Anonymous NASCAR driver rips playoff format: 'It sucks ass'

One of the best things in sports is anonymous answers from athletes. Heading into the NASCAR Playoffs we got just that. One of the hot topics every NASCAR season is the playoff format. So, what do drivers think about it?

There are a lot of mixed reactions to the playoff format. Win and you’re in, Round of 16, 12, 8, and Championship 4. Only one race, Phoenix this year, decides the champion, ultimately.

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Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports had drivers answer anonymous questions for NASCAR Playoffs media day. The results are mostly what you’d expect, but one driver to it to another level.

Out of 16 playoff drivers, eight do not like the playoff format, seven like it, and one driver answered “IDK” according to Pockrass.

To put it simply, one driver wrote in that “It sucks ass.”

That is far from approval, I’d say. If we could guess out of the 16 drivers to say that, who would it be? My bet is on one of the Hendrick drivers or maybe even Martin Truex Jr. Someone you wouldn’t expect to say it out loud, but would in private.

It is surprising that the 16 drivers would be split almost perfectly down the middle. I would venture to guess that some see themselves as more traditional than others. Then you have the drivers who have never known anything but the NASCAR Playoffs in their current format.

So, why would they hate it? If you’re Austin Cindric or Daniel Suárez or Harrison Burton you have to like it, right? It is mainly why they have a shot to win a championship in the first place.

NASCAR Playoffs set to begin in Atlanta

This is the first week of the NASCAR Playoffs. For the first time ever, Atlanta is going to open up the Round of 16. Having a superspeedway race to start the postseason is going to create chaos, exactly what NASCAR wants.

In the Ambetter Health 400 earlier this season, Daniel Suárez won in an electric three-wide finish with Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch. That same race had eight DNFs in total. Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, and Christopher Bell were all playoff drivers that failed to finish that race.

So, it has the potential to derail more than a few drivers on Sunday. But if you’re a playoff driver and three other playoff drivers also DNF, you aren’t in the worst position. Any DNFs in this first round will likely come back to bite at least a couple of drivers later in the playoffs.

The NASCAR Playoffs are going to be wild. We are going to get great action at Atlanta, then Watkins Glen, and the Round of 16 will finish with Bristol. Which race are you most excited about?