“It’s a no brainer”: Fans react as NASCAR reportedly considers major championship race changes

Fans have reacted as NASCAR is reportedly considering rotating the final Cup Series Championship Races annually to provide more competition for the drivers. This idea was also recently suggested by former driver Kevin Harvick.

The Cup Series Championship race, the ultimate season-ending decider, has been held at the Phoenix Raceway since 2020. The one-mile circuit provides ample competition for the drivers to battle it out in the final stretch of the season, with one ultimately clinching the Championship. NASCAR owns the track and invested $178 million in renovations in 2018. Prior to 2020, the Homestead-Miami Raceway hosted the Championship race.

Phoenix has been profitable to the sport as it sells out almost every single year as fans go to witness the final race of the season. However, reports claim that the authorities are looking forward to rotating the venue of the Championship race. This rotation would not be limited to Phoenix and Homestead-Miami, but would potentially include other tracks as well.

Fans supported the idea on social media with one even labeling it a "no-brainer" and suggesting finalizing the decision.

"It’s a no brainer… quit talking about it and just do it."

"This should have happened years ago," another fan claimed.

"Bring the Championship Red Carpet event back to Las Vegas!" A fan suggested.

Some comments also mentioned that Phoenix should never have been the venue of the title-deciding race. Others showcased their dislike for the track.

"Phoenix is not even in my top ten of tracks. Why it is held there other than favorable weather is beyond me," a fan questioned.

"Needs to be a different track every year" another fan suggested.

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Kevin Harvick previously suggested the rotation of the final NASCAR race

The NASCAR playoff system has been criticized for a long time as fans feel it creates unhealthy competition and can sometimes be rewarding for a driver who has not remained consistent throughout the year. This turned out to be the case in the 2024 Cup Series season as Joey Logano won his third title despite an average finish of 17.1 in the entire season, the lowest for a champion in the history of the sport.

Kevin Harvick, appearing on the Title 24 podcast, suggested that NASCAR could make the playoffs a little more interesting by rotating the final title-deciding round. He mentioned that the sport can rotate between Phoenix, Homestead-Miami, and Las Vegas.

“I wish we would rotate the last race. You know, I think Homestead, Las Vegas, Phoenix. I wish there was some sort of three-year rotation that you got to mix that up so it wasn’t, ‘Hey we ran this track last year; we’ve got really good notes. We’re going to be good if we can get there again.’ And it kind of mixes that up so that you can’t just prepare for one track,” Kevin Harvick said on the Title 24 podcast.

The 2025 Cup Series calendar was released earlier and it still has Phoenix as the final race of the championship. However, if NASCAR proceeds with its internal discussions, a rotation of the Championship venue for future editions could be a significant change.