The 2024 NASCAR season has barely hit the gas, and we’re already watching the officials drive straight into a wall, figuratively speaking, of course. Daytona was a disaster; the Xfinity race followed suit, and somewhere in the chaos, the rulebook seems to have turned into a “choose your own adventure” novel. One moment, race control is letting drivers floor it through wreckage; the next, they’re apologizing like a kid caught stealing cookies.

Fans are fuming, drivers are confused, and now everyone with a microphone or Twitter account is coming up with their own “fix” for NASCAR’s issues. Enter Mamba Smith, who decided to throw an old, discarded idea back into the mix under the three-attempt rule. His pitch? Give drivers multiple chances at a green-white-checkered finish, ensuring a race ends under green. Sounds reasonable, right?

Not to Kevin Harvick. In fact, the mere suggestion seemed to trigger some racing PTSD. His response? A blunt, emotionless “No.” What followed was a masterclass in shutting down a bad idea before it even left the pit box.

Kevin Harvick’s Instant Rejection: No Room for Old Mistakes

NASCAR fans love nostalgic classic liveries, legendary rivalries, and a good old-fashioned “back in my day” debate. But some things are best left in the past, and according to Harvick, the three-attempts rule is one of them. “We had unlimited attempts, wrecked eight times,” Harvick said, shaking his head like a parent watching their kid try to stick a fork into an electrical outlet. “Then we went to three attempts, and what did we do? Wreck three times.”

In theory, three attempts should lead to a better finish. In reality, it just meant three extra chances for drivers to turn their cars into scrap metal. The worst part? This rule caused some of the most expensive demolition derbies in NASCAR history. “Especially at the speedway races, at some point, we have to draw the line. Otherwise, we wreck every car in the field,” Harvick explained, probably picturing his old crew chief hyperventilating over the repair bills.

And he had a fair point. Teams aren’t exactly swimming in spare parts these days, and adding more late-race chaos isn’t going to make sponsors any happier. But beyond the financial hit, Harvick highlighted something far more critical safety. “If we just keep trying to race to the checkered flag with unlimited chances, guys are gonna floor it, drive through everybody, and someone’s gonna get hurt,” he warned.

Smith, probably realizing that he had just been dunked on in record time, could only respond with: “I hope they get the point.” The fans? Well, let’s just say the comment section was split between “Harvick is right” and “Let ‘em wreck!” which, honestly, sums up the entire NASCAR fandom.

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The Playoff Debate: Stick With It or Shake It Up?

Now, while Kevin Harvick was busy burying one bad idea, another debate was gaining traction the never-ending discussion about NASCAR’s playoff format. For years, the elimination-style playoffs and “win-and-you’re-in” system have been like pineapple on pizza some love it, some think it’s a crime against humanity. But after last season’s Championship 4 race, where many felt the best drivers weren’t even competing for the title, the cries for change have only gotten louder.

Harvick, a former critic of the playoffs, once believed in a pure points-based system. “I’m a traditional racer that wants the best 16 guys to race for the championship,” he admitted. But after trading his driver’s suit for a broadcaster’s mic, he had a revelation.

“You can’t just unlearn what you know. This format is exciting,” he said, likely dodging a few virtual tomatoes from old-school fans. And while NASCAR struggles to balance tradition with entertainment, one thing remains clear star power still rules the sport. Just look at Chase Elliott’s massive star power forcing insiders to re-evaluate Georgia’s unusual trophy cabinet.

But here’s where things get even funnier some of the same fans who once demanded a playoff system are now begging NASCAR to bring back the old points-based championship.“It’s like going from a mile-and-a-half track to a short track. The fans were up in arms when we moved away from the old format, now they all wanna go back,” Harvick chuckled. The irony was strong with this one.

Former crew chief and analyst Steve Letarte added his own twist to the conversation. Instead of scrapping the playoffs altogether, he suggested tweaking them, prioritizing wins in the regular season but making the final round a three-race battle instead of a one-shot deal. Would it work? Maybe. But given NASCAR’s track record (pun intended), change won’t come easy.

So here we are knee-deep in debates, rule changes that may or may not happen, and drivers like Harvick shutting down bad ideas before they gain traction. The only thing we do know? If NASCAR keeps driving in circles with these issues, they might need more than just three attempts to figure things out.