The Chase is back on in NASCAR, which unveiled a new championship format Monday that goes back to the future in its most significant postseason overhaul in 12 years.
Rebranding its playoffs as “The Chase,” the moniker used for a similar method of selecting Cup Series champions from 2004-13, NASCAR will return to determining the title on cumulative points over the final 10 races of the season — a move that eliminates the one-race championship in place from 2014-25.
The championship now will be awarded to the driver who has amassed the most points from the 10-race run that ends with the Nov. 8 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (which will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock).
Before the 2025 season, NASCAR assembled a “Playoff Committee” of drivers, media members and executives from across the industry. The panel spent more than a year exhaustively debating the future of the championship format against the backdrop of declining ratings during a 2025 season with a muted outcome.
Kyle Larson won his second championship by finishing third in the season finale (the only driver among the four title contenders who didn’t lead a lap) while Denny Hamlin was denied his first title despite dominating at Phoenix Raceway. It was only the second time in the 12 editions of the elimination playoffs (which were introduced in 2014) that the champion failed to win the season finale and the first time that he failed to lead a lap.
During a news conference Monday in Concord, North Carolina, NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said there was widespread anxiety entering the 2025 finale about determining the title in one race.
“It was kind of a hold-your-breath moment,” O’Donnell said. “We recognize more and more that someone winning a Championship, absolutely, they win it by the rules, but was it the best format that we could go with? And the tide had turned in the garage area.”
After kicking around several options, NASCAR settled on trying to blend the merits of a full-season points championship (which originally was used to determine the title from 1948-2003 and sometimes resulted in the champion clinching before the season finale) with the benefits of a postseason-style format.
“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” O’Donnell said in a release. “At the same time, we want to honor NASCAR’s storied history and the traditions that have made the sport so special. Our fans are at the heart of everything we do, and this format is designed to honor their passion every single race weekend.”
What has changed with return of ‘The Chase?’
Several aspects of the 2014-25 playoff format have been jettisoned, namely:
- The “Championship 4,” which had awarded the title to the best finisher among four contenders in the season finale (regardless of their results in the previous nine races).
- The three-race rounds that narrowed the field by eliminating four drivers from contention.
- “Playoff points,” the convoluted system in which drivers were awarded points that carried over through the resets that occurred after each round.
A win no longer guarantees entry to the playoff field, which now will be set solely through the points standings. Previously, a victory would qualify a driver for the playoff field and also advance a driver to the next round.
In a new wrinkle, race winners will be awarded 55 points (an increase from the previous 40-point total) in a move to incentivize teams to go for wins instead of always settling for the consistency of top-10 finishes.
What remains the same?
Points for all other positions after first place will remain the same. Stage points, the in-race points awarded to the top 10 at certain junctures during the race, also will remain.
In the Cup Series, the regular season will remain 26 races to set the playoff field, followed by the 10 races to determine the champion. The championship field will consist of 16 drivers — the top 16 in the points standings after 26 races.
Because of their shorter schedules, the parameters will be slightly different for NASCAR’s lower series — the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series title will be contested among 10 drivers over nine races, and the Camping World Truck Series will be 10 drivers over seven races — but the titles still be awarded according to points.
How will the points be reset for the final 10 races?
With 2,100 points, the regular-season points leader will be given a 25-point cushion over the runner-up. A 10-point interval will separate second and third, and five-point intervals will carry through the rest of the field.
The points totals in the reseeded Chase — First: 2,100 points; Second: 2,075; Third: 2065; Fourth: 2,060; Fifth: 2,055; Sixth: 2,050; Seventh: 2,045; Eighth: 2,040; Ninth: 2,035; 10th: 2,030; 11th: 2,025; 12th: 2,020; 13th: 2,015; 14th: 2,010; 15th: 2,005; 16th: 2,000.
Will there be any impact on the schedule?
The previously announced schedule for the 2026 season will remain the same, ending Nov. 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 1.5-mile track, which moves into the slot held by Phoenix Raceway since 2020, previously held the season finale from 2002-19.
Who were the NASCAR champions during the previous 10-race Chase?
Dominance was mostly the theme during the 10 seasons in which the Cup Series champion was determined by total points over the course of the final 10 races.
Jimmie Johnson won a record five consecutive championships from 2006-10. The Hall of Famer added a sixth title in 2013 — the last season before the elimination playoffs were introduced. Tony Stewart also won three championships (2005, ’07, ’11) during the Chase era.
The first Chase title was won by Kurt Busch in 2004. Brad Keselowski won the 2012 championship and is the only active Cup driver with a title under the previous Chase format.
What other options were considered for changing the championship format?
NASCAR had considered keeping the eliminations but switching to three rounds and determining the championship by points accumulated over the final four races.
There was also support for returning to a full-season points championship, which O’Donnell confirmed Monday was the runner-up option to returning to The Chase.
Playoff Committee member Mark Martin lobbied hard for a full-season championship, and the Hall of Famer joked Monday that he nearly got thrown off the panel as a result. But Martin said the return of the Chase was “the most perfect compromise that you could ever ask for. 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, but especially the classic race 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.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who also spoke at the news conference with 2020 Cup champion Chase Elliott, 2023 champion Ryan Blaney and 2025 Championship 4 contender Chase Briscoe, said he supported the new format because it’s easier for fans to follow.
“I’m a fan of the sport, and now I know I’m compelled to plug in every week,” he said. “Every single race, every single lap will have more importance. It starts with our drivers having a more clear objective to get to the championship, and it’s easier for our fans to follow.”
