Jimmie Johnson didn’t just dominate NASCAR; he rewrote the rules of what it meant to be unbeatable. With seven championships under his belt and a seemingly unstoppable streak, Johnson’s success left NASCAR scrambling to keep the competition fresh and thrilling. Was his dominance simply too much for the sport to handle?

Rumor has it his relentless winning forced NASCAR to rethink everything, including the controversial playoff format we know today. But did they go too far trying to level the playing field? Some insiders say yes, and they’re calling out NASCAR’s shift as a “response to Jimmie.” Now, as the Championship 4 approaches, everyone’s asking if the format is truly doing its job—or if it’s just holding back the sport’s best.

NASCAR Insider puts the introduction of the playoff format on Jimmie Johnson

In a recent Door Bumper Clear episode, the crew—Casey Boat, TJ Majors, Brett Griffin, and Freddie Kraft—joined The Teardown’s Jeff Gluck to break down all the chaos that went down at Martinsville, including some big questions about NASCAR’s playoff format. With the Championship 4 set and controversy brewing over Chevy’s race tactics, they dived into whether this format is delivering on its promise of keeping things competitive or if, as Gluck put it, “this format came along as sort of an answer to Jimmie,” referring to Jimmie Johnson’s dominant championship run.

As Gluck explained on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, “The format basically came along to try to prevent people from going back-to-back.” He pointed out that since its introduction, no one has managed to go back-to-back, highlighting just how tough it is to even reach the Championship 4 in consecutive years. Gluck mentioned Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, two drivers who had stellar seasons yet didn’t make the final cut. “I mean, look at the guys who missed. I mean, Larson—he’s the driver of the year, but he’s not in it. Bell—he would have been my easy championship pick if he had made it,” Gluck explained. Even Chase Elliott, who topped the charts with the best average finish this season, didn’t make the Championship 4.

Jeff Gluck added to the debate by pointing out the toll that NASCAR’s format takes on even the best drivers. “It’s just that hard to make the Championship Four,” he stated. To make it through, drivers almost have to secure a win in the final round or be a points leader, like William Byron, who “barely made it.” As Gluck summed it up, “The fact that we’re even talking about somebody going back-to-back is kind of crazy,” considering how many top-tier talents fell short this season.

In the end, the conversation raised more questions than it answered. Was Chevy’s maneuvering a step too far? Did NASCAR’s decision to nix Bell’s wall ride signal a stricter stance, or was it a one-off? And with Jimmie Johnson’s shadow still looming over the current format, the big question remained: is this playoff system truly giving fans the best of the best? For Gluck, it’s a mixed bag: “It just seems kind of wide open now because I don’t know how to handicap Phoenix in particular,” Gluck admitted.

With the season down to its finals for all the three NASCAR Series, it’s time to find out who will be the title winners. Let’s take a look at all the drivers that have made it into the championship 4 in the 2024 season of NASCAR.

NASCAR Series Championship 4 drivers

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The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 lineup is officially set after a nail-biting Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway. Ryan Blaney, last year’s Cup champion, kept his hopes alive for a back-to-back title by powering past Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson to secure a Martinsville victory, sealing his spot in the championship showdown at Phoenix Raceway. Joining Blaney in the battle for the Bill France Cup are Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron, who managed to clinch his place on points after an intense season.

Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick were already locked in, thanks to their Round of 8 wins at Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami. But Blaney’s win at Martinsville left just one spot open, which Byron managed to claim, putting him on the final roster for Phoenix. With Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet all represented, fans are in for an epic clash among these top-tier drivers. The championship weekend lineup is fully loaded, with each series’ title up for grabs. In the Xfinity Series, Austin Hill, AJ Allmendinger, Cole Custer, and Justin Allgaier will duke it out on Saturday. And over in the Truck Series, it’s down to Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, and Corey Heim in Friday’s finale.

All eyes will be on Phoenix, where the best of the best are set to battle under the desert sun for their shot at NASCAR glory. Who do you think will be the three title winners across all series? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.