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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes Strong Stance on NASCAR Playoff Format

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Gowtham Ramalingam | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 11:00 AM ET

A storm has arisen since it was revealed this week that NASCAR is seriously considering the possibility of eliminating the playoff system and reverting to the old full-season points-based championship format. Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the most influential individuals in the sport, has shared his thoughts on the topic.

The icon declared on the recent episode of the “Actions Detrimental” podcast that he wants to see the old format return. Why? Because he wants to follow races throughout the year with relentless passion. The current system renders the regular season as a boring watch once a fan's favorite driver has won a race and secured a playoff spot.

“What I am missing right now is the heavy drama that would play out in the regular season,” he explained and went on to list instances involving his father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., that played out in a highly dramatic fashion because of the way the old format worked.

He narrated, “I think Dad was at Charlotte. I think he was in a tight battle with Rusty Wallace for the championship, and Dad broke a crank or cam. At Charlotte in October. When that cam broke, and they were neck and neck for the points, I knew immediately that we were gonna leave this race at least 80 points out.”

Dale Jr. Misses Experiencing the Extremes in a Season

Dale Jr. is rather broken that such moments don’t play out anymore. He lamented that the highs aren’t as high and the lows aren’t as low today. This is mainly because the playoff system has neutralized emotion in a big way while attempting to do the exact opposite.

Full season points delivered extreme highs and lows -- and a hell of a ride for fans.

️ From The @DaleJr Download pic.twitter.com/XMp9lKgWFa
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) September 25, 2025

He continued, “We don’t go to a race track in the summer and leave with pure elation because our favorite driver just extended his points lead from 25 to 80, or he crawled himself out of a hole to get within sight of the points lead, or he blew a motor and lost a ton of points. When those things happened, I had to see the next race.”

The final decision on whether the old format is restored will be announced after the 2025 season finale at the Phoenix Raceway on November 2. Until then, one can only hope that the promotion has taken a call that will be in the best interest of the sport.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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