Tempers are flaring in the NASCAR community. In 2014, elimination-style playoffs were introduced with a vision to inject more excitement into the sport, as fans were tired of predictable champions. But over the years, that excitement began to fade because the playoffs started to lose its balance between excitement and being too random. And the 2025 season crossed that threshold after late drama at Phoenix Raceway, and now fans can’t wait to see it changed.

Fans demand that NASCAR find that sweet spot between consistency and excitement. Whispers of change hang in the air, yet no straight answers are coming out from the sanctioning body. With ‘how’ and ‘when’ still in uncertainty, fans can only show their frustration from the grandstands and social media.

NASCAR’s vague timeline sparks backlash

Fans are running out of patience. Now they can’t wait to see the current playoff system change because of a messy 2025 finale at Phoenix, where Denny Hamlin led over 200 laps, only to lose on a late tire blowout for William Byron. The incident led to an overtime restart that ultimately handed Kyle Larson the title.

This upset, plus Connor Zilisch not being able to win the Xfinity title despite showing consistency the whole season with ten wins, has added fuel to the fire. There’s plenty of anger at the existing system, which rewards chaos over skill. And because of this randomized setup, fans are giving it a “gimmicky” label. There is an added uncertainty to the ongoing playoff scenario because of the ongoing antitrust lawsuit between NASCAR and 23XI Racing, which might delay NASCAR’s decision-making process.

NASCAR executive Mike Forde laid it straight on the Hauler Talk podcast: “Where it stands right now… I don’t think the playoff committee is going to meet again. I think we have gotten all the feedback that we needed from them. Awesome job, by the way, from the playoff committee. … Now, it’s in NASCAR’s hands. They’re going to take all the feedback… thought on the spectrum, from no playoffs whatsoever to keeping it how it is and really beating that all up.”

On the new episode of “Hauler Talk,” @mforde says there are internal discussions still to be had about the NASCAR championship format and he doesn’t know if it will be announced in two weeks or … (via u/iamaranger23) https://t.co/fa1syB2pAo https://t.co/bgNJN2qr5O #NASCAR

— r/NASCAR on Reddit (@NASCARonReddit) November 11, 2025

The committee, packed with influential figures like Justin Marks, team owners, and Hall of Famers, gave their final take about the current and upcoming playoffs after a year of chats. However, Forde has suggested that now that the ideas have been presented to NASCAR, it’s in the hands of the sanctioning body to either ditch the playoffs entirely or make some tweaks to it. Perhaps that’s why there has been a delay in an impending announcement.

Forde also cleared the air, saying, “There are announcements to come. Honestly, I don’t know where it is. It could be in two weeks; it could be in two months. … We clearly want to make sure that we have been very thorough on this one. Obviously, it will be before Feb. 5 in The Clash, but it could be sooner than later; it could be in January.”

For now, there’s no official news or announcement on the upcoming playoff system, but one thing is guaranteed. Fans will know it all before the Daytona 500 in 2026. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also confirmed 2026 shifts for Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks, but without going into specifics. As things stand, fans are being kept in the shadows, and they’ve been left to vent on social media.

Fan fury erupts on NASCAR

One supporter nailed the bigger picture up top, venting, “Dude, NASCAR just stays fumbling the bag….the trial is looming, news is not positive, people hated the championship race ….would be truly absurd if they waited to announce the format after the new year.” It’s spot-on speculation, as NASCAR is in deep water because of battling an antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, and it’ll be very surprising if they announce it after the new year.

The finale race at Phoenix left many fans venting, and it mirrored 2014’s early chaos when Tony Stewart wrecked the field, proving the format’s knack to add excitement often backfires on consistent runners.

“They are going to end up delaying the decision so long we get another year of the same format, aren’t they?” History backs this worry; NASCAR skipped 2025 tweaks despite January promises, citing the need for review after Joey Logano‘s title win, which many think he won because of the luck factor. Many feel the 10-race Chase from 2004 to 2013 rewarded points more evenly, even though the format crowned Jimmie Johnson seven times.

Tying it to the legal battle, a fan takes a sharp guess. “In other words, announce in January if there’s no trial, or announce during the trial as a distraction.” According to Bob Pockrass’s updates, the lawsuit is moving in the direction of the plaintiffs, and the courtroom may end soon. The scenario is similar to how the TV deals in 2017 put a stop to other reforms in sports. Fans remember how the charter negotiations from 2024 are being dragged into 2025, which is costing teams millions in lost leverage.

Finally, frustration boils over the delay in announcing the playoff format: “NASCAR, dude, this should be the easiest thing on your agenda right now.” With Marks promoting a “measured” solution when talking to SiriusXM, it remains to be seen what direction the sanctioning body pivots towards. Ultimately, the dissatisfaction amongst the NASCAR fans is at an all-time high, and with an impending lawsuit to deal with, the time has never been more appropriate to make changes to a controversial format to turn the fans in their favor.