Confirming NASCAR is leaning towards tweaking its Cup Collection Playoffs, chief working officer Steve O‘Donnell mentioned it‘s a digital certainty that the situation of the title race will change.
Through the inaugural episode of the brand new “Hauler Speak” podcast, O‘Donnell mentioned the deep dive into the playoffs that NASCAR is taking this 12 months with an industrywide committee, highlighting a rotation of the championship as an integral a part of the dialog.
“It’s extra sophisticated than simply waving a checkered flag and say, ‘Let’s transfer the championship,‘ however I do suppose a rotation goes to be actually necessary for us,” O‘Donnell mentioned. “If (a driver has) received 45 Phoenix races in a row and the championship is there, it‘s in all probability not a superb search for the game, proper? And we’ve had a superb combination (of champions at Phoenix). However I believe a rotation is what the followers would love.
“Faculty soccer and the NFL (have) that rotation (of championship video games) and anticipation of a brand new venue. I believe you’ll see that with NASCAR as effectively.”
What tracks are on the title rotation want checklist?
O‘Donnell primarily dominated out superspeedways (which lack assist from drivers and groups) and added that highway and road programs “is likely to be a bit of robust.” That leaves quick tracks and intermediates as honest sport — and never essentially simply these which might be in warm-weather locations within the fall.
O‘Donnell mentioned the success of the Cook dinner Out Conflict with winter temperatures within the 40s at Bowman Grey Stadium proved that “individuals will present up if it‘s thrilling sufficient and it‘s not snow and rain.”
“Wherever we are able to placed on an amazing race,” he mentioned. “I believe any oval the place we are able to pull it off. The most important factor for us is having the championship environment round that neighborhood as effectively. It’s one factor to have a race, however you want passionate race followers, you want a sold-out venue and also you want the neighborhood to embrace it. I believe there’s quite a lot of alternatives for us in quite a lot of completely different locations to have a look at that.”
There additionally has been hypothesis concerning the future website of The Conflict, which raced at a sold-out Bowman Grey as its third venue up to now 5 years. O‘Donnell hopes there might be a second consecutive 12 months in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (“I’d wish to see us return there in 2026 and reward the followers who confirmed up”) however mentioned NASCAR may need two main choices for its Conflict tracks after that.
“You could possibly go worldwide or you could possibly use that very same mannequin of going to a brief monitor within the U.S.,” O‘Donnell mentioned. “The place NASCAR is available in, rewards that monitor and their opponents for what they’re doing and makes some upgrades to the ability that we depart for the following technology of racers. After which we keep for a bit of bit and transfer on to the following one. So I believe a mix of each of these could be actually cool. I actually like the concept of NASCAR coming in and investing within the quick tracks.”
The way forward for The Conflict might be decided by collaborative deliberation, similar to the potential playoff adjustments for the 2026 season.
NASCAR is forming a working group that can embrace drivers, crew house owners, producer representatives, media and followers to beat up concepts in a fashion much like the business committee that produced stage racing and playoff factors launched in 2017.
O‘Donnell mentioned every little thing is on the desk for the playoffs, from factors format to the race monitor lineup to how the rounds are structured (comparable to figuring out the champion over a number of races).
“We might find yourself precisely the place we’re, however I don’t suppose so,” he mentioned. “I believe there’ll be some tweaks that we take a look at that we are able to enhance upon. There’s quite a lot of completely different variables to have a look at to ensure we’re crowning the drivers who win and are up on the wheel, and we are able to inform a narrative that they’re deserving of being a NASCAR champion.”
In gentle of Chase Elliott‘s latest proclamation that “I‘m undecided there‘s a extra necessary choice that we are able to make in simply how we crown our champion yearly and ensuring that we‘re not ever doing that the unsuitable means,” O‘Donnell mentioned legitimacy could be careworn within the discussions.
“I nonetheless stand by Joey Logano as a three-time champion, however we wish to check out how we are able to stability that,” he mentioned. “In order that the Kyle Larsons of the world really feel like it is a place I need to race for the remainder of my profession as a result of If I’m up on the wheel and I’m successful, I’m going to be rewarded for that.”
Through the debut of the Hauler Speak podcast, which can discover competitors points in NASCAR with Mike Forde and Amanda Ellis of the communications division, O‘Donnell additionally mentioned:
— His upbringing within the Center East and the way it impacted his worldview and as an adjudicator of disputes in NASCAR;
–The feelings of being within the scoring tower;
— The nuances of NASCAR listening to everybody‘s opinions with out agreeing with all of them.
