NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits being 'tired' of the sport

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. has reacted positively to the sport ditching the playoffs in favor of a return to The Chase, admitting that they left him 'tired' of the sport.

After consulting with a playoff committee throughout the 2025 season on potential changes to the postseason, NASCAR formally announced its new championship format in North Carolina on Thursday, with the playoffs having been scrapped altogether.

It isn't quite the full 36-race points format some were hoping for, though. There will still be a regular season and postseason, with the championship set to be decided by The Chase.

Much like previous iterations of the format, The Chase will take place at the conclusion of the 26-race regular season and over the last 10 races of the schedule, featuring the top 16 drivers based on regular season points.

Unlike the playoffs, there are no rounds or eliminations in The Chase. After the points reset, it is a straight 10-race fight for the Cup Series championship.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr: I'd grown very tired of playoffs

Earnhardt Jr. was one of the big names present at the press conference in North Carolina when the new format was announced, alongside fellow NASCAR great Mark Martin, and current Cup Series stars Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe.

Offering his verdict on the changes, Earnhardt Jr, who has been a strong advocate of returning to a full 36-race points format, admitted he was surprised NASCAR was willing to get as close to that as they have done. Ultimately, he's very positive on the change, and is very happy to see the back of the playoffs, which he says left him 'tired' of the sport.

"I was shocked. This is as close as you can get to 36 [race format] while still having sort of a Chase. So I’m happy about that," Earnhardt Jr. told The Athletic.

"I had grown very tired of what we were doing, and as somebody who loves [NASCAR] very much, I was having a very hard time going forward with what we were doing.

"I want to be drawn like a moth to a flame to this sport every single week. I want to be lured into tuning in, even when I’m not working [in the TV] booth, to see what happens, who has a good day and who has a bad day, who puts himself in a hole, who digs themselves out.

"Honestly, the way we were doing it, it was allowing me to take a couple weekends off and check in later, see the highlights on Tuesday or whatever. And I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that feeling.

"So I’m hoping this brings some consistency in my passion to follow it. I’m thankful, man. This is awesome."