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Brad Keselowski calls out NASCAR Playoffs after Roval: 'Now is the time to fix this'

JHby: Jonathan Howard10/06/25Jondean25
Brad Keselowski
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Today resulted in a P35 DNF for Brad Keselowski. After the race, he wasn’t thinking about his finish or his RFK Racing team. Instead, Keselowski has called out the NASCAR Playoffs and decided that now is the time to change course.

The debate has really ramped up in recent weeks around NASCAR Playoffs or a full-season points championship. With Brad Keselowski, a team owner, now calling out for change explicitly, are we headed for a major change of pace next season?

It feels like 2026 would be too soon to make changes. But you never know. Here is what Keselowski had to say about the NASCAR Playoffs:

“Clear as day, not enough talk about winning and winners (star power) but covering 15th for known elimination is easier for media storylines. Fans are voting with their eyeballs and it’s definiely a net loss for the sport vs full season format. Now is the time to fix this.”

Brad Keselowski has won a championship in the Chase format. He didn’t get a chance to race under the old Winston Cup points system. But he has been in and around racing his entire life. He comes from a racing family. Someone like Keselowski, to me, should have more credit given to their arguments on this.

It is becoming obvious that change is needed one way or another. I’m not so sure that ends up being a full-season points situation. But you never know. There has been growing momentum throughout the fanbase and industry towards that kind of model. It is always possible.

Brad Keselowski wants change to NASCAR championship

To go to a full-season points championship would be a major correction. NASCAR has had some sort of playoff system since 2004. 21 years! Could it be possible that the playoffs thing has played its course, and the fanbase and sport are ready to go back so it can move forward?

Brad Keselowski is a very smart person. He also doesn’t say things just to say them. I love how open and honest Denny Hamlin is, for example, but he is at times not as calculated in what he says publicly. So, Keselowski must feel strongly about this if he is willing to say it on social media.

Shane van Gisbergen won his fifth straight road course race. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell gave him one of his toughest challenges of the season. We should be celebrating a 15-second win for SVG but instead, the story is on P20, Joey Logano and P21, Ross Chastain.

You look back at the Xfinity Series race, and it is even more evident. Connor Zilisch just won his 10th race of the season and 9th race in the last 17 races. He was almost entirely written off and the story was instead about winless Taylor Gray and one-win via DQ Sammy Smith on the cutline.

Brad Keselowski is ringing the alarm right now. Will NASCAR respond or let the fire spread until it is too late?