“It’s Cherry Picking”: NASCAR Full Season Format Finds Little Takers As Fans Point Out Glaring Flaws

With projections tyig William Byron and Kyle Larson atop a hypothetical full-season table, bettors could view them as co-favorites — expect tighter outright futures, more money on head-to-head matchups, and increased activity on season-long prop markets. Bookmakers may adjust odds ahead of Talladega and Martinsville, while live and matchup markets could shift as debate over format-driven strategies intensifies.

Playoff Picture: Who’s Where

Denny Hamlin leads the current playoff standings, with Kyle Larson 35 points back in second. Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe round out the top four, while William Byron, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney occupy the lower half of the Round of 8. The championship outlook remains tense as the series heads to Talladega and Martinsville with three races to go.

Full-Season Projection Reignites Format Debate

New full-season projections circulating online showed William Byron and Kyle Larson tied at 1,076 points, with Christopher Bell close behind at 1,054. According to those numbers, the top six would be separated by just 58 points — less than a single race — suggesting a wide-open title fight under an old-school, season-long points format. That scenario has reignited calls from veterans and fans who argue for ditching the playoff system in favor of the traditional grind.

Why Some Fans Call It “Cherry Picking”

Critics argue the projection is misleading. “There’s no way to tell who would win based on the current results! Drivers race to the current system,” one fan wrote, noting pit strategies and setups change dramatically when wins are the direct path to the next round. Another fan warned that one close season doesn’t prove a system is better: “That’s this year. Just one year of data is not research. It’s cherry picking.”

Playoff Defenders Make Their Case

Others, including drivers and former competitors, defend the playoff format for its unpredictability and entertainment value. Proponents say the chase keeps every race meaningful and rewards timing and execution under pressure — factors that have produced memorable playoff runs and championships in recent years.

Implications for Bettors and Markets

If bettors take the full-season projection seriously, expect futures markets to tighten around Byron and Larson as co-favorites, with increased action on head-to-head matchups and season-long props (most wins, top-five finishes, points leader). Still, market makers will weigh a major caveat: strategy changes under different championship formats. Odds may reflect higher uncertainty, with bookmakers widening lines or offering more nuanced props to manage liability. In-play and matchup markets could see volatility as bettors react to strategy-driven race outcomes at Talladega and Martinsville.

Bottom Line

The debate over playoff versus full-season formats is back in the spotlight after tight hypothetical standings emerged. While the projections fuel talk of a dramatic, season-long title battle, skeptics point to strategic distortions caused by the current “win-and-in” structure. For bettors, the takeaway is clear: expect shifting markets and a focus on matchup and prop bets as opinions and numbers continue to influence odds.

NASCAR veterans like Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin, alongside several insiders, have long called for a return to the traditional full-season points format over the modern playoff system. Fans too have joined in, with the discussion recently taking a new turn as cracks have been spotted in both setups. As it stands under the current [...]The post “It’s Cherry Picking”: NASCAR Full Season Format Finds Little Takers As Fans Point Out Glaring Flaws appeared first on The SportsRush.

The Sportsrush