The Chase is back as NASCAR reverts to previous championship format

NASCAR is returning to the championship format the series used when it first adopted a postseason model over two decades ago, with the 2026 champion to be decided in a final 10-race chase.

In fact, the same name is even back beginning this season. ‘The Chase’, or NASCAR Cup Series Chase, will be the final 10 races of the NASCAR season, with the top 16 drivers in the point standings competing for the championship. However, there will be no win-and-in eligibility. The eligible drivers will be the 16 drivers from the overall championship standings at the end of the regular season.

“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said. “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.”

The field will be reseeded when The Chase starts. The reseeding will be from 2100 points through 2000 points. The driver who is leading the point standings at the end of the regular season will be awarded a 25-point cushion over the competition. 

There will be no eliminations in the final 10 weeks. There will also be no reseeding points over the final 10 weeks.

NASCAR believes the format will highlight three points based on feedback about the championship process: a larger sample size for the championship, greater emphasis on each race, and a balance between consistency and winning. A playoff format committee was created ahead of the 2025 season to discuss the championship format with various industry stakeholders weighing in on changes, but NASCAR ultimately made the final decision.

The championship format will be the same across all three national series, however, it will take place over the final nine races of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the final seven races for the Craftsman Truck Series. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, there will be 12 drivers eligible for the championship, and 10 in the Truck Series.

NASCAR first adapted a postseason format in 2004 and used it through the 2013 season. The elimination model was introduced in 2014.