’re also guaranteeing the top 3 in points through that second round are gonna make it.” He continued saying that this is a perfect compromise. “You have your Game 7 moments when we get to Phoenix, it’s four guys head-to-head. As somebody that grew up in the sport, my dad raced forever, you know. I, personally, would want a full-season format. But I know that there’s gotta be a balance somewhere. And I think this is a good compromise where you don’t have a one-race playoff, you have a four-race playoff.”

What is more, those final six drivers will get an eclectic mixture of racetracks. The final round of the 2026 championship would consist of Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The two short tracks in this list are expected to thrill fans. The recently concluded Bristol night race featured thrilling tire wear, resulting in frequent lead changes and passing. It elicited 80.6 positive votes on Jeff Gluck’s Good Race Poll.

Jeff Burton, NBC Sports TV announcer, sees a bright future for fans and TV. He said on DBC, “I would say that what television wants is they want…honestly, from day one, when I started working in the industry, they want grandstands full, they want a great at-track experience for the fans. They want a TV broadcast and races that are fun to watch…Saturday night was a great example. “

However, the responses from fans at present look bleak at best.

No improvement on the horizon?

Well, the whole point of clamoring for a format change was merit. In 2024, Joey Logano won the championship despite almost getting ejected from the Round of 8. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson could not crack the Championship 4 round despite winning 6 races. Now, NASCAR is proposing a 6-driver face-off in the final round, which fans think is still a large margin for determining the best-deserving champion. Somebody wrote, “Maybe I am delusional. But this has to be in tandem with a 3 round final. A 6 driver single race championship would be so idiotic not even NASCAR would go there. The 6th best driver during the playoffs isn’t even that exceptional.” Another fan clutched their head in despair. Even after months of protests, NASCAR is offering breadcrumbs. The comment read, “We hear you”…does thing nobody was asking for.”

Other people guessed a few ancillary steps following the latest rumor. One fan undertook a mathematical calculation of the number of drivers featured in the previous rounds, which would ultimately whittle down to 6. They wrote, “My guess is 4-3-3 with 16-10-6 drivers per round.” Then again, this proposition hardly seems ideal for people who hoped for a full-season points format. Somebody wrote a sarcastic comment, calling for one of those 6 drivers to be arbitrarily decided. “I hope one spot is a fan vote just to ensure a proper amount of chucklef—ery.”

In the past, NASCAR’s big changes did not amount to much fanfare. For instance, the introduction of the Next-Gen car in 2022 resulted in passing problems, undue wrecks, and overall a dull product on tracks. Hence, somebody called out the sport for bringing yet another inconsequential tweak. “If this is the big change they’re teasing, with no change to the structure of the playoffs, it will be the most NASCAR thing of all time.”

Evidently, NASCAR fans just got a blow to their expectations for the big playoff tweak. Let’s wait for further updates and see whether they will be satisfying or not.