Kevin Harvick questions NASCAR over “integrity of the playoffs” as Harrison Burton locks in a spot

The NASCAR Cup Series race last week at Daytona International Speedway saw Harrison Burton of Wood Brothers Racing securing the win and a spot in the playoffs. He was P34 in the championship table before the win, and wouldn’t have made it to the last-16 if not for the rule change allowed driver placed outside the top-30 get the automatic entry.

Ex-Cup champion Kevin Harvick isn’t a big fan of this development. Before making his pointy eh asserted that he doesn’t have anything against Harris Burton, and they question does the playoff really has the 16 best performers of the season. He highlighted the fact alongside Burton, Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse and Austin Cindric of Team Penske are in the playoff but not in top 16 on the table.

Well I just, I just wonder what the balance is between, do we want our best 16 cars? do we want it to be exciting? This is exciting. And I agree with everything that’s going on and this is not anything against Harrison Burton, this is not anything against Daniel Suárez but are those our best 16 cars that we’re going to have racing for the championship? Or does it matter?

Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour podcast.

The KHI owner pointed out that having drivers from the top-30 and top-20 in the playoffs questions the integrity of the NASCAR playoff system. This is because of the fact that it doesn’t often features drivers who were more consistent in the season. Though the asserting from Harvick is extreme, he does have a point.

If you have five or six guys that are in there that were gonna be 30-something in the points or 20-something in the points, is the integrity of the playoffs, is it putting our best foot forward as far as representing our best 16 cars as we go into the playoffs?

Kevin Harvick added.

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Kevin Harvick feels these drivers might be wasting spots

The veteran went on share his feelings that giving drivers outside the top-16 playoff berth just because they won a race might be a waste of spots. He backed his points by arguing that Burton, Suarez and Cindric will not be making a run in the playoff and is facing early elimination.

Because the 21 is not making a run in the playoffs, the 99 is not making a run in the playoffs. There are just some of those guys who have won a race, Austin Cindric's not making a run in the playoffs. I just, I think, are we wasting spots?

Kevin Harvick said.

He asserted that if the same opportunity was given to a driver who is on the top on points, they would have made a run for the championship. Harvick’s concerns seems to arise from the fact consistency without race win isn’t rewarded much and its something NASCAR needs to address, to make system fair.

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