NASCAR to Reinstate Modified Chase Format for Championship Contention in 2026

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR is set to usher in a significant shift in its championship structure, announcing a return to a modified version of the Chase for the Championship format, effective for the 2026 season. This strategic realignment marks a departure from the current “win and you’re in” playoff system and its multiple elimination rounds, opting instead for a more traditional, season-long points battle culminating in a 10-race playoff.

The revamped format, reminiscent of the Chase that ran from 2004 to 2013, will expand the playoff field to 16 drivers, a number consistent with the most recent iterations of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff system. However, the primary gateway to championship contention will no longer be solely reliant on race victories. Instead, the top 16 drivers in the overall points standings following the conclusion of the 26-race regular season will qualify for the 10-race playoff segment.

While race wins will no longer serve as an automatic entry ticket, their significance in the points structure has been amplified. Victories will now be worth 55 points, a notable increase from the current 40 points awarded to race winners. This adjustment aims to ensure that winning remains a highly prized objective throughout the regular season, even as the qualification criteria shifts. The points system for subsequent finishing positions will remain largely unchanged, with second place earning 35 points and third place receiving 34 points, descending accordingly.

A key element of the new Chase format is the introduction of a substantial points advantage for the regular season champion. This individual will commence the 10-race playoff period with a 25-point lead over the second-place driver in the regular season standings. This advantage will progressively decrease, with the 16th-seeded driver entering the playoffs with a 100-point deficit to the regular season champion.

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The point structure for the start of the Chase will be as follows:

1st: 2100 points
2nd: 2075 points
3rd: 2065 points
4th: 2060 points
5th: 2055 points
6th: 2050 points
7th: 2045 points
8th: 2040 points
9th: 2035 points
10th: 2030 points
11th: 2025 points
12th: 2020 points
13th: 2015 points
14th: 2010 points
15th: 2005 points
16th: 2000 points

This revised playoff structure will also be implemented across other NASCAR national series. The NASCAR Xfinity Series (formerly O’Reilly Series) will feature a 12-driver Chase for the Championship, while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will adopt a 10-driver playoff field. The NASCAR Pinty’s Series will utilize a nine-race Chase, and the Truck Series will employ a seven-race Chase.

NASCAR’s commitment to rewarding consistent performance throughout the season is further underscored by the continued inclusion of stage racing. Stage points, which are awarded during the initial segments of races, will continue to be a vital component in accumulating points, providing additional opportunities for drivers to solidify their playoff positions and enhance their championship prospects over the final 10 races.

The decision to return to a Chase-like format has been met with varied reactions, though many prominent figures within the sport have expressed optimism regarding its potential to enhance fan engagement and simplify the championship narrative.

Mark Martin, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and former championship contender under the original Chase format, voiced his strong support for the change. "I was really excited to hear the news that we were getting a little closer to a full 36-race format," Martin stated. "This is as close in my opinion that you can get without going all the way. What I believe it does is it makes it simpler for our fans to follow. I’m a fan of the sport, and now I’m compelled to plug in every single week because I know there’s a long form objective for my driver to accomplish to be able to give himself the opportunity to win the championship. So even though my driver may have success early on in the season, it does not assure him success in the postseason. So with the way that they’re going to stack the bonus points and everything else, it’s critical that these drivers have success every single week. Every single race, every single lap will have more importance. I think it’s fun for the drivers to have a more clear objective for how to get to the championship and easier for our fans to follow."

Martin further elaborated on the compromise the new format represents. "I think that this is the most perfect compromise that you could ever ask for," he added. "It’s going to require our 2026 champion to be lightning fast and incredibly consistent, and that’s what we can all get behind. So I’m really excited. I think it’s fantastic. I would just appeal to the race fans, all the race fans, but especially the classic fans who say to me, I don’t watch anymore. I say we need you. Come on back. We’re headed in the right direction. Come back and join with us, and we’ll keep making progress."

He also highlighted the impact on media coverage. "For the broadcasters, for the media, the journalists and everyone, this is a time for a change, a change in how we cover the sport, and that means, instead of every week talking about the cutoff line, the playoff, who’s in, who’s out, all these things, we need to focus even more on our heroes."

Chase Elliott, a prominent NASCAR Cup Series driver and former champion, expressed his appreciation for NASCAR’s willingness to evolve the format. "Not only to Mark and Dale and even guys like myself and Ryan, who I think have kind of screamed at some of these things over the course of time of just wanting it to be better," Elliott commented. "I think we all want it to be better because, to Dale’s point, we are fans of this sport. I grew up a fan. I watched that video. A lot of those years of Jimmie dominating and the championship of Tony and Carl all during the Chase were incredible runs. I think we oftentimes forget how good we had it through all those years of Chase format. I think it is a really nice compromise. I think getting a full season was going to be a pretty big challenge, and I’m not sure there’s really a better place to land than a true 10-race Chase, really similar to what we had through those years of the epic battles that we saw."

Elliott also emphasized the collaborative effort involved in implementing such a significant change. "I personally appreciate Steve [Phelps, NASCAR President] and the folks at NASCAR for being able to come together with our TV partners and making everyone happy. That’s a really hard thing to do, and I think sometimes we all forget about that and just how many pieces make this puzzle."

Ryan Blaney, another NASCAR Cup Series driver and a previous champion, echoed the sentiments of his peers, noting the format’s appeal to a sense of tradition and its potential to refine on-track competition. "I think probably all three of us sitting up here are at the age where we all grew up, the Chase was in place, and this is what we watched as kids. I loved seeing it, and I loved seeing close battles," Blaney said. "I feel like it also is going to — I sit back, and I look at this new format, and sometimes we all get grief about over aggressiveness and things like that, and sometimes you get put in these situations where it’s a win and move on type scenario. I think it’s going to clean up a lot of the racing side of it and get back to the purity side of it to where it is a little bit more of not brash, a little bit more of the beautiful art form that I grew up loving."

Blaney also highlighted the increased importance of consistency under the new system, while acknowledging that winning will still be a primary objective. "It’s not going to be — I don’t think you’re going to get guys who get out and say good points day. It’s still going to be winning is a huge product of it because of the increase in the winner’s points. Yeah, I’m excited. I hope everyone is as excited as we all are to be a part of it and for them to watch it on TV."

The implementation of this modified Chase format signifies NASCAR’s ongoing effort to balance tradition with innovation, aiming to create a more compelling and easily understood championship narrative for its diverse fanbase while maintaining the high-stakes drama that has long been a hallmark of the sport. The league’s focus on rewarding consistent performance throughout a lengthy regular season, coupled with an intensified playoff period, is designed to produce a champion who has demonstrated sustained excellence across the entire competitive calendar.