The ongoing debate over NASCAR playoff system heated up again this week, as Denny Hamlin fired back at Joey Logano’s defense of the format.
On his podcast, Denny Hamlin dismissed Logano’s reasoning as “fundamentally flawed,” leaning on support from Dale Earnhardt Jr., who also weighed in with a more nuanced perspective.
Hamlin didn’t hold back, expressing his frustration with the way NASCAR’s points reset system undermines a driver’s consistency across the season. “It’s like all the hard work you put in, it’s just they keep resetting the scoreboard,” Hamlin said.
For him, the problem lies in how the system erases the edge earned by drivers who perform strongly over the long grind of the regular season.
Backing up his point, Hamlin praised Earnhardt Jr.’s sharp rebuttal to Logano’s logic. “Dale Jr. had a really, really good explanation to Joey Logano’s quote,” Hamlin noted.
“It was that, ‘Hey, you know, if the regular season matters and you guys are up there getting all those playoff points, if you don’t make it to the final four and win, then that’s your problem. You had a head start.”
Hamlin Says NASCAR Playoff Reset Helped Logano Catch Up
According to Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr. reminded fans that Logano wasn’t exactly dominating during the year. “Dale Jr. said he first laughed for a little while,” Hamlin recalled. “‘You listen, I get it. However, Joey has to identify that he was more than like five races behind entering the playoffs.’”
Hamlin drove the point home by noting how the reset actually worked in Logano’s favor. “Like, NASCAR reset the scoreboard for you. That benefited you, allowed you to catch up because you were so far behind,” Hamlin explained. “Which I thought was a really good counter to the ‘well if you don’t step up in the moment it’s your fault.’”
In Hamlin’s eyes, Earnhardt Jr. effectively highlighted the contradiction. “Yeah, I thought Dale Jr. did a fantastic job when talking about the playoff format, saying that that was a bad argument by Joey,” Hamlin concluded.
Earnhardt Jr. on Playoff Changes: No Perfect System, But Room to Improve
While Earnhardt Jr. backed Hamlin’s criticism, he also offered a balanced view. He reminded fans that acknowledging NASCAR playoff flaws in the format doesn’t erase what Logano has accomplished.
“You can believe that Joey Logano is a legitimate champion and still believe that the playoffs should be different,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He went from how many races out of the points lead to like one, and then they get erased after each round.”
For Earnhardt Jr., Logano’s 2018 championship is both an example of why the system raises eyebrows and a reminder that the trophy is what ultimately counts. “I know people use him as an example as to why we need change,” he said. “It’s a good example to use, but he did win it. He does have the trophy.”
Earnhardt Jr. was quick to acknowledge that no postseason system will ever satisfy everyone. “There never will be a perfect playoff format, never,” he said. But he did hint at changes on the horizon, particularly when it comes to the size of the final round.
“We all do seem to think that there needs to be a little bit bigger of a sample size of final races for that final round, and I think that’s probably what we’re gonna get.”
Still, Earnhardt Jr. closed by defending Logano’s legacy. “Joey can go to bed feeling comfortable and confident,” he said. “His legacy as a champion is secure, no matter the future of the playoffs.”
A Debate That Won’t Go Away
The clash between Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr., and Logano underscores how divided the NASCAR community remains over the NASCAR playoff format. For some, the drama and unpredictability create must-watch racing. For others, the resets cheapen the value of a full season’s effort.
As the playoffs continue, so too will the debate. What seems certain is that NASCAR’s format, love it or hate it, remains one of the most defining and polarizing features of the modern era.
Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Slam Joey Logano’s NASCAR Playoff Comment