NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. has fired back at critics, questioning the legitimacy of championships won under the current playoff format, insisting that each title remains a great achievement despite the system’s flaws.
As debate intensifies around whether NASCAR will revamp its postseason format again, Earnhardt urged patience and perspective. He warned that any midseason announcement of change would unfairly cast a shadow over this year’s championship race.
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Speaking on his podcast, Earnhardt addressed growing speculation that NASCAR might soon overhaul its postseason format. While his co-hosts debated potential changes, he warned against publicly announcing any shift during an active season.
“I don’t want them to announce it because it’s, for lack of a better word, disrespectful to whoever might win this year,” Earnhardt said. “You’re basically saying their title doesn’t count the same.”
The former driver’s comments come amid resurfaced discussions about NASCAR’s current one-race championship showdown and its fairness.
Despite the criticism, Earnhardt believes the current format presents the toughest path to a title yet.
He explained, “I don’t like that. Look, I do want to talk about the sport. I do want to talk about hot-button topics. I want to talk about this, but I do not want it to make Joey Logano, Blaney, Larson, Chase Elliott – or anybody – feel like that championship they won under whatever format is less than.”
“The way we do it today is the hardest, most difficult way to win a championship. To put four guys on the track and only have one race, it has to go right – the odds are against you in this format more so than any other, in my opinion,” Earnhardt added.
Though he admitted he personally preferred older systems, Earnhardt stood firm in defending the accomplishments of today’s stars and urged fans not to diminish their victories.
“Is it my favorite way? No,” said the JR Motorsports co-owner. “Do I prefer another way? Yes. But it doesn’t mean that championship they’ve got and the trophy in their house isn’t as valuable, neat, or appreciated as any trophy or championship won in the first 50 years of the sport.”
Earnhardt singled out Logano in particular, saying, “I can appreciate Joey Logano. He is a Hall of Famer, a multi-time champion, a true badass, clutch driver. Give him the car, he gets the job done. I’ve seen him do things that really set him apart from most race car drivers on the track. But yeah, I’m just having a hard time watching this year’s playoff play out.”
As NASCAR inches toward what many expect to be another postseason overhaul, Earnhardt’s words serve as a reminder that, irrespective of the debates, a champion’s grind remains unchanged.