Why NASCAR Should Go Back to a Full-Season Championship

NASCAR’s playoff system is a circus. I mean, sure, it’s dramatic if you’re into the idea that one fluke race should decide a year’s worth of work. But honestly, crowning a champ based on a single Hail Mary? That’s like letting someone win the Super Bowl because they nailed a trick shot at halftime. It’s goofy.

The Obvious Solution NASCAR Should Have Chosen Years Ago

Bring back the full-season points championship, NASCAR! It’s the only way you get a winner who actually earned it week after week, not just someone who got hot or lucky at the end. Shoutout Logano. Look, the old way wasn’t perfect; it could get a bit dry if someone ran away with it and won, and the wins should’ve been awarded much more, to be honest, but at least it made sense.

Thirty-six races, all of ’em count. Survive the carnage at Talladega, grind it out at Martinsville, hustle at Homestead. The champ isn’t some dude who avoided a wreck on the last lap in Phoenix; it’s the one who crushed it all year. That’s fair. That’s legit. And let’s talk storylines because NASCAR is obsessed with them.

The current playoff mess? It nukes any hope of a real narrative. You get these forced “win and you’re in” moments, they’re like a small can of Coca-Cola. You get a brief moment of sweet flavor and a buzz from the sugar. Then it goes away so quickly, most of the time you don’t even remember it.

Season Long Arcs

But the season-long arcs, underdogs clawing their way up, grizzled vets hanging tough, some rookie figuring it out, they just get steamrolled by whatever “elimination drama” is cooked up for TV, and that NASCAR won’t shut up about since it insists upon itself. Fans want to follow stories, not brackets, unless it’s the in-season tournament, which is a better version of the playoffs anyway.

They want to see their favorite driver’s hard work pay off, not get trashed by a blown tire in the finale. Shoutout Harvick. Additionally, the playoffs are like catnip for unconventional strategies. Teams start playing the system instead of racing for points, sandbagging, or “saving it for the right round.” It’s kinda gross.

With a full-season deal, it’s simple: race hard every week, stack points, don’t screw up. No more gaming the calendar, no more weird resets that make everyone’s eyes glaze over. No fair Mary or team orders or manu orders. No, nothing pure NASCAR racing the way it was supposed to be.

Being Able to Take NASCAR Champions Seriously

Credibility? Yeah, it matters again. Right now, you tell a casual fan, “The champ won 1 race before the finale and everyone thought they’d be eliminated in the 1st round but still won,” or worse, lost a title because of some pit road penalty in a single race. They look at you like you’re selling timeshares. If the whole point is to get people invested, maybe don’t make your championship feel like a lottery ticket.

You can still spice things up. Want some tension? Fine double points at the crown jewels to give them some importance again, keep the in-season tournament, whatever. Just don’t nuke the whole season’s worth of effort because someone’s luck ran out at the worst time. Shoutout Har- oh wait, I already did that.

Final Thoughts

Bottom line. NASCAR needs to stop overthinking it. Bring back the full-season points chase. Reward the grind, not the gimmick. Fans will trust it, drivers will respect it, and you know, then people will stop complaining about the champion being picked by a roulette wheel. Seems like a no-brainer, right?