And that’s the fundamental problem.
The 43-year-old driver addressed his situation following his 20th-place result at the Charlotte Roval.
“I didn’t create the system. We used it to our advantage,” he candidly admitted.
Truex is absolutely right. He’s taking advantage of a playoff system that is undeniably broken.
How did we get here?
First, let’s look at Truex’s performance in 2023. Entering the playoffs, many experts suggested that the 2017 Cup champion was a favorite to claim his second title because of what he had accomplished during the season’s first 26 races, which included winning the regular-season title and, more importantly, closing out the season on a hot streak that included six top 10s in seven races, three of those top fives, including a win at New Hampshire.
However, since the postseason started, in seven races he’s yet to score a top 15, which last happened to him in 2009 when he went 19 races during the middle of the season without finishing 15th or higher. In the 2023 playoffs, his best finish is a 17th at Texas.
Despite those poor results as of late, Truex is still in the hunt for the championship because of NASCAR’s playoff system, which awards drivers playoff points for stage and race wins throughout the season. However, in the case of the JGR driver, he received an additional haul of 15 points for winning the regular-season title. Those valuable points, which are reset and restored after each round, have carried him through to his current position.
What’s interesting is comparing Truex’s situation to stick-and-ball sports and their playoff scenarios, where the best teams are also rewarded for their regular seasons in the form of a high seeding and, in many cases, receiving a bye, which is out of the question in NASCAR because all drivers have to compete in each race.
In those other sports, like the NFL, MLB and NBA, when the first round of the playoffs is complete, there is no additional reward for performing poorly. When you lose, you’re out and don’t get to advance. Your season is over.
Rewarding postseason mediocrity, which is effectively what NASCAR is doing for Truex, isn’t a good look. It justifiably raises questions from fans accustomed to watching traditional sports where the best teams/players advances due to elevating their performance in the playoffs.
This flawed playoff format must be addressed for NASCAR to avoid future confusion in similar scenarios and to continue adding to its already-growing fan base. Ultimately, the crowned champion will be a driver who earned his way into the playoffs and, more significantly, delivered when it mattered most.