The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season has come to a close, and there were a handful of drivers that made it into the playoffs that were seen as a surprise to fans. This has raised many questions on if the playoff format is appropriate, as each season there are always surprise drivers making the playoffs, only to lose in the first round. Previous examples of that are Cole Custer in 2020, Michael McDowell in 2021, and Ricky Stenhouse in 2023. These are all drivers who had timely wins without much consistency. 

Per nascar.com, the NASCAR playoff system is as follows: There are 16 playoff spots. If a driver wins a race in the regular season, they secure a playoff spot. 

Harrison Burton, a driver who made the playoffs this year with a miraculous win at Daytona, has an average finish this season of 25.7. To put that into perspective, 17 non-playoff drivers have a better average finish than Burton. One of those drivers is Chris Buescher, who has the fourth highest average finish in 2024, essentially meaning he is the fourth most consistent driver in the field. Buescher has twelve top tens this season, while Burton has two.

What I am getting at is that there is no reward for consistency anymore. For example, in 2003, under the old playoff format, Matt Kenseth went the final 33 races of the season without winning. But, he still won the championship based on his consistent weekly performances. If you apply the former playoff format to 2024, Buescher, who missed the playoffs, would be fifth in standings based off of his consistent results. Instead, he is at 17th in the standings, one spot shy of the playoffs.

Nate Regotti works as an announcer and is the director of race-day operations at Jennerstown Speedway Complex LLC, a Nascar Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track. Regotti offered his thoughts on Buescher’s situation.

“Not only did Chris Buescher not win, but he finished second in the closest race this season. If Buescher had just won that race, he would’ve been in the playoffs. You have to win at the right time in this format, because just finishing in the top five doesn’t cut it anymore,” Regotti said. 

Regotti elaborated that while some top-tier drivers are getting snubbed from the playoffs, other drivers are getting a chance that they might not have gotten without this system.

“Harrison Burton would’ve never made the playoffs under the old format… same as Ricky Stenhouse last year. Stenhouse got eliminated in the first round, and it’ll probably be the same for Burton. But, it does help allow these small teams to grow and give them legit playoff experience,” Regotti said. 

While Regotti brings up a good point, I think NASCAR should go back to the playoff system that was used from 2007-2010. The criteria needed to qualify for the playoffs was simply that you had to be top twelve in point standings. This would eliminate the “one win and you’re in” motto that fans and even some drivers have complained about. Readopting the old format would also keep drivers from doing desperate things when they are in a must-win situation. Earlier this season, Austin Dillon wrecked two drivers on the final lap to win due to needing that win to get into the playoffs. 

Overall, I think the old NASCAR playoff system should be brought back. Consistency would be rewarded more, and maybe old fans would regain interest.