NBC Sports VP of NASCAR reveals stance on playoff, championship format debate

The future of NASCAR‘s playoff and championship format is uncertain, with plenty in favor of the current system and many advocating for change. Whatever NASCAR decides on, its TV partners will almost certainly have a say.

NBC Sports owns the broadcasting rights to the 10-race postseason and have since 2015. Jeff Behnke, the network’s vice president of NASCAR, revealed Tuesday if they have a particular preference on the playoff and championship format.

“We’ll let NASCAR sort out their vision, and we will produce those playoff races to the best of our ability,” Behnke said, via Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal.

Chris Gabehart, Joe Gibbs Racing competition director, had some thoughts on Behnke’s answer: “In other words, ‘Don’t blame us for not wanting to change it.'”

Under the playoff format, adopted in 2004 and tweaked along the way, winning is everything. NASCAR switched to an elimination-style format in 2014, where 16 drivers make up the field. Winning at least one regular season race grants entry into the postseason. The playoffs take part across 10 races with four drivers eliminated after every three races until four remain. The season finale is a winner-takes-all championship race.

NASCAR insider opens up about playoff committee, discussions taking place

The current playoff format came under fire following Joey Logano’s victory in the championship race at Phoenix this past season, in which the Team Penske driver captured his third title. Logano had an average finish of 17.1, the worst for a driver in a championship-winning season.

NASCAR made no changes to the playoff format for 2025. It did, however, assemble a group consisting of drivers, team owners, manufacturers and media partners to determine if the playoff format should look different next season. 

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic is a member of the playoff committee. He said on “The Teardown” podcast that while those in the room are in favor of change, TV partners’ opinion is that they want a playoff and eliminations. NASCAR’s media rights deal is worth $7.7 billion from 2025-31, so they are writing some massive checks.

Gluck said that a few weeks ago, he thought there was a “90 to 95% chance that the one-race playoff was dead next year.” Now, Gluck feels it’s unlikely anything changes as NASCAR is under pressure to release the 2026 schedule as soon as possible.