What began as an innocent discussion on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio has turned into a heated exchange between three of NASCAR's most familiar voices - Mark Martin, Danielle Trotta, and Larry McReynolds. At the heart of it lies the Cup Series' polarizing playoff format.Martin has long advocated for the full-season Latford points system that emphasized week-to-week consistency over elimination drama, and has reemerged as a vocal critic of the modern format. When Trotta hinted that a current playoff committee member was pushing hard to return to the old system, fans quickly read between the lines.McReynolds responded that it must be 'a driver that has not won a championship', prompting a wave of speculation and fan backlash on social media. Fans rallied to defend Martin, offended by what they saw as a dismissive jab at one of NASCAR’s most respected names.Though McReynolds would later clarify he wasn't referencing Martin and expressed his admiration for the former driver, the damage had already been done. As the debate spiraled, Kenny Wallace has now stepped into the fire as a mediator. On the July 23 episode of Coffee with Kenny, the veteran driver-turned-analyst said:"There are people that think that Larry Mac and Danielle gave Mark Martin some shade. I think everybody's out of breath, and I'd encourage everybody to simmer down. Simmer down, everybody. This is all a show." (2:57 onwards)While Wallace acknowledged Mark Martin's frustration, he offered a reality check to those still yearning for the past."Mark just wants to be heard. So y'all quit throwing shade at each other… I'm going to end like this: We'll never get back to the old days. Times have changed. You're never going to have 200,000 people in the grandstands again. So stop it. You all are barking up the wrong tree."Still, Wallace reminded fans that even in disagreement, Martin's love for the sport remains intact. The Arkansas native isn't bitter. His critiques are rooted in belief, not resentment, as expressed in the Kenny Wallace conversation in June."NO WE DONT": Mark Martin stands firm amid playoff storm(L-R) Mark Martin and Las Vegas Motor Speedway president, Chris Powell, before the 2022 South Point 400. Source: GettyFew drivers have come closer to a title without touching it than Mark Martin. He finished second in the Cup Series in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, and again in 2009. Under today's elimination-style format, Martin's consistent top-10 finishes might well have carried him to a championship or two.NASCAR journalist Danielle Trotta, meanwhile, doubled down on her belief in the current playoff format on X. Danielle Trotta @DanielleTrottaLINKMark, you know I love you but what we got is a whole lot better than what we used to do. We need a playoff, we need eliminations, we need to reward winning and consistency. This format does it all & is highly entertaining!But Martin responded bluntly:"NO WE DONT."Martin's stance isn't just anecdotal. On multiple occasions, Martin has run fan polls on social media about preferred championship formats. A recent one, amplified by NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck, showed over 50% respondents on both polls favoring a return to the full-season Latford-style points system.Another significant chunk, close to 30%, supported the old 10-race Chase format used from 2004 to 2013. Less than 10% favored the current 16-driver elimination format on both polls.But despite his efforts, NASCAR's current leadership appears intent on preserving the playoff framework, at least for now. While the sport is reportedly investigating potential tweaks to the system via a playoff committee that includes driver voices, a complete overhaul seems unlikely this late in the broadcast cycle.