Tony Stewart has no intention of completing the Sprint Cup race on Sunday at Talladega, and yet, he could still leave Alabama with a victory and a ticket to the Chase for the Championship. NASCAR's version of the playoffs took another turn for the absurd on Tuesday when a series official confirmed to ESPN that a driver could take the green flag, receive a midrace substitute, and still earn a playoff berth if that driver goes to victory lane. Stewart missed the first eight races of the season with a broken back and is only two weeks into his final full-time season. He plans to start the GEICO 500 on Sunday, but will likely give way to Ty Dillon as soon as possible. Due to the inherent unpredictability of restrictor plate racing, Dillon could actually score a double victory for the No. 14 team on Sunday -- one that remarkably sends Stewart into the Chase for the Championship. In what world does that even make logical sense? Having already received a waiver to become playoff eligible despite missing significant time due to an off-season recreational injury, now NASCAR is essentially saying Stewart doesn't even have to win in order to qualify into the Field of Sixteen this September. Sure, NASCAR rules have always allowed the starting driver to earn points and receive credit for a combined victory, but allowing that competitor into the playoff only creates a slippery slope and generates a serious question of integrity. What's to stop a fringe playoff team from replacing its primary driver with a restrictor plate ace midrace on Sunday or a road course ringer at Sonoma or Watkins Glen? While the strategy doesn't exactly guarantee greater success, these are approved shenanigans that shouldn't even be a logical consideration for a sport seeking national legitimacy. The fact Stewart could make the Chase by simply finishing 30th in the regular season standings without having won a race himself would be downright comedic if it wasn't an authentic outcome. For what it's worth, NASCAR does have a rule that victories must not be compromised by rules violations or actions detrimental to the sport to count towards a playoff berth or first round bonus points. Such a decision falls at NASCAR's discretion. In the case of a still-recovering Stewart, a Ty Dillon victory should not warrant inclusion into the Chase for the Championship. When spoken aloud, it's something that just doesn't make a ton of sense.

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