The NASCAR Championship returns in 2026, showcasing a new format. It is designed to put more emphasis on consistency throughout the regular season and a return to a qualification system that is based on points.
“The biggest thing was looking at who we wanted to be as a sport going forward, and that included really a focus on our core fan base and who had been with us for a long, long time and gotten the sport to where it was. So we wanted our future format to reflect that,” NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said.
“A lot of things you’re going to see and how we talked to the fans, from an overall NASCAR standpoint, was going to really embrace that hardcore fan, and so we felt like the format needed to absolutely reflect that.
“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” he added.
“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.”
Although a race win will no longer guarantee automatic entry into The Chase, it will now reward 55 points (previously 40) to the driver. Points for all other positions and stage points will remain the same.
The points leader after the regular season will also receive a 25-point cushion over the second seed.
The Chase will consist of the final 10 races for the NASCAR Cup Series, the final nine races for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and the final seven races for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
The NASCAR Cup Series Chase will feature 16 drivers. Twelve drivers will comprise the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series field, and 10 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series drivers will race for the championship.
The 16 NASCAR Cup Series Chase drivers will be seeded as follows. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Chase driver seedings will cut off at 12 and 10.
1st: 2100
2nd: 2075
3rd: 2065
4th: 2060
5th: 2055
6th: 2050
7th: 2045
8th: 2040
9th: 2035
10th: 2030 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series cut-off
11th: 2025
12th: 2020 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series cut-off
13th: 2015
14th: 2010
15th: 2005
16th: 2000 Cup Series
NASCAR returns on Sunday, Feb. 1, with the Cup Series Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
