The NASCAR playoff committee was formed this year to consider changing the one-race championship format for 2026. While a change to the playoffs now seems increasingly unlikely next year, Denny Hamlin says the committee wants to deliver what the fans want.
On the latest episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin revealed that he is part of the NASCAR playoff committee that Jeff Gluck of The Athletic is also part of. He also shed light on the level of support there is among committee members for changing the playoff format.
“Most of the room, if not all of the room’s, general opinion is that the one-race thing needs to go…There is a large concern of the legitimacy of it (one-race championship).”
Denny Hamlin on the amount of support within the NASCAR playoff committee for changing the one-race championship format
Related: Why the NASCAR Playoff Format is Unlikely to Change in 2026
Hamlin made sure to note that no one in the room believes the one-race champions, such as Joey Logano, are illegitimate winners. Those drivers took full advantage of the playoff format NASCAR established, with Team Penske particularly adept at maximizing a one-race championship at Phoenix Raceway.
As the driver of the No. 11 car pointed out, the one-race championship cannot be directly compared to the Super Bowl. For that comparison to be accurate—using Super Bowl LIX as an example—teams like the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and New York Jets would also have to be on the field alongside the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
Related: NASCAR Playoff Standings
NASCAR’s current championship format allows for crashes caused by drivers often finishing outside the top 20 to take out contenders in the Championship 4 or draw a caution flag that influences who wins the championship.
Hamlin also echoed what Gluck reported on The Teardown, stating that NBC appears to have “the biggest voice” in deciding the championship format. NASCAR told the playoff committee that a “long discussion” with NBC was necessary, but it would not happen for a while. Until then, substantial progress on a new format cannot be made.
With the NASCAR schedule for 2026 set to be released next month, there is very little time left to finalize and implement any new championship format for next year’s race schedule. As a result, the change that the majority within the sport want to see likely will not come until 2027 at the earliest.
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