NASCAR launches official podcast – and floats potential playoff tweaks
02/13/2025 05:51 PM
NASCAR entered the podcast arena this week with the launch of 'Hauler Talk,' and fittingly, a portion of the show was dedicated to discussing the playoff format and championship race.
NASCAR communications members Amanda Ellis and Mike Forde host the podcast alongside journalist Nate Ryan. In releasing an episode each week, the three will discuss competition matters and wide-ranging subjects from around the sport, as well as feature guests and answer fan questions. The inaugural episode featured Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's chief operating officer.
During the episode, it was confirmed that a committee had been formed to discuss the future of the Cup Series playoff format. NASCAR made no changes for 2025 but committed to looking in-depth at what could be presented for 2026.
O'Donnell acknowledged the need for "rewarding drivers, rewarding the best. The best may not always win in totality if you have a playoff, and I think that's a little bit different for us versus maybe other forms of motorsports.
"I think we have to look at how we reward the overall champion to make sure that we all feel like, yeah, legit champion, we're all behind it,” he said. “I still stand by Joey Logano as a three-time champion. But we want to look at how we can balance that so the Kyle Larsons of the world feel like this is a place I want to race for the rest of my career because if I'm up on the wheel and I'm winning, I'm going to be rewarded for that."
Larson led the series with six wins last year but did not make the Championship 4. Logano won his third Cup Series championship in 2024 (main image) after finishing the regular season 15th in the standings with one victory. In the postseason, Logano and his Team Penske team won three races, including the finale, to take the crown over teammate Ryan Blaney.
Blaney won the 2023 championship. He finished 13th in the regular season standings that season with one victory. In the postseason, Blaney won two races on his way to the title.
The championship race has been held at Phoenix Raceway for five years. Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske have fielded the driver who has won the last five championships (Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Logano and Blaney). Phoenix will again be the championship host in 2025.
But in talking about the playoff format, O'Donnell said there is a need for change. And not just a new venue, but one that is not a constant.
"It's not lost on me and it's more complicated, I think, than just waving a quick checkered flag and saying let's move the championship, but I do think a rotation is going to be really important for us," O'Donnell said. "It has not happened yet, but if (a driver) has won 45 Phoenix races in a row and the championship is there, (it's) probably not a good look for the sport.
"We've had a good mixture there, which is great, which maybe says Phoenix is a great racetrack, but I think a rotation is what the fans would like. I go back to being a big fan of sports – college football, NFL – that rotation of a new venue, the anticipation. I think you'll see that with NASCAR as well."
