NASCAR’s return to the Chase signals a long-awaited shift back to simplicity

NASCAR's new — or rather, dusted off — points format for 2026 will accomplish something major for a sport that has seemed filled with complexity for years: a return to simplicity. 

On Monday, NASCAR announced a return to the 10-race Chase format that it used to decide its champions from 2004-13. After 26 regular- season races, the 16 highest-ranked drivers in the Cup Series standings will be eligible for the postseason, and the Chase driver with the most points at the end of the 10-race Chase will win the title. 

NASCAR has used an elimination-style playoff format since 2014 that included a controversial "win-and-in" qualifier, multiple points resets and a one-race championship decider between four eligible drivers. And while the format produced memorable moments, it was difficult for new fans to understand, especially given that NASCAR's competitors in both F1 and IndyCar use simple, season-long points systems. 

While Monday’s announcement does not represent a full return to a season-long championship with no postseason, it does mark a shift back to a format that is far easier to explain and far less likely to generate controversy.

"We're kind of getting a little closer to a full, 36-race format," NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. said during a Monday news conference. "This is as close, in my opinion, that you can get without going all the way. 

"But what I believe it does is, it makes it (the championship) simpler for our fans to follow. I'm a fan of the sport, and now I'm compelled to tune in every single week, because I know there's a long-form objective for my driver to accomplish to give himself the opportunity to win the championship."

Every NASCAR race matters

A common criticism of NASCAR’s playoff format from 2014–25 was the perceived lack of meaning in certain races once a driver had either sewn up a playoff berth or advanced to the next round of the postseason.

Under the Chase format, Earnhardt Jr. explained, drivers will no longer be able to coast through portions of the season. 

“Even though my driver may have success early on in the season, it does not assure him success in the postseason,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “With the way 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."

A simpler format that places greater emphasis on every race should evoke fond memories for longtime fans — and restore a sense of significance to all 36 races on the NASCAR calendar.