NASCAR has by no means been shy about altering up the way in which it crowns its champion, and the format has undergone a number of modifications since 1949.
Purple Byron received the primary NASCAR cup title in 1949, Richard ‘The King’ Petty earned his first crown in 1971, Dale Earnhardt’s seventh and ultimate crown in 1994, Jimmie Johnson’s historic run of 5 in-a-row in 2010, and Kyle Larson’s newest triumph in 2025 — all of those occurred beneath totally different programs.
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In some unspecified time in the future, inventory automobile racing was awarding factors primarily based on prize cash, race lengths, and even laps accomplished. However NASCAR moved away from most motorsports in 2004 when the Sanctioning Physique determined that probably the most factors over the course of a complete season was not one of the best ways to go about it.
This took them down a path the place the format modified much more incessantly, and in recent times, grew to become a multi-round win and also you’re in elimination-style showdown that had folks shaking their heads.
NASCAR has since taken a step again and simplified the championship format. In 2026, issues are a lot simpler for even probably the most informal followers to grasp. This is a have a look at the way it all works:
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Scoring factors
The winner of a race will earn 55 factors, 20 greater than the runner-up finisher, who nets 35 factors. From that time onward, each place is price one level much less till we attain thirty sixth place. thirty sixth on again all rating one level every, so nobody goes dwelling with nothing.
There are additionally two phases for many races, and if you wish to know extra about phases, we’ve got one other article for that. In these phases, a predetermined lap presents further factors to these working inside the highest ten, and is accompanied by a contest warning. The chief earns ten factors, second earns 9, third earns eight, fourth earns seven, fifth earns six, sixth earns 5, seventh earns 4, eighth earns three, ninth earns two, and tenth earns one.
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There may be additionally an extra bonus level on supply for the motive force who data the quickest lap. The one manner a driver past the race winner can rating probably the most factors is that if the winner earns no bonus factors, whereas second wins each phases and secures the quickest lap. Essentially the most factors a driver can earn on any given week is 76, aside from the Coca-Cola 600 (further stage) and Daytona 500 (Duel qualifying races award factors equivalent to a stage), the place they will rating as much as 86.
The Chase reset
The playoffs have been rebranded because the Chase, and it’ll extra intently resemble the unique Chase from 20 years in the past. There isn’t a win and also you’re in anymore, no extra rounds, and no extra bonus factors to maintain observe of.
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On the finish of the twenty sixth race, the highest 16 drivers within the Cup championship factors shall be made a part of the Chase. The factors are then reset with intervals primarily based on the place every driver ended the common season within the standings, as seen beneath.
1st: 2100; 2nd: 2075; third: 2065, 4th: 2060; fifth: 2055; sixth: 2050; seventh: 2045; eighth: 2040; ninth: 2035; tenth: 2030; eleventh: 2025; twelfth: 2020; thirteenth: 2015; 14th: 2010; fifteenth: 2005; sixteenth: 2000.
Then, the motive force who scores probably the most factors over the ultimate ten races shall be topped the champion. Homestead-Miami Speedway presently hosts the season finale.
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The format is equivalent for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements and Craftsman Truck Sequence, simply with smaller ‘Chase’ fields.
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