Starting in 2026, NASCAR will revert to a variation of the Chase for the Championship format it used to crown its champions from 2004-to-2013.

In other words, no more win and you’re in and no more multiple elimination rounds. Most importantly, the sample size to determine the champion is no longer a single race but a 10-race points race.

However, unlike NASCAR’s first version of a playoff, which included 10 and then 12 drivers, this version will feature the expanded 16 that the most recent version used over the past decade.  

But again, winning is no longer the point of entry as the top 16 drivers in points following the 26-race regular season will make the Chase for the Championship. However, winning races will have an increased impact on the new format as wins count for 55 points instead of 40.

Second place will still pay 35 points, third 34 points, so on and so forth.

Once the Chase for the Championship begins, the regular season champion will begin the final 10 races with a 25-point advantage over the second-place finisher down to 100 over the 16th seed.

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

The O’Reilly Series and Craftsman Truck Series will feature a Chase for the Championship too with 12 and 10 drivers respectively. The NOAPS Series will feature a nine-race Chase and the Trucks will feature a seven-race Chase. 

NASCAR will still feature stages, which also continue to pay stage points, which provide even more opportunities to score points to make the playoffs and race for the championship over the final 10 races. 

Quotes 

“I was really excited to hear the news that we were getting a little closer to a full 36-race format. 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.”

Watch: Mark Martin on 10-race Chase: ‘This is the most perfect compromise’

The fans were yelling at me we want full season points. So I yelled even louder and almost got thrown out, as Steve said.

“I think that this is the most perfect compromise that you could ever ask for. It’s going to require our 2026 champion to be lightning fast and incredibly consistent, and that’s what we can all get behind. So I’m really excited. I think it’s fantastic. I would just appeal to the race fans, all the race fans, but especially the classic fans who say to me, I don’t watch anymore. I say we need you. Come on back. We’re headed in the right direction. Come back and join with us, and we’ll keep making progress.

“One more thing. For the broadcasters, for the media, the journalists and everyone, this is a time for a change, a change in how we cover the sport, and that means, instead of every week talking about the cutoff line, the playoff, who’s in, who’s out, all these things, we need to focus even more on our heroes.

“These guys behind me that are winning these races are our Pearsons and our Yarboroughs and our Buddy Bakers of today, and we need our fans to connect with these guys. We need them to connect with the crew chiefs. We need to connect with the engineers as well. Give the fans something that they can connect to and help us bill these superstars like they deserve to be.”

Watch: Elliott on The Chase returning: ‘We’re making history’

“Not only to Mark and Dale and even guys like myself and Ryan, who I think have kind of screamed at some of these things over the course of time of just wanting it to be better. I think we all want it to be better because, to Dale’s point, we are fans of this sport. I grew up a fan. I watched that video. A lot of those years of Jimmie dominating and the championship of Tony and Carl all during the Chase were incredible runs. I think we oftentimes forget how good we had it through all those years of Chase format. I think it is a really nice compromise. I think getting a full season was going to be a pretty big challenge, and I’m not sure there’s really a better place to land than a true 10-race Chase, really similar to what we had through those years of the epic battles that we saw.

“I personally appreciate Steve and the folks at NASCAR for being able to come together with our TV partners and making everyone happy. That’s a really hard thing to do, and I think sometimes we all forget about that and just how many pieces make this puzzle.

“Really proud to be here. I can say that with complete honesty. This is something that I’m proud of as a competitor, something I’m looking forward to competing in and against these guys with, and I think, just from my perspective, challenge the race fans this year, let’s enjoy what we got. We’re so quick to complain about everything, everything that we have and everything that we do. Let’s enjoy what we have because we’re making history whether you like it or not.

“Celebrate the champion. Celebrate the guys who went out there and did a good job. I think this format promotes that. Let’s enjoy what we have. We’ve got a pretty cool thing at the end of the day. Let’s not forget about it, and enjoy what we got today.”

“I think probably all three of us sitting up here are at the age where we all grew up, the Chase was in place, and this is what we watched as kids. I loved seeing it, and I loved seeing close battles.

“I feel like it also is going to — I sit back, and I look at this new format, and sometimes we all get grief about over aggressiveness and things like that, and sometimes you get put in these situations where it’s a win and move on type scenario. I think it’s going to clean up a lot of the racing side of it and get back to the purity side of it to where it is a little bit more of not brash, a little bit more of the beautiful art form that I grew up loving.

“I am a huge fan of it, like Chase said and all these guys said. I appreciate NASCAR for listening. I appreciate all these guys, Mark and Dale, for being big voices for us. It’s just fun to be a part of it. I look forward to next year, and consistency is going to be a massive part of it.

“It’s not going to be — I don’t think you’re going to get guys who get out and say good points day. It’s still going to be winning is a huge product of it because of the increase in the winner’s points. Yeah, I’m excited. I hope everyone is as excited as we all are to be a part of it and for them to watch it on TV.”

We want your opinion!

– The Motorsport.com Team

NASCAR is turning back the clock in 2026, reintroducing “The Chase” as the championship format for its three national series. The move marks a return to the postseason structure that defined the NASCAR Cup Series from 2004 to 2013, following an extensive review process involving team owners, drivers, manufacturers, tracks, broadcast partners, and fans.

The revamped system emphasizes consistency and performance across the entire season while maintaining the drama of a playoff-style finish. Under the new format, the driver with the most points after the postseason will be crowned champion in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Chase will span the final 10 races for the Cup Series, nine for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and seven for the Truck Series.

Several key changes accompany the return of The Chase:

• No More “Win and You’re In”: A race victory will no longer guarantee a playoff berth. Drivers must perform consistently throughout the regular season to qualify.
• Bigger Points for Wins: Winning a race will now earn 55 points, up from 40, reinforcing the value of aggressive racing and strong team execution.
• Points-Based Qualification: The top 16 drivers in regular-season points will make The Chase in the Cup Series, with 12 and 10 drivers qualifying in the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Truck Series, respectively.
• Regular-Season Champion Advantage: The points leader entering The Chase will start with a 25-point cushion over second place.
• Seeded Points Structure: Drivers will begin The Chase with tiered points, starting at 2,100 for the top seed and descending to 2,000 for the 16th seed.

The changes aim to create a larger sample size for determining champions, increase the significance of every race, and reward season-long excellence while keeping winning central to the sport’s identity.

Chase Seeding Points:

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

With The Chase returning, NASCAR hopes to blend tradition with modern competition, delivering a format that honors its history and keeps fans engaged through every lap of the season.

Chris Knight

Chris Knight has served as a senior staff writer and news editor for CATCHFENCE.com since 2001.

In his 20-plus years with CATCHFENCE.com, he has covered NASCAR’s top three national series, often breaking news and providing exclusive at-track content, including in-depth race weekend coverage.

He also offers insider coverage of the entire Motorsports platform, including the ARCA Menards Series.

In 2022, Knight became co-owner of CATCHFENCE.com.

In addition to his active duties at CATCHFENCE.com and other Motorsports-related endeavors, he is also a frequent contributor to SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90.

You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @Knighter01 or on Instagram, Snapchat, or Threads at @TheKnighter01.

He can be reached by email at [email protected].

CONCORD, N.C. – Sometimes to move forward, you have to go back. 

NASCAR is doing just that ahead of the 2026 season in the Cup Series, O’Reilly Series (NOAPS) and the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. 

On Monday afternoon, NASCAR announced the return of “The Chase”, a postseason format used in varying iterations from 2004-2013. The 2026 Cup Series season will feature a 10-race postseason, beginning at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 6, consisting of 16 drivers with just one points reset coming at the end of the regular season. All drivers who qualify for The Chase will remain in the postseason with points accumulating over the final 10 races to declare a champion. The move is a departure from the playoff format instituted in 2014 that included rounds of three races and elimination cutoffs, leading to a winner-take-all championship race. 

Gone too is the “win-and-you’re-in” rule, in which any driver who won a regular season race automatically qualified for the postseason. While victories will no longer come with an entry to The Chase, drivers will now score 55 points for a win instead of 40. 

“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.”

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The points leader after 26 races will be rewarded with a 25-point buffer over the field after the reset. The Chase will be seeded as follows: 

• First place: 2,100
• Second place: 2,075
• Third place: 2,065
• Fourth place: 2,060
• Fifth place: 2,055
• Sixth place: 2,050
• Seventh place: 2,045
• Eighth place: 2,040
• Ninth place: 2,035
• 10th place: 2,030
• 11th place: 2,025
• 12th place: 2,020
• 13th place: 2,015
• 14th place: 2,010
• 15th place: 2,005
• 16th place: 2,000

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How many races are in The Chase?

The Chase will consist of 10 races in the Cup Series, nine in the NOAPS and seven in the Truck Series. 

How many drivers will make The Chase? 

The Chase will consist of 16 drivers in the Cup Series, 12 in the NOAPS and 10 in the Truck Series.

When does The Chase start? 

The first race of the Cup Series postseason will be held at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6. 

What races are in The Chase? 

The 10 races in the Cup Series Chase include stops at: Darlington Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Charlotte ROVAL, Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. 

2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule

• Sunday, Feb. 1: The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, 8 p.m. (FOX)
• Thursday, Feb. 12: The Duel at Daytona, 7 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, Feb. 15: DAYTONA 500, 2:30 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, Feb. 22: Atlanta Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, March 1: Circuit of the Americas, 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, March 8: Phoenix Raceway, 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, March 15: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 4 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, March 22: Darlington Raceway, 3 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, March 29: Martinsville Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, April 12: Bristol Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, April 19: Kansas Speedway, 2 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, April 26: Talladega Superspeedway, 3 p.m. (FOX)
• Sunday, May 3: Texas Motor Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, May 10: Watkins Glen International, 3 p.m. (FS1)

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• Sunday, May 17: All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (FS1)
• Sunday, May 24: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, 6 p.m. (Prime)
• Sunday, May 31: Nashville Superspeedway, 7 p.m. (Prime)
• Sunday, June 7: Michigan International Speedway, 3 p.m. (Prime)
• Sunday, June 14: Pocono Raceway, 3 p.m. (Prime)
• Sunday, June 21: Naval Base Coronado, 4 p.m. (Prime)
• Sunday, June 28: Sonoma Raceway, 3:30 p.m. (TNT)
• Sunday, July 5: Chicagoland Speedway, 6 p.m. (TNT)
• Sunday, July 12: Atlanta Motor Speedway, 7 p.m. (TNT)
• Sunday, July 19: North Wilkesboro Speedway, 7 p.m. (TNT)
• Sunday, July 26: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2 p.m. (TNT)
• Sunday, Aug. 9: Iowa Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (USA Network)
• Saturday, Aug. 15: Richmond Raceway, 7 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Aug. 23: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (USA Network)
• Saturday, Aug. 29: Daytona International Speedway, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

The Chase

• Sunday, Sept. 6: Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, 5 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Sept. 13: World Wide Technology Raceway, 3 p.m. (USA Network)
• Saturday, Sept. 19: Bristol Motor Speedway, 7:30 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Sept. 27: Kansas Speedway, 3 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Oct. 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 5:30 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Oct. 11: Charlotte ROVAL, 3 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Oct. 18: Phoenix Raceway, 3 p.m. (USA Network)
• Sunday, Oct. 25: Talladega Superspeedway, 2 p.m. (NBC)
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Martinsville Speedway, 2 p.m. (NBC)
• Sunday, Nov. 8: Homestead-Miami Speedway, 3 p.m. (NBC)

Chef Boyardee is set to make a significant splash in the world of motorsports as it partners with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports team for the upcoming 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The announcement, made by the race team, reveals a thrilling three-race primary sponsorship agreement with the iconic food brand, alongside an associate sponsorship arrangement for the entire season.

Stenhouse expressed his enthusiasm about this new collaboration, stating, “We’re excited to welcome Chef Boyardee to the Hyak Motorsports family. They’re a brand everyone knows, and bringing them into NASCAR is something the entire team is looking forward to.” The team is gearing up to kick off the season with strong representation of Chef Boyardee.

The distinctive branding of Chef Boyardee will first appear on the No. 47 Chevrolet during The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, set for Sunday, February 1. Following this pre-season exhibition, Chef Boyardee will also sponsor Stenhouse at the much-anticipated Daytona 500 on February 15, culminating the primary sponsorship at the Talladega Superspeedway on April 26.

Brynwood Partners, the parent company of Chef Boyardee, has maintained a relationship with Stenhouse spanning over a decade. Henk Hartong, CEO of Brynwood Partners, expressed pride in their continued partnership. “Ricky has been an incredible ambassador for our brands in the 12 years that we have been sponsoring his car in the Cup Series,” Hartong stated. He looks forward to the brand’s return to prominence at Daytona and Talladega, both venues where Stenhouse has previously triumphed.

The partnership promises not just on-car branding but also an engaging strategy to reach fans through various initiatives. Chef Boyardee plans to leverage team assets for integrated fan engagement at the track and beyond, which includes a robust digital and social media campaign, behind-the-scenes features, and fan-oriented activations.

Stenhouse, 38, boasts a career filled with ambition, having achieved four victories in 475 NASCAR Cup Series starts. Notably, he has found triumph at both Daytona and Talladega, contributing to his status as a strong contender. The previous season saw Stenhouse finish 30th in the championship standings after a series of misfortunes, including a well-publicized feud with fellow driver Carson Hocevar, which appeared to have been resolved.

With the new season on the horizon, Stenhouse is eager to bounce back and showcase his potential, buoyed by the support of Chef Boyardee and the Hyak Motorsports team. The upcoming season is expected to be a thrilling ride for both the driver and the iconic brand as they embark on this exciting partnership.