Former IndyCar star Townsend Bell recently shared his thoughts on the possibility of IndyCar adopting a playoff system similar to NASCAR’s. Speaking on the DIVEBOMB IndyCar podcast, Bell discussed the heartbreak he experienced during the recent NASCAR Cup Series finale, while remaining open to the idea of the American open-wheel racing series implementing playoffs.
When asked whether IndyCar should follow NASCAR’s lead and introduce a playoff system, Bell highlighted how the format often doesn’t reward the most dominant drivers. He cited examples from this season’s NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series, noting that arguably the best drivers in each — Corey Heim, Connor Zilisch, and Denny Hamlin — did not clinch their respective championships.
Bell attended the NASCAR Cup Series finale with his wife, despite not being hardcore stock car racing fans. They were both disappointed when Denny Hamlin, who led the most laps and earned the pole position in the #11 Toyota, lost the title following a dramatic green-white-checkered finish.
Despite this disappointment, Bell sees some potential benefits to playoffs in IndyCar. He explained:
“Heartbroken, but we had an emotional reaction to a NASCAR race as non-hardcore fans. That’s the problem. Is that better for growing the sport because you had two non-hardcore fans with an emotional reaction to a broadcast? Is that a way to draw in more fans? The answer is I don’t know. I don’t know.” (20:05 onwards)
He added further:
“I don’t know if that’s better or not. But I do know that it would be very disruptive to switch IndyCar to that situation. But what it would address is Alex Palou winning the championship two races early this year, might be five races early, who knows? And so I don’t think that’s good either for finishing things off. Therein lies the rub. It’s a complicated scenario. Nobody has the answer yet. And NASCAR has been experimenting. I don’t know what IndyCar is going to do. But I’m open to it.”
### IndyCar President Uninterested in Playoff System
Midway through the 2025 season, FOX acquired a one-third stake in Penske Entertainment, which includes IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. FOX suggested the idea of introducing a NASCAR-style playoff system in IndyCar to potentially boost viewership. However, the proposal faced backlash from fans and insiders who argued that playoffs could undermine the integrity of the championship by not always rewarding the best-performing driver throughout the season — an essential spirit of motorsports.
Amid ongoing discussions in the paddock, IndyCar President Doug Boles made it clear earlier this year that the series has no plans to adopt a playoff format. He stated:
“We pay attention to what others are doing. The one thing I know is that we don’t have any interest in doing a playoffs-type situation like NASCAR has. That’s not something that’s on our bingo card.”
However, Boles did express openness to other innovations, such as an all-star challenge race, which could offer fans a unique and exciting event without altering the traditional championship structure.
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As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether IndyCar will embrace new formats to attract more viewers or stay true to its current championship style. For now, voices like Townsend Bell’s highlight the complexity and nuance surrounding this pivotal topic in American motorsports.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/indycar/news-former-indycar-driver-open-playoff-system-despite-heartbroken-nascar-controversy
