Did you hear about the great national event last week that was rigged? No, I don’t mean the presidential election. I mean the NASCAR championship.
OK, that characterization might exaggerate things slightly. But several controversies in the NASCAR Cup Series’ penultimate race of the season, held Nov. 3 in Martinsville, Virginia, carried over to Sunday’s race in Phoenix used to crown a Cup champion. The controversies left questions about whether a playoff format contrived to increase drama is leading to not just dramatic finishes but choreographed ones.
Playoff Format at Issue
Unlike most other racing leagues, where championships are decided based on points developed throughout an entire season, stock car racing for most of this century has relied upon a “playoff” format to determine champions. Beginning in 2014, NASCAR instituted elimination “rounds”…
