Beginning 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 different phrases, no extra win and also you’re in and no extra a number of elimination rounds. Most significantly, the pattern measurement to find out the champion is not a single race however a 10-race factors race.
Nevertheless, in contrast to NASCAR’s first model of a playoff, which included 10 after which 12 drivers, this model will function the expanded 16 that the latest model used over the previous decade. Â
However once more, profitable is not the purpose of entry as the highest 16 drivers in factors following the 26-race common season will make the Chase for the Championship. Nevertheless, profitable races can have an elevated impression on the brand new format as wins rely for 55 factors as a substitute of 40.
Second place will nonetheless pay 35 factors, third 34 factors, so on and so forth.
As soon as the Chase for the Championship begins, the common season champion will start the ultimate 10 races with a 25-point benefit over the second-place finisher right down to 100 over the sixteenth seed.
1st: 21002nd: 20753rd: 20654th: 20605th: 20556th: 20507th: 20458th: 20409th: 203510th: 203011th: 202512th: 202013th: 201514th: 201015th: 200516th: 2000
The O’Reilly Collection and Craftsman Truck Collection will function a Chase for the Championship too with 12 and 10 drivers respectively. The NOAPS Collection will function a nine-race Chase and the Vans will function a seven-race Chase.Â
NASCAR will nonetheless function levels, which additionally proceed to pay stage factors, which give much more alternatives to attain factors to make the playoffs and race for the championship over the ultimate 10 races.Â
QuotesÂ
“I used to be actually excited to listen to the information that we have been getting a bit of nearer to a full 36-race format. That is as shut in my view that you may get with out going all the way in which.
“What I consider it does is it makes it less complicated for our followers to comply with. I am a fan of the game, and now I am compelled to plug in each single week as a result of I do know there is a lengthy type goal for my driver to perform to have the ability to give himself the chance to win the championship.
“So despite the fact that my driver could have success early on within the season, it doesn’t guarantee him success within the postseason. So with the way in which that they will stack the bonus factors and all the things else, it is vital that these drivers have success each single week. Each single race, each single lap can have extra significance. I feel it is enjoyable for the drivers to have a extra clear goal for the best way to get to the championship and simpler for our followers to comply with.”
Watch: Mark Martin on 10-race Chase: ‘That is essentially the most good compromise’
The followers have been yelling at me we would like full season factors. So I yelled even louder and virtually bought thrown out, as Steve stated.
“I feel that that is essentially the most good compromise that you would ever ask for. It’ll require our 2026 champion to be lightning quick and extremely constant, and that is what we are able to all get behind. So I am actually excited. I feel it is unbelievable. I might simply attraction to the race followers, all of the race followers, however particularly the traditional followers who say to me, I do not watch anymore. I say we want you. Come on again. We’re headed in the proper course. Come again and be part of with us, and we’ll preserve making progress.
“Yet another factor. For the broadcasters, for the media, the journalists and everybody, this can be a time for a change, a change in how we cowl the game, and meaning, as a substitute of each week speaking in regards to the cutoff line, the playoff, who’s in, who’s out, all this stuff, we have to focus much more on our heroes.
“These guys behind me which can be profitable these races are our Pearsons and our Yarboroughs and our Buddy Bakers of at this time, and we want our followers to attach with these guys. We want them to attach with the crew chiefs. We have to join with the engineers as properly. Give the followers one thing that they will hook up with and assist us invoice these superstars like they need to be.”
Watch: Elliott on The Chase returning: ‘We’re making historical past’
“Not solely to Mark and Dale and even guys like myself and Ryan, who I feel have sort of screamed at a few of these issues over the course of time of simply wanting it to be higher. I feel all of us need it to be higher as a result of, to Dale’s level, we’re followers of this sport. I grew up a fan. I watched that video. A whole lot of these years of Jimmie dominating and the championship of Tony and Carl all throughout the Chase have been unimaginable runs. I feel we oftentimes overlook how good we had it via all these years of Chase format. I feel it’s a very nice compromise. I feel getting a full season was going to be a reasonably large problem, and I am unsure there’s actually a greater place to land than a real 10-race Chase, actually just like what we had via these years of the epic battles that we noticed.
“I personally admire Steve and the parents at NASCAR for having the ability to come along with our TV companions and making everybody pleased. That is a extremely arduous factor to do, and I feel typically all of us overlook about that and simply what number of items make this puzzle.
“Actually proud to be right here. I can say that with full honesty. That is one thing that I am happy with as a competitor, one thing I am trying ahead to competing in and in opposition to these guys with, and I feel, simply from my perspective, problem the race followers this yr, let’s get pleasure from what we bought. We’re so fast to complain about all the things, all the things that we’ve and all the things that we do. Let’s get pleasure from what we’ve as a result of we’re making historical past whether or not you prefer it or not.
“Have a good time the champion. Have a good time the blokes who went on the market and did an excellent job. I feel this format promotes that. Let’s get pleasure from what we’ve. We have a fairly cool factor on the finish of the day. Let’s not overlook about it, and luxuriate in what we bought at this time.”
“I feel in all probability all three of us sitting up listed here are on the age the place all of us grew up, the Chase was in place, and that is what we watched as children. I liked seeing it, and I liked seeing shut battles.
“I really feel prefer it additionally goes to — I sit again, and I take a look at this new format, and typically all of us get grief about over aggressiveness and issues like that, and typically you get put in these conditions the place it is a win and transfer on kind state of affairs. I feel it may clear up plenty of the racing facet of it and get again to the purity facet of it to the place it’s a little bit extra of not brash, a bit of bit extra of the gorgeous artwork type that I grew up loving.
“I’m an enormous fan of it, like Chase stated and all these guys stated. I admire NASCAR for listening. I admire all these guys, Mark and Dale, for being massive voices for us. It is simply enjoyable to be part of it. I look ahead to subsequent yr, and consistency goes to be a large a part of it.
“It is not going to be — I do not suppose you are going to get guys who get out and say good factors day. It is nonetheless going to be profitable is a large product of it due to the rise within the winner’s factors. Yeah, I am excited. I hope everyone seems to be as excited as all of us are to be part of it and for them to look at it on TV.”
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