Kevin Harvick explains changes he would make to NASCAR Playoffs

There has been much talk about the NASCAR Playoffs and how they could or should be changed. Kevin Harvick has ideas. The retired driver turned FOX Sports broadcaster has a couple of ideas about how to improve the postseason.

Kevin Harvick was recently on the Title 24 podcast with Ricky Carmichael. The legendary motocross rider also had his time in NASCAR. In fact, he raced for Harvick in the Truck Series at one point.

These are two motorsports icons. So, having them on the same podcast together is awesome. During the conversation, Harvick offered up his solutions to the playoffs.

“I wish we would rotate the last race,” said Harvick. “You know, I think Homestead, Las Vegas, Phoenix. I wish there was some sort of three-year rotation that you got to mix that up so it wasn’t, ‘Hey we ran this track last year, we’ve got really good notes. We’re going to be good if we can get there again.’ And it kind of mixes that up so that you can’t just prepare for one track.”

His second idea is probably more creative. Introducing byes for certain drivers. What could that do to the playoff picture?

Kevin Harvick wants byes in NASCAR Playoffs

Kevin Harvick continued. It is simple, but probably not a popular idea in practice. Regular season champ goes to the Round of 8, runner-up to the Round of 12, and third-place gets a spot in the playoffs, Round of 16.

Surely this wouldn’t be controversial for fans…

“I wish the regular season, first, second, and third place guys, I wish the champ of the regular season was, he was automatically had a bye until the final eight,” he explained. “But he could still, he still had to collect points and do that. Originally, I thought maybe he should be put into the Championship 4 but I don’t think that’s right. I think he needs to be able to race his way in and still have to gain points and things. And I think the second-place guy should be in the Round of 12 and [third place] automatically in the [Round of] 16. Because at some point we’re going to have more winners than we do spots. We came close to that a couple times over the last few years.”

Kevin Harvick is right. The Next Gen car means there will likely be more winners moving forward. Since the car was introduced we have had seasons with 18 and 19 different winners.

Rotating the final track each year, I’m sure fans would get on board. But letting drivers have byes to later rounds feels like a non-racing move.