NASCAR has unveiled a new playoff format for determining its season-ending champion, weeks after settling a contentious lawsuit over the sport’s finances.
The revised system will feature 16 drivers competing for the championship, similar to NASCAR’s former Chase format. However, the new structure eliminates driver eliminations after every three races and does away with the winner-takes-all approach in the final race.
Instead, all playoff drivers will remain eligible throughout the postseason, placing a greater emphasis on consistency across the championship stretch.
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Mark Martin praised the change, calling it a middle ground between the sport’s original season-long points system and its most recent playoff format.
“I think that this is the most perfect compromise that you could ever ask for,” Martin said. “It’s going to require our 2026 champion to be lightning fast and incredibly consistent.”
Under the new format, the playoff field will reset after the first 26 races of the season. Drivers who perform better during the regular season will receive advantages, and additional points will be awarded for race wins.NASCAR officials said the changes are designed to reward sustained performance while maintaining the excitement of a playoff-style championship race.
