By David Morgan, Associate Editor
What’s old is new again.
After 12 years under the Playoff format across all three NASCAR National Series, the sanctioning body announced on Monday that the “Chase” format that was in place from 2004 to 2013 will be making a return for the 2026 season.
Gone are some of the key aspects of the Playoff format, including win and in, eliminations, and one-race championship round.
Now at the end of the 26-race regular season, the top-16 drivers in points will make it into the postseason for the final 10 races. From there, may the best man win.
To further incentivize winning in the regular season, race wins will now count for 55 points apiece – up from 40 points in seasons past – along with the regular season champion getting a 25-point bonus to start the Chase.
The 16 drivers that make it into the Chase will be seeded as follows, with the points leader entering with 2,100 points, second place sitting at 2,075, and third at 2,065 points. From fourth through 16th, the drivers will be separated by five points each.
“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR President.
“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.”
When the Chase format was in place from 2004 to 2013, the format saw the likes of seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, three-time champion Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, and Kurt Busch all claim titles under that particular format.
The Chase in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be made up of 12 drivers and 10 drivers, respectively, with the same points breakdown.
Some of the biggest proponents of a return to a full 36-race points format have been NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Mark Martin, both of whom were a part of Monday’s announcement. Though the Chase format stops short of a return to full season points, both lauded NASCAR for making a change in a positive direction.
“I was really excited to hear the news that we were getting a little closer to a full 36-race format,” said Earnhardt. “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 added that it was a “perfect compromise” between full-season and the Playoffs, but noted that the format would still have its detractors among the fan base.
“It’s not going to be enough for some. You just can’t make everyone happy. I think that it is the best possible scenario that you could have asked for,” said Martin.
“After the second meeting that we had, I was still convinced that we couldn’t even get to this. I am so happy. Everyone wins with this format, everyone. The fans win. They were heard. They win. The drivers, the teams win. NASCAR wins. Everybody wins. You know, you can’t always have everything you want.
“I wanted it all, but I’m sure happy. This is great for our sport.”