Jeff Burton has been around NASCAR for a long time, making his debut as a driver in the Xfinity Series back during the 1988 season. He went on to make nearly 700 starts at the Cup level, winning 21 races. But for the past decade, he has worked as TV analyst for NBC’s NASCAR coverage.
This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Burton on behalf of Motorsport.com, discussing a myriad of topics including the hotly debated playoff format. Rumors are accelerating around possible changes, focusing on opening the final round beyond a single race. No official announcements have been made, but one could be coming very soon.
“I want to be clear about something,” Burton said about the current format and potential changes. “I believe that the people who do it best are the ones who are successful, and so if the rule is changed, it doesn’t mean that the people that won championships under this format weren’t deserving. The competitors have to play by the rules that the sanctioning body creates, and the ones that do it best are the champions – period, end of story.
“I know people say ‘well a playoff is not indicative of who had the best season.’ Well yeah, you can make that case in every sport. And then they’ll say ‘well it’s different in motorsports’ – okay, I can hear that argument. It is different, and motorsports is different than other sports, but other sports have their challenges too. Look at the injuries in football, basketball – there are all kinds of things that make every sport unique to themselves”
Burton “good with” possible format changes
NASCAR Cup championship trophy
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Burton addressed those critical of recent champions, such as three-time champion Joey Logano, who won the 2024 title with an average finish of 17.1. Burton said he “doesn’t buy into this thing where some people want to say that the way this works, we don’t have a legitimate champion. I call complete horse crap on that.
“I will also say that if we had more races to determine a champion, I’m good with that. I think that does do some things that some critics of the current playoffs where one race shouldn’t mean this much – I can get around that. That is a realistic argument, but I also can’t sit here and tell you that Joey Logano, or Ryan Blaney isn’t a deserving champion. They did it. No one else did. That’s where I get a little bit flustered in this conversation. People can disagree whether one race is right or not. I understand and hear both sides of it. But don’t diminish the accomplishments in a super high-stress, high-pressure environment who delivered. Teams, pit crews, drivers – don’t diminish their effort. That’s not fair to them.
“I’m good if the industry decides let’s have more race to determine a champion. I’m 100% good with it. It’s an argument and discussion worth having, for sure. If it goes in that direction, I’ll be a supporter of it.”
Evolution of NASCAR playoffs
The format has changed quite a bit over the years. After decades with a full season points system, NASCAR implemented the ten-race ‘Chase’ in 2004. This followed a year where Matt Kenseth won a single race in March, and then used consistency in earning points to win the crown. However, after Jimmie Johnson won a record five consecutive ‘Chase’ era titles, the format started to change some more. There was a push to reward winners, especially after Jamie McMurray missed the 2010 postseason after winning both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.
Eventually, the 2004 change evolved into the multi-round, elimination-style format we now have in 2025, where winning a race is equivalent to a golden ticket, erasing any points deficit and ensuring advancement for title challengers.
Despite the unpredictable nature of it, Team Penske has managed to win the last three playoff titles over drivers who had better seasons overall.
Burton also predicts that some of the current complaints won’t go away, even with a format change, as some will always want the points system of old.
“I also know that somebody eventually that had a really good regular season will have a problem in one of the races and somebody we’ll say ‘well that’s not fair. They should have won the championship.’ “I’m pretty sure the New England Patriots could make that same argument. I’m pretty the Panthers had a regular season that was the best regular season of anybody, but they didn’t win the Super Bowl so they weren’t the champions. Every single sport can have that same discussion … I know how hard everyone works to win the championship, and I’m not gonna diminish the people who won it – I don’t give a damn what (the format) was,” he emphasized.
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
To further prove his point, Burton went on to reference Benny Parsons, who won the 1973 title despite only managing to finish on the lead lap in one race (his only victory that year).
“He did what he needed to do to win the championship, and that does not diminish his championship just because he finished on the lead lap one time,” declared Burton.
“The person who won it deserved it because they did it and the other ones didn’t. That’s my take on it and I clearly see both sides of it, and it’s worthy of a discussion. I’m glad I don’t have to make the decision because I think it’s a difficult decision.”
Motorsport.com then asked if Logano’s recent triumphs have supercharged this debate, which has been ongoing for a while before gaining momentum in recent months. “I don’t know,” admitted Burton. “I certainly think them not having the best regular season and then winning the championship puts some people in the position to say that.”
The final top-10 for the “Chase for the Championship”: Jeremy Mayfield, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Elliott Sadler
Photo by: Autostock
Burton also looked back on the old format and why it was changed in the first place following the 2003 season. “There was a genuine belief that fans wanted to see a more competitive championship battle, and for the last race to mean more,” explained Burton.
“We had some unbelievable championship battles too under the old format (full-season points), but we also had some that weren’t even a battle. So there was a thought, ‘Hey how can we make this better?’ If you look around, (racing) is the only sport that doesn’t have a postseason. So that’s why that happened, to try and create a postseason the same way every other sport does. It’s fascinating to me why people say ‘racing can’t have a postseason’ but every other sport in the world can. I just don’t get that argument. I’m not saying it should be the same.”
Regardless of where you stand in this debate, change appears to be just around the corner.
The current format has been mostly unaltered since 2017, and while there won’t be a return to the pre-Chase era, NASCAR appears to be close to doing away with the one-race finale. If it was opened up to four races as some have suggested, then the final round of the 2026 championship would consist of Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway.
We’ll have more from Jeff Burton on Friday, where he will discuss his son’s journey back down into the Xfinity Series, and how difficult it will be for rising stars like Connor Zilisch to make the leap into Cup next year.
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Before becoming an all-time great NASCAR driver and a team owner, Brad Keselowski began his career at the lowest level within his father’s racing organization.
Keselowski’s father, Bob, owned and operated the now-defunct K-Automotive Racing team during Brad’s childhood, and the former ARCA Series racer subjected his son to some less-than-desired manual labor duties around his operation.
In a 2015 interview for USA Today with motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck, Keselowski detailed the specifics of his day-to-day to-do list.
“They let me sweep floors, and I ended up mowing the grass a lot and mopping,” Keselowski said. “I think I made like $20 a day, which was a lot of money when I was 16. I had to work 8 to 5 every day in the summer.”
First as a star for Hendrick Motorsports and Penske Racing, and now the co-owner of his own racing team, RFK Racing, Keselowski, who recently broke his leg in a skiing accident, has been at the top of the totem pole ever since he burst onto the scene in 2009 when he won his first Cup Series race at Talladega.
His foundation as a regular employee in his father’s business laid the groundwork for the success that would soon come for Keselowski, although it didn’t look at all like the path some sons of NASCAR stars, such as Keelan Harvick, are taking to prepare themselves for a career in professional racing.
During the interview with Gluck, Keselowski recalled a specific, objectively gross detail of the everyday grind he faced when working for his father’s team.
Responsible for taking out the trash every day, Keselowski noticed chewing tobacco, which most everyone in the race shop used, spat all alongside the trash can due to poor aim.
He would be forced to touch the sides of the can covered in the substance, and because the trash was only picked up once a month, the dumpster would often overflow, and Keselowski would need to find a way to fit in every last spit-covered piece of trash.
That led him to ask his parents if the trash could be picked up more often, a plea they rejected due to the cost being too expensive.
Years later, as a racing team owner of his own, Keselowski discovered the cost of one more trash pickup per month to be an extra $18, to which the NASCAR star realized his parents were trying to teach him a lesson back in the day, rather than being cheap.
“Are you (freaking) kidding me? I jumped in trash and chewing tobacco and risked losing my foot for two whole summers for like $15?” Keselowski said. “I guess it was good for me. My parents must have known that.”
Kyle Larson stunned fans at Australia’s Perth Motorplex on Sunday when he made a surprise appearance in bold fashion.
The second annual High Limit International event commenced on December 28 and Larson, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and a co-founder of the league, opted against a quiet and modest arrival.
The Hendrick Motorsports star instead dramatically descended from the sky in a silver helicopter before the first race of the three-day series began to deliver a briefcase containing $110,000 Australian Dollars, a record prize for an Australian sprint car racing event.
The helicopter landed on the racetrack before Larson emerged wearing a red fire suit, holding a black briefcase containing the winning prize, set to go to the winner of Tuesday’s main event.
The NASCAR star, who won the inaugural High Limit International race one year ago, walked to the infield and delivered the case to Perth Motorplex General Manager Gavin Migro.
“I was actually nervous because of how windy it is,” Larson said as he walked to the infield. “That was probably the smoothest helicopter ride I’ve ever been on.”
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion also noted that he’s only accustomed to taking helicopters out of tracks, which he has famously done twice before on ‘Double Duty,’ when he raced in both the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar race and Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race on the same day.
Then came the race, the first of two prelims leading up to Tuesday’s main event, which pitted big-name drivers from the United States against high profile Australian racers for a $15,000 prize.
Larson’s HMS teammate Corey Day took the checkered flag, fending off Australian Kaiden Manders by a half second. Day, who began the race in fourth position, was briefly overtaken by Manders after Larson caused the lone caution of the race when he suffered a flat right-rear tire on Lap 22.
The defending High Limit champion and co-owner finished 17th on the night, an underwhelming result after his grand entrance.
Larson’s cross-globe journey to participate in High Limit comes less than two months after he captured the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The 33-year-old won the title without leading a single lap in the championship race at Phoenix, outlasting Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron, all of whom suffered tire issues, to finish third.
The former Chip Ganassi Racing driver won three races during the 2025 season and finished atop the points standings thanks to six top-seven finishes in the playoffs.
Unlike in 2021, Larson’s first NASCAR Cup Series title, he did not win a single playoff race en route to claiming the championship.
A sequel to Days of Thunder, titled Days of Thunder 2, has reportedly entered early development. Tom Cruise is expected to return as Cole Trickle in the movie that has a target release window of 2026. While details remain vague, industry chatter has also hinted at possible involvement from NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon.
Fueling that speculation, Hendrick Motorsports recently published a set of 23 behind-the-scenes images on its website, offering a glimpse of Cruise during filming. The photographs were of the Hollywood superstar seated in a race car and posing between takes.
The photos have intensified interest. The hype is also fueled by Cruise’s connection to racing extends beyond the silver screen.
Long before portraying a stock car driver in Hollywood, Cruise had some firsthand experience in competitive motorsports. In 1987, he stepped into professional racing by competing in the IMSA Firestone Firehawk Grand Sports endurance race. He also took part in several SCCA events in the 1980s.
That IMSA debut placed him in the deep end, though. The three-hour endurance race at Road Atlanta demanded extreme patience from Cruise, who was sharing the car with Rick Hendrick. His true test of patience came when he encountered a refueling issue that disrupted his run.
The issue ultimately dropped his team to a 14th-place finish in the endurance race at Road Atlanta. Cruise completed 97 laps around the 2.52-mile road course and came away with a clearer understanding of what drivers go through each weekend.
“It was a lot of fun. I got a lot of seat time, and it was fun racing with those guys. The first three laps were like a demolition derby. Guys were bouncing off each other. After that, it settled down, and we had some good racing,” said Cruise, reflecting on the experience.
Cruise had started the Nissan 300 ZX Turbo from 15th on the grid and handled the opening 80 minutes of the three-hour race. He steadily climbed into P9 place before pitting on lap 50. That pit stop, however, proved costly.
A fueling problem stretched the visit to two minutes. They ended falling behind by two laps, undoing the progress. When Hendrick rejoined the race, the team found itself in 19th place, forced to salvage what it could over the remaining distance.
The event also marked Hendrick’s professional racing debut in the street-stock category. That race was won by John Heinricy of Holly, Michigan, and Stuart Hayner of Yorba Linda, California. Cruise and Hendrick focused on finishing the endurance challenge and gaining experience.
Now 63, Cruise appears ready to strap in once more, not to chase trophies, but to return to racing on the silver screen. Reports suggest Days of Thunder 2 will frame him as a mentor confronting modern technology and younger rivals, with themes centered on legacy, redemption, and NASCAR competition.
Speculation has also swirled around Margot Robbie potentially joining the cast as a rising star, alongside possible cameos from the original film’s ensemble.
Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the 10 biggest moments of 2025 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
Doug Boles was once an NTT INDYCAR SERIES competitor, a founding partner of Panther Racing, which won season championships in 2001 and 2002 with Sam Hornish Jr. at the wheel. This year, the longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway president was named to the same position at INDYCAR, replacing Jay Frye.
Boles has decades of motorsports experience. He became IMS president in 2013, overseeing the sellout of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the first full-capacity crowd in the event’s stories history. He managed more than $150 million in strategic investment at the Racing Capital of the World, including “Project 100” and significant infrastructure improvements following the acquisition of IMS by Penske Corporation.
Across his tenure at IMS, Boles has been lauded for his promotional prowess and strategic marketing capabilities, growing the Speedway’s global reach and better connecting Indy 500 fans to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Boles worked extensively within the INDYCAR paddock during his roles as Panther Racing’s chief operating officer and Hulman & Company’s vice president of communications. At Panther, he helped lead the Chevrolet-powered organization to 15 INDYCAR SERIES race wins and the two INDYCAR SERIES championships, in addition to seven INDY NXT by Firestone race wins and a championship won by Mark Taylor in 2003.
In total, Boles brought more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in motorsports, within team operations, sponsorship, marketing, public relations and more to INDYCAR.
Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles called Boles “the ideal choice” as the series moved into a new era of opportunity and visibility.
“(He) is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders,” Miles said.
Frye served 10 years as president. During his tenure, he led a period of tremendous successes at INDYCAR, including securing the entitlement series sponsorships with Verizon and NTT, the development of the AK18 universal aero kit, development and implementation of the total driver cockpit safety solution aeroscreen and state-of-the-art hybrid technology introduction.
Frye also oversaw an expanded grid with incredible competition. The longtime motorsports executive is now president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
The Olympic Flame doesn’t just travel through city squares and historic landmarks—it also stops where real-world craftsmanship happens. On December 27, the flame made a meaningful visit to the Pomigliano d’Arco Assembly Plant, one of Italy’s most important automotive manufacturing sites and the home of the Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUV.
For Alfa Romeo, the moment was more than ceremonial. It was a powerful blend of sport, industry, and national pride as the flame’s journey toward the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics passed directly through one of the brand’s most modern production hubs.
A Factory With Deep Roots –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
Pomigliano d’Arco isn’t just another assembly plant—it’s a symbol of Italian manufacturing excellence. Alongside other key Stellantis facilities in Melfi, Modena, and Turin, Pomigliano represents the backbone of Italy’s automotive industry. Today, it plays a crucial role in Alfa Romeo’s future by producing the Tonale, a vehicle designed to bridge classic Alfa performance with modern electrification.
That made the plant a fitting stop as the Olympic Flame continues its long relay across Italy. After beginning its journey in Rome on December 6, the flame will pass through more than 300 towns and cities before reaching Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo for the opening ceremonies in 2026.
Alfa Romeo’s Role in the Olympic Journey –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
As an Official Partner of the Olympic Flame relay, Alfa Romeo is supporting the convoy with a fleet that includes the Stelvio, Tonale, and Junior. These vehicles aren’t just transportation—they’re rolling ambassadors for Italian design, performance, and technology.
Alfa Romeo has also tied the partnership directly to its product lineup, previewing special Milan Cortina 2026-themed editions of the Junior and Tonale. These models feature exclusive styling touches inside and out, along with sport-focused upgrades that reinforce the brand’s performance-first identity while celebrating the Olympic spirit.
Employees Take Center Stage –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
One of the most impactful parts of the event had nothing to do with sheet metal or horsepower. Alfa Romeo employees and their families were invited to take part in the celebration, turning a normal production day into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
A selected group of workers physically carried the Olympic Flame through the plant itself, weaving between production areas while coworkers looked on. It was a rare and emotional moment that connected everyday manufacturing jobs with one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.
Adding to the significance was the presence of Stefania Belmondo, one of Italy’s most decorated Winter Olympians. With ten Olympic medals and a legendary career in cross-country skiing, Belmondo opened and closed the event, sharing personal reflections about representing Olympic values on the world stage.
Bigger Than One Brand –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
The Pomigliano stop also highlighted Stellantis’ broader role in the Games. As an Automotive Premium Partner, Stellantis brands—including Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and Maserati—will provide approximately 3,000 vehicles to support athletes, staff, volunteers, and officials during the Games. More than half of that fleet will be electrified, underscoring the group’s push toward a more sustainable future.
For Alfa Romeo, the Olympic Flame’s visit wasn’t just about the Games—it was about celebrating people, passion, and the pride that comes from building vehicles with history and purpose.
For any driver, finding victory lane is the pinnacle of their career. However, not every driver is lucky enough to find victory lane during their career. In 2026, rookies, veterans, and everyone in between will fight across 36 races in hopes of finding victory lane for the first time.
This list will be limited to full-time Cup Series drivers. Drivers competing part-time are not eligible, but adjustments can be made in the event of a driver swap.
This list will start with the driver with the fewest number of career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and end with the driver with the most. These streaks can span all the way from single digits to triple digits.
Last season, Josh Berry removed his name from this list, winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his 52nd career NASCAR Cup Series start.
Zilisch enters the 2026 season with just three starts under his belt, none at short tracks and none at super speedways. While he adjusted to the Xfinity Series rather quickly, this Cup Series will likely come as a sharper learning curve for the 19-year-old.
44 Starts – Riley Herbst – No. 35 – 23XI Racing
Despite showing promise in sporadic starts leading up to the 2025 season, Riley Herbst had one of the toughest rookie seasons in recent NASCAR history. While the pressure will be on in 2026, Herbst has overcome a similar situation before, coming quite a ways from his rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020.
After his impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Hocevar improved yet again in 2025, scoring better counting stats, his first career pole, and a much-improved average starting spot. The No. 77 came close twice in 2025, and it is only a matter of time before the stars align for Hocevar and Spire.
81 Starts – Zane Smith – No. 38 – Front Row Motorsports
Zane Smith made his return to Front Row Motorsports this past season, and, despite all-around struggles from the team, the No. 38 seemed like FRM’s most consistent option from start to finish. Smith still has a way to go until he is a real threat week in and week out, but once he finds his groove in the Cup Series, a win will likely follow soon after.
Noah Gragson is entering his first NASCAR Cup Series season, in which he will return to the team he raced with the year prior. The 2025 season was very challenging for Gragson, but maybe some consistency will pay off and help the fan favorite driver score his first win in 2026.
113 Starts – John Hunter Nemechek – No. 42 – Legacy Motor Club
John Hunter Nemechek may not have won his first race in 2025, but his year-to-year improvement cannot be overlooked. Entering 2026, he and his Legacy Motor Club teammate Erik Jones have a knack for racing at Darlington, and maybe Nemechek can turn his 2025 Southern 500 run into a win this season.
123 Starts – Ty Gibbs – No. 54 – Joe Gibbs Racing
It never felt like the No. 54 team found its footing during the 2025 season. Following a crew chief change and a difficult end to 2024, Gibbs and company found themselves starting where the team left off in 2024, and though he came close to winning at Bristol, the odds did not fall in his favor, keeping his winless streak alive for yet another season.
142 Starts – Cody Ware – No. 51 – Rick Ware Racing
Much like his family’s team, Cody Ware has yet to find a way to win after many years racing in NASCAR’s highest level. Though he may not impress every week, that No. 51 is often at the front of the field during superspeedway races, and if his timing is right, that could pay off in the long run.
Todd Gilliland took on the role of veteran for Front Row Motorsports in 2025, but failed to build on the gains he made during the 2024 season. As always, FRM had fast cars on superspeedways in 2025, and this will likely carry into the 2026 season, with Gilliand’s knack for racing on drafting tracks, which could be his most likely route to his first win.
223 Starts – Ryan Preece – No. 60 – RFK Racing
After a solid first season at RFK Racing, the vibe around Ryan Preece has shifted from ‘will he match expectations’ to ‘when will he finally win?’ The short track ace will have many opportunities to do so during his second year with the team, and his countdown to victory lane seems to be slowly coming to an end.
281 Starts – Ty Dillon – No. 10 – Kaulig Racing
Ty Dillon has had one of the toughest careers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and despite outperforming his equipment at times and frequent team changes, Dillon remained winless in his first year with Kaulig Racing. The second-generation racer has a hunger to win and hasn’t given up yet, and maybe 2026 will be his season to break this streak.
This list will be updated as the season goes on and drivers get their first wins.
