NASCAR will return in 2026 to its original “Chase” format, a 10-race postseason that will feature 16 drivers vying for the title with consistency playing more of a role than in recent years.
Instead of a win earning a driver an automatic berth into the playoff field, it will be the top-16 drivers based on points after the 26-race regular season. A win, though, will now be worth 55 points (not including any stage points earned during a race) instead of 40. Second place remains 35 points, third 34 points, etc.
When the field is reset for the 10-race postseason, the regular-season champion will start with 2,100 points. The runner-up will start with 2,075 points, third at 2,065 points, fourth at 2,060 points, fifth at 2,055 points and so on with five points separating each finisher in the regular-season standings through 16th, which will start with 2000 points.
Defending Cup champion Kyle Larson captured a pair of titles under the recent playoff format.
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The choice culminates over a yr of discussions on a brand new championship construction. NASCAR fashioned an advisory committee to get suggestions on numerous codecs, together with going again to a standard 36-race full-season factors format the place the driving force with probably the most factors through the season earns the title. It opted to go along with the 10-race mini-season mannequin used from 2004-2013 whereas ditching its mannequin from the final 12 seasons that included eliminations culminating in a one-race ultimate spherical.
“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship mannequin, the main target is on rewarding driver and workforce efficiency every race,” NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell mentioned in a press release. “On the similar time, we need to honor NASCAR’s storied historical past and the traditions which have made the game so particular. Our followers are on the coronary heart of every little thing we do, and this format is designed to honor their ardour each single race weekend.”
Since 2014, NASCAR has used a system the place its 10-race playoff was divided into 4 rounds — three three-race rounds the place 4 drivers have been eradicated and the factors reset after every spherical, after which a championship one-race spherical the place the best-finishing driver among the many 4 finalists received the title.
The objective was to supply pleasure and improve simplicity for somebody tuning into the championship race — no math, simply whoever completed greatest amongst these 4 drivers in a single race was the champion.
And whereas the win-and-in advancing within the rounds and knockout races created nice drama, a fan base used to seeing consistency rewarded obtained annoyed with typically a driver not having one of the best of seasons hastily profitable the title or being eradicated early after having an ideal season.
NASCAR additionally set its playoff discipline with a win routinely qualifying a driver for the postseason. That additionally annoyed followers who noticed a driver who struggled a lot of the yr have one nice day (or fortunate break) and advance to the postseason forward of a driver who had rather more constant yr.
There additionally was numerous math — all the best way up till the ultimate race.
Joey Logano will likely be eyeing a 3rd profession Cup championship as NASCAR transitions to a brand new playoff format.
In 2017, NASCAR added phases with stage factors and new “playoff factors” that created the bonus construction for the factors reset.
Phases stay however playoff factors are not any extra. The one reset occurs in the beginning of the 10-race playoff.
“We checked out this [2014-25 format], I feel all of us did, extra moments, extra drivers, extra drivers being able to go on the market and win,” O’Donnell mentioned through the 2025 championship race weekend. “That perhaps takes away from the one-driver story. It is most likely more durable to jot down simply the one-driver story time and again, however it does create an actual star.
“I feel that is one thing that as you take a look at the way forward for the game, ensuring {that a} driver who has delivered all season lengthy has the power to be named a champion, and never have one thing perhaps come down to 1 race, that is actually been the focus, is we need to reward profitable. We’ll proceed to do this.”
The O’Reilly Auto Components Collection (previously Xfinity Collection) may have a nine-race playoff after 24 regular-season races with 12 drivers with their factors reset in the identical method as Cup with 2,100 for first to 2,020 for twelfth.
The Craftsman Truck Collection may have a seven-race playoff after 18 regular-season races with 10 drivers with their factors reset in the identical method as Cup from 2,100 for first to 2,030 for tenth.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
