Kyle Petty Makes Richard Petty Défense and Insist Format Doesn’t Make a Difference on a NASCAR Champion’s Credibility

Ex-NASCAR racer Kyle Petty has shared his thoughts on comments discrediting playoffs era champions as the Chase system returns.

Kyle Petty Makes Richard Petty Défense and Insist Format Doesn’t Make a Difference on a NASCAR Champion’s Credibility

Kyle Petty and Richard Petty (Via IMAGO)

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The 2026 season will mark the start of a new era, as the sport will adopt an updated 16 driver version of the old chase format to the crown the new champion. NASCAR finally listened to the fans who has been asking to scarp the playoffs. But some are using the change to discredit the champions of the finale era and Kyle Petty is not happy about it.

The former racer turned broadcaster defended the championship of the playoff’s era, using his father Richard Petty as an example. The King won seven championships under five different points system, and a very few people knows about it. So according to Kyle Petty the format doesn’t make a difference to the credibility of a champion.

My dad won seven championships, but he won them under five different point systems. And nobody knows that, right? If you ask the fan, they wouldn’t know that. Yeah. But it doesn’t So my point is it doesn’t really make any difference what the point system is.

Kyle Petty said via NASCAR on YouTube.

He highlighted how every race comes to the season opener at Daytona with one goal, winning the championship taking advantage of the format ahead of them. All the drivers have same system to fight under and has to figure out ways to be competitive.

Everybody knows when they roll in the Daytona what point system they’re racing under. And you’ve got to race to that point system. You’ve got to race to the point system that’s laid out. And you’ve got to figure out how to make it work.

Kyle Petty added.

Furthermore, he pointed out that how in the 70’s and 80’s his father Richard Petty as well as the likes of Darrell Waltrip had multiple drivers racing for them, in way manipulating the pints system. No format has been straight forward in racing over the years, and it won’t change anytime soon.

And you’ve got to figure out how to make it work… When Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip ran for the championship in ’79, they got to bring in two cars to the racetrack and hiring other people to drive these cars just to take points away to manipulate that part of it. So, it’s always been a part of racing the system. I like this format.

Kyle Petty asserted.

Kyle Petty is really excited about the 2026 season

In the same conversation, Kyle Petty shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2026 season under the new format. He asserted that he is optimistic about the new season that features a return to Chicagoland and the new San Diego race. Petty is getting more excited as he sees the sport going in the right direction.

Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty (Via NBC Sports)

I am pessimistic, positive and optimistic at the same time that this is just going to be a great year. I am really, really looking forward to everything, everywhere we’re going. We’re going to San Diego, going to new places, having new things. The Daytona 500 is just around the corner…It’s a huge event. It’s a huge race. It’s a huge moment in this sport to start us off in the right direction. And I’m Listen, I’m pumped for this year.

Kyle Petty said.

Majority of the racing community seems to agree with the point put forward by the former racer. With the new format, the sport is in the right direction and it would be interesting to see how everything is going playout for the garage starting at Daytona.

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