NASCAR Returns to 'The Chase' Format Starting in 2026, What's Changed?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The world of NASCAR racing will undergo significant changes starting in the 2026 season.

NASCAR has officially announced the return of "The Chase" championship format, replacing the elimination-style playoff system that has been in use since 2014.

This decision was made after nearly two years of in-depth study, involving input from various parties, including fans, team owners, drivers, and industry executives.

This format change aims to emphasize consistent driver performance throughout the season and provide greater rewards for each race.

The "win-and-you're-in" system that awarded automatic playoff berths to regular-season race winners has been eliminated, ensuring that only the driver with the highest accumulated points will qualify for the playoffs.

This new "The Chase" format will be implemented in all three of NASCAR's national series: the NASCAR Cup Series, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series.

This marks the end of the era of the dramatic "winner-take-all" elimination playoffs.

16 drivers. 10 races. No eliminations.The Chase is back. pic.twitter.com/9EVY0VTel1

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 12, 2026

Starting in the 2026 season, 'The Chase' will be the championship-deciding format in NASCAR.

For the NASCAR Cup Series, 'The Chase' will run over the final 10 races of the season, while the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will run over 9 races, and the Craftsman Truck Series will run over 7.

Qualifying for 'The Chase' will be based entirely on the regular season points standings.

The top 16 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, 12 drivers in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and 10 drivers in the Craftsman Truck Series will qualify.

The 'win-and-you're-in' rule will no longer apply, reinforcing the importance of consistent performance in each race.The points system in 'The Chase' will be reset for drivers who qualify.

The regular season points leader will have a significant advantage of 25 points over the second-place driver.

The top-seeded driver will start 'The Chase' with 2,100 points, followed by 2,075 points for the second seed, and so on, with a five-point decrease for each subsequent seed.

The value of a race win has also been substantially increased, from 40 points to 55 points, to encourage more aggressive racing and strong teams.

The playoff format replaced by 'The Chase' is an elimination system introduced in 2014 and lasting through the 2025 season.

This system is designed to create drama and a 'Game 7' moment at the end of the season by dividing the 10 playoff races into four elimination rounds.

In the previous format, 16 drivers competed in the 'Round of 16,' with four drivers eliminated in each round, leaving the 'Championship 4' for the winner-take-all final race at Phoenix Raceway.

Drivers can qualify for the playoffs by winning regular season races, even if their points standing is not particularly high.

Points are reset at the start of each playoff round, and bonus playoff points earned from stage wins and regular season races are added together.

However, in the 'Championship 4' round, points are reset to the same number for all four drivers, making the final race a head-to-head battle regardless of previous performance.

This system, while creating excitement, has also been criticized because sometimes the champion doesn't lead a single lap in the final race.

NASCAR has a long history of changing its championship format.

The playoff system was first introduced in 2004 as 'The Chase for the Nextel Cup,' involving 10 drivers competing in the final 10 races with resetting points.

In 2007, the number of drivers was expanded to 12, and in 2011, the format was modified to include 'wild card' qualifiers.

Jimmie Johnson was one of the most successful drivers of the Chase era, winning six of his seven championships.

The elimination playoff era began in 2014, changing the system to four rounds of elimination with 16 drivers.

This format aimed to increase the drama and excitement of the races, with the introduction of stage races in 2017 further changing the way points were awarded.

The decision to return to the Chase in 2026 was driven by a desire to "embrace hardcore fans" and reflect the history of NASCAR.