Ryan Blaney spoke out on the ongoing Ryan Blaney NASCAR championship debate during a Wednesday appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. He challenged critics who claim that champions crowned in the 16-driver playoff era are less deserving compared to those who won under the old full-season points system.
“What kind of bugs me a little bit is the people that are so diehard on, like, ‘If you won a championship in this format that we have now, oh, it’s a Mickey Mouse championship and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t count,”
Blaney said.
“It’s like, man, everyone has the same opportunity as the guy who won it. This isn’t the full season points. Like everyone always talks about like, ‘Oh, this guy, he would have won the full season points.’ Like, well, that’s great. But we haven’t used that format in 20 years.”
Blaney emphasized the merit of performing well in the playoffs and rising to the moment when it counts most.
“… I look at our championship as like, we had a good year, and we even had a better playoffs than everybody else. And we rose to the occasion when we needed to, and we dug in, and we were the best car during the playoffs and had some big wins and I was able to get the championship.”
Understanding the Current NASCAR Playoff System and Its Critics
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff structure, which began in 2004 and has undergone various modifications, faced criticism following Joey Logano’s championship victory at the Phoenix finale this past season. Logano, representing Team Penske, secured his third title despite an average finish of 17.1 throughout the season—the lowest average among recent champions.
The playoff format concentrates on winning, notably since its 2014 shift to an elimination-style system involving 16 drivers. Entry to the postseason is granted primarily through winning at least one race in the regular season, emphasizing victories over points accumulation across the whole year.
Blaney’s 2023 Championship Performance Highlights Playoff Strength
Ryan Blaney clinched the 2023 championship by excelling during the playoffs rather than dominating the regular season. He captured two wins and finished second twice in the 10 playoff races, including the crucial final race at Phoenix, demonstrating his ability to perform strongly when it mattered most.
Blaney’s Perspective on Reforming the Championship Format
While defending his championship and the legitimacy of winners under the current format, Blaney acknowledged room for improvement in the playoff system. He expressed discomfort with the “winner-takes-all” nature of the final race deciding the champion and voiced a preference for a structure that rewards consistent performance more evenly throughout the playoffs.
“I mean, everyone can have their opinion,”
Blaney said.
“It gets under my skin a little bit when they’re like, ‘You guys didn’t deserve that championship.’ It’s like, what are you talking about, man? Like we went through the grinder, everyone digs in. And we were resilient when it mattered.”
“Do I have my ideal like championship format? Yeah,”
Blaney added.
“Like my opinion on it, I was a huge fan of the initial Chase. Last 10 weeks of the year, you kind of have somewhat of a reset in points and then you go 10 races and whoever had the best 10 races was going to win the championship.”
The Significance of Blaney’s Views on NASCAR’s Playoff System
Ryan Blaney’s input on the NASCAR championship debate underscores the tension between tradition and modern competition in the sport. By defending the playoff system’s champions while calling for a more balanced approach, Blaney highlights the complexity of creating a format that is both fair and exciting.
His reflections may influence ongoing discussions within NASCAR about how to reward consistency alongside winning, possibly shaping future playoff reforms. As fans and drivers debate the merits of various championship formats, voices like Blaney’s add a player-focused viewpoint grounded in recent championship experience.
