Drivers have had mixed reactions to NASCAR bringing back the Chase format for the championship, but Denny Hamlin, who missed out on a shot at the title despite putting together one of the strongest seasons in the field last year, has a clear stance on it. And no wonder why.

“Just maybe the biggest, best change ever. Because now we know someone can’t just get lucky and pop one off from 24th in points,” Denny Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast. “You got 26 races to prove yourself, right? And so one good or bad week should not be the indicator of whether you’re in or out.”

One wouldn’t deny that, throughout recent history, there have been some drivers who won the championship while there were other drivers on the field who posted stronger season-long numbers. That was thanks to the elimination-style playoff format. Beginning in 2026, however, NASCAR will return to a 10-race Chase format, removing eliminations and the win-and-you’re-in rule while placing a greater emphasis on consistency across the season.

For critics of the Championship 4 format, the 2024 Cup Series season served as proof of why it attracted so much criticism.

It was Joey Logano who won the championship that season, but was he the best-performing driver? That was the subject of considerable debate.

He remained far less consistent than several of his title rivals. It wasn’t until round 19 at Nashville that he won the race, a victory that effectively secured his playoff berth under NASCAR’s then win-and-you’re-in system. Although he went on to win three more races, including the season finale at Phoenix, his overall body of work still trailed some of the sport’s other front-runners.

While he did go on to win three more races that season, it simply did not mean that he was the best driver on the field. Kyle Larson had won six times throughout the season. In fact, while the likes of Larson and Christopher Bell finished in the top 5 a whopping 15 times, Logano only finished seven times, making him the 11 best on the entire field.

Certainly, it didn’t seem like he would be the champion, but winning the race at Phoenix gave him the title. The old format often shifted the focus away from week-to-week points once drivers had secured a playoff berth. Under the Chase, however, every position carries greater significance throughout the season. That is exactly what Hamlin believes has changed.

“We all care. I can tell you without a doubt, we all care about our standings now more than ever,” he added, speaking on the podcast. “And even the person in 11th, Briscoe, Bell, they know every spot they gain is closer to where they need to be to actually contend for a championship.”

Even last year, Denny Hamlin was one of the best-performing drivers on the field. He even led 208 of the 319 laps at Phoenix during the Championship race. However, Kyle Larson capitalized on the final restart and finished ahead of Hamlin to clinch the title. For comparison, Larson had won three races throughout the season, and Hamlin had been in the Victory Lane a whopping six times.

Hamlin’s frustration became one of the defining talking points in the debate surrounding NASCAR’s championship format, with fan criticism intensifying after the season finale. So, it seems quite apparent that with the Chase format making a return for this year, Hamlin has been rather excited.

And the format is paying back Hamlin well. After the race at Sonoma Speedway, he took the lead in the points standings and has already managed to win four races. Although he could have been leading the table with a huge gap, his spin in the final stage, triggered by a chain reaction, sent him to the back of the field. Despite taking on significant front-end damage, he still gained a few spots and finished 26th, allowing him to leave Sonoma atop the standings despite the setback.

While the Regular Season championship is still underway with Tyler Reddick close behind, it would be interesting to see how Hamlin’s season unfolds under a format that rewards the consistency he has long advocated for, and whether it finally leads him to his elusive first Cup Series title.