Shortly after Joey Logano won the 2024 Cup Series championship, changes were afoot. A swathe of fans lashed out at Logano’s low stats, as he had the worst average finish of 17.1 as a title winner. The outrage prompted NASCAR to form a committee to determine the most ‘deserving’ champion. People were not happy with Logano’s single win in the regular season as opposed to Kyle Larson’s four wins. The sport is on the cusp of yielding to the overarching demand, but Jeff Burton goes against the majority.

Joey Logano has won three championships under the current format. The No. 22 Team Penske fold has mastered the elimination format introduced in 2014, evident in Logano’s clutch rebound last year. This ability to rise to the occasion and win when it matters the most has its own skill – and that

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