The second point doesn’t disprove the first point. Dennis is a top tier driver and one of the best in the field today and would likely be a multiple time champion if not for his mental limitations. The guy gets into his own head too much.
I would rather the Norma Rae of NASCAR be someone other than an emotionally volatile crybaby. The messenger matters as much as the message and Hamlin has no credibility.
Any event where contestants compete to be the first to complete a given distance (and any sanctioned extensions) is a race.
Saying otherwise is pure silliness and unearned self importance.
Which is a fair argument. I would make the final round 3 races. Playoff points do a fairly good job of rewarding full season performance, but the finale undoes that a bit.
If you can’t perform when it counts, you don’t deserve be a champion. Calling it a lottery is insulting to the teams who put in the effort to win the championship.