Joey Logano has a clear message for NASCAR: if the sport wants an unforgettable championship battle, it needs to bring back the desperation.
The three-time Cup Series champion recently shared his thoughts on NASCAR’s new Chase format while speaking with Will Buxton on SPEED. Although Logano believes Kyle Larson deserves his massive 70-point championship lead after the season he has put together, he isn’t convinced the new format will deliver the kind of drama fans want to see.
And his reasoning could spark a major debate across the NASCAR community.
Logano believes the previous championship format created situations where drivers had no choice but to take risks. When a season came down to a must-win race, competitors were forced to push harder, make aggressive moves, and sometimes put everything on the line to keep their championship hopes alive.
That desperation, according to Logano, is something NASCAR needs to bring back.
“I want to see people do desperate things out there because they’re in desperate situations,” Logano said.
It’s a statement that gets right to the heart of NASCAR’s ongoing championship debate. Fans want to see the sport’s best drivers battle for a title, but they also want unpredictable finishes, aggressive racing, and moments where careers and championships are on the line.
The question is whether the new Chase format will create those moments or leave fans wanting more.
Larson’s 70-point advantage is a testament to the incredible season he has put together, and Logano isn’t arguing that the Hendrick Motorsports driver hasn’t earned his position. Instead, his concern is whether the championship system will reward consistency while still giving fans the high-stakes drama that has made NASCAR’s biggest races so memorable.
There is a difficult balance to strike. A championship format should reward the driver who performs best throughout the season, but it also needs to give competitors a reason to fight until the very end.
Logano knows what it takes to win championships under pressure, and his comments carry extra weight considering his success in NASCAR’s elimination-style playoff system.
Now, NASCAR faces a major question heading into the future: Should the championship reward the best driver over an entire season, or should it create a winner-take-all battle where anything can happen?
Larson’s season may prove that he deserves the championship lead he has built. But if Logano is right, NASCAR could be missing the one ingredient that makes a title fight truly unforgettable.
Would you rather see NASCAR bring back the desperation of the old format, or give the new Chase a chance to prove itself?