{"id":88211,"date":"2025-07-24T08:50:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T08:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/88211\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T08:50:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T08:50:14","slug":"ryan-blaney-fires-back-at-nascar-fans-dismissing-playoff-champions-as-mickey-mouse-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/88211\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryan Blaney Fires Back at NASCAR Fans Dismissing Playoff Champions as \u2018Mickey Mouse\u2019 Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Blaney isn\u2019t holding back when it comes to defending the playoff format that crowned him the 2023 NASCAR<\/a> Cup Series champion.<\/p>\n

During a Wednesday appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Blaney addressed the ongoing criticism from some fans who continue to label recent champions as \u201cMickey Mouse\u201d title winners.<\/p>\n

Blaney, who earned his first title in 2023 through the elimination-style playoff system, made it clear he understands the debate but takes issue with how some fans discredit modern champions.<\/p>\n

Ryan Blaney Stands Up for NASCAR\u2019s Playoff System<\/p>\n

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Blaney admitted he actually prefers the original Chase format introduced in 2004, which added a playoff element without full eliminations. But despite his preference, he emphasized that every driver knows the rules coming into the season and must rise to the occasion when it matters most.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udea8 Today at 9 am ET \ud83d\udea8 @Blaney<\/a> is back on #TMDNASCAR<\/a> for a full hour!<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcde Chat with the 2023 champion at 866-PIT-LANE<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfb LISTEN \u2192 https:\/\/t.co\/JaeiRPUXiS<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/eJIrdL86oQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWhat kind of bugs me a little bit is the people that are so diehard on, like, \u2018If you won a championship in this format it doesn\u2019t count,\u2019\u201d Blaney said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMan, everyone has the same opportunity as the guy who won it. This isn\u2019t the full-season points. Like everyone always talks about like, \u2018Oh, this guy would have won the full season points.\u2019 Well, that\u2019s great. But we haven\u2019t used that format in 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done playoffs for years and years,\u201d Blaney added<\/a>. \u201cWith the full-season format, you can have someone who wins eight races but doesn\u2019t win the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blaney\u2019s words were not just theoretical; he lived it. His No. 12 Team Penske Ford may not have dominated the regular season in 2023 but delivered in the playoffs, peaking at the right time to capture the title.<\/p>\n

His comments come amid a broader debate among fans and analysts over the legitimacy of the playoff system, which has crowned champions like Joey Logano (2022), Kyle Larson (2021), and Chase Elliott (2020). Critics argue that the format rewards timing over season-long consistency, but Blaney sees it differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look at our championship as like, we had a good year and we even had a better playoffs than everybody else,\u201d Blaney explained. \u201cAnd we rose to the occasion when we needed to, and we dug in and we were the best car during the playoffs and had some big wins, and I was able to get the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n

So while Blaney acknowledged that every format has its pros and cons, he rejected the idea that modern playoff champions didn\u2019t earn their titles.<\/p>\n

Blaney emphasized, \u201cSo yeah, I don\u2019t know. I mean, everyone can have their opinion. It gets under my skin a little bit when they\u2019re like, \u2018You guys didn\u2019t deserve that championship.\u2019 It\u2019s like, what are you talking about, man? Like we went through the grinder, everyone digs in. And we were resilient when it mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n