NASCAR is moving toward possible big changes in its championship playoff system for 2026, and Joey Logano is keeping things calm while everyone else debates. In a recent talk with Donut Media, Logano made it clear that his job is to race, not argue.
He said he can work with whatever rules NASCAR puts in place as long as he knows them early enough to plan. “I liked where it was, but I’m gonna like where we go, too. I’m OK with whatever they do, just tell me the rules and then we gotta go figure out a way to win,” Logano told Donut Media.
He added that it is not his role to fight over formats. “It’s not my job to complain about what we have or what we’re gonna have. My job is to say ‘OK, this is the rules, let’s figure out the strategy to win this thing. Like, how do we do that.’ I don’t really care what it is, just tell me what it is so then we can focus on doing that.”
Joey Logano’s Steady View as NASCAR Studies Changes
The current playoff system has been in place since 2014. It uses 10 races with rounds of 16, 12, and eight drivers, ending with a four-driver final at Phoenix Raceway. Some critics say this setup creates big moments but does not reward drivers who run well all season. This debate has grown stronger as NASCAR reviews the format.
Logano has defended the system more than most. “It seems like a lot of people don’t like the format we have. I’m the minority in saying I love it because I love the pressure part. It fits the kind of person I am,” he said. He explained that he enjoys watching sports with high tension. “I love playoff sports; that’s really the only time I watch other sports is when they’re in the playoffs because I like seeing people with their back up against the wall. I wanna see desperate people doing desperate things; I wanna see that.”
For Logano, fairness comes from everyone facing the same rules. “The bottom line is it’ll be the same for everybody,” he said. “No matter what they come up with, everybody’s gonna have the same opportunity to go out there and win a championship, and we’ll have to just try and do it again.”
Reactions to NASCAR Format
TV ratings dipped during the 2025 playoffs, and that’s pushed NASCAR to take a harder look at its system. The sport wants a format that keeps fans tuned in while still feeling fair to the teams running the full season.
Alex Bowman shared that he personally likes the old pre-playoff style more, but he also knows most drivers want to stick with the current format because of the excitement it brings. He said drivers understand they’re entertainers too, and the playoff moments help keep fans locked in.
Ryan Blaney said he’s open to switching things up. He mentioned ideas like removing the “win-and-you’re-in’’ rule for lower-tier drivers and giving more weight to regular-season wins by boosting bonus points.
On his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said changes are coming. He talked with NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell, who told him that any updates made to the Cup Series will also roll down to the Xfinity (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) and Truck Series. NASCAR wants all three divisions to follow the same structure.
In late October, Steve Phelps said the talks are still ongoing and the goal is better engagement. For Joey Logano and Team Penske, the approach stays the same: learn whatever rules come next, adjust the plan, and chase the championship.
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