Chase Briscoe Advocates For A 3-Race NASCAR Playoff Finale
The NASCAR Playoffs format has been constantly tweaked over the years, and is a constant debate among drivers, fans, and insiders, many of whom want the championship determination to be more equitable and reflective of consistency throughout the postseason.
One of the most recent voices supporting a change is Chase Briscoe, from Joe Gibbs Racing, who reiterated his desire for a modification to the current system. His idea? A three-race championship finale rather than the traditional, winner-takes-all single race.
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3-Race NASCAR Playoff
During his appearance on The Dale Jr. Download podcast, Briscoe agreed with teammate Denny Hamlin’s proposal to replace the lone title race with a three-race series.
The switch would aim to lessen the impact of track-specific advantages that could unfairly influence results when the title hinges on just one race.
Briscoe went on to explain that while the final race still holds intrinsic value, a driver’s consistency across multiple races should matter more when crowning a champion.
“Making the playoffs meant running a full 10-race stretch that still came down to the wire,” Briscoe commented, referring to NASCAR’s original Chase format. “To me, that’s not right…I don’t necessarily love that part of it.”
Briscoe described the scenario: imagine a driver who dominates the season and wins 35 races, but then at the finale, suffers an early engine failure. Under the current system, the driver wouldn’t be able to finish better than fourth, which feels unjust.
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This new feeling about the championship reflects a broader frustration shared by many within the NASCAR community.
A season’s worth of great races and wins that’s undone by a single mechanical mishap, or a track that doesn’t suit the driver’s strengths, is not right.
A Way to Level the Field
Instead, Briscoe sees the NASCAR playoff multi-race finale format as a “leveler,” challenging racers to prove their worth across varied circuit types. These would include a mile-and-a-half intermediate, a short track, and another distinct layout, and avoid relying on one race where luck or track-specific skills can tip the scales in another’s favor.
This idea of an extended championship has been done before. NASCAR initially adopted a “Chase for the Cup” playoff format that featured multiple races rather than the sudden-death final event.
Many drivers and fans still regard this period fondly, as it provided a more comprehensive test of ability and consistency from the driver.
Briscoe’s call for reform joins other racers’ opinions for the playoff season. For example, Kevin Harvick once suggested giving regular-season champions an automatic berth to the Round of 12, emphasizing the importance of sustained excellence.
However, Briscoe has clear boundaries in his reform, opposing the inclusion of Superspeedways beyond the Round of 12, due to their unique dynamics and propensity to sometimes skew championship outcomes.
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While Briscoe understands that no playoff format is without its complexities and challenges, he does remain an advocate for balancing consistency and excitement.
In a positive note for the racer, Briscoe grabbed his third career NASCAR Cup Series win at Pocono Raceway, just winning over Hamlin.
Finding the Right Finale
In short, as NASCAR continues exploring ways to enhance the competition’s fairness and appeal, opinions such as Briscoe’s help inform a bigger conversation.
Supporting Hamlin’s three-race finale proposal adds momentum to changing NASCAR’s playoff structure into a feature that prizes both the momentary brilliance and consistent excellence.
For fans and drivers who enjoy the sport’s unpredictability, a playoff system that balances these two factors would be an interesting innovation.