Austin Hill Pushes NASCAR To Scrap the Xfinity Playoff Format in Daring ‘Previous-Faculty’ Stand

The Cup Collection playoffs have drawn lots of warmth lately. NASCAR veterans like Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin have lengthy criticised the system, and now some are calling for a return to the outdated points-based format. Whereas there have been few complaints concerning the Xfinity Collection playoffs, Austin Hill, nevertheless, believes the playoff system needs to be eradicated within the NASCAR second tier as properly.

What Did Austin Hill Have To Say on the Xfinity Collection Playoffs?

Hill, shortly climbing the ranks of the NASCAR Xfinity Collection, now faces a difficult path within the 2025 playoffs. Tensions boiled over at Indianapolis earlier this season, the place he deliberately took out veteran Aric Almirola. NASCAR swiftly took motion in opposition to Hill after the incident. The Richard Childress Racing driver was banned for one race, and the 21 playoff factors he had collected have been taken away.

It was a harsh setback for Austin Hill’s championship desires. Nonetheless, his three wins, 12 top-ten finishes, and 5 top-fives this season give him the ammunition to push ahead. He was additionally declared ineligible to earn playoff factors for the rest of the common season.

Hill didn’t have a perfect begin to the postseason, as he may solely handle a P19 at Bristol. Now he should ship a powerful consequence at Kansas to maintain his championship hopes alive.

Recovering the deficit and chasing the title may need been simpler for Hill below the outdated factors system. Whereas that will not have influenced his choice, the RCR No.21 mentioned he prefers the normal points-based championship over the present format.

As a part of CW’s Xfinity Collection playoffs promotion, the community requested drivers what one change they’d implement within the present Xfinity Collection format if they’d the authority.

Whereas Connor Zilisch advised making the ultimate spherical a three-race affair and Sheldon Creed proposed a three-round Closing 4, Hill mentioned he would scrap the system altogether.

“I’m extraordinarily old fashioned, so you realize, I’d simply dispose of the playoff format and let’s simply race like old fashioned factors sytem all year long,” Hill mentioned.

In the event you may change one factor concerning the present @NASCAR_Xfinity playoff format, what would you alter?

This yr’s playoff drivers tell us their ideas. pic.twitter.com/pztEVmYALm

— The CW Sports activities (@TheCW_Sports) September 18, 2025

He was not the one one who needed to make such a drastic change. Taylor Grey additionally advised that if it have been as much as him, he would have eradicated the playoffs as properly.

“Quite a lot of issues, actually,” Grey replied when requested what he would change within the playoffs. “Most likely scrap all of it.”

Whereas nobody else referred to as for the fast cancellation of the playoffs, there was a standard name to put better emphasis on season-long efficiency. “I really like the ‘win and also you’re in’ form of factor, however perhaps for those who had a cutoff line that you simply nonetheless needed to make it in on factors,” Brandon Jones mentioned.

Harrison Burton additionally echoed an analogous sentiment.

“Perhaps incentivize season-long factors a bit bit extra,” the AM Racing driver mentioned.

NASCAR may make modifications to the playoff system quickly, nevertheless it’s unlikely that the postseason format will go away for good. Regardless of the criticism, the group believes it makes the title race extra aggressive and thrilling.