Shane van Gisbergen sounds off on NASCAR playoff format, whether he wants change

Shane van Gisbergen sees the NASCAR playoff format debate from two different perspectives. Not too long ago, van Gisbergen was just a casual fan of the stock car racing series.

The fan in him loved the elimination-style playoff format. The driver in him, however, feels a little bit differently.

“I’ve seen both sides of it,” van Gisbergen told The Athletic‘s Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi during NASCAR Playoff Media Day on Wednesday. “Obviously, watched NASCAR as a fan and as a pretty casual fan. I loved the playoffs because it’s so engaging, and you just want to know who wins and who makes the next round. I really enjoyed it from a casual observer. And then one race was awesome as well. I’d always tune in to Phoenix, but as a driver, I hate it. You would hate it if you dominated all year and you get to that point, but the fans are probably the most important thing.”

Shane van Gisbergen reveals what he would change about NASCAR playoff format

Critics of the playoff format will say it doesn’t reward consistency over the course of a 36-race season. The “best” driver isn’t the one who wins the championship at the end of the season. When it comes to the 16-driver postseason field, winning one regular season race grants you entry. 

That part is something van Gisbergen likes about the format. It’s easy to see why, as van Gisbergen’s four wins are tied with Denny Hamlin for the most among Cup Series drivers in 2025. But if it weren’t for those four victories — all on road courses — van Gisbergen wouldn’t have sniffed the postseason. If there was one thing van Gisbergen would change, it would be the one-race finale.

“For me, you’d want three races and a couple more drivers to be involved or something like that,” van Gisbergen said. “One race is a pretty small sample size to choose a champion, but it’s very entertaining to watch. There’s a lot of arguments about it, but I’m here because of the win and you’re in the playoffs. So, I don’t want it to go away too much. … Maybe the three races with six drivers or whatever to make it a bit broader. Some years, the best guy doesn’t win and it’s pretty hard.”