via Getty
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 15: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light #BUSCHRACETEAM Ford, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
via Getty
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 15: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light #BUSCHRACETEAM Ford, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
In any motor racing series, whether it is two wheels or four, the racer with the most points wins the championship. However, from 2004 onwards, NASCAR decided to buck the trend. Instead, they introduced the Playoff system, then called the Chase for the Championship.
Safe to say, it has been a subject of much debate to this day and the reception has been mixed. Interestingly, a fair number of people believe that Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick is the biggest victim of this format.
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What’s mindblowing is that 2014, the year he won the title, is his worst average finish since 2009… https://t.co/Ixkw9etwLT
— Nathan (@b1gnate_11) July 18, 2022
1000% agree. He'd be a 4 time champion without the playoffs https://t.co/rvNoss6Q5K
— B (@brandon_1183) July 18, 2022
Facts https://t.co/WsdrQwodyp
— Gonzi (@_Gonzi) July 17, 2022
9 wins and no chance for a Championship. That was tough to swallow.
— Lisa Reis (@LisaReis29) July 17, 2022
The 2014 Cup Series champion has been having a torrid time in the current campaign and the pressure is on. Considering that Christopher Bell is the 14th different winner, it means that just two spots are up for grabs.
Mathematically, it would be difficult for him to qualify, provided that there are no more new winners. So, his only option is to snatch a win at the eleventh hour.
No one was helped by it more then Jimmie too. Hate them. Eliminations don't belong in motorsportsong season points formats only. You can have so many entertaining seasons from a full season points format. Even throw in what Indy used to do with bonuses for the last race, or
— Muscan/ Alexandra Raptopoulou sorry. (@__muscan__) July 18, 2022
Jimmie Johnson did not do well in the playoff era what so ever especially in the last few years where he didn’t even make the playoffs
— Mark Rosetti (@Mrosetti7) July 18, 2022
Did you just forget that Jimmie Johnson existed when you said this would have been the greatest 12 year stretch in NASCAR history?
— Dr. Dubster (@thedubsterr) July 18, 2022
Nobody has been hurt worse by the "postseason" stuff post 2003 more than jeff gordon. Harvick has certainly gotten screwed a few times but also won a title off it
— Dяew‼️knower of stock car racing (@Drewthedude11) July 18, 2022
He was 1 point away and decided to try (and fail) to dump someone to advance. Wouldn’t call that being “shot in the nuts”.
With that being said I don’t love the format but to an extent you have to adapt and play the game you’re presented with as a professional athlete🤷♂️ he didnt
— JM Graphics (@JMGraphicsTw) July 18, 2022
I'm okay with doing away with the Playoffs, some fans couldn't stand the fact a driver won the Championship without a win. @Nascar is the only racing series with a Playoff system and as a fan I've never thought it was a good thing
— Larry Lee (@lblee58) July 18, 2022
I think you nailed it, Brian. We can look back just a couple seasons ago to see the effect.
— Family Man (@TeamJGRfan) July 17, 2022
In another time line somewhere: Gordon is the 7 time champ, Harvick is at 4, Carl Edwards gets 2!, and Jimmie down to 3. KB doesn't get his bs broken leg win either. Could've been really cool, but we were robbed of all that.
— B¡lly (@Billyheller24) July 18, 2022
How many titles could Kevin Harvick have won without the Playoff format?
Without the playoffs, there would have been different champions. Back in 2004, Kurt Busch was the first champion under the Playoff format. Eliminating the Playoffs from the equation, Jeff Gordon would romp to his fifth career Cup title. In 2005, Tony Stewart would have won the title, irrespective of the Playoff’s presence or not. The same applies to Jimmie Johnson for the 2006 season.
In 2007, though, it would have been Gordon winning his sixth title instead of Johnson’s second. For the 2008 season, Carl Edwards would finally realize his dream of being a Cup champion. Jimmie Johnson’s second title celebrations would be pushed back to the 2009 season. In 2010 though, Kevin Harvick would storm to his first Cup Series title under the old format. Carl Edwards would have taken a second Cup title in the 2011 season without the Playoff format in place.
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For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, there would be no deviation, and Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson would keep their crowns. In 2014 though, Jeff Gordon would have been the one to tie with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, not Jimmie Johnson. For the 2015 season, Kevin Harvick would have been the champion instead of Kyle Busch. Harvick would have done it again for the 2016 NASCAR Cup season.
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2017 sees Martin Truex Jr winning either way, but Kyle Busch wins in 2018 instead of Joey Logano. Busch repeats the feat in 2019 while Harvick wins in 2020. Finally, Kyle Larson would have won in 2021 without the Playoff format.
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