They did it. They finally did it.
NASCAR has officially abolished the four-round, 10-race knockout Championship 4 playoff format and replaced it with a system that is as close to the old Chase format as it gets.
Full details on the new format can be found here, but suffice it to say that it's a lot better than many fans expected. Even many of those who insisted on a full-season championship format have agreed that this was the best possible compromise, and in more ways than one.
But as we've said all along, no format is perfect, and no format would be completely without issue. At the end of the day, even the best possible solution would still present a few inevitable bumps in the road.
However, one such bump in the road has such as easy solution that NASCAR really shouldn't hesitate to put it into effect as soon as possible, even if just for peace of mind.
NASCAR waiver system in question after Chase announcement
In the "win and in" era, drivers needed to compete in all 26 regular season races in order to remain eligible for the playoffs, unless they were granted a waiver by NASCAR (typically due to a medical-related reason).
Put simply, drivers weren't allowed to simply skip races at will simply because they had already clinched a playoff spot.
NASCAR said they are still looking at things as far as the waiver process. But I do agree that drivers could be less willing to sit out a race because of injury under this format. https://t.co/QPecAyJEBW
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 12, 2026
In 2025, after Kyle Larson's 2024 Memorial Day Double dilemma, NASCAR made the rule stricter, noting that in the event a playoff qualifier missed a race for an unapproved reason (such as a suspension), they could still get a waiver, but they would start the postseason with zero playoff points, regardless of how many they earned.
With no more "win and in" format in 2026, NASCAR merely needs to keep the waiver system in place.
Given how simple they've made the new format, they can't overthink this one either. Missing a race and scoring zero points is penalty enough, not only because points are the only thing that matters in terms of simply qualifying for the 16-driver Chase, but because of the fact that drivers are slated to start the Chase with extra points, depending on how high they finish.
If a driver is forced to miss the race and still wins the regular season championship, more power to him. Let him keep his Chase spot, and let him keep the 100 bonus points he'd be in line to earn as the regular season champion.
There is still no incentive to skip races, and even if there were in the past, the shift away to a "points only" Chase qualifying system has only strengthened that aspect of the championship.
Please don't overcomplicate this one, NASCAR.