NASCAR fans who were already frustrated became even angrier after star driver Denny Hamlin made some blunt comments.
He basically told people who don’t like the playoff system to accept that it’s here to stay.
Fans are now fighting back on social media and online forums, showing a big split between NASCAR’s bosses and the people who love the sport the most.
Many fans are now saying they might stop watching NASCAR completely.
On Denny Hamlin’s popular podcast “Actions Detrimental,” Hamlin addressed the long-standing debate over the championship format with a stark finality.
“They could say 36 races, but they’re not, everyone get over it, you’re going to get playoffs,” Hamlin stated, a sentiment that was quickly amplified and condemned by fans online.
This dismissal of a traditional, full-season points championship functioned as a breaking point for a community already feeling ignored.
The comment sparked significant debate within the NASCAR community.
Fans expressed their frustration on social media and discussion platforms.
One fan’s response, “Nah Denny we’re not getting over it. We’re closing up shop,” captures the raw emotion fueling the uprising.
This is not mere grumbling but a declaration of intent, a promise to withdraw financial and viewership support from a sport they feel has left them behind.
Another simply stated, “I’m done watching then,” a sentiment echoed by countless others who see this as the final straw in a series of unpopular changes.
Another fan explained, “3-3-4 equals walkout. I’m sick of the fanbase being thrown to the ground. Absolute joke. I’m glad I did not accept a job with NASCAR and become a lap dog.”
For these fans, the issue is existential.
They see the playoff system not as a successful innovation but as the primary agent of the sport’s decline.
One stark conclusion read, “There is no getting over that: playoffs are what’s leading to NASCAR’s inevitable death.”
This perspective frames the current conflict not as a simple disagreement over rules but as a battle for the soul of stock car racing.
Hamlin’s comments came after his devastating finish at the Phoenix championship race.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver led 208 laps but finished sixth after a late caution and overtime restart changed everything.
Kyle Larson claimed the championship while Hamlin walked away empty-handed for the fifth time under the elimination playoff format.
Hamlin admitted the finish left him mentally drained from racing.
“Very, very. It doesn’t make me want to race right now in this moment anymore,” he explained on his podcast.
“The offseason is still so fresh, I want nothing to do with racing right now. I’ve got to get some more time.”
His frustration with the playoff format was clear despite telling fans to accept it.
NASCAR officials are reportedly considering changes to the playoff format for 2026.
Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, said the playoff committee has completed its work gathering feedback.
“Where it stands right now, I don’t think the playoff committee is going to meet again,” Forde said on the November 11 episode of Hauler Talk.
“I think we have gotten all the feedback that we needed from them.”
Forde emphasized that no major announcements will come until after the 2025 champion’s celebration.
He indicated NASCAR leadership will “lock ourselves in a room and figure it out” soon.
While Forde ruled out a complete return to the pre-2004 points system, he didn’t dismiss all change.
He hinted that certain elements, like playoff point bonuses, could be reconsidered or even removed.
The challenge, he said, is balancing fan-driven calls for a more consistent championship with the current system’s proven advantages in TV ratings and race attendance.
However, championship race viewership numbers tell a different story.
The average TV viewers per playoff race in 2025 was 1,866,000, less than in 2014, down 57.5 percent.
Fans are using these numbers to arguethat the playoff format has failed.
One fan wrote, “Hard to stay interested when you can’t watch any of the playoffs but the last three or four races. Take the TV deal that makes the sport accessible.”
The message was clear: if people can’t easily tune in, the drama the playoff is supposed to deliver doesn’t matter.
NASCAR spread its races across multiple streaming platforms this year, making it difficult for casual fans to follow.
Three races on Amazon Prime Video actually performed well, with two breaking 2 million viewers.
But overall accessibility issues, combined with playoff format frustration, have fans calling for major changes.
One viewer posted sarcastically, “Thank God we have that exciting last race to decide the championship! Barely cracking the season-long race viewership average!”
The tone only grew sharper with another saying, “NASCAR needs to take the hint, fans are tired of the games.”
By telling upset fans to simply “get over it,” Hamlin made a bad situation worse.
The number of people showing up to races and watching on TV will show whether this approach was a good idea or not.
NASCAR reportedly is considering several options for 2026: a shortened playoff, the classic 10-race chase, or even a return to the old full-season points battle.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed behind-the-scenes conversations with NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell that gave fans a glimpse of what might be coming.
President Steve Phelps is also working to reverse the fall in TV numbers.
The biggest question now is, can NASCAR get these angry fans back, or will they actually follow through on their threats to stop watching the sport?
The 2026 season will reveal whether NASCAR leadership listened to fan concerns or doubled down on a format many believe is killing the sport.
