For years, NASCAR’s playoff format has drawn criticism from drivers, analysts, and fans alike. The system features sixteen drivers, elimination rounds, and a “winner-takes-all” finale. During the Kevin Harvick era, this change was designed to maximize excitement. But today, many argue it undermines the very consistency and performance that define a truly great season. Regular-season champions can enter the playoffs with momentum and plenty of wins. Yet, they can still be eliminated early due to one bad weekend or a mechanical issue. Discussions over fairness and reward for regular-season excellence have escalated, especially following seasons where top performers fell short when it mattered most. Recently, a household NASCAR name has joined these voices in Jeff Burton with a bold criticism.

The spark for renewed debate came in part from recent seasons featuring surprises. Dominant drivers with multiple wins entered the final stretch with strong credentials and saw their title hopes derailed by the reset mechanism and elimination rounds. For example, Martin Truex Jr. won the 2023 Regular Season Championship. He had clinched top-points status and playoff bonus points. But even that wasn’t enough to guarantee a smooth path. Meanwhile, other top drivers like Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin have been vocal about how the structure doesn’t sufficiently reward consistency. These precedents set up the stage for one of NASCAR’s more outspoken criticisms yet from a NASCAR legend himself. One that questions whether top drivers are being protected at all under the current rules.

Jeff Burton’s blunt take on current NASCAR system

In a recent podcast with Freddie Kraft, Jeff Burton didn’t hold back. He asked, “Why do we spend in this industry? Why do we spend so much time on the negative?” Burton emphasized that while opinions are valid, the “constant negative” focus comes from a structure that seems designed to penalize steady excellence. He cited hypothetical scenarios: for instance, a driver who has a “really strong regular season… should have a chance to get in the playoffs.” That alone, Burton suggests, reflects a flaw in NASCAR’s system that favors dramatic peaks over season-long performance.

Burton sharply criticized elements of the current playoff setup, notably he admitted he “does like” “win and you’re in,” but added that “the system should also protect drivers who have consistently strong seasons.” He called out that someone like Kyle Larson “doesn’t get enough of a cushion from his regular-season success.” Burton and Kraft both insist that the one-race championship is “clearly controversial.” Burton’s overall contention is that without those protections, the sport rewards the heat of the moment more than excellence over time.

Tommy Baldwin also chimed in further to say, “I don’t like one race because it ruins the consistency for the race team that should have capitalized on winning the championship.” Together, the proposal is for reform. To either expand the final championship round beyond a single event or give greater carryover or buffer to regular-season success. They call for rewarding more than just wins. This would bring together stage points, fastest laps, and consistency. Perhaps, more races as well, before the final decider. While Burton’s critique of the playoff format centered on fairness and consistency, he struck a more optimistic tone when shifting to Goodyear’s bold approach for the Bristol playoff race.

Burton praises Goodyear’s risky NASCAR playoffs strategy

At Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR’s short-track challenges came into sharp focus when tires became a central storyline. Drivers all faced severe tire wear, and many raised questions about failures and safety. Goodyear had to respond, not just with quick fixes, but by owning up to past problems. In the aftermath of things, they’ve now found an unlikely voice of support in Jeff Burton.

Burton didn’t mince words in his praise, “I am proud as hell of Goodyear for having the courage to say, ‘You know what, if we have this problem, it’s okay.’” He pointed out that Goodyear had previously used a tire that failed. Yet, they came back not just with the same one, but later, “a different tire yet.” Burton’s sentiment is clear. He believes that acknowledgment of mistakes, combined with a willingness to change, is what the sport needs going forward.

Then he made it personal to the drivers. “I just can’t tell you how proud I am of them for doing what they did, being willing to risk it. And I’m proud of the drivers for saying it’s okay, right?” Burton noted that in past events, drivers would “get out and have a tire problem and they would rip Goodyear up.” That kind of public blame, he believes, held Goodyear back, but this time around the approach was different.

Finally, Burton put the issue in a broader context. Short tracks & road courses are where these tire problems have been concentrated. He said, “We have this short track problem… The problem is road courses and short tracks. Yeah, the tire isn’t the only problem. There are other things…” He emphasized that it’s going to take the whole industry working together to solve this.