They say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. By that logic, the Australian Supercars series has paid the ultimate compliment to NASCAR. The touring car division released its 13-event schedule for the upcoming campaign, which indicates it has taken inspiration from the American Stock Car division’s postseason format and will be implementing it for the 2025 season. While further details about eliminations and bonus points are yet to be revealed, the move is a drastic change from its previous structure.

Australia Supercars’ three-part 2025 season will be divided into Sprint, Endurance, and Finals segments. All 24 drivers will be expected to compete in the final race at Adelaide, irrespective of whether they are competing for the championship or not.

Australia Supercars undergoes radical format change

As per the Australian Supercars series format, the top ten drivers in the championship standings will be eligible to compete for the title after the Bathhurst 1000. The points will be reset three times after the conclusion of the opening two segments and once before the finals are underway. Three drivers will be eliminated after the Gold Coast and three more will be out of contention after Sandown. With four drivers remaining, they will compete for the title at Adelaide in what will be the ultimate showdown featuring all the Australian Supercars drivers.

The structure that the Australian Supercars series is following is very similar to the one NASCAR has been implementing for over a decade. A total of 16 drivers qualify for the playoffs in the Cup Series at the end of the regular season and three drivers are eliminated after each round until just four remain. Those who make it to Championship 4 compete for the title at Phoenix Raceway in what is a winner-takes-all race. While this might be a more simplified explanation of NASCAR’s postseason format, the structure between the two racing series shows more than a coincidental resemblance.

With NASCAR growing in popularity beyond the American shores, could that have been a reason for the Australian Supercars series to adopt a similar structure? The Australian Touring Car/Supercars Championship hasn’t seen such a change since 1969, which is when they transitioned from a single race to a series. However, despite the many similarities, there are a few glaring differences between the two as well. The biggest one is that progression will be entirely dependent on points instead of NASCAR’s ‘win and you’re in’ format.

What’s in it for the winners then? Drivers who emerge victorious in the Sprint and Endurance segments will receive bonus points, which will give them an advantage going into the Finals. With Fox Sports and Seven reaching their final year of broadcasting rights for the Australia Supercars series, could the format change be motivated by both of them to increase viewership numbers? Is an extension on the cards if the Television Rating Point (TRP) meets or even surpasses the expectations after the format change? Time will tell.

Shane van Gisbergen finds NASCAR’s playoff system ‘overcomplicated’

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After securing victories at Portland, Sonoma, and the Chicago Street Course, Shane van Gisbergen is venturing into unchartered territory. The Kiwi has never made it into the NASCAR playoffs before and now has a shot at the Xfinity Series title before moving on to the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing in 2025. With silverware at stake, the 35-year-old felt the need to brush up on his knowledge about the postseason format but was left scratching his head after attempting to learn its intricacies.

Speaking to Autoweek, the former Australia Supercars series champion said, “I studied it [last Monday] trying to understand how it works. The playoff system is crazy. It’s the most overcomplicated racing series I’ve been a part of, but I think it’s pretty cool. It’s great for the fans. One of my sponsors put out an article explaining the playoffs and how that all works. I had no idea how it works. It’s so complicated. So, I shared that on my pages.”

With six races remaining before the 2024 season ends, SVG will have one objective in mind. Finish the race as high as possible to progress into the next round. As long as he performs the basics to the best of his ability, there is no reason he won’t be in contention for the title at Phoenix Raceway later this year. The veteran racer has already secured an eighth-place result in the opening playoff race at Kansas Speedway and will be looking to build on that performance at the United Rentals 250 at Talladega.

Do you think SVG will lift the Xfinity Series championship at the end of his debut season? Let us know in the comments!