NASCAR is looking to revamp its playoff format in the aftermath of the highly controversial end to the 2025 season. But NASCAR legend Kenny Wallace believes that the fans are focusing on the wrong things.
On the latest episode of his Coffee with Kenny podcast, Wallace spoke to Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice about the new points format being worked on. But Wallace believes that fans are getting too worked up about the points. He invoked the iconic Allen Iverson “practice” rant to make his point.
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“Y’all are jacked up on Sun Drop right now over points. It reminds me of Allen Iverson, ‘Practice? We talking practice?’ I’d say the same,” Wallace said. “Points, we talking points. I never in my life, dreamed that you guys cannot watch a race without thinking about points.… It’s like, what the (expletive), Chuck? … Here’s what I would say to you, Chris Rice, was having a nice conversation with me and he just said, I know what the new points system is, and you will like it.
“Now, listen, we don’t know what the new points system is going to be. However, I can say this, as reported by Bob Pockrass, he says it looks like it’s going to come out in January. Now, that makes sense because there’s been a lot of drama in NASCAR. With the lawsuit, went on for two weeks, and now here’s Christmas, and it’s just not the time to announce it. They gotta hold a press conference. I mean, they can announce it verbatim and type it out, but they need to have who’s in charge announce it. During a press conference, not a press release, a press conference.”
Call for Calm
While he was at it, Wallace also decided to make a point about fans being a little too mean to drivers, teams and everyone else in the NASCAR sphere. He pointed to a recent interview with Mark Martin as his example.
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“Now, some of you are being really mean,” Wallace said. “Like Mark Martin said, you know what Mark Martin said, Mark Martin said, you all have got to be able to communicate and quit being so damn vicious. Why can’t we just talk about it? Why do you gotta hate so bad? Like Allen Iverson said.
“We’re talking about points, we’re just talking about points. We’re not talking about the cars on the race track racing. So simmer down, everybody. It’s Christmas, Merry Christmas. Let’s wait a little bit, and then you can go back to (expletive) everybody. But I’m sure you’ll do that right up to Christmas Eve.”
Sep 12, 2025; Bristol, Tennessee, USA; The American flag stands at half-mast in honor of Charlie Kirk before the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
The 2025 NASCAR playoffs sparked major controversy across the sport as fans, drivers, and media openly criticized the series’ current championship system, particularly its “one-race, winner-take-all” finale and the knockout playoff format. Many argued the system often rewards late-season chaos over consistent performance throughout the year, culminating in situations where a driver who dominated most of the season could still lose a championship due to a late caution or single-race result — a criticism that grew louder after the season-ending race at Phoenix Raceway and other pivotal moments where championship hopes swayed on unpredictable late-race events.
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Prominent voices in the sport called for change, with some fans and analysts suggesting the format undermines credibility and doesn’t sufficiently reward season-long excellence, prompting NASCAR to prepare potential revisions for 2026.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the NASCAR section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
