As the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for a trip out west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday (5:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), the first spot in the Championship Four will be up for grabs.
Denny Hamlin, who is still in search of his elusive Cup Series title, holds a slim eight-point advantage above the cutline as the remaining eight drivers enter the penultimate round of the postseason.
While the points are as tight as ever, history suggests a win on Sunday bodes well for a title-clincher three weeks later in Phoenix.
A win at Las Vegas can set the stage for a title at Phoenix
In the 11 years of the playoff elimination format since its debut in 2014, the winner of the opening race in the Round of 8 has gone on to win the championship five times, including three of the last four, per NASCAR.com.
Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson (2016) was the first to do so when he won at Martinsville on his way to a record-tying seventh title. Joey Logano (2018, 2022, 2024) has won the opening race in the Round of 8 each time he won the championship and Kyle Larson (2021) was victorious at Texas before claiming his first title.
The winner of the Las Vegas race has proceeded to win the championship two of the last three years since it was put in this spot on the playoffs schedule. Logano has won the two while Larson was runner-up in 2023.
Three of the five instances occurred at another track altogether, but the success drivers have had after winning the Round of 8 opener speaks to its importance, especially this season with the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 19) and the drama of the elimination race at Martinsville (Oct. 26) lurking afterward.
Regardless of which track has played host to the Round of 8 opener, it is hard to ignore the benefits that come with winning the race and having two extra weeks to prepare for the championship race. With the competitiveness throughout the field and the difficulty that comes with finding an edge, any advantage a driver and team can get could be the difference between winning or losing the title.
The current playoff format lends itself to the last-lap drama that unfolded at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval last weekend and could be facing some major changes during the offseason in an effort to reward drivers more for their season-long consistency instead of it coming down to one race.
With that said, the 2025 champion will be determined the same way since the current format was implemented in 2014. If history repeats itself, the winner of Sunday’s race could be in the driver’s seat to take the championship at Phoenix.

When Martin Truex Jr. hung up his firesuit in 2024, Joe Gibbs was not worried. The stellar Cup Series team owner roped in a worthy driver to fill in Truex’s No. 19 Toyota seat. And within a year, that decision has churned out phenomenal results. Chase Briscoe has wheeled his car to two victories, 17 top tens, and 13 top fives already – posing a legitimate threat in the championship battle. Yet his dusty roots may be driving this excellence more than the present.
Chase Briscoe, although a highly successful Cup Series driver at present, has his roots in dirt racing. What is more, Joe Gibbs relaxed his team’s rules about racing on dirt during weekdays after Briscoe’s arrival. A racing legend with similar roots recently divulged the right way to learn stock car racing, especially at a time of Next-Gen struggles.
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A ‘dirty’ path to NASCAR
After driving in the NASCAR Cup Series for 29 seasons, Ken Schrader has been a fan-favorite icon. The four-time Cup race winner has left his fans in awe by competing at a senior age – Schrader ran 64 races in 2024, at 69 years old. And behind Schrader’s NASCAR journey lies a rich dirt racing background. Beginning his career on the dirt tracks of Missouri, the legend went on to achieve several crowns, like the 1982 USAC Silver Crown Series championship. Hence, in a recent interview with Frontstretch, Schrader said, “You learn a lot on the dirt.” Yet it is far from easy, as Schrader continued, “a lot of habits you gotta break to start going asphalt racing.”
Yet Chase Briscoe achieved the same trajectory, as he started his racing career on the dirt tracks of Indiana. Like his family, he raced sprint cars on the rough and tumble bullrings of the Midwest. So Ken Schrader continued that he would have initiated his son, Sheldon, on the same path if he had been interested in racing. “I think that if…luckily, my son didn’t like anything about it, and that was great. And if son did, and you’re going on an unlimited budget, then you start him out on the asphalt, get him running on some dirt, get some laps, learn some different things there about car control and that.”
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Having a solid background in dirt helps Chase Briscoe navigate the difficulties of NASCAR’s Next-Gen car. He successfully transitioned from Ford to Toyota, although he keeps facing similar issues. Ken Schrader talked about Briscoe’s views: “I’ve heard Chase Briscoe talking to Christopher Bell about how this stuff drove before when he was at Stewart-Haas…Chase said, ‘Oh no, this is gonna drive just as bad. It’s not gonna drive good, you’re just gonna go fast.’ I’m a pretty big fan of those guys. I know that they got their hands full.”
NASCAR raced at Bristol’s dirt track between 2021 and 2023. The Craftsman Truck Series also tore through the Eldora track from 2013 to 2019 during the Eldora Dirt Derby. In an interview in July, Chase Briscoe had expressed enthusiasm in bringing back that thrill: “I definitely think we need a dirt track just because we run on every discipline. We have superspeedway, short track, intermediate, road course, and you know, growing up, you’re either a road course guy, a short track racer, or a dirt racer.”
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We do not know yet if Ken Schrader and Chase Briscoe’s wishes would be fulfilled. However, we do know that Briscoe got a bitter reality check last Sunday.
A sick day stole his streak
As aforementioned, Chase Briscoe adapted to Joe Gibbs Racing with stellar speed. Wheeling a car from a different OEM towards a potential title is no mean feat. Briscoe has led 808 laps this season, more than his previous four Cup seasons combined. Yet that is not all – After winning the NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener in Darlington, Briscoe embarked on a top ten streak. Through five races, he clinched three top fives and five top tens, displaying an average finish of 5.2. However, this brilliant record screeched to an end in last Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Roval.
Chase Briscoe battled nausea inside the No. 19 Toyota and asked his team for medication at the end of Stage 1. NBC Sports announcer Leigh Diffey said on the broadcast that Briscoe’s team gave him an ice pack to help. Eventually, he could finish in 14th place, breaking his top ten streak. Briscoe could beat both Joey Logano and Ross Chastain for the 7th berth in the Round of 8. He had outlined his goals before the race: “If we can go and outrun them in both stages and the race, then we can move on no matter what…But it all comes back down to the regular season and not performing in the first half of the season to get all the stage points and playoff points to put ourselves in a better position.”
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Evidently, a dirt racing background is helping Chase Briscoe stay true to his ambitions. Let’s wait and see if Ken Schrader can watch his favorite driver grab the title!

“I didn’t mean to turn him around; I meant to rattle his cage, though,” said Dale Earnhardt Sr., addressing his crash with Terry Labonte during the 1999 Cup Series at Bristol. That’s how unfiltered NASCAR was! Back in 2011, in the Truck Series, Kyle Busch intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. at Texas. The result? He was black-flagged and parked, but the fans sure had a field day. These acts that once defined intensity and bravado barely unfold in the present-day NASCAR, and it has caused much worry.
Speaking on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Kenny Wallace called out NASCAR’s preference for controlled races over unpredictable ones: “All our heroes in NASCAR are gone. And we love these racers today, but they’re scared to death. Yeah, I love Jeff Gordon. He’s a good friend of ours. But Jeff is scared to death… I mean, all his drivers are not allowed to speak, and if they do, they’re just toting the company line.”
“Nobody can relate. You know, they miss you. They miss Kevin Harvick jumping across the hood of that car, and you getting ready to beat Greg Biffle’s a*s. That was showmanship, man. They miss that. They can relate to that. NASCAR is so clean right now because these young kids have been taught, you know, and they’ve been taught, don’t say nothing wrong, you’ll be fine.”
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Nowadays, the fans don’t get to see Kevin Harvick’s 2002 WWE-style dust-up. During the Channellock 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick, known for his fiery temperament, found himself on the receiving end of a late-race incident with Biffle, making contact and sending the 2014 champion hard into the wall.
Kevin Harvick decided to take matters into his own hands. After the race ended, he waited for Biffle to finish and park his car. As the 55-year-old made his way down pit road, Harvick launched himself over Biffle’s car in a move reminiscent of a WWE stunt, landing directly in front of his rival.
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The confrontation was intense, with Harvick grabbing Biffle by the collar and delivering a very pointed message. This act of retaliation was not just about getting a score. It was a statement that NASCAR was a sport of passion, while drivers wore their hearts on their sleeves. While that’s that,
Harvick was fined ($15,000) and placed on probation for the remainder of the season, underscoring NASCAR’s commitment to maintaining order while acknowledging the sport’s fiery roots.
When Harvick asked why NASCAR’s once loyal fan base is drifting away, Wallace kept it simple: ” For some reason, the NASCAR fans feel like they were done wrong. Give them a free hat. Yeah. Give them something to engage to love NASCAR. There are some mistakes, and you know, NASCAR has admitted it before. You listen to, you know, Steve O’Donnell on some podcast, and Steve’s like, ‘You know, we’ve done some things wrong. We’re trying to make it right…’ This is cliché, what I’m saying. You don’t really give them a free hat. Yeah. Maybe, but they want to feel loved again. Their heart is broke.”
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More than the reliability factor, it is also the Next-Gen cars and the current playoff formats that are upsetting fans. With Dale Jr. pushing for a return to the Golden Era, it is no secret that the NASCAR Cup Series racing is in a major TV rating slump this postseason. None of the past six playoff races has cracked 2 million viewers, sparking questions about whether NASCAR’s current broadcast strategy and win-and-you’re-in playoff format are losing their punch.
With Harvick getting nostalgic about the good old days and revealing how he escaped a permanent ban, the veterans have shifted focus to the newer fans and the generation at hand. Additionally, the TV numbers recently have not helped NASCAR’s case of losing its fans. With numbers and analysis in place, Kevin Harvick’s Mamba Smith puts things into perspective.
Kevin Harvick and Co. appreciate Xfinity numbers amid the Cup Series’ devastating TV numbers
Ironically, while the Cup Series struggles, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is quietly building momentum. During the same Charlotte weekend, Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal shared the numbers: NASCAR Cup (USA Network) drew 1.45 million viewers, Formula 1 (ESPN) 931,000, and NASCAR Xfinity (The CW) 808,000. And Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast’s co-host, Smith, can see it.
Mamba Smith couldn’t help but express his views. Putting it bluntly, he said, “Why isn’t this getting talked about more?? The Xfinity Series is almost doing the same numbers on the CW as F1 is doing on ESPN.”
It is definitely a striking contrast. The Xfinity Series, often seen as NASCAR’s minor league, is pulling nearly equal viewership to the global F1 broadcast, largely because of consistency. The CW has offered fans a stable home for Xfinity races, while the Cup Series has scattered across six different platforms this season—FOX, USA Network, Prime Video, TNT, and more—with only nine races on major networks.
From Darlington to Charlotte, the trend has been unmistakable. The Roval race pulled just 1.54 million viewers, down sharply from 2.42 million last year when NBC added it to its main channel. The shift to cable and streaming has clearly hurt reach, and many believe the highest-stakes playoff system no longer carries the same thrill it once did.
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This sort of fragmentation matters. FOX Sports 1 reaches 73% of FOX’s main audience, USA Network 79% of NBC’s, and TNT 78%. With NBCUniversal reportedly rethinking NASCAR commitments, USA Network could soon exit the picture altogether. Meanwhile, the CW’s steady nationwide coverage has made it an unlikely hero, giving fans easy access and making NASCAR one of the network’s prime attractions alongside college football.

In February 2025, NASCAR did not approve Mike Wallace’s Daytona 500 entry. Yet 14 years earlier, the retired driver’s family made history in the sport. In 2011, the Wallace family became the first to have four members race in the Daytona 500. They included the three brothers, Mike, Kenny, and Rusty – and also Steve Wallace, Rusty’s son. That state of camaraderie has lasted through time, in spite of the rough treatment of fans.
Kenny Wallace has probably been in the spotlight for the longest time. After carving out a name for himself in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he was quite successful and popular as a TV broadcaster for Speed TV and later FOX Sports. Yet memories of his racing career still haunt him, although not to the extent of being bothered by fans’ expectations.
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Kenny Wallace defies the popular trajectory
One reason why the NASCAR community loves Kenny Wallace is his quality of statesmanship. His cheerful personality goes hand-in-hand with careful opinions backed by facts. He is well aware of the disparity in achievement between him and his brother Rusty. The latter clinched the 1989 Cup Series championship, besides roping in 55 Cup race trophies. On the other hand, Kenny fetched nine Xfinity race trophies across a 25-year career. Yet Wallace is not bothered and instead blames fans for making him feel less. “My brother is one of the greatest race car drivers in the history of NASCAR. But it’s the people that remind me of it…I just love Rusty. It’s the fans that go, “Man, you’re not your brother.”
Kenny Wallace appeared in a recent ‘Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour’ episode and gave insights into his fraternal dynamics. Rusty, being the older brother, has been a strict influence on Kenny’s life. The latter shared, “Rusty has what they call tough love. Him and Schrader, they were born in the 50s. They can be pricks to the maximum peak. And if you’re not ready to get your ass chewed out by Rusty…but I mean there’s times he’s he’s put me in tears, but Rusty calls it tough love. So Rusty has made me stronger, made me tougher, and I love him beyond belief.”
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Yet Kenny Wallace‘s deep love for his brother was not the only reality check for him. The NASCAR veteran also had two great individuals who reminded him of his worth amidst fans’ doubts. The first was Don Prudhomme, a renowned drag racing icon. Wallace recalled, “Prudhomme is a very good friend of mine. We talk just about once a week right now. But he helped me in life. He looked at me and he says, “You know, your brother Rusty is just damn good.” I said, “No doubt.” He said, “But you’re Kenny Wallace.” He saved my life because when I was down on myself that.”
The second great individual was none other than Jeff Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion. Kenny Wallace continued, “I wanted to be Jeff Gordon…me and Jeff were dear friends. And he even admitted that. I told him one time I said, “Man, I wish I had your talent”…He looked at me after winning three championships. He looked at me dead serious and he goes, “God, I wish I could laugh like you.” It just hurt my heart.”
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Evidently, Kenny Wallace is living his life fully now, without regrets about his NASCAR career. While he navigates the question of worth in his own life, Wallace also broached the merit of NASCAR’s title runs.
The sport was always unfair
The 2025 NASCAR championship runs are heating up. Corey Heim is dominating in the Craftsman Truck Series, having picked up 10 trophies, 16 top fives, and 18 top tens. Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch is in the same boat, heading towards a title with 10 victories, 18 top fives, and 20 top tens. However, Kenny Wallace let out a stream of skepticism on a recent episode of ‘Coffee With Kenny’. He made it very clear to fans not to bet the farm on either driver winning their respective championship.
And the basis for his conclusion was a championship run back in 1993. Kenny Wallace said, “In 1993, Rusty Wallace won 10 Cup races and lost the championship to Dale Earnhardt Sr.” Indeed, Kenny’s brother won five of the last eight races that season, but still wound up losing to Dale Earnhardt, who picked up 6 wins, by 80 points. There was no playoff format back then. The driver with the most points earned over the 30-race season won the title based primarily on consistency.
So Kenny Wallace continued, “So it is very easy to have the most wins and not win the championship. On Saturday, somebody said, ‘Wouldn’t it be a shame for Corey Heim to go to Phoenix and lose the championship with the most wins?’ I said, ‘What’s that got to do with NASCAR? That sounds to me like the New England Patriots when they won the most games and lost the Super Bowl.’”
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Clearly, the question of merit extends beyond just the number of trophies that one has in NASCAR. With Kenny Wallace dialing down fans’ opinions, let’s see how the finales play out in 2025.

NASCAR is all about cars, and cars are all about horsepower, and NASCAR’s history with horsepower rules kicked off in the late 1980s after Bobby Allison’s crash in 1987. This led to the introduction of restrictor plates in 1988 to curb speeds and enhance safety on superspeedways. Fast forward to 2022, when the Next Gen car rolled out with a baseline of 670 horsepower at most tracks, a deliberate drop from previous levels to prioritize parity and cost control. But that adjustment sparked ongoing debates in the garage about throttle response and on-track action.
But recent comments from NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell have ignited fresh excitement, hinting at adjustments that could redefine the Cup Series landscape. Shared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, his insights into power dynamics have teams and fans buzzing about potential evolutions in competition. With the 2026 season on the horizon, questions swirl around how these developments might address longstanding gripes from the pits. So, what’s driving this renewed focus on horsepower?
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What is the logic behind the sudden 750-horsepower jump?
The push for a horsepower boost stems from widespread feedback highlighting the need for more dynamic racing, especially where current setups limit passing and throttle control. Drivers and teams have voiced frustrations with the 670-horsepower baseline, arguing it hampers excitement on certain layouts, prompting NASCAR to explore increments that enhance performance without overhauling the entire system. Engine builders see the jump to 750 as manageable, noting it aligns closely with existing capabilities and avoids extreme modifications that could strain resources.
This calculated step reflects a broader effort to respond to stakeholder input while maintaining economic viability for the sport. As NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell explained on the Dale Jr. Download, “So, why 750? Why not 800? Why not 1,000? So, if you look at where we are today, where can we go without completely changing over the industry?” His point underscores the balance between innovation and practicality, ensuring the change builds on the Next Gen framework rather than disrupting it entirely.
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With the rationale clear, attention turns to the venues set to feel this power surge firsthand. How will the track selection shape the 2026 calendar?
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Which tracks will feature the 750 HP package?
NASCAR has specified that the 750-horsepower setup will apply to all road courses and ovals shorter than 1.5 miles, targeting environments where additional power can amplify competition and passing opportunities. This includes circuits like Watkins Glen International, Sonoma Raceway, and the Charlotte ROVAL, alongside ovals such as Martinsville Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and Dover Motor Speedway. The selection prioritizes layouts where throttle finesse plays a bigger role, aiming to elevate the racing product without affecting longer intermediates or super speedways.
Among the likely candidates are short tracks like Richmond Raceway and Iowa Speedway, plus mid-length ovals, including Nashville Superspeedway at 1.33 miles, where the boost could transform strategies around tire management and acceleration out of corners. John Probst, NASCAR’s chief racing development officer, noted in discussions, “We’ve been doing a lot of work with the tires, and we think we’ve put on some pretty good short track races. These engines will work the tires more.” This approach ensures the package fits tracks, emphasizing power over aerodynamic dominance.
As the track list takes shape, it’s worth examining the influencers who steered this decision. Who stepped up to make it happen?
Who were the key players who helped in finalizing this change?
Driver input proved crucial in finalizing the horsepower adjustment, with voices from the cockpit emphasizing the need for better throttle response to improve overtaking and overall race quality. Teams and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota also weighed in, supporting a modest increase that aligns with their engineering priorities and long-term investments in the sport. Potential entrants such as Dodge added to the conversation, favoring changes that foster stability.
NASCAR executives, particularly President Steve O’Donnell, played a central role in synthesizing this feedback into actionable policy. Backed by figures like John Probst, the process involved extensive consultations to ensure broad buy-in. Probst highlighted the collaborative nature, stating, “We listen to the fans a lot. We listen to the drivers. We have stakeholders in the broadcast, OEM (manufacturers), and team competition and team business folks, so there’s always no shortage of feedback that we get.” This inclusive strategy helped lock in the update for 2026.
With the decision-makers aligned, the focus shifts to execution. When will we see the first tests, and what’s the rollout look like?
When & where will testing happen? What is the timeline expectation?
NASCAR has firmly stated that no horsepower modifications will occur before the 2026 season, allowing teams ample preparation time to adapt without mid-cycle disruptions. The 750 package is slated to debut in select events that year, specifically at the designated road courses and shorter ovals, marking a phased introduction to gauge real-world impacts.
While full details on testing venues and schedules remain limited, an offseason tire test with Goodyear is planned at North Wilkesboro Speedway to refine compounds suited to the higher output. This step ensures compatibility across components, building confidence ahead of the season opener. As O’Donnell shared, the emphasis is on a measured rollout to support ongoing partnerships.
Beyond the schedule, broader implications loom large. What hurdles and upsides might this shift bring to the table?
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What are the anticipated challenges and benefits, and what to watch for
The horsepower hike could transform competition by enabling more aggressive passing, varied car setups, and a greater premium on driver skill, particularly in managing throttle through corners. Benefits include heightened excitement for fans, as the added power tests finesse and creates unpredictable battles, potentially revitalizing short-track action that has drawn criticism in recent years.
Challenges center on durability, with increased stress on engine internals raising concerns about wear under the league’s two-race engine rule. O’Donnell cautioned, “If you went beyond 750, we looked at almost $40-50 million in costs to the industry,” highlighting risks like higher transition expenses and the need to balance speed with reliability. Watch how teams navigate these factors, from engine longevity to cost controls, as the change unfolds.

After a year of jostling in the courtroom, the NASCAR lawsuit is approaching a climax. The fear of losing the charter system made nine Cup Series team owners root for a resolution. And that made an impact on the sanctioning body and the plaintiff teams. So, NASCAR may be finally settling with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. However, memories of animosity still linger.
Michael Jordan and Co. filed the lawsuit last October, accusing NASCAR of ‘monopolistic practices’ in the sport. They demanded a ‘discovery’ of crucial files and evidence which would prove this claim. As part of the process of discovery, some unpleasant exchanges came to light in late August. Yet NASCAR’s top brass dialed down one such exchange recently.
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A bitter chapter of the NASCAR lawsuit
A court hearing in late August turned acrimonious. It involved the disclosure of expletive-laden emails and text messages of both parties. On the NASCAR executive fold’s part, the topics were changes in the charter system. Commissioner Steve Phelps was concerned about the proposal, saying that it “must reflect a middle position or we are dead in the water.” However, President Steve O’Donnell’s messages were more unfiltered. He apparently did not like an early proposal because it would return NASCAR’s model to 1996 terms. He wrote that it shows an attitude of “F— the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport.”
In a recent episode of The Dale Jr Download, the NASCAR head cleared things up. Steve O’Donnell laid down the actual context of his text message. “I’m a passionate guy. I wear my emotions on my sleeve probably too much, right? The way it was presented in court was that I said, “F the teams.” Um, I didn’t say that…the context was if we did this deal the way it was, I felt like it would be an F to the teams. I was defending the teams to my boss, which was which was Jim France. So that was a little disappointing that it came out initially without the context.”
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The text messages discovered on the part of Michael Jordan and Co. were also inflammatory. “Teams are going to regret not joining us,” Jordan wrote in a text message to Curtis Polk, his business manager and 23XI Racing’s co-owner. Then Denny Hamlin, another co-owner of the team, also wrote, “my despise for the France family runs deep… (but) please let’s not sabotage our own business.” Unfortunately, both 23XI and FRM lost their charters soon after and are presently running as open teams.
So Steve O’Donnell emphasized the movement towards an amicable settlement of the NASCAR lawsuit. He urged the need to forget the past animosity: “I feel like, all that’s out there, I knew it’s out there. There’s no surprises. The other side’s kind of emptied their bucket of here’s all our text messages. It sucks getting deposed…I stand by the fact that, you know, I was trying to put a deal together that worked for everybody. We made some changes since I said that before we got to the end deal. I feel like we got to a place that other teams, you know, got their arms around.”
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While the NASCAR lawsuit rages on, Michael Jordan is actively involved in his business.
Dropping some snazzy kicks
Despite the cloud of controversy in the NASCAR lawsuit, Michael Jordan’s fame is unparalleled. The legend is so much more than a Cup Series team owner, as people all over the world praise the six-time NBA champion. Jordan’s time under the Chicago Bulls is hailed as extraordinary and is remembered with pride by fans who wear Air Jordans, the iconic sneaker line. Notably, the champion debuted the Air Jordan 11 model when he returned from playing Minor League Baseball. And since then, that has been the most popular model from the entire sneaker line.
So, fans were indubitably thrilled to see Michael Jordan debuting the upcoming Air Jordan 11 “285” colorway. He wore the smooth kicks while attending the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. The “285” colorway pays homage to Atlanta with a new design that nods to Interstate 285, which encircles the city and embodies its vibrant culture. The kicks will officially be released for $250 in adult sizes on Saturday, November 22. However, they will be sold exclusively in-store at select regional retail partner locations in North America.
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Michael Jordan’s fame never ceases to soar above the clouds. However, we are waiting to see how far his fortunes will go in the ongoing NASCAR lawsuit.

Playoff races in NASCAR are already intense, but recently, the spotlight has shifted to something off the track. Of late, heavy emphasis is laid on what drivers and spotters say over the radio. Teams are being warned or penalized for simply mentioning points, standings, or giving strategic guidance. NASCAR says it’s about preventing race manipulation, but many insiders like Dale Earnhardt Jr. feel that the rules are becoming too strict.
The controversy isn’t new, but recent events have made it more visible. During the Charlotte race, Denny Hamlin passed Ross Chastain on the final lap, which helped Joey Logano advance to the next playoff round. Hamlin himself said he “would not have passed him” if he’d known the points situation. On his podcast, Dale Jr used Hamlin’s example to spotlight a deeper issue within NASCAR’s rule enforcement.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. voices concerns over radio policing
Junior explained that Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, told him afterward that the team had been “sensitive” on the radio because of what happened at Martinsville last year, where NASCAR handed down penalties for ‘race manipulation’. He cited another incident where “Zilisch’s team got warned for merely mentioning what the point situation was,” adding that NASCAR immediately shut it down.
For him, that’s where the sport is overreaching. “I have zero problem with any spotter saying, ‘Here’s the point situation,’” he argued, pointing out that strategy and awareness are part of racing itself.
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He added how small actions, even ones that affect points, are a normal part of racing. For example, consider Cole Custer and Alex Bowman trailing Joey Logano at Charlotte. Their positioning and radio talk sparked discussion. According to Earnhardt Jr., this was exactly the kind of on-track calculation that has always been part of the sport.
“And honestly, there’s all these videos. Was Cole Custer not trying to pass the 22? Was Bowman not trying to race the 1? Who cares at this point?” he said. “Let whatever happen… as long as it ain’t super egregious.” His concern shed light on how NASCAR’s current policing may overreact to routine strategy.
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History, Junior argued, shows these gray areas have always existed. He then brought up a famous example: The 1991 Winston 500 at Talladega. Harry Gant had run out of fuel on the final lap. “Harry Gant ran out of gas… Rick Mast pushed him around the track, probably at a decreased speed of maybe 10, 15, 20 miles an hour, and Harry wins the race. Nobody cared,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
He also pointed to how subjective enforcement has become. “It is a judgment. There’s no line. There won’t be a line in this situation. It’s just… if it feels like sh-t, it’s sh-t,” he said. NASCAR officials review transcripts, deliberate in small groups, and decide if anything crossed the line. But there’s no objective measure, just interpretation.
Ultimately, Dale Jr compares it to baseball: every umpire sees a play differently. This subjectivity explains why teams like Connor Zilisch’s Xfinity squad were warned for simply reading points over the radio.
Dale Jr. identifies what’s missing from NASCAR’s playoff format
For many drivers and fans, the playoffs amplify tension. Historically, the long season allowed multiple drivers to build recognition over time, creating stars gradually. But Dale Jr. feels that this is not the case today. The narrative often revolves around just a handful of playoff contenders, leaving consistent performers and star power in the shadows.
Dale Jr. also admitted he doesn’t have all the answers. “I am not sure what is right,” he said, framing the discussion with honesty. He then laid out how a season-long format would function differently.
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“If you have a season-long format, you basically start the season with everybody in the bucket at Daytona,” he explained. “After about 10 races you are talking only about five or six guys. Three, four guys going for it with a few races left. That is how you basically are putting the focus on specific individuals for a sustained period of time throughout the year…And those guys typically tend to be the same ones year after year after year, and that does in turn create a star.”
He even suggested applying psychology studies to understand fan behavior. “I think there’s a university somewhere with some psychology majors that would be able to help us understand this.” By framing the problem through both performance and fan experience, Dale Jr. pointed out that the issue is more than numbers.

Many know that deliberate moves through radio talk could mean a NASCAR penalty, as officials closely monitor team communications to prevent any kind of unfair manipulation. Despite this, or rather due to this, HMS driver Alex Bowman’s held-up speed and radio talk came under the spotlight.
In the final laps, when Bowman found himself chasing Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain, who was defending his playoff with his life, the former’s radio chatter suggested caution. “Easy with it. Take care of your tires here,” and later, “Take care of your tires.” These repeated instructions seemed routine, but in this critical context, they could have delivered a message.
After a thorough review, NASCAR has scheduled a meeting after announcing its decision.
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NASCAR’s decision
Insider Steve Taranto tweeted, “This week’s Hauler Talk confirmed that NASCAR reviewed both Cole Custer & Alex Bowman’s radio comms in the final laps at the Roval and did not feel what was said rose to the level where a penalty was necessary.”
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Alex Bowman surely escaped this one, and so did Cole Custer, whose communications had gathered similar interest from the officials. Managing Director Mike Forde said, “If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we’ve have done now several times.”
But it didn’t end here. This incident has prompted NASCAR to schedule a meeting with all teams. Reason? To remind them of the seriousness of the issue, and that a leeway like this might probably not be given again.
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The stakes in the Round of 8 get even higher which is why NASCAR feels this is an important moment to remind teams that race manipulation is taken seriously. “Let’s not put yourselves or ourselves in jeopardy here,” they said.
Forde also noted the new reality for teams under a microscope, saying, “The beauty of social media in this era is we have thousands of officials sitting at home and reviewing HBO Max cameras, and listening to radio transmissions.”
NASCAR’s awareness of fan and media scrutiny has made even subtle instructions a potential talking point. These always have the risk of being misinterpreted, especially in tight situations like these. It is a lesson teams cannot afford to ignore as they navigate the closing races of the season.
With this decision, NASCAR is sending a clear message. Playoff races are meant to be earned on the track. “Fans should be coming to the race track and expecting a straight-up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of a race,” Forde stated.
The Charlotte Roval incident reinforces the fine line teams walk between strategy and manipulation. However, not everybody has been in favor of NASCAR’s rulings on the matter. Recently, Dale Jr. addressed these decisions.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives his verdict on NASCAR radio policing
In a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his concerns over NASCAR’s radio policing following the Charlotte race. He highlighted incidents where teams were penalized for merely discussing point standings over the radio. According to him, he finds no problems in a spotter sharing a points situation.
“And honestly, there’s all these videos. Was Cole Custer not trying to pass the 22? Was Bowman not trying to race the 1? Who cares at this point?” he said. “Let whatever happen… as long as it ain’t super egregious.”
Dale Jr. argued that as long as team communications don’t lead to overt race manipulation, they should be permissible. For him, there had to be clear signs of intentionally causing a caution or deliberately slowing down. He cited historical instances, like Harry Gant’s 1993 Talladega victory with assistance from Rick Mast, as examples where strategic collaboration was accepted and celebrated.
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He further criticized NASCAR’s current approach, which feels like the governing body is over-policing and creating an environment of fear among teams. Dale Jr. thought that this could be detrimental. For him, teams should be trusted to make informed decisions without the constant threat of penalties for discussing race scenarios.
With the final stretch of the season in action, Dale Jr. called for a more nuanced understanding of team communications. He advocated for a system that distinguishes between strategic discussions and actual race manipulation.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spoken about his growing dislike for Joey Logano after the Team Penske driver revealed his liking for the current NASCAR playoff format. The topic surrounding the playoff format has been gaining traction as several drivers have revealed their preference for reverting to the old format.
Newsweek Sports reported Logano’s comments about the current playoff format, which he believes helps

Former NASCAR driver and commentator Kevin Harvick thinks Joey Logano’s progress into the playoffs Round of 8 after the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval could be

The NASCAR gods have finally heard Brad Keselowski and a million others’ wishes. Remember when the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion hopped onto the podcast with Corey Lajoie? Keselowski didn’t shy away from believing NASCAR is planning to up the horsepower for 2026. He also criticised the fear of the current next-gen car, saying that it has “ changed me in some ways for worse as a driver,” and he didn’t hesitate to compare it to “an old pickup truck.” And now hopefully, with the NASCAR president stepping in, all drivers and fans who have been against the 670 hp can all let out a collective sigh
NASCAR just dropped a bombshell for 2026. Competition officials confirmed Wednesday that Cup Series cars will roar at 750 hp at road courses and ovals under 1.5 miles. The news broke on this week’s Dale Jr. Download when NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell revealed the long-anticipated boost, bumping power from the current 670 baseline used across the top division.
However, change doesn’t come cheap or easy. O’Donnell explained the balancing act NASCAR faces. He said, “Why not 800? Why not 1,000?” O’Donnell said on the podcast. “So if you look at where we are today, where we can go without completely changing over the industry…..If you went beyond 750, we looked at almost $40-50 million cost to the industry. So, if you look at our job is, yeah, you want to make a call right away. But you have to think about the out years.”
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While acknowledging the increase in speed, O’Donnell pressed on a bigger issue. Pushing beyond 750 hp isn’t off the table because of the tapered space, but the real problem lies in the NASCAR engine use rules. This requires each engine to last for at least two races.
Once horsepower climbs higher, the extra stress on internal components starts to threaten durability. In other words, more power means parts wear out faster, and replacing or rebuilding engines more often would drive costs through the roof.
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But the change is altogether slight, about a 12% increase in horsepower. The move comes after months of growing pressure from all corners. Drivers are craving more throttle response, teams want better race balance, and fans simply want the old-school punch back in the Next Gen era.
Moreover, Brad Keselowski, who started the rumor about the increased horsepower, can finally kick his feet up with a smile. Speaking on the Stacking Pennies podcast a few weeks ago, he said, “I am definitely Team Horsepower.” And now everyone on team horsepower can let out a deep sigh.
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The 2026 jump is expected to test drivers’ throttle finesse, push tire management to the forefront, and spark more on-track action with varied throttle times and passing zones.
Manufacturers such as Dodge, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota have already given the thumbs up to the bump, though they are also exploring potential new engine designs that could shape NASCAR’s next power era.
To back it up, a Goodyear tire test is set for early December at North Wilkesboro, where data will guide tire development for the 2026 season. And yes, the new 750 hp setup will include Nashville Superspeedway’s 1.33-mile concrete oval. Moreover, with changes being made to the playoff systems as well, NASCAR has really been looking out for its fans, and NASCAR insiders have taken notice of it.
However, beyond the horsepower bump, NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell had plenty more to tease, from potential tweaks to the championship format to reopening the cup garage for fresh waves of innovation.
NASCAR President admits to hating the winner-take-all finale amid playoff and horsepower changes
When it comes to the playoff system, O’Donnell was firm but measured, saying that fans shouldn’t expect any sweeping announcements until the 2025 season wraps up. O’Donnell said, “We got rules in place for this year. What I don’t want to do is take away from whoever wins the championship this year. Those were the rules. Everybody knew them. Let’s go race, and whoever wins that championship, I’m going to stand behind that driver and team and say that’s our champion.”
He stopped short of revealing exactly what changes are on the table, but one thing is clear—NASCAR seems ready to move beyond the fun race, winner takes all. O’Donnell even mentions that he’s been having some eye-opening talks with at least one driver about how the format could evolve.
He added, ” So what gets me to think about it is Christopher Bell. The guy who will come in and have a conversation with me behind closed doors, doesn’t go out and tweet about everything and say, ‘hey, here’s what I think. Here’s what.’ He just gives me an honest opinion, which I agree with, of, ‘hey, man, if I roll off 10 wins in a year, and I go to one race and couple other guys get into me or whatever, I’m not the champion.’ Four years in a row, that happens. I don’t want the next Christopher Bell, who is ten years old right now, thinking about NASCAR, wanting to go to NASCAR, wanting to be a champion, and say, ‘huh, this is a little bit more of a chance on a one race, right?’ .”
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As the discussion unfolded, O’Donnell admitted he had grown wary of how the playoff date seemed to hijack every race weekend. Too often, great storylines like Harrison Burton’s emotional win after losing his ride get buried under endless chatter about playoff math. Even Shane van Gisbergen’s remarkable run of road and street course victories couldn’t escape the noise, with talk shifting to whether he truly belonged in the postseason mix.
However, one thing is definitely certain: NASCAR has been keeping tabs on all the issues raised by teams and fans. Better late than never, and NASCAR is on its way to redemption.

NASCAR did not find anything in its review of the Charlotte Roval that warranted a penalty for race manipulation, but a reminder will be given to teams before the Round of 8 begins.
“We are planning on making teams aware that our eyes and ears are open to any shenanigans,” Mike Ford, NASCAR managing director of communications, said on this week’s edition of Hauler Talk.
NASCAR’s official podcast spent the majority of the episode reviewing the elimination races from the Charlotte Roval and explaining that all radio communication was reviewed. There were two spotters who had been warned during the Xfinity Series race for discussing points over the radio. Both of those teams were already guaranteed a spot in the next round. Freddie Kraft, the spotter for Bubba Wallace, said earlier this week on the podcast he co-hosts, Door Bumper Clear, that spotters have been told not to mention points on the radio.
“To my knowledge, there was no formal communication to spotters following Martinsville that told them they could not talk about points,” Amanda Ellis, NASCAR senior director of racing communications, said on Hauler Talk. “It did come up during the Xfinity race on Saturday, where two specific teams were warned related to some of the conversations that they were having, and NASCAR communicated to them via the IM chat capabilities that we have… They were just given a warning that if the points didn’t have to do with them, their specific car, and then we did not want to see them talking about points.
“To take that one step further, it’s not a message that you can’t talk about points; it’s more of a message that if you’re talking about points, it should be about your car and not other vehicles that are in play.”
NASCAR and the garage have been on high alert for potential race manipulation since the fall of 2024, following the elimination race at Martinsville Speedway. In the aftermath of the Cup Series race, NASCAR penalized three Cup Series teams for radio communication and actions on the racetrack where drivers were helping manufacturer teammates.
In the Cup Series race at Charlotte, there were late-race communications on the radios of Ross Chastain and Joey Logano about their points situations. NASCAR not only reviewed those communications but also reviewed how others were racing around them, such as Cole Custer around Logano and Alex Bowman around Chastain.
“We did review it, and the beauty of social media in this officiating era is we have now millions, or at least thousands, of officials sitting at home reviewing HBO Max cameras and listening to radio transmissions,” Forde said. “So, it’s very, very difficult for anything to slip by. We have folks in remote race control listening to radio transmissions. We have people in race control itself listening to them. We have a lot of it covered, and there are some things that are going to slip through the cracks, no doubt about it, but it seems like they are always going to be caught by the fans who are as tuned in as any sport. I will die on that hill; very impressive work by our fans.
“So, we did review it, and nothing rose to the level of a penalty. I think we have some meetings with teams at a certain point this week/weekend… if they need a reminder, ‘Let’s not put ourselves in jeopardy here.’ Fans should be coming to the racetrack and expecting a straight-up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of the race. If we do see or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we have done several times now.”
Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins the Round of 8 in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. It leads to the final elimination race of the postseason at Martinsville Speedway, the weekend of October 24-26.

The charter system sits at the very core of NASCAR’s modern business structure, and right now it’s the centerpiece of a high-stakes legal showdown. NASCAR is at risk of losing the concept of a charter system as a whole if both parties (NASCAR on one side and Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing on the other) go to court to settle it, and NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell isn’t here for it.
Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download, O’Donnell couldn’t help but praise the current charter system and how it’s playing out for the rest of the NASCAR teams. He said, “Now, we’ve seen the value grow for teams, which is awesome. And what we wanted to come out there because you go to trial, and we saw it written, was the charter system could be up in the air. That’s not good—that’s a lot going on there. So, I think the teams are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a concern here if this goes to trial that anything could happen to the sport, including charters going away.’ That’s a concern… If it goes away, that’s not a win for NASCAR—that charters went away. We support charters. We’ve got 13 teams that signed up with them.”
Steve O’Donnell has made it clear; he doesn’t want to set foot in the courtroom for a trial, especially when NASCAR’s version of the franchise model, a charter, secures teams a guaranteed grid spot and steady stream of annual revenue, and according to the sanctioning body, it has generated more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its members since its inception in 2016.
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A year ago, after more than two years of stalled negotiations, 13 of the 15 teams offered to re-sign rather than risk a worse outcome. The remaining two, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, took a different path and headed to court.
For months, the 13 teams that stayed in line have quietly voiced concerns that the lawsuit has clouded NASCAR’s future. But that silence finally broke last week, and several of the biggest organizations released public statements, urging both sides to find common ground and reaffirming their support for the charter system that keeps the business of racing afloat.
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Reinforcing his point, Steve doubled down, saying, “So what I think that did, Dale, is it helped. You know, it’s being positioned that NASCAR wants the charter system to go away. You know, Jim France—the one thing about Jim is—the charter system is in place and said, ‘I will live by whatever we signed.’ He had a choice, right? He could have said, ‘You know, we don’t want charters in the future.’”

The Xfinity drivers have been changing teams like the changing seasons. Sheldon Creed, one of the 8 drivers heading into the playoffs, had already packed his bags from Toyota after racing for Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the 2024 season and has settled in comfortably with a Ford team, aka Haas Factory, and drives the No. 00 car. And it’s time history repeats itself, but in reverse…
Harrison Burton, who is turning 24 this Thursday, after a rollercoaster year, is leaving fans with plenty to remember. The son of former Cup Series champion Jeff Burton jumped back into the Xfinity Series this season after three years racing with Wood Brothers in the Cup. Behind the wheel of the No. 25 Ford, Burton had 10 top tens, two top fives, and two stage wins, steering AM Racing into the playoffs for the first time. Sure, his championship dreams came to a halt at Charlotte ROVAL; he was one of the four drivers cut from the playoff, but the season was packed with moments to celebrate.
However, with NASCAR rumors in the air, one source has broken the news about Harrison’s next steps. Taking to X, one parody NASCAR account says that Harrison Burton is heading to Sam Hunt racing for 2026, returning to Toyota after four seasons behind the wheel of Fords—first with Wood Brothers Racing in the Cup Series, then with AM Racing in Xfinity.
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This may just be homecoming for the young ace. And let’s not forget Burton’s resume in the Xfinity: In 104 career races, he’s racked up four wins, all in 2020 with Joe Gibbs Racing, finishing eighth in points that year and the next before heading to the Cup in 2022. His first and only win came last August at Daytona International Speedway, a victory that punched his ticket into the Cup playoffs.
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Heading into Saturday’s race at Las Vegas, he sits 12th in the points, ready to show the world he is far from done. AM Racing dropped the news on social media on Wednesday: Burton won’t return for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts season.
Burton didn’t leave without a heartfelt sendoff, saying, “I want to thank AM Racing, Tim Self, and Wade Moore for the opportunity and trust at a pivotal moment in my career after I lost my Cup seat entering 2025,” Burton said in a statement posted to social media. “This season reminded me why I love competing; the teamwork, the focus, and the fight. I’m super excited about the next chapter and will announce my plans at a future date.”
With Burton getting knocked off in the Round of 12 at Charlotte, where Connor Zilisch could flex his road-course mastery, earning his 10th win of the season, Burton has yet to confirm his next step. Harrison Burton’s story this season wasn’t just about stats; it was about heart, grit, and showing that even after a setback, a young driver can light up the track and make history.
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And now, as Burton steps away from AM Racing, he gets more time with his newlywed wife, Jenna Petty. However, the show must go on, and the Xfinity field looks tighter than ever, heading into Las Vegas.
Las Vegas playoff showdown promises chaos and breakthroughs
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has earned a reputation for chaos and excitement with seven different winners in the last seven Xfinity Series races. That streak only adds to the feeling that this weekend, a fresh face or a savvy veteran could strike at just the right moment.
The playoff picture is right and historic. Connor Zilisch, the rising star, holds a record 57-point cushion above the cutoff. Meanwhile, the remaining seven playoff contenders are packed together, separated by just 35 points, with drivers third through eighth, from Brandon Jones to Sheldon Creed, all within 15 points of each other.
Since Las Vegas debuted as a playoff venue in 2020, the stakes have always been high. Any driver who wins the Round of 8 opener instantly punches their ticket to the Championship 4, while at least one spot is earned purely on points.
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Looking at the teams, JR Motorsports leads the pack with four cars in the Round of 8, followed by Haas Factory with two and single entries from Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing. Despite all this, no driver in the Xfinity Series has ever won the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas and gone on to claim the overall title, a testament to just how unpredictable this track can be.
Of the eight playoff drivers, only Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer have previously reached the Championship 4, highlighting the enormous mistakes for both newcomers and seasoned veterans alike. As the Focused Health 302 rolls into action on Saturday at 7 pm ET, all eyes will be on the one who can master the madness and tame the track.

Last weekend, the NASCAR community witnessed a spectacle. Shane van Gisbergen extended his road course winning streak to five trophies, only one race away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record. As a cherry on top, SVG finished a full 15 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. Despite his glory, the Kiwi speedster was eliminated from the playoffs after the Round of 16. The irony of these two realities created ripples in the sport, the impact of which reached the NASCAR executive fold.
It’s official: NASCAR is moving towards a tweaked playoff format. It took long waves of criticism after Joey Logano won the 2024 Cup Series championship with the worst average finish of 17.1. And the need to change is getting more serious in recent times.
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NASCAR yields to the conversation
In previous playoff formats, including the ‘Chase’, wins did not lead to automatic postseason berths. There were no playoff rounds as well. So dominant drivers could fully showcase their abilities without the hindrance of points resets or a one-race championship. That is what led to the star power of legends like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. There are so many stars at present as well, like Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Denny Hamlin. Yet all of them have slipped out of the title conversation several times due to petty reasons. And this has elicited concerns from NASCAR’s president.
Steve O’Donnell recently appeared on a Dale Jr. Download episode, and he outlined his worries about the future. He does not want to make aspiring racers feel disadvantaged: “I don’t want the next Christopher Bell, who is ten years old right now, thinking about NASCAR, wanting to go to NASCAR, wanting to be a champion, and say, ‘huh, this is a little bit more of a chance on a one race, right?’”
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Christopher Bell, who currently sits four points below the cutline, is a big threat to his rivals. He made it to the Championship 4 consecutively in 2022 and 2023. Steve O’Donnell continued how the 13-time Cup race winner is already a legend: “Christopher Bell, to me, is a superstar in our sport. You roll off four championships in a row with eight wins and a body of work, whatever that may be, that’s good for our sport. People are talking about him.” Bell recently said publicly that he is in favor of a full-season points format, which NASCAR has not utilized since 2003.
Despite O’Donnell paying heed to Christopher Bell‘s opinions, he admitted that nothing is changing for now. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will go on under the current format: “We got rules in place for this year. What I don’t want to do is take away from whoever wins the championship this year. Those were the rules. Everybody knew them. Let’s go race, and whoever wins that championship, I’m going to stand behind that driver and team and say that’s our champion.”
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Nevertheless, changes are underway, and many drivers are banking on them. Like the playoff format, even the Next-Gen car is up for some tweaks.
Time to welcome more thrill
Ever since the Next-Gen car debuted in 2022, fans and drivers alike have complained. The single-spec parts reduced parity, and the aerodynamic challenges made it hard to pass on track. An overarching point of scrutiny has been the excessive use of fuel mileage, as drivers often go half-throttle throughout races to capitalize on their track position. All these concerns have been piling up for ages, and now NASCAR is finally willing to yield. President Steve O’Donnell announced something on the Dale Jr Download podcast that is music to fans’ ears.
NASCAR will increase the power limit for Cup Series cars from 670 hp to 750 hp on road courses and ovals shorter than 1.5 miles. What is more, the sanctioning body may open the door to more engineering and innovation again. O’Donnell said, “The ability for a team to maybe tweak on the car, find an advantage, do something cool. What’s the next iteration of that that can come from a race team? Now that we’ve got the parts and pieces, I think long-term, you can look at maybe a race team making parts again. Maybe some different things you can open up. Could you ever look at a cost cap, right? So, you open those things up.”
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Clearly, the winds of change are rustling NASCAR’s checkered flags. With 2026 only a few months away, we cannot wait to see what the future holds!

It’s official. NASCAR is moving towards a tweaked playoff format. After the turbulent waves of criticism crashed on Joey Logano’s 2024 championship, the sport is yielding. Logano’s third title registered the worst average finish of 17.1. His teammate, Ryan Blaney, had set the earlier record – fetching an average finish of 14.1 en route to the 2023 Cup Series championship. Nevertheless, Team Penske looks as committed as ever.
Although Austin Cindric was eliminated after the Round of 12, both his teammates slipped through. Ryan Blaney won in New Hampshire, and Joey Logano clinched the last Round of 8 playoff berth. They are yet again hoisting the flag of opportunity for Team Penske – and that is all that matters to Logano.
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Joey Logano does not care either way
Since 2022, Hendrick Motorsports may have reigned in terms of race trophies, fetching 39 so far. Yet the stellar Cup Series team could not clinch the one trophy that mattered – the Bill France Cup. That prize has gone into the coffers of Team Penske for the past three years, courtesy of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. And Logano has wiggled his way through somehow. In 2024, Alex Bowman’s technical disqualification threw Logano a lifeline after he was eliminated from the Round of 8. This year as well, Logano marginally beat Ross Chastain in Charlotte after the latter tangled with Denny Hamlin.
Hence, Joey Logano aims for the championship no matter how hard the situation is. And he intends to apply the same philosophy to NASCAR’s changed playoff format. He said in a recent interview, “I’ll tell you, I am as simple-minded as it comes when it comes to what the goal is. It’s always to win the championship. It doesn’t matter what you did last year. Doesn’t matter how many you have. The goal is still the same, and you have to do whatever it takes to get there. Until I am done driving race cars, that is forever going to be the goal. No matter the format, no matter anything else, the goal is always to win that, because that is the biggest prize, period.”
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Joey Logano has clinched three Cup Series titles – in 2018, 2022, and 2024. His record is the highest in the elimination-style playoff era. Yet Logano hardly cares about that number, as he wants it to go higher. Logano continued, “Hands down, the championship is what it’s all about. It’s what you’re measured by at the end of your career. How many championships do you have in any sport. How many rings do you got, right? That’s what they always ask. And for me, one, two, three — I just want four or five, you know? Like, I don’t care.”
Joey Logano made it into the Round of 8 just on a single point, spelling immense risk in losing his spot. Despite the unpredictability of his own fortunes, Logano recently bashed critics of the current format. “The playoffs create drama,” declared Logano in a post-race media scrum at the Charlotte Roval. “It creates storylines. It creates awesome moments like that. I don’t understand what people don’t like about it. I really don’t get it.”
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This bold defiance of the playoff criticism is typical of Joey Logano, who always stands out. Yet his different view recently elicited frustration from a NASCAR veteran.
Ignoring the glaring evidence
NASCAR’s previous formats prioritized merit. Unlike the current system, the older formats did not allow single wins to translate into postseason berths. Plus, in the absence of playoffs, the legendary racers could fully showcase their skills without the fear of elimination. The importance of merit is missing presently – evidence of which was available just last weekend. Shane van Gisbergen extended his road course trophy streak to five and is one race away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record. The Kiwi speedster’s glory, however, came after he was eliminated from the Round of 16.
Joey Logano strongly restated his support for the playoffs in his response to SVG’s win. He said, “If you don’t have cutoff races and things like that, what are you even talking about today? How Shane waxed everyone’s butt? That’s what you want? I’m just saying, this playoff format is wicked.”
And that irked Dale Earnhardt Jr., who fervently supports a return to NASCAR’s older 36-race format. Dale Jr. bluntly said, “The more Joey Logano gets out of his car and talks about the playoffs, the more I don’t like the playoffs. The more he talks about and I know he’s defending it, and he and I know he believes what he believes, and I’m good with that for him, but the more he tells me why I should like the playoffs, the less I like him.” Other veterans like Richard Petty, Brad Keselowski, and even Ryan Blaney are rooting for a format change.
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What we know for sure is that Joey Logano has an unflinching ambition. Even if his unpopular opinion about the playoffs does not gain followers, we know that Logano will still target the title.

Highlights
Glen Powell has been confirmed as the grand marshal for the South Point 400.
The actor admitted that he couldn’t be happier with the opportunity as a lifelong race fan.
The Las Vegas race will kickstart the Cup Series Round of 8.
Hollywood magic will head to Sin City this weekend. “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell will bring his charming charisma and love for speed to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to serve as the Grand Marshal for Sunday’s South Point 400. A lifelong race fan, Powell had no second thoughts when the invitation for the role came.
He quipped elatedly, “I’ve grown up around a love of speed and competition, and NASCAR racing embodies that passion like no other. To be part of this tradition in Las Vegas, with all the energy and excitement of the fans, is going to be an unforgettable experience.”
Powell will also serve a major role in the pre-race festivities as a part of the promotions for his upcoming movie, “The Running Man”. Other celebrities who have been honored with this position as grand marshal at Las Vegas previously include Morgan Freeman, Kim Kardashian, Tim Allen, and UFC President Dana White.
Powell is a licensed pilot and a star known for playing adventurous characters on the screen, from fighter pilots to storm chasers. He has a genuine connection with the world of speed and the thrill of competition, and this makes him a perfect match to be a NASCAR grand marshal.
Powell Comes to NASCAR at a Pivotal Moment
The upcoming event is the first race of the Cup Series Round of 8. It will provide the remaining eight drivers in the hunt for the championship an opportunity to lock themselves in the Championship 4, which will confirm their eligibility to race for the title at the Phoenix Raceway.
It was a year ago at this juncture that Joey Logano won at Vegas to launch himself into the Championship 4 and win the championship. It is yet to be seen who among the current crop can emulate that feat. Logano himself is one of the eight drivers and could very well follow in his own footsteps.
As the Round of 8 roars to life under the bright lights of Las Vegas, Powell’s presence brings a touch of Hollywood magic to a Sunday already powered by high stakes.

The last Sunday at the Charlotte Roval will haunt Ross Chastain for months (maybe longer). You could see it written all over his face as he climbed out of his battered Trackhouse Chevrolet. He remarked, “It’s heartbreaking for almost 200 employees at Trackhouse, for our teammates, for ECR Engines — everybody that helps make this go round.” With the checkered flag within sight, he sat one precious point ahead of Joey Logano. One singular point. This prompted a desperate move from him, which didn’t just cost him a playoff spot; it reignited a fiery debate that would follow him long after the race ended.
As the drivers started the final lap of the race, Ross Chastain needed to pass Denny Hamlin by the end of it to secure his spot in the playoffs. And his spotter’s urgent call, “Get to the No. 11,” was all the motivation Chastain needed. So, Chastain dove into the final chicane with everything he had. What followed was chaos.
Both Chastain and Denny Hamlin spun out, scattering cars behind them and reshuffling the entire finishing order. As others raced past the carnage, Joey Logano slipped through unscathed, and Chastain’s playoff dreams vanished in a cloud of tire smoke. The final results? Joey Logano (20th) finished ahead of Denny Hamlin (23rd) and, most importantly, Ross Chastain (21st). But truth be told, this wasn’t just one bad moment for Ross Chastain.
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The cracks had started showing earlier in the race. A pit road miscue during the first stage dropped Chastain 15 spots, a costly blunder that forced him to claw his way back. Then came a speeding penalty with fewer than 30 laps to go, another gut punch in a race where every second counted. Yet somehow, he fought back into contention, even passing Logano with 11 laps left for 13th place to reclaim hope.
For a fleeting moment, it looked like ‘The Watermelon Man’ might just pull off another miracle. But with Logano on fresher tires and Chastain fading fast, the gap tightened. Each lost position was another nail in his playoff coffin. By the time the white flag waved, it was all slipping away. The final dash and the resulting spin were just the exclamation point on a cruel afternoon.
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As the dust settled, fans were divided. On one hand, fans were sad about Chastain being knocked out of the playoffs. But another section debated whether Chastain’s bold move was a racer’s instinct or a reckless mistake deserving of a penalty (irrespective of the outcome)? That’s where the real storm began.
The NASCAR community is divided over Ross Chastain’s moves
Ross Chastain’s bold final-lap attempt at the Charlotte Roval ignited passionate debate among fans and experts alike. One fan emphasized that Chastain did not intentionally wreck Denny Hamlin. “There is a difference between trying to make an overly ambitious move that doesn’t work and just straight up wrecking someone for the win,” they commented.
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If you look at it, Ross Chastain went for a desperate “Hail Mary” move. It was a last-ditch, high-risk pass on worn tires, meant to snatch a playoff spot with everything on the line. He needed to overtake Hamlin, no matter what! In doing so, Chastain spun himself out as well, showing reckless ambition rather than malice.
Addressing the same on his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin said, “I would appreciate NASCAR or someone sending me a text. They don’t have to say it publicly, but just let me know whether that will be allowed. Certainly, I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to just wipe someone out to move on. I mean, it’s an intentional wreck, isn’t it?”
Another fan reminded everyone to “always remember the fine print: At NASCAR’s discretion.” And they are correct. The NASCAR rule book currently has Section 10, which deals with violations and disciplinary actions and evaluates such behavior on a case-by-case basis upon video review. Still, NASCAR allows last-lap aggression, and actions like the ‘bump-and-run,’ with penalties coming only on major violations. Another fan rightfully cited a similar incident involving Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
“Harvick got away with a similar move on Busch in 2020,” the fan commented. In the 2020 Martinsville race, Kevin Harvick found himself in a desperate battle to advance in the playoffs. With just one position needed to qualify, Harvick attempted a risky move by intentionally nudging Kyle Busch from behind on the last lap.
However, the move backfired as Harvick lost control and spun himself out, crashing into the inside wall. Despite Busch spinning, he managed to continue, while Harvick’s race (and playoff run) ended in disappointment. And at the end of it all, Harvick escaped without any penalties from NASCAR.
One heated question came swirling online. “Is it okay to come from five or more car lengths behind, with little chance of making a turn, then crash another driver?” Many view Chastain’s move as a desperate, understandable risk to stay alive in the playoffs. However, some fans felt Chastain was reckless and are asking for a penalty, arguing it’s dangerous and unfair to crash into another driver from too far back with no realistic shot at making the corner cleanly.
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Others believe NASCAR embraces these chaotic moments (and lets drivers go) because they generate viral content and social media buzz, helping attract a younger audience. “They like those moments to play in clips on social media. Don’t love it, but at least it’s a reason to hate the playoffs more,” one fan summarized.
Chastain’s Roval move encapsulates the harsh realities of NASCAR’s playoff system: split-second decisions, enormous pressure, and a patchwork of rules that leave drivers and fans debating fairness long after the checkered flag waves.

There may not be a driver in the penultimate round of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs feeling less pressure than Justin Allgaier.
Justin Allgaier is building a legendary Xfinity Series career
Allgaier, 39, is less than a year removed from winning his first Xfinity Series championship after 16 years of trying. In his title defense season, the 28-time Xfinity Series winner has once again looked every bit the Xfinity Series legend he’ll one day go down as, winning thrice this season and easily advancing to the Round of 8.
Since the Xfinity Series instituted the NASCAR playoff format in 2016, Allgaier has made the postseason in all 10 years. In all 10 of those seasons, he’s never been eliminated in the first round.
His inclusion in the Championship 4 this season would be no surprise. In nine seasons of Xfinity Series playoff racing, Allgaier has made the Championship 4 an astounding seven times — more than any other driver in any of NASCAR’s top-three series.
Justin Allgaier has excellent chance to repeat
Perhaps most importantly, Allgaier already has a title under his belt. He and the No. 7 team know exactly what it takes to bring home the hardware, and he also doesn’t have the pressure of potentially going another year without winning the big prize.
But even Allgaier can’t afford to put the cart before the horse. If he is to win his second consecutive Xfinity Series championship, he must first get to the Championship 4. Going into the opening race of the Round of 8, he’s 24 points above the cut line.
The round begins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 11. Perhaps no driver in Xfinity Series history has been as good at LVMS as Allgaier, who won at the 1.5-mile track in March and has 19 top-10 finishes and 12 top-fives in 22 Las Vegas starts.
A win at Las Vegas would take a substantial amount of pressure off Allgaier’s shoulders at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct 18. JR Motorsports Chevrolets are always fast at superspeedways, but Lady Luck has rarely shined on Allgaier at the 2.66-mile behemoth. In 19 Talladega starts, Allgaier is yet to win and has only eight top-10 finishes, though he did finish fourth at Talladega on April 27.
Martinsville is the final race of the Round of 8, and similar to Las Vegas, there may not be a better driver in Xfinity Series history at the half-mile paperclip than Allgaier. He only has one victory at the track (fall 2023) but has nine top-10 efforts in 10 starts, including seven top-five finishes.
Talladega certainly has the potential to upend Allgaier’s dreams of winning consecutive championships, but if he runs like he usually does at either Las Vegas or Martinsville, he has an excellent opportunity to make it to Phoenix and become only the eighth driver in Xfinity Series history to win back-to-back championships.

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has called out reporter Jordan Bianchi for his views about Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) not being on par with Jeff Gordon when it came to dominating road courses. Hamlin believes SVG is the best road course driver the sport has witnessed, and revealed reasons why Gordon falls short.
Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Gordon won four Cup Series championships and is considered one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. SVG, who made his Cup Series debut this year, has already secured five consecutive road course victories, his most recent win coming from the Charlotte Roval last weekend, making him a highly versatile driver.
A lot has changed in NASCAR since Gordon’s peak racing era in the late nineties and early 2000s, especially with the addition of more road courses and new cars that are nearly equal in terms of performance. However, Bianchi thinks Gordon was the greatest of all and ranked him above SVG in a debate with Jeff Gluck on The Teardown podcast. He said:
“Gordon was all-time, and he was so good that at that era, there were people thinking that he could have moved to Formula One and been competitive. No offense to SVG, that conversation has been had. I’m not saying that SVG isn’t the greatest, but look at Gordon’s body of work, look at what he did, the number of wins. And it would have been interesting to see if there had been more road courses at the time, what his stats would have looked like even more.”
Now though, Hamlin has ridiculed Bianchi for his comments, emphasizing that Gordon wasn’t dominating road courses like SVG. He said on his Actions Detrimental podcast:
“Jordan Bianchi is absolutely out of his mind. Yeah, he’s [SVG] on the short-list for the best NASCAR road racer ever. What is he talking about? Does he really think that Jeff Gordon, in his prime, would beat SVG today in a Next Gen car? Not a chance. Not a remote chance.

It was an unforgettable finish by all means. Ross Chastain, on the last lap at Charlotte, needed a single point to maintain his playoff qualification. He attempted a Hail Mary move that nearly resulted in a collision with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin’s Toyota Camry XSE. Chastain, however, didn’t make it to the Round of 8, unlike Hamlin. But after voicing concerns about the “radio silence” from his team, Hamlin has now called on NASCAR to take action against Chastain.
After the race, Hamlin voiced that his team had not given any information on Chastain’s position. “We just didn’t say much all day. I run, and I run, and I run. I’m like, I’m not catching anyone. Suddenly, the 1 (Ross Chastain), you can see he’s slow. He’s fighting his car and whatnot. At that point, again, I have no idea. Never did I get any update on what position we’re in, never did I get an update on the points, anything,” said Hamlin recently about the incident. Now, after calling out his team, Hamlin has appealed to NASCAR to take action against Chastain.
Hamlin appeared on his podcast ‘Actions Detrimental’ with co-host Jared Allen and opened up about how he felt “vulnerable” in the last lap and called for penalties. “Do you think, had that move worked, that they probably would have been penalized by NASCAR?” asked Allen. Denny Hamlin, without any hesitation, replied in affirmation that the incident should be constituted as “intentional wreck.”
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“I would hope so. If not, then what? I mean, yeah, I think they should set a precedent on that. It would be interesting, and I would appreciate NASCAR or someone sending me a text. They don’t have to say it publicly, but just let me know whether that will be allowed. Certainly, I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to just wipe someone out to move on. I mean, it’s an intentional wreck, isn’t it?” said Hamlin. Although Hamlin’s car didn’t spin too much out of control and he was safe with his lead. Still, upon video review, the maneuver would have come under scrutiny.
The NASCAR rule book currently has Section 10, which deals with violations and disciplinary actions and evaluates such behavior on a case-by-case basis upon video review. Still, NASCAR allows last-lap aggression, and many actions like the ‘bump-and-run’ are widely tolerated, with penalties coming only on major violations. Still, trying to spin or manipulate the outcome of the race or championship is strictly enforced.
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“Attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship… Wrecking or spinning another vehicle… shall be subject to a penalty from NASCAR,” reads the NASCAR Rule Book. However, whether Chastain will be given a penalty or not is yet to be seen, but it has surely opened a debate.
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Denny Hamlin backtracks after approving Ross Chastain’s last-lap move
The maneuver that Chastain pulled in the last moment, before the finish line, largely falls under NASCAR’s tolerance for heat-of-the-moment aggression. Even Ross Chastain announced after the race that it was a last-ditch Hail Mary attempt. “I had to try something crazy,” said Chastain, who had a one-point deficit. As for NASCAR, it reviewed the last finish and later decided to issue no penalties, classifying it as “admitted but not egregious.” Hamlin, too, had defended it post-race,” I don’t fault Ross at all… because of what was at stake.” But why demand a penalty then?
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Hamlin’s appeal is not exactly for Chastain, but for the risks the moves carry, as they have been attempted earlier, too. “This is going to come up certainly in the lower series. We know at Martinsville this every year. Every single year. We saw it with Kevin Harvick when he wrecked Kyle Busch on the final corner of Martinsville. Surely, just for the sporting aspect, we’ve got to say that that’s not going to be allowed, intentional wrecking to advance. It’s no different than someone intentionally not passing someone,” said Hamlin.
What Hamlin is essentially demanding here is a rule change from NASCAR where incidents like Chastain’s are outright banned. Surely, with the current state of things, drivers would try to do such maneuvers when faced with a do-or-die battle. But with a rule change, more drivers would be discouraged from attempting them, making tracks relatively safer, at least on turns. However, how that would fit into NASCAR’s playoff system that encourages desperate racing is a puzzle.

Over the last three years, Ryan Blaney has found a way to consistently perform in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs when it matters the most.
The latest example of that was his victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 21, which locked him into the penultimate round of the postseason — a win that was especially important given his finishes of 24th and 13th in the final two races of the Round of 12.
Blaney is in the Round of 8 for the fourth consecutive season and is searching for a third consecutive Championship 4 appearance. If he makes it to Phoenix as one of the four drivers still in contention for the championship, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him listed as the title favorite.
Ryan Blaney is having another good season
2025 has been another solid season for Blaney in a long line of them since he joined Team Penske in 2018. It’s the third consecutive season in which Blaney has at least three victories and has led 560 laps. One more top-10 finish would give Blaney 18 on the year, which would mark the third consecutive season in which he’s finished top-10 in half of the races on the Cup Series schedule.
Perhaps Blaney’s biggest strength compared to his Round of 8 peers is the fact that none of the three tracks in the round — Las Vegas, Talladega and Martinsville — serve as a major weakness. In fact, one could argue that Talladega and Martinsville are Blaney’s best two racetracks. Las Vegas is somewhere in between, but it’s certainly not a liability for the No. 12 team. In 18 Las Vegas starts, Blaney has 10 top-10 finishes, and a Penske-affiliated car (Josh Berry with the Wood Brothers No. 21) won at Las Vegas in March.
Talladega will be inherently chaotic as always, but Blaney is a master of finding his way through the chaos and leading the pack at the end of races. Blaney won the most recent superspeedway race at Daytona on Aug. 23, and he’s a three-time Talladega winner, including a clutch playoff win at the track in 2023.
But it’s Martinsville where Blaney has really made his mark as of late. In both 2023 and 2024, Blaney entered the penultimate race of the season needing a victory to advance to the Championship 4. Both times, Blaney put together two of the most clutch performances that the fabled walls of Martinsville Speedway have ever seen.
Blaney led a combined 177 laps in those victories, both of which propelled him to Phoenix. In 19 Martinsville starts, he has 10 top-five finishes, so even if he doesn’t need a win at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4, a good points day is certainly within reach.
Blaney has not had a flashy season like Denny Hamlin, who is tied for the series lead with five wins. He didn’t have to bounce back after a summer slump like Kyle Larson. Blaney made it to the Round of 8 by simply being a steady presence near the front of the pack, and that same characteristic could be what takes him to Phoenix as a championship contender for the third year in a row.

On Monday, NASCAR filed a motion with U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell requesting the appointment of a judge to oversee a settlement conference that, if successful, could prevent the trial set for December 1. The motion referenced Michael Jordan’s recent remarks that 23XI Racing, which he co-owns with Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, “has always been open to a settlement.” But Dale Jr. thinks something is fishy.
However, Dale Jr. believes that it’s all for public view. Speaking on his latest Dale Junior podcast, he said, “Was this more was this really nothing more than NASCAR going by the way we do want a settlement, if that you know not not that we think one’s going to happen, but we just want people to know that we’re, we’re not against the settlement. I think that’s a big thing is public perception.”
More eyes on the “settlement” bid will definitely gain NASCAR more brownie points as they put up a front of negotiation. NASCAR has also shown that there is a path to resolution before the trial with the summary judgment, though it is unwilling to renegotiate the charter agreements. And although Michael Jordan said after the last hearing in August that he was open to a settlement, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row Motorsports indicated that the clients are prepared to go to trial.
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Backing up NASCAR’s “gameplan,” Dale Jr. added, ” And so, you know, it’s just a reminder, I think, more than anything of by the way, like, you know, we’re not over here. We will settle under the right terms, right? We’re totally down with that. Not even expecting it to happen, but just so that the public knows. Um, and that maybe could be what this is.”

Call it luck or fate, but Joey Logano was always meant to be in the Round of 8. We saw it last year, where Alex Bowman’s disqualification post-race led to his advancement, and this year, thanks to Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin at the Charlotte Roval race, the three-time Cup Series champion gets a free ride again. However, this time, the magic of a strategy was in play as well. But the NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t here for it…
Joey Logano, with his big classic smile, didn’t hold back on commenting on the playoff system that has helped him get 3 Cup titles (2018, 2022, and 2024). Post-race, the defending champion said, “The playoffs create drama; they create storylines. They create awesome moments like that. I don’t understand what people don’t like about it. I really don’t get it.” But Dale Jr., the longtime supporter of the Chase format, has let his frustration be known.
Speaking on the latest Dale Jr. Download, the veteran didn’t hold back on Joey Logano’s long-standing support for the current playoff format: “You know, yeah. I mean, and I’ll tell you this, too. The more Joey Logano gets out of his car and talks about the playoffs, the more I don’t like the playoffs. Oh, my gosh. The more he talks about it, and I know he’s defending it, and I know he believes what he believes, and I’m good with that for him, but the more he tells me why I should like the playoffs, the less I like him.”
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Dale Jr. has always been on team “full-season points,” always urging NASCAR to return to it. The full-season points format rewards consistency over one-time wonders. The “win-and-you’re-in” doesn’t really apply to the type of full-on dominance Dale Earnhardt Sr. showed while clinching the 1987 Winston Cup championship with a 515-point lead, becoming the third-ever driver in NASCAR history to clinch the championship with two races to go. But with massive changes over the decades to the playoff systems, it has been deeply scrutinized. And the Charlotte race was no different.
Joey Logano’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe, made a bold call to pit from 13th with just 11 laps to go, sacrificing a slim points lead over Ross Chastain, which paid off big. On fresh tires, Logano charged forward as Chastain lost ground. Tied at the cut line entering the final chicane, Chastain’s desperate move to spin Denny Hamlin for the last playoff spot sealed Logano’s advancement instead.
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Adding to Dale Jr.’s frustration, he admitted, “I’m not going to be, oh, darn it, pounding the table if the full season thing comes don’t come back, ’cause I really don’t think that they’re that that’s where NASCAR is going to go. But, so I’m ready for that mentally, but man, I am exhausted. Uh, something about something about this particular year’s playoff is just not—it’s just not doing it for me.”
But Jr. isn’t alone on this. Having led through the shift from the old 36-race-point championship to today’s race format, Brad Keselowski knows the system inside out. Earlier this week, he didn’t mince words, saying, “The whole playoff thing has to go away. The nuance of having 10 races that are more important than 20-some others is very unhealthy for the sport. It’s demeaning to the other tracks and races.” And after that Charlotte race, frustration boiled over even more.
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However, Junior will have to hang tight until the season finale next month at Phoenix, as Mike Forde, NASCAR’s director of communications, has made it clear that NASCAR will announce its plan for the playoff system next year. The discussions continue over the 2026 championship performance, with ideas ranging from a four-race finale featuring up to 6 contenders to a call for a return to the traditional season-long points system. NASCAR hasn’t used a full-season format since 2003, and its playoff structure has seen multiple revisions, the latest coming in 2017.
But with changes being made and Joey Logano’s playoff comment generating backlash, the defending Cup Series champion is definitely a threat heading into the Round of 8.
Why Joey Logano’s return to the Round of 8 spells trouble for the rest of the Playoff field
In 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, Joey Logano opened the Round of 8 with a win, and each time it carried him straight into the Championship 4. Three of those runs ended with him bagging the title. Historically, the No. 22 driver’s path to the finale has always hinged on victory, making Las Vegas a pivotal test.
Then comes Talladega, a wildcard race that might seem like a blessing for the rest of the playoff field. The unpredictable nature of the track could derail Logano’s momentum, unlike Homestead, which used to occupy that calendar spot and suited him better.
Still, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi warns that overlooking Logano is a mistake. In the Teardown podcast, he said, “I just want to say this, too. You let Joey Logano onto the next round. They are going to regret this. You picked them to be in the Championship 4, Jeff, you called it. This guy’s one of those horror movie monsters that you can’t put down, and he just finds a way to get in, and they did it again.”
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And he’s not wrong; Logano came within inches of a win earlier this year at Dega, with teammate Austin Cindric snatching victory. Team Penske’s drafting strategy has long made them a powerhouse at superspeedways.
Whether the 35-year-old’s will win a fourth championship remains uncertain; others have shown stronger form this season, but if history is any indication, counting him out is risky. As the Round of 8 begins, all eyes will be on the No. 22 in Las Vegas.

Chaos unfolded on the final lap of the Charlotte Roval race. After getting passed by Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain knew that he was losing the fight against Joey Logano. So he drove deep into the final corner, running into Hamlin’s car and spinning it out. Unfortunately, Chastain also spun, as he put the car in reverse while crossing the finish line. Logano escaped with a Round of 8 playoff berth. Yet Richard Petty is ready to do without this climactic story twist.
The 7-time Cup Series champion belongs to an era when drivers in the middle of the pack rarely caused so much chaos. All the drama belonged to the frontrunners, who were contending for a win. Hence, Richard Petty sounded off on NASCAR’s Roval racing, agreeing with other veterans of the sport.
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Richard Petty was not bothered at all
The 17-turn, 2.28-mile hybrid oval road course debuted in 2018. Since then, drivers and fans have been scratching their heads about the layout. From the surgical turns rattling racers to the obstructed views reducing excitement for fans, the track has many concerns. During the last-lap chaos on last Sunday’s race, Denny Hamlin confessed he “had no clue” about what position he was running, whether it was 10th or 25th. “The right thing to do is to put us on the oval,” Hamlin declared about shifting to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional course. Even Jeff Gluck agreed: “The Roval might have run its course.”
Now, Richard Petty also added to this debate. In a recent video uploaded on his official Instagram account, ‘The King’ confessed to his utter apathy about the Roval race in four words: “I wasn’t even interested.” He continued, “‘Cause to me, nothing was interesting in it. At the end of the race, it all settled. And the ones that had run up front wound up being up front. I’d like to see a race finished like that.”
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And the stage racing made things even more confusing. Ross Chastain and Joey Logano were hardly contending for the trophy – and yet ended up creating jaw-dropping chaos just in the hope of scoring more points. Hence, Dale Inman, Petty’s former crew chief, declared: “They still don’t need to have them stages on a road course.” Richard Petty unequivocally agreed, as that situation makes the Roval more chaotic and unpredictable. “That’s gotta confuse a regular guy sitting there watching the race,” He said.
This falls in line with Richard Petty’s views just a month ago, when he bashed NASCAR for trying to mimic other sports. He said, “When they give points for leading different (stages) in the race and they give points for all this other stuff, that’s a bunch of crap, OK? If you’re sitting there and watching a football game and the team has been behind the whole game, and they kick a field goal and they win the game, the guys who lost got a zero. That should be the same way in NASCAR racing. I don’t care if you lead 499 laps of a 500-lap race — if you get beat, then you’re not the winner, and you shouldn’t have any (extra) points.”
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The King has rolled out his verdict about the Charlotte Roval. Meanwhile, the track’s latest winner is biting his nails about other tracks.
Admitting to the steep learning curve
Despite Richard Petty’s criticism of the Charlotte Roval, nobody can doubt its winner’s prowess. Shane van Gisbergen put up a flawless streak of five consecutive road course race trophies. What is more, he won the Roval with a 15-second margin from his nearest competitor, Kyle Larson. Fans are already comparing him with legends, with Denny Hamlin setting him above Jeff Gordon. Nevertheless, SVG’s difficulty with ovals is no secret.
The Kiwi speedster recently admitted to his queasy feelings about the following races. SVG said, “All tracks are difficult. Like Vegas next week, going there and having to hold it wide open at 320 and 190, probably, whatever miles that is, it’s a crazy feeling and something I’m not comfortable with.” He continued, “It’s just taking time. Martinsville, the short tracks, they’re getting better for me, and finally starting to get results at them too. Martinsville, I think I did a decent result last year, and hopefully we just build on that. We had a bit of a shocker at the start of the year with wheels falling off literally, so hopefully we can be better.”
Yet SVG is on the path to improvement. While competing in the Cook Out Summer Shootout Series in July, he captured his first pavement oval win in a Legends car. Then, a few small steps: he qualified 11th at Indianapolis, snagged the pole at North Wilkesboro, and started 10th at New Hampshire. In Kansas, he climbed from the rear to claim his first-ever top-10 finish on an oval.
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Hence, the Charlotte Roval winner is slowly but surely matching up to NASCAR’s traditional tracks. Let’s see if SVG can excel on a track better loved by Richard Petty and others.

There is no secret to the NASCAR lawsuit. Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, had sued the sport for ‘monopolistic’ practices in the charter system. The legal battle had been raging since October 2024, with several exchanges of blows. Now, however, things seem to be clearing up with the hope of resolution.
On that note, things are also brighter for NASCAR in another lawsuit. Three years ago, the sanctioning body was sued by a cryptocurrency brand in a $76 million case. The sport’s rejection of the brand’s sponsorship of Brandon Brown’s Xfinity Series car apparently deflated the digital currency’s value. But like NASCAR, the court has no sympathy for it.
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One legal battle ends happily for NASCAR
Soon after Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR race in Talladega in October 2021, he fell into a cultural war. An NBC Sports reporter incorrectly interpreted a political slogan as ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ – and those three words became more popular than Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty slogans. Right-wing NASCAR fans used the wrong slogan for merchandise, souvenirs, and political campaigns. What is more, a cryptocurrency brand emerged, called the LGBCoin. But as soon as Brown accepted that brand’s sponsorship, NASCAR rejected its legitimacy. Then, LGBCoin launched a lawsuit, which went on for three years.
Now, that story has reached its climax. The lawsuit went to trial in September and was overlooked due to two other cases – the 23XI/FRM one and the Legacy Motor Club one. While those battles are seeking resolution, NASCAR achieved a definite victory in the LGBCoin case. Law360 posted the update on X: “A Miami jury returned a defense verdict late Monday in favor of NASCAR in a $76 million suit by the LetsGoBrandon Foundation accusing the league of destroying the value of its cryptocurrency LGBCoin after it revoked approval of a sponsorship of a racing team.”
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This marked the end of a long, drawn-out battle between the two parties. Although the case has lost its relevance for Brandon Brown and his Xfinity Series team, Brandonbilt Racing. Brandonbilt ultimately raced the full 2022 season, but without LGBCoin on the car. And Brown would only pilot the No. 68 in 23 of the series’s 33 races. Austin Dillon and Kris Wright took his place for the other 10 races. The three drivers finished no better than Brown’s third-place finish at New Hampshire. The team has not entered another race since the 2022 season finale.
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Evidently, NASCAR can now breathe easy in one legal battle. Stay tuned for more updates!

NASCAR’s TV viewership has been on a bumpy decline for well over a decade, and 2025 has brought some of the lowest numbers in its history. Just five years ago, regular Cup races averaged nearly 4 million viewers. Now, that figure has dropped to 2.5 million – a 13% decrease from 2024’s numbers and a staggering drop from NASCAR’s 2005 peak when a single Daytona 500 could command more than 18 million fans.
This season’s first four playoff races averaged just 1.56 million viewers, far short of the sport’s glory days. As cable subscriptions shrink and younger fans drift away, the issue has become impossible to ignore. Beneath these numbers lies a deeper debate about whether NASCAR’s multi-billion-dollar media deals and dramatic playoff formats are helping (or hurting) the future of stock car racing.
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NASCAR playoffs TV ratings drop for Charlotte Roval
The press box was buzzing after the Charlotte Roval, but it wasn’t just the daring passes or dramatic playoff heartbreaks making headlines. Adam Stern’s tweet revealed the Bank of America Roval 400 drew a 0.80 rating and 1.54 million viewers on USA Network. So what? Well, this means that viewership was down a staggering 35% from last year’s 2.4 million, which aired on NBC.
Jeff Gluck quickly highlighted the elephant in the room. Remember the $7.7 billion TV deal NASCAR signed earlier this year? FOX, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon will split 38 races across their channels each year, starting with the 2025 season. Well, thanks to it, NBC is only showcasing four races this season. Yep, it’s just the Daytona cutoff event and the final three playoff rounds airing on NBC. In contrast, most playoff action moves to cable, a network with less reach and weaker numbers.
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The intent behind the premium media contract was clear: secure NASCAR’s future, generate massive revenue, and ensure high-profile exposure for key events. But reality has set in. Playoff viewership, once the crown jewel of NASCAR’s season, is now routinely struggling to break two million viewers. It’s no secret that fall Sundays mean competition with the NFL, but several insiders and fans suggest the network shuffle is also to blame.
And in 2025, NASCAR’s ratings slide is evident across the board. Playoff races have tumbled by nearly 29% year-over-year, now rarely breaking 1.6 million per event. Per an X post of Jeff Gluck, the Kansas playoff race on USA Network only reached 1.49 million viewers, compared to 1.79 million in 2024. On the other hand, the New Hampshire opener was also only 1.29 million, compared to 1.88 million the previous year. In-house rivalries, such as the current contract war between NBCUniversal and YouTube TV, are at risk of causing blackouts to major races, forcing fans to scramble and damaging engagement.
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With skepticism growing on social media and forums, the next chapter is all about the ‘why.’ Does this new TV landscape serve long-time supporters or leave many behind? That’s the debate racing through the paddock, direct from the heart of NASCAR’s online community.
Fans vent frustration
The outcry from fans was swift as soon as the 2025 Roval ratings hit social media. “2.419 million last year. Down 36%,” one pointed out, referencing the 2024 Charlotte Roval race that aired on NBC. Kyle Larson’s victory drew more than 2.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Roval race since 2021. This year’s telecast, on USA Network, reached just 1.54 million viewers, reinforcing how shifting high-profile races off major broadcast networks can have immediate negative effects on audience size.
Anger quickly shifted to NASCAR’s $7.7 billion broadcasting deal. “NASCAR absolutely shot themselves in the foot with this TV deal. Money man France only cares about the dollars and not about growing the sport…” The reality: NASCAR’s new media deal was designed to secure the sport’s financial future, guaranteeing billions through 2031. However, it has left many questioning whether sacrificing broad visibility and growth for short-term earnings is wise by shifting to multiple broadcasting partners (including streaming services like Prime Video).
Another fan gave three main reasons for flat playoff viewership:
“USA Network = a lot don’t have it.” Many households lack access compared to NBC’s nationwide reach.
“Playoffs = too many hate them.” The win-or-go-home drama appeals to some, but traditionalists dislike a champion decided by just a few races rather than season-long consistency.
“SVG = why bother.” With Shane van Gisbergen dominating yet again on a road course (his fifth win, most ever by a rookie in a modern season), some fans felt the suspense was gone, and the race was a foregone conclusion.
“What’s worse, USA Network isn’t easily accessible. Why not put them on Peacock also?” wrote another. With streaming growing, many felt putting playoff races on Peacock, too, would have helped. This comment echoes calls for NASCAR to embrace a broader, more modern digital approach for younger and more mobile fans. Prime Video alone averaged around 2.16 million viewers across five Cup Series races, marking a shift as more fans embrace digital platforms. What is more, the streaming platform’s post-race coverage was also a point of appreciation for the fans.
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For some, the only consolation (sarcastic) was: “At least less people were disappointed by the terrible points format, lol.” As mentioned earlier, dislike of the current playoff system remains deep. Many fans and NASCAR veterans want a return to the old format, which crowns a season champion based on consistency, not just clutch performances in knockout rounds. This debate has gained further heat after Joey Logano’s 2024 championship, where we were initially eliminated, but Alex Bowman’s post-race inspection failure gained him entry into the Round of 8, and we all saw how he cruised from there.
As NASCAR prepares to navigate the future of its TV deal and championship structure, it’s clear the sport must balance financial strategy with the passion (and frustration) of its loyal fanbase. The debate rages on: is NASCAR chasing dollars at the expense of its roots, or is this the new normal in a rapidly changing sports media world?

“Arrivederci! End of an Era.” That’s how Venturini Motorsports framed its announcement of the sale to Nitro Motorsports, set to take effect on October 15, 2025. The team built by Bill Venturini and his wife, Cathy, first hit the tracks in 1982, turning into a cornerstone of ARCA racing with a family-run operation based in North Carolina. Bill, a former driver who kicked off his ARCA career that same year, racked up 12 wins and two championships in 1987 and 1991, setting records at Daytona and Talladega that still stand. As the longest-running ARCA team, it shaped the series with consistent presence, but now with the handover looming, attention turns to how this shift feels from the inside.
Over the decades, Venturini Motorsports became a launchpad for talent, grooming drivers like Joey Logano, who scored his first ARCA win with them in 2008 at Rockingham, and others such as Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, and William Byron, who all climbed to NASCAR Cup Series success. Bill Venturini, now 72, has seen it all, from driver to owner, blending personal grit with family involvement. With the final race under the Venturini banner wrapped up, his reflections after watching the team compete one last time carry real weight.
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The emotional farewell of Bill Venturini
Bill Venturini opened up right after the checkered flag: “I never thought this day would come, but as it got closer, I kind of looked forward to it, but at the same time, I really didn’t want it to really happen. But it’s time. I’m okay. I’m not really. I’m not as emotional as I thought I would be, mainly because I think it’s time; my health is still good, right? I’m 72 years old, you know,” he told the reporter.
In the Owens Corning 200 Presented by CGS Imaging at Toledo Speedway, Venturini and his wife were presented with ARCA Gold Card lifetime memberships during pre-race activities by ARCA president Ron Drager. A rather fitting honor for a driver who not only won titles but also innovated with an all-female pit crew in 1987, including Cathy, pushing boundaries in a male-dominated sport. Even as his son Billy handled much of the load, Bill wanted to retire without financial worries after building a team that amassed 107 victories.
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Diving deeper, Bill highlighted his pride in the family legacy: “I’m very proud of my son and what he’s done with the company. I mean, he put me in a position where I could retire, not have to worry about anything, and he’s kept the door open if I want to go to any races, I can get on the team plane and still go.”
His son, reflecting on the sale earlier, noted, “The last 20 years have been very rewarding, but also incredibly demanding. I love what this sport has given to me, but in return, I gave it everything I had. So the time has come to be able to prioritize other things ahead of racing.” For Bill, it’s about closing a chapter that began in the 1950s with his father, Tony, yet keeping ties alive through a small museum he’s building at the shop to house trophies and memories.
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The garage feels the loss, as the reporter put it: “The garage is losing legend right here, a great man, like the world of it, I mean that.” Bill responded with thanks, underscoring the impact on ARCA, where Venturini fielded multiple cars and expanded to East and West series in 2020.
Looking back, he added, “Yeah, you’ll have to; I’m building a little museum right down in the shop next to where the race team is, and when I get it finished, you guys will have to come down to see it.” This nod to preservation stems from a career that included broadcasting stints and mentoring, with recent drivers like Corey Heim and Jesse Love poised for Cup futures, ensuring the over 4 decades of influence endures even as ownership changes hands.
While the handover marks a big shift, Bill’s plans show he’s ready to embrace life beyond the track, keeping one foot in racing.
Bill Venturini’s road ahead
Bill made clear he’ll stick around the sport casually, saying, “Yep, I’ll be around, but yeah, it’s time for me not to worry about anything… I’m still going to come to the races; I can’t not come. I mean, it’s been my life for 50 years, so it’s just going to be a little different, I think.” Though his son Billy steps into the general manager role at Nitro Motorsports for 2026 to smooth the transition, Bill himself focuses on retirement without daily responsibilities.
This setup builds on the family’s long Toyota alliance, which Nitro will continue, allowing Bill to visit spots like Daytona on the team plane as a guest, much like how he supported Billy’s one win as a driver in 2006 at Salem Speedway.
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Travel tops the list for Bill and Cathy, with specific trips lined up: “Oh gosh, South America in March, Mississippi River Cruise in July, I think Ireland in October, and in between that, now those were my wife’s plans. Now, in between that, my bucket list was to drive Route 66 from Chicago to LA, so I’m going to fit that in somewhere in the schedule next year, and of course, go back to Sturgis.”
Wrapping it up, Bill affirmed his lasting connection: “Fly the V, I’ll always fly the V.” Even as Nitro takes over the operations, including potential drivers like Isabella Robusto and Lawless Alan, who ran full-time in 2025, Bill’s presence at select events keeps the personal touch alive.

Shane van Gisbergen, shocker, took the win at the Charlotte Roval, notching his fifth road-race win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Rod Mullins was down in Charlotte for us this past weekend, and reports back on van Gisbergen’s road-course dominance, and the scramble among the 12 drivers still in the playoff hunt to get to the cutline for the Round of 8.
Also on this week’s show: we go into detail on the latest in the antitrust case in which two teams are challenging the NASCAR charter system.