by Morgan Piontek
Fans and drivers are invigorated for the upcoming 2026 NASCAR season, not only because cars will be back on track for the first time since early November, but because there’s a new championship format in place to determine the next NASCAR Champion. This monumental shift welcomes back “The Chase” which was a championship format utilized from 2004 to 2013. Since 2014, “The Playoffs” have been used which was a format that was difficult to explain to new fans, and one that many long-time fans shared disdain for.
The playoffs had many different complexities that made it unique, so I will make the attempt to explain it in the easiest way possible. The entire NASCAR season consists of 36 points-paying races. The first 26 races are part of the regular season. During the regular season there was a “win and you’re in” rule, which meant that if a driver won any regular season race, it would guarantee an automatic playoff berth. For example, whoever wins the season opening race at Daytona, would automatically be in the playoffs. That driver is already championship eligible.
Following the regular season, the top 16 drivers based on win-and-in and regular season points qualify for the playoffs – a 10 race elimination format that includes three rounds of three races, eliminating four drivers each round. The final round ends up with four drivers in a winner-take-all race for the championship.
- Round One (Round of 16): Four drivers eliminated, field becomes 12
- Round Two (Round of 12): Four drivers eliminated, field becomes eight
- Round Three (Round of 8): Four drivers eliminated, field becomes four
- Championship (Championship 4): Final four drivers race for the title
You may be asking, “Does this look like a Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks and Strip Weathers battle with just playoff drivers racing?” The answer is no. Non-playoff drivers still compete in 36 of 36 races with opportunities to support their teammates who are still in contention, prevent others from advancing further and win races. Strategies, aggressiveness and overall racing changes.
If a playoff driver wins a race during the playoffs, they automatically advance to the next round. If not, advancement is based on total points. If a non-playoff driver wins during this time, nothing happens because they are not eligible for championship contention. That driver takes the points and the satisfaction of winning a Cup race, which every driver on the grid wants whether they’re a playoff driver or not.
Still with me?
Now, NASCAR can be explained in an elevator pitch: After the regular season, the top 16 drivers in points compete in 10 races to determine the champion. Whoever has the most points at the end of The Chase wins. No more win-and-you’re-in and no more eliminations. Every eligible driver has a chance. Drivers 16th place and below, are still competing during this time. Throughout the regular season, drivers need to deliver consistent results if they want a chance at a Cup Championship. One win does not make a driver eligible now.
Points are reset following the regular season with the regular season champion starting with a 25-point buffer to second place with subsequent drivers separated by five points. The gap between the first-seed and 16 is 100 points which is a big gap to overturn over 10 races. The entire season also places a higher emphasis on winning with 55 points awarded to the victor (a 15 point increase from last year). All NASCAR series: Cup, O’Reilley and Craftsman Truck will use The Chase format. O’Reiley and Craftsman Truck (lower series) will utilize it, just in a fewer number of races.
It’s a new era for NASCAR, and one that seems to be a good compromise for fans with conflicting views on how the champion should be decided. NASCAR has listened to what the fans want to see and they’ve delivered.
