Denny Hamlin blames playoff format for controversy: 'Magnified by points system'

Denny Hamlin placed the blame for Chevrolet and Toyota committing to some questionable tactics this past Sunday squarely on NASCAR’s current playoff format.

Both manufacturers deployed some dirty techniques to try and get their respective drivers, William Byron and Christopher Bell, to the Championship 4. In the end, Byron was the one who advanced, due to Bell’s perceived wall-ride coming out of Turn 4, but the finish still left a sour taste in the mouth of NASCAR fans across the world.

On the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin attributed the issue more to NASCAR’s playoff format than anything, believing the drivers and teams were just operating within the monster the sport has created.

“I can’t emphasize enough that this is not just a Martinsville problem, this is every cutoff race problem. It’s the format,” Hamlin stated. “I hate to say this, it’s the format, because you’ve only got a three race season. So it’s always, you know, NASCAR manufacturers that we’re going to make these points keep resetting and tighten them up, tighten them up, restart. Let’s caution, restart. We’re going to tighten it up. It creates these moments, especially during the cutoff races, where you see this stuff goes on.

“I remember watching — was it a Bristol cutoff race last year or something? I think the No. 22 had issues. The next thing you know, every Penske car had mechanical issues. This stuff has been going on for quite some time. If you want to go way, way back in history, I think, you know, RCR and whatnot, they used to field extra cars in races, so Dale Earnhardt wouldn’t finish last and get last place points in any given race.

“It’s this — stuff has been going on for quite some time. But I think it’s been magnified by this point system that is trying to manufacture these moments.”

As long as NASCAR continues to deploy the current playoff format, you’re going to have moments like this past weekend’s debacle. Some will be on a smaller scale, some may be bigger, but they’re not going anywhere.

That grinds Denny Hamlin’s gears, and he’ll continue to speak out about the issues in the sport. NASCAR will crown a champion at Phoenix Raceway, but the hollow feeling may remain for 2024 and beyond.