It all began in 2003 when R. J. Reynolds stepped away from sponsoring the NASCAR top series, paving the way for Nextel to take over in the 2024 season. Rumors swirled that the new sponsor wanted a playoff-style format, and Matt Kenseth’s championship that year, won with just a single race victory, only strengthened calls for change. NASCAR responded by introducing the Chase for the Nextel Cup, a 10-race playoff system to determine the championship. Fast forward to today, and that playoff system has become extinct. Now, one NASCAR insider has revealed the goal behind the change to the 2004 format.

The entire concept of the Chase format was to enhance fan engagement and intensify the championship battle during the final races of the season. Prior to this, the NASCAR point system was critici

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