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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.
[RELATED: Top 10 Most Memorable Cup Series Moments of 2025]
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 conventional 36-race full-season factors format the place the driving force with probably the most factors in the course of the season earns the title. It opted to go together 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 closing spherical.
“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship mannequin, the main target is on rewarding driver and crew efficiency each race,” NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell stated in an announcement. “On the similar time, we wish 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 the whole lot 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 gained the title.
The purpose was to supply pleasure and enhance simplicity for somebody tuning into the championship race — no math, simply whoever completed finest 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 acquired annoyed with typically a driver not having one of the best of seasons unexpectedly profitable the title or being eradicated early after having an important season.
NASCAR additionally set its playoff area with a win mechanically 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 plenty of math — all the best way up till the ultimate race.
Joey Logano will probably 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.
Levels stay however playoff factors are not any extra. The one reset occurs firstly of the 10-race playoff.
“We checked out this [2014-25 format], I believe all of us did, extra moments, extra drivers, extra drivers being able to go on the market and win,” O’Donnell stated in the course of the 2025 championship race weekend. “That perhaps takes away from the one-driver story. It is in all probability tougher to write down simply the one-driver story time and again, but it surely does create an actual star.
“I believe that is one thing that as you have a look at the way forward for the game, ensuring {that a} driver who has delivered all season lengthy has the flexibility to be named a champion, and never have one thing perhaps come down to 1 race, that is actually been the focus, is we wish to reward profitable. We’ll proceed to try this.”
The O’Reilly Auto Components Collection (previously Xfinity Collection) can 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 can 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 overlaying 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.
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