NASCAR president defends playoff system, championship drivers amid criticism

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR President Steve Phelps defended the four drivers racing for the Cup Series championship this weekend — even though others had better statistics than the finalists — as well as the playoff system itself in Friday's annual State of the Sport address.

Reigning champion Ryan Blaney, Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, Daytona 500 winner William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports and regular-season champion Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing will race for the title Sunday in the winner-take-all-finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Phelps admitted NASCAR has heard fan backlash that the most deserving drivers were eliminated from the title-deciding race, including Kyle Larson, who led the Cup Series with six wins this season, and Christopher Bell, who was outstanding in the third round of the playoffs but disqualified for riding the wall last week at Martinsville Speedway in a move deemed to be a safety violation.

That gave the final berth to Byron on points after Logano, Reddick and Blaney all won races to earn automatic spots in the finale. Among those eliminated were Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin.

"There's a lot of chatter around the four that are competing on Sunday. Heard some words like, 'They're not deserving, you've got the wrong drivers, two, three, four drivers,'" Phelps said. "All our drivers knew the format. All four of these drivers deserve to be here — full stop."

Logano was eliminated from the playoffs following the second round but was reinstated when Alex Bowman's car failed post-race inspection following an elimination race. He will try to become the only active three-time champion in NASCAR's top series.

He will be up against Blaney, who with Logano will try to win a third consecutive Cup title for team owner Roger Penske and Ford. Reddick didn't have the best playoffs but used a last-corner pass at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win and put the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Hamlin into the championship for the first time in team history.

Byron earned his way in on points once Bell’s move was deemed illegal.

NASCAR this week issued $600,000 in fines and suspended nine team members from three organizations over race manipulation last weekend at Martinsville Speedway that chief operating officer Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body found completely out of line.

NASCAR penalized 23XI Racing for running interference for fellow Toyota driver Bell, while Chevrolet teams Trackhouse Racing and Richard Childress Racing were penalized for helping Byron.

"I would argue before what we saw, one of the best races we've seen in the playoffs, and it's unbelievable that we're sitting here talking about this topic," O’Donnell said. "I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but I'll say it anyway ... what I saw in Martinsville pissed me off, and it pissed everyone off at NASCAR because we all know better, and we know what happens."

NASCAR waffled on suspending drivers Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon, but instead issued heavy fines and has a Saturday driver meeting to discuss the penalties. NASCAR has already held a meeting with the manufacturers to discuss the role they play in ordering their teams to help aligned teams.

"We had a call with our OEMs where we were very clear in what our intentions are going forward," O'Donnell said. "It is true, do we have a rule right now where we could do something? We don't. Will we have a rule next year? 1,000%. They're aware of that, and they're aware if anything happens this weekend, which it won't, but we will react."

O’Donnell also denied that NASCAR is inconsistent in its officiating and remained adamant that the playoff system is not going away.

"Can you name one sport that doesn't have officiating questions throughout the year?" he asked. "The format is one thing, but playoffs, we're not going to go away from playoffs. We read fans and everything. We'll absolutely look at what form the playoffs take in the offseason. You always learn, but playoffs in and of itself, you cannot argue with the quality of racing that the playoffs have delivered."

NASCAR refused to take any questions about the federal antitrust lawsuit filed against the series by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports on the same day a judged ruled against the teams in their bid for a court order to compete as chartered teams next season.

Phelps took a moment to congratulate former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., who will retire at the end of the season, and Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, who is selling his stake in Stewart-Haas Racing.

Truex won the 2017 championship driving for now-defunct Furniture Row Racing, while Stewart won two titles for Joe Gibbs Racing and one for SHR. He is now a full-time NHRA drag racer and expecting his first baby with wife, Leah Pruett.

"I did want to make sure that I said something about Martin Truex and his retirement from full-time racing. Martin has been a class act. He is a clean race car driver, never dirty. He's got a great fan base, and we will miss him. We are hopeful that he will come back and do one-off races or participate in other ways in this sport," Phelps said.

"Then, likewise, Tony Stewart selling his charters. So Tony is going to concentrate with Leah on their family and on drag racing. So we wish Tony well. Tony is always welcome at our racetracks as well."

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