NASCAR’s playoff system has long been designed to create drama late in the season. However, it is anything but that for many fans. Criticism has been mounting over whether the system truly reflects driver performance. Analysts and drivers alike have raised concerns that the format often rewards one-off wins rather than consistent excellence. Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflected on the structure, saying, “Nobody really complained about the original 36-race point system.” To add to that, fans have questioned recent attempts to act like this is not the case amidst a decline in views.

Declining viewership has added fuel to the controversy. The second race of the postseason at World Wide Technology Raceway drew 1.525 million viewers. This was down from 1.8 million the previous year. Meanwhile, the S

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