NASCAR’s Chase Format Gets a Reality Check From Kevin Harvick

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LEBANON, TENNESSEE - JUNE 26: Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Jockey Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light Apple Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Kyle Larson claimed his third NASCAR Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, completing an impressive turnaround after going winless during the regular season.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver secured the title during the opening stage of the season finale, ending a 10-race Chase campaign. Larson’s consistency and strong performances helped him build a points advantage over his championship rivals.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick has praised the new NASCAR Chase format, saying it offers a fairer way to decide the champion than the previous elimination-style Playoffs. Harvick also described Larson as an unexpected winner after the No. 5 driver produced a strong postseason run. He believes the new system delivered a better test of performance across the championship battle.

Kevin Harvick Explains Why NASCAR Chase Format Works

Harvick believes NASCAR made the right decision by bringing back The Chase. The new championship system features 10 postseason races, with drivers collecting points throughout the entire stretch.

Unlike the previous elimination-style Playoffs, the NASCAR Chase does not remove drivers after individual rounds. Every point matters, giving competitors more opportunities to build their championship position.

Speaking about the system, Harvick praised the longer championship battle and the importance of consistency.

“I love The Chase. I love the fact that we got a 10-week sample. All the points counted, and we crowned Kyle Larson the champion at the end of the first stage.

“Obviously, you would love to see him race all the way to the end, but it’s not going to work like that all the time.”

Larson entered the Homestead finale with a 67-point advantage over Christopher Bell. He needed only nine points to secure the championship and collected seven stage points with a fourth-place finish in the opening stage.

That result confirmed his third NASCAR Cup Series championship with more than 180 laps remaining.

Kevin Harvick Calls Kyle Larson an Unexpected NASCAR Champion

Harvick also highlighted the unpredictable nature of the 10-race Chase, describing Larson as an unexpected champion.

“But we had so many twists and turns throughout this Chase. In my opinion, a very unexpected winner was Kyle Larson, who put together a phenomenal 10 weeks to be able to clinch the championship.”

Larson entered the postseason without a victory across the 26-race regular season. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver found his form during the championship battle.

The No. 5 Chevrolet recorded three victories during the Chase, including Larson’s first career win on a superspeedway drafting track at Talladega. Those results helped him establish a strong position in the championship standings before the final race.

Larson also suffered damage after hitting the wall during the second stage at Homestead. However, he had already secured enough points to become champion, leaving the incident unable to affect the title outcome.

Kevin Harvick Compares NASCAR Chase Format to Previous Playoffs

Harvick believes the previous NASCAR Playoffs placed too much importance on individual races. The elimination system also created a winner-take-all championship finale at Homestead.

He argued that the new NASCAR Chase format provides a more accurate picture of which driver deserves the championship because it rewards performances across 10 races.

“I think it’s much better than the playoff format that we had where you had to win to get in, and then you had to win one race at Homestead to be able to be the champion.

“It gave us a much truer sample size of who the champion needed to be over those 10 weeks.”

Harvick also expressed satisfaction with how the new championship system played out throughout the season.

“So I enjoyed our new Chase format. The way it worked out was intriguing, exciting, and kept things interesting all the way through.”

Larson’s third championship added another major achievement to Hendrick Motorsports’ history. Ryan Blaney won Sunday’s season finale after passing Tyler Reddick on the final lap, but Larson had already secured the championship.

For Harvick, the result showed how the 10-race NASCAR Chase rewards consistency, strong team performances and the ability to deliver under pressure.