Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has endorsed the series moving back to a ten-race 'Chase' format to decide its winner.
Johnson won six of his seven titles during the ten seasons the Chase was previously in place between 2004 and 2013, before scrapping to victory at Homestead-Miami in 2016 to win his one and only playoff-system championship.
The 50-year-old's dominance of the format – at one point winning five championships in a row – has been cited as one of the reasons NASCAR moved to a move dynamic playoff system.
The Cup Series legend still races part-time in the Cup Series with the Legacy Motor Club team he part-owns, and will take part in this year's Daytona 500 after finishing third last year.
Johnson: I'm fond of the system
Speaking on NASCAR's Inside The Race show after Monday's announcement, Johnson said: "It's more about trying to trying to win the war instead of the battle.
There's something that feels good about this points system, and bringing back a championship that does reward consistency. We're trying to build that consistency within our team, within our performance on a weekly basis, and we were putting ourselves in a position at times to stretch, especially as we got closer to the playoff.
"We can get back into an area where locking down those top-10s and being consistent week-in and week-out feels closer to home, feels closer to home and what motorsport was founded on."
He also admitted: “I am, of course, fond of the system I won so many championships. … As I look at it, I think there’s been a lot of thought and attention behind this, and I think it’s the next evolution of our points system.
"We’re trying to solve for a lot of things and it’s really tough to make everyone happy. But again, the intentionality behind this points system and bringing back a championship that does reward consistency, feels closer to home of what our sport was founded on.”
NASCAR TODAY: New championship format announced - all the news and reaction!
