In a recent episode of his podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” seasoned NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin laid bare a conversation he had with Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications.
The exchange touches on an ongoing debate regarding the playoff format that Hamlin argues is flawed. As the 2024 season advances, Hamlin’s critiques have gained traction online.
Hamlin offered a glimpse into his conversation with Forde, heatedly recounting how online criticisms of the playoff system were dismissed.
“I said, ‘Man, this format is getting hammered on the internet.’ He’s like ‘It’s bots. It’s not real people.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
“I said, ‘Okay, you can turn a blind eye if you want, and you can be in denial, but numbers don’t lie, numbers never lie. The fact is that you’ve got some randomness to this thing.”
Hamlin’s criticism revolves around the perceived randomness and lack of fairness in the playoff format. Hamlin pointedly referenced Kyle Larson’s standout 2024 season, where Larson secured six victories—more than any other driver—yet failed to advance to the coveted Championship 4. He added:
“You said in this season or when you decided this that you wanted to put an emphasis on winning. He’s won more races than anyone by a long way, and yet he is not part of the title fight.
“Kevin Harvick won 10 races and didn’t get to race for a title. The format is broken, and if you disagree, you’re in denial.”
This year’s playoffs saw Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney win races in the Round of 8, with William Byron advancing based on points. Larson, despite his victories throughout the year, saw his championship hopes dashed.
After securing the last spot on in the Championship 4, Blaney commented:
“I’m worn out. It’s hard. The last 70 or so laps I tried to save my rears the best I could because that’s where I started struggling later in the runs. I hated I had to lay the bumper to some guys, but I had to do it.
“It was nice to pass the 9 clean. I layed the bumper to a couple guys that I wish I didn’t have to, but I needed to get going, so it was a long night. I appreciate everybody for getting better through the night. Thank goodness. I think that’s the most tired I’ve been after a race in a long time.”
NASCAR Cup Series: Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway Race Results
- Ryan Blaney
- Chase Elliott
- Kyle Larson
- Austin Cindric
- Denny Hamlin
- William Byron
- Austin Dillon
- Ross Chastain
- Brad Keselowski
- Joey Logano
- Noah Gragson
- Shane Van Gisbergen
- Alex Bowman
- Ryan Preece
- Chase Briscoe
- Josh Berry
- Daniel Hemric
- Bubba Wallace
- Erik Jones
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- Zane Smith
- Christopher Bell
- Daniel Suárez
- Martin Truex Jr
- Carson Hocevar
- Todd Gilliland
- Kaz Grala
- Kyle Busch
- Justin Haley
- Chris Buescher
- John H. Nemechek
- Ty Gibbs
- Michael McDowell
- Tyler Reddick
- Corey LaJoie
- Harrison Burton
- Josh Bilicki
