Back in 2004, NASCAR decided to shake things up. To give the season a bigger punch at the end, they rolled out the “Chase” – a playoff-style format where, after 26 races, the points got reset and the championship came down to a 10-race showdown. Fans got hooked, but drivers weren’t always sold.

Fast forward to 2014, and NASCAR doubled down, revamping the system into the elimination-style playoffs we see today: 16 drivers, 10 races, three cutoffs, and one final winner-take-all showdown. It’s dramatic, sure, but also polarizing. And now? NASCAR is actually considering ripping it all up and starting fresh. Drivers are weighing in, and Christopher Bell in particular isn’t holding back about what it really takes to crown a legitimate champion.

Christopher Bell urges NASCAR to rethink its ch

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