The four drivers for the NASCAR Championship Race at Pheonix have been decided, but Denny Hamlin has warned fans will not be impressed with one certain outcome.
Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick secured their place in the Championship Four with wins at Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami respectively in the Round of 8.
Last time out at Martinsville, Ryan Blaney redeemed himself after Reddick stole victory from him on the final lap at Homestead by winning the final race before the NASCAR Cup Series title decider at Pheonix to secure his place in the final four.
With the last spot going to points, it was William Byron who secured his place in the NASCAR Playoff finale by finishing sixth at Martinsville. Christopher Bell went into the race with a 22-point advantage over the cut-off zone, but after he received a penalty for wall riding, he finished down in 22nd and was eliminated from the playoffs.
Hamlin was also eliminated alongside Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, and speaking on his YouTube channel Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver sent a warning to NASCAR if one driver wins the Cup Series.
Denny Hamlin warns of a ‘wrath’ on social media if Joey Logano wins the Cup Series
The format of the NASCAR Playoffs have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, as according to Hamlin, it does not reward the most deserving or winningest drivers.
The format is quite simple: win a race in the regular season and a driver qualifies for the playoffs, with the rule also applying in the playoffs itself, with a win securing a driver automatic qualification to the next round.
This system has seen Larson, who has won six races this season – the most of any other driver – be eliminated, while others like Logano, who won one race during the regular season and only finished in the top 10 eight times before the playoffs, qualify for the Championship Race.
And Hamlin has warned that there would be a ‘wrath’ on social media over the format if it is Logano that wins the title.
“You know where I stand on this for quite some time. I believe that there is very, very, very, very few people out there that believe that this format rewards the most deserving champion in our series,” he said.
“I think that’s why you’ve seen a shift in drivers’ mentality to win races. Brad Keselowski is one of them that mentioned it over the years, that it’s about winning races.
“These titles are just not what they were because of all the variables that you put on it. I can tell you this, and it’s not their fault or his fault or anyone, but if Joey Logano wins this title, there is going to be a wrath on social media about this format. It already is.
“I talked to Mike Ford a little bit last night, NASCAR comms. I said ‘man, this format is getting hammered on the net’ and he’s like ‘it’s bots, it’s not real people.’
“Ok, you can turn a blind eye if you want and you can be in denial, but numbers don’t lie. Numbers never lie.”
How are the Championship Four looking heading into Phoenix?
The format of the playoffs will certainly be debated regardless of who ends up victorious after Phoenix, given the big names that have been knocked out.
Larson has consistently proven himself to be the best driver on track throughout the season, while Bell had constantly been at the front for much of the playoffs, but was undone by his penalty and Blaney’s win at Martinsville.
READ MORE: Christopher Bell reveals what his ‘options’ were before losing NASCAR playoffs spot in Martinsville
Byron comes into Pheonix having won the most races than his rivals during the regular season with three and has finished the last six races in the top 10, four of which being in the top five.
Blaney is searching for his second consecutive Cup Series title with Logano eyeing his third, while Byron and Reddick are looking to become the champion for the first time.
The race at Pheonix is set to be a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 season, but the conversation surrounding those who qualified for the Championship Four who certainly go on long after the champion is crowned.