The NASCAR playoffs have always sparked debate, and a recent Dale Jr. Download episode with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chase Briscoe lit the fuse again. The duo dove into the original 10-race Chase format from 2004, giving props to its drama but wishing it could blend the best of that era with today’s setup.

One thing the modern system gets right is seeding, unlike the clunky early days. From 2004 to 2006, the Chase seeded drivers purely on regular-season standings, which didn’t always reward winners. Then, from 2007 to 2013, it flipped to wins only, which ignored consistency. Both had holes.

Today’s format strikes a better balance, mixing regular-season points with wins to set the playoff field, giving guys like Martin Truex Jr. in 2017 a deserved edge for crushing it all year. Looking back

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