“Yeah, I think that they’re looking to strike a balance between entertainment and sport,” Denny Hamlin said about NASCAR’s upcoming tweak on playoff format. The current playoff system, introduced in 2014 and refined over time, allows 16 drivers to compete for the championship across 10 races. A single win in the regular season can secure a playoff berth, and even a string of poor performances doesn’t spell doom. This is a far cry from the Winston Cup era, where every race was a make-or-break moment.

“And obviously, I think that the pendulum kind of swung on the side of entertainment probably a little bit too far over the years with kind of how the playoff format plays out and they’re just going to try to I think get it back to rewarding guys that perform well all season long,” Hamlin continued. NASCAR’s playoff committee is wrestling with how to balance entertainment with the sport’s competitive integrity.

Fans, drivers, and even legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr. are fed up with a system that feels more like a safety net than a high-stakes battle. Earnhardt, a fan favorite and NASCAR royalty, has been relentless in his critique. He’s not just pointing out problems—he’s begging for a return to the days when every lap felt like a fight for survival.

He ranted on the Dale Jr Download, “Make the regular season feel like a playoffs. The problem with what we have right now, when the season begins, there’s not a lot of urgency. In the old system, a bad race was damning on your championship hopes. Week two, week four, a bad run, a broken engine, whatever, you fing felt that s—. We don’t feel that anymore. We have bad races, guys get out, they don’t give a f—. They’re gonna come back next week with a chance to make the playoffs. And so, we don’t have those heart f—— breakers. And the highs aren’t as high anymore,” Earnhardt said.

When pressed on whether he wants a driver’s season to end early, he doubled down: “I’m f—— sorry, this is big boy s—, yes. I’m sorry, man. Like, this is, at the top level of this game, you can’t be coddled and handheld and ushered through the season to your little playoff seat.” Junior does make some sense. Back in the Petty era, the championship win was on the back of pure dominance throughout the season. And if we go back to last season’s winner, Joey Logano, fans were happy because it was a driver who had an average finish of lower than 17, not the dominance they wanted to see.

Junior’s not just venting, he’s speaking for a fanbase that misses the raw emotion of the sport’s golden era. Even drivers like Kyle Larson, a playoff success story, have concerns. Larson said that the format can reward luck over skill, citing races where a late crash or strategic gamble overshadows consistent performance. “It’s just the format’s really, really difficult. And when it comes down to just one race at the end, there’s an opportunity that can happen. So, I mean, I think we could win 20 races in a year and still not win the championship.”

The sanctioning body held meetings to discuss potential changes for the 2026 playoffs, including tweaking the format or even moving the championship race from Phoenix Raceway. “We may end up exactly where we are, but I don’t think so,” NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said, “I think there’ll be some tweaks that we look at that we can improve upon. There’s a lot of different variables to look at to make sure we’re crowning the drivers who win and are up on the wheel, and we can tell a story that they’re deserving of being a NASCAR champion.” But still the whole NASCAR community feels in the dark regarding the timeline fo these changes.

“Instead of this eight, four rounds and eliminate a few guys and all that, make the regular season feel like the playoffs. The problem with what we have right now is that when the season begins, there’s not a lot of urgency. In the old system, a bad race was damning on your championship hopes. So, Week 2, Week 4, a bad run, a broken engine or whatever, you felt that…” Junior said.

NASCAR’s at a crossroads. The playoff format was meant to keep fans on the edge of their seats, but it’s left many feeling disconnected from the sport’s heart. Will NASCAR listen to its most passionate voice and restore the heartbreak, the triumphs, and the urgency that defined its glory days? The fans, the drivers, and the sport itself are waiting for an answer.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Emotional Call for a Legends-Filled NASCAR All-Star Race

Junior’s latest idea for the NASCAR All-Star Race. He’s imagining a racetrack roaring with the engines of legends like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, or even the late, great Dale Earnhardt Sr. It’s his version of a love letter to every NASCAR fan who’s ever cheered for their heroes.

On an earlier episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast, Junior laid out his dream with a voice full of passion. “And fans will say, you know, man, in that All-Star Race, I wish Harvick and all these other drivers could come back and run it. The way for that to happen that would be more financially reasonable is to run a cheaper car. So, there’s all kinds of different options for that, but I think the Late Model Stock is not a terrible idea,” he said. He’s not asking for a full season or a gimmick—just one unforgettable night where legends remind us why we fell in love with NASCAR.

It’s a non-points event, perfect for bold ideas like this. Junior knows this isn’t about replacing today’s stars. It’s about honoring the drivers who paved the way. He even mentioned his hesitation to race, saying he’d only jump in if it felt right, but you can tell he’s itching to see his heroes battle it out.

NASCAR hasn’t committed yet, but the buzz is undeniable. North Wilkesboro, a historic track, would be the perfect stage for a legends reunion. Junior’s not just suggesting a race; he’s offering a chance to relive the moments that defined Sundays. Wouldn’t you give anything to see those legends race one more time?