NASCAR star Denny Hamlin satisfied with championship format changes

Denny Hamlin has backed NASCAR over its decision to move away from a playoff-based championship format.

Hamlin, who is still seeking his first Cup Series title at age 45, was just three laps away from glory in the championship race at Phoenix last year when a late caution turned the race upside down and delivered the crown to Kyle Larson.

NASCAR has since announced that the sport will return to a ten-race 'Chase' style postseason, where points will be paramount and there will be no 'win and in' clause as in past years.

Hamlin, who has barely been heard from over the off-season after the tragic death of his father in a house fire in December, spoke to the media ahead of this week's pre-season Clash at Bowman Gray and gave his thoughts on the massive format change.

Hamlin: NASCAR undoing past mistakes

Asked straight out if he was in favor of the shift, Hamlin answered: “I am. Seems like the bulk of the offseason was from what I could see, was NASCAR undoing some of the direction they had gone the last decade or so, which are all good things.

"I feel like the Chase is a very good compromise for all the stakeholders and I certainly feel like if anything, it’s a benefit for your top competitors who are the challengers week in and week out. It will reward them during the regular season and reward them in the playoffs giving them a little bit of a head start.

"Certainly more of a head start of what the Chase had back years ago. So while it is the old Chase, you actually have more motivation to perform well in the regular season because of the gap it will give you to start that 10 races a little more than previous. I do feel like it’s a really good balance of everything.

"Without a doubt there will be no question of the validity when we come down to the end and we see who is first. While it can come down to one last restart at the end of Homestead, it’s still going to be a body of work you put in over the first nine and-a-half races up to that point.

"I don’t think any one restart will define it even though it might determine who the champion might be, it’s still going to be the two or three most deserving guys when it comes down to that final race. I’m certainly happy to see where it ended up and I’m in full support of it.”