Kenny Wallace defends NASCAR’s playoff decision that drew bold scrutiny from Kyle Larson: “It’s hard to follow the sport"

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace has openly backed what invited bold assertion from Hendrick Motorsports ace Kyle Larson -NASCAR's reluctance to change the playoff rules for the 2025 season. Larson claimed he could win 20 races a year but still be ineligible to lift the highly-coveted Cup Series trophy.

NASCAR Executive Vice President John Probst recently clarified during the annual preseason rules media day that the sanctioning body isn't inclined to make small tweaks in every playoff. The knockout system was introduced in 2014 but was tweaked in 2017 with the insertion of stages and playoff points.

The announcement sparked Larson's scrutiny. The 2021 Cup Series champion had a stellar performance with six wins this past season. Even though he missed the Coca-Cola 600, his #5 Chevy's consistent performance ensured he stayed afloat at the playoff cutline. However, because of the playoff rules, Kyle Larson's credentials didn't matter and he failed to punch the Championship 4 ticket by seven points.

However, Kenny Wallace has backed NASCAR's decision, emphasizing that continuous rulebook development makes following the sport a cumbersome affair.

"I think that's a great move because NASCAR has changed so much that it's hard to get a handle on or even follow the sport. I think that is an issue, NASCAR has got to stay the same for a little bit, they're changing so much it's hard to follow the sport; racecar drivers are going, 'What's the rule?'...I agree with that," Wallace said (3:45 onwards).

Interestingly, NASCAR will form a study group to analyze any potential tweaks for the 2026 season.

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How NASCAR's playoff rules hindered Kyle Larson's pursuit of another Cup Series championship

Kyle Larson already had four wins in his arsenal when the 10-race slate to the championship began at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. According to the playoff rules, the points are reset after every third race, and the winner is automatically promoted to the next round.

Larson performed subpar in playoffs but redeemed it by triumphing at the Bristol Motor Speedway and Charlotte Roval. The former win safeguarded the HMS driver's spot in the Round of 12 and punched his Round of 8 ticket with the Charlotte win. However, after stooping to 11th and 13th place finishes in Las Vegas and Homestead, respectively, Larson's odds of another title were jeopardized again.

Even though he surged to a third-place finish from a ninth-place start at Martinsville Speedway, the Championship 4 race had two slots available; one was grabbed by Ryan Blaney after winning the race, while William Byron took the other with his P6 finish. Thus, Kyle Larson's six wins and 14 top-5s couldn't prove beneficial in the title run.

The HMS driver wrapped up the Phoenix race in fourth place while his teammate Byron settled in third.