NASCAR’s points system paradoxes are nothing new, but rarely has the contradiction been as stark as in the opening races of 2025. Christopher Bell, driving the No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, has dominated the early season with victories in three of the first four races while maintaining the best average finish in the field. Yet remarkably, Bell isn’t sitting atop the points standings. This peculiar situation prompted NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck to take a thinly veiled shot at the system on social media.

The observation crystallizes a debate that has simmered in NASCAR for decades – does the points system truly reward the most skilled drivers?

NASCAR’s approach to recognizing excellence has faced criticism for years, with the Bell situation merely the latest chapter in a long-running debate. Critics argue that the current system, with its emphasis on playoff format and stage racing, sometimes fails to properly reward consistent dominance – exactly what Bell has demonstrated both last season and in early 2025. The inability to convert statistical superiority into points leadership raises fundamental questions about the system’s design and purpose.

The irony in Bell’s situation is particularly poignant given his heartbreaking exit from championship contention just months ago at Martinsville, where a controversial wall-riding penalty eliminated him despite statistical dominance throughout the 2024 season. Despite bagging three wins so far in four race weekends, the JGR driver finds himself placed second in the leader boards with William Byron with a Daytona 500 win leading the charts. Why so? All thanks to stage points.

While both drivers have the one-stage win to their name, the HMS driver has better finishes stage finishes. Throughout the four races, Byron has scored 49 stage points and has a 12-point gap to Bell who has managed 26 stage points so far. Look at any motorsports series around the world, the driver with the most number of wins statistically would lead the charts. But, for some reason, NASCAR does things a little bit differently. This stat caught Jeff Gluck’s attention and shared this on X. Gluck’s tweet struck such a nerve that one fan responded with a cheeky question:

This might imply that questioning NASCAR’s sacred scoring system might require taking shelter from the ensuing storm.

Despite growing calls for reform, NASCAR officials confirmed in January 2025 that they would not overhaul their playoff format for the current season. “Could we have adjusted a little bit here or there? Maybe,” NASCAR Executive Vice President John Probst told reporters during the preseason rules briefing. “But I don’t think we want to get in the habit of making small little tweaks every season for the playoffs.” Instead, NASCAR has introduced a new “Xfinity Fastest Lap” bonus point for 2025, awarding an additional point to drivers who secure the fastest lap during races – ironically adopting a Formula 1 feature just as F1 discontinued the practice.

Bell’s elimination from the 2024 championship battle underscores the system’s perceived flaws. Despite being atop the playoff standings entering Martinsville, a controversial wall-riding penalty after a chaotic final lap ended his title hopes. “I feel cheated out of a chance to compete for a championship,” Bell said afterwards, a sentiment that resonated with many fans who viewed him as one of the most consistent performers of the season. The fact that NASCAR acknowledged race manipulation by other drivers at Martinsville – fining Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, and Bubba Wallace for their actions – yet still eliminated Bell, only intensified scrutiny on the system.

As Bell continues his impressive run in 2025 without the points to show for it, the debate intensifies about whether NASCAR’s scoring system truly identifies the sport’s best talent or merely creates artificial drama.

Is NASCAR’s Points System a Prime Example of History Repeating Itself?

Point systems in NASCAR history have already faced multiple heated discussions. Since NASCAR started operating the sanctioning entity has persistently struggled to create an effective approach toward recognizing excellence. Since the 1950s when mileage calculators were used, NASCAR has maintained a continuous process of evolving its championship point system which reached its peak of dominance under Bob Latford from 1975 through 2003. But when NASCAR implemented both the Chase format in 2004 and the current elimination process in 2014 they exposed themselves to criticism of the kind Bell faces right now.

The 1979 championship showdown between Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip stands as one of the most remembered cases of system irregularities because Petty won despite Waltrip achieving more race victories. In 2011 Tony Stewart defeated Carl Edwards with the Championship crown because Stewart achieved five wins in the post-season. The wins were seen as tie-breakers as both the driver were level on points after the end of the racing season.

Not to forget, last year, Joey Logano out of all was able to clinch his third Cup Series championship. All he needed was one win in the regular season and then two more wins in the final four races in the playoffs. It seems as if the consistent drivers aren’t rewarded for their hard work throughout the regular season races. And in the playoff, they are forced into a pressure situation where nothing but a victory would see them through to the next round.

While NASCAR says that they are listening to the fan’s outrage, the 2025 season might be another tale where the best driver might not be crowned as the champion. The current scenario of Christopher Bell could pop up late in the postseason, raising more questions at NASCAR’s infamous format in the modern era.