NASCAR Unveils New Championship Format for 2026 and Beyond
After several months of in-depth discussions, speculation amongst industry members, and meetings with the playoff committee, NASCAR has finally arrived at a decision for how it will crown its champions for 2026 and beyond.
On Monday, in a press conference at the NASCAR Production Facility in Concord, North Carolina, NASCAR confirmed its new championship format -- a remastering of the "Chase for the Cup" format that was used, in a couple of different forms, from 2004 to 2013.
A total of 16 drivers will make up the post-season field for the NASCAR Cup Series, determined by the top drivers in regular-season point standings. After the end of the regular-season (Race 26), the points will be reset for a 10-race showdown for the championship, culminating with the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“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.”
The regular-season champion will enter the 10-race championship-deciding showdown with a 15-point advantage over second-place, who will have a 10-point advantage over third-place. All drivers below third-place will be reset five points behind the driver in front.
Playoff Reset Points Distribution:
Position | Post-Reset 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 |
Gone are the days of the "win and you're in" and a winner-takes-all Championship Race that has been presented to NASCAR fans for the last 12 seasons courtesy of the old, now extinct, championship format.
That's not all of the changes, though: Beginning in 2026, the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will all begin awarding the winner of each race 55 points (an increase from 40). The remainder of the field remains unchanged.
With this small tweak, NASCAR has ensured that the winner of each NASCAR National Series event (with the exception of the Coca-Cola 600, which typically has a special fourth stage) is guaranteed to be the highest points scorer of the event.
Both the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (12 drivers, nine-race post-season) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (10 drivers, seven-race post-season) will be adopting this same championship format for the upcoming season.
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Joseph Srigley covers NASCAR for TobyChristie.com, Racing America, and OnSI, and is the owner of the #SrigleyStats brand. With a higher education in the subjects of business, mathematics, and data analytics, Joseph is able to fully understand the inner workings of the sport through multiple points of perspective.
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