Every call from NASCAR’s 10th-floor brass doesn’t always land smoothly with the gearheads, much like the elimination-style playoff format rolled out in 2014. Since then, this setup locks in 16 drivers for a 10-race grind, cutting four after every three races until a final four battle it out at Phoenix, where one bad run can erase a stellar season. As the guy with serious sway in rule tweaks, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell gets the pulse of fan frustration building over this high-stakes gamble. But history shows these shifts often spark firestorms that echo even till date.

Take the 2004 Chase debut, which reset points for the top 10 after 26 races and drew massive heat from drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. for cheapening consistency, with fans flooding forums calling it a gimmick. Denny H

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