Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney 'excited' to compete under NASCAR's Chase format

NASCAR fans don't seem to be the only ones who are happy about NASCAR's decision to leave playoffs behind and return to the 10-race Chase system it used to determine its champions from 2004-13. 

Sixteen drivers will make the Chase field on an annual basis, and a pair of Cup Series champions, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, are bound to be familiar faces in the postseason field. 

Both Elliott and Blaney were present during NASCAR's announcement of the new format on Monday and gave their thoughts on what it'll be like to race under it. 

Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney react to Chase format

"I think we oftentimes forget how good we had it through all those years of {the} Chase format," Elliott said. "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.

"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."

Blaney largely echoed Elliott's sentiments. 

"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," Blaney said. "I am a huge fan of it."

Blaney and Elliott will both hit the track again on Feb. 1 for the exhibition Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season will officially begin with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15. 

Quotes provided by NASCAR Media.