After 12 seasons, and specifically after the level of criticism generated by the end of both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, NASCAR could no longer ward off the complaints, and the knockout Championship 4 playoff format has been abolished ahead of the 2026 season.
And while NASCAR has stopped shy of a full-season points format, the announcement resulted in a format that was probably better than anything fans could have expected, especially as the anticipation – and even nerves – grew ahead of Monday's announcement.
The Chase has returned, with a 10-race postseason set for the Cup Series, a nine-race postseason set for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and a seven-race postseason set for the Truck Series.
New NASCAR championship format
The top 16 drivers in the Cup Series point standings, the top 12 drivers in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series point standings, and the top 10 drivers in the Truck Series point standings are set to qualify. There is no more "win and in"; points are the only thing that matters throughout the regular season when it comes to setting the Chase/playoff field.
Additionally, NASCAR has altered the points format so that wins are worth 55 points instead of 40. While stage points are still set to be awarded (top 10 in each non-race-ending stage), this single change ensures that, in a standard three-stage race, the winner will, at the very least, finished tied for the most points scored, since no other position-by-position point values have changed.
Previously, the race winner could have placed as low as 11th in points scored, depending on how the stages turned out, so while winning was incentivized because it locked a driver into the playoffs and awarded playoff points, it truly wasn't incentivized by the simple element of points racing that fans have longed for.
Speaking of playoff points, there are no more playoff points, though ahead of the post-regular season points reset, the playoff drivers are each set to start the playoffs with different point totals.
But these point totals are strictly based on each driver's position in the regular season standings. While the extra points do technically fit in line with what were once called playoff points, they no longer have anything specifically to do with wins (which were worth five each) or stage wins (which were worth one each). Likewise, stage racing now only has to do with points racing.
Here's how the Cup Series standings are set to look to begin the new 10-race postseason.
Standings position | Points reset |
|---|---|
1st | 2100 |
2nd | 2075 |
3rd | 2065 |
4th | 2060 |
5th | 2055 |
6th | 2050 |
7th | 2045 |
8th | 2040 |
9th | 2035 |
10th | 2030 |
11th | 2025 |
12th | 2020 |
13th | 2015 |
14th | 2010 |
15th | 2005 |
16th | 2000 |
While no format was ever going to be perfect, and there will inevitably be some bumps in the road with this new one, this was quite literally everything fans could have asked for and more.
And yes, it's a far cry from what was expected from those who truly thought NASCAR was incapable of making any right decisions.
It's certainly a far cry from what NASCAR had over the past 12 years.
Perhaps the most unexpected part? It's simple. And simple is what NASCAR's postseason had lacked for more than a decade.
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to get underway in just over a month, with the 68th annual Daytona 500 set to kick things off on Sunday, February 15. Fox is set to provide live coverage from Daytona International Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.