The Chase 101: How NASCAR's new championship format works
By Staff Report
NASCAR has announced a return to The Chase championship format for all three national series beginning in 2026, with a modified structure from the previous iteration designed to reward performance throughout the season and provide a larger sample size to determine the championship.
Below is a breakdown of how the new format works.
HOW MANY DRIVERS MAKE THE POSTSEASON?
The number of postseason drivers remains the same from the previous elimination-style format, but the manner in which drivers qualify changes (more on that below). For the NASCAR Cup Series, 16 drivers advance to The Chase. The number of drivers for the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series is 12 and for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 10.
HOW DO DRIVERS QUALIFY FOR THE CHASE?
The top 16 drivers following the regular-season finale for the NASCAR Cup Series advance to the postseason. It's the top 12 drivers for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and top 10 for the Craftsman Truck Series.
CAN DRIVERS QUALIFY FOR THE CHASE VIA 'WIN AND IN'?
No, "win and in" is no longer a means to advance to the postseason. It is strictly based on points standings for each national series.
HOW MANY POSTSEASON RACES ARE THERE?
Like the previous elimination-style format, there are 10 Chase races for the Cup Series following a 26-race regular season. There are nine Chase races for the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and seven for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE POINTS STRUCTURE?
Yes. Wins are now worth 55 points, which is a notable increase from the previous structure of 40 points for a win. The remaining positions pay the same points (35 for second, 34 for third, 33 for fourth, etc.) and stage points are also the same (10 points for first, nine points for second, eight points for third, etc.). The goal is to reward drivers who go for wins, not just strong points days, and ensure aggressive racing and strong team performance remain central to each weekend.
ONCE THE CHASE BEGINS, ARE THERE ANY ELIMINATIONS?
No, The Chase does not have eliminations.
ARE POINTS RESEEDED FOR THE CHASE?
Yes, points are re-seeded just once for The Chase -- following the end of the regular season and based on where drivers finish in the standings for the regular season.
Here is what reseeded points look like for the NASCAR Cup Series. (The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series seedings will be the same, except cut off at 12 and 10, respectively.)
1st: 2,100
2nd: 2,075
3rd: 2,065
4th: 2,060
5th: 2,055
6th: 2,050
7th: 2,045
8th: 2,040
9th: 2,035
10th: 2,030
11th: 2,025
12th: 2,020
13th: 2,015
14th: 2,010
15th: 2,005
16th: 2,000
SO THE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION HAS AN ADVANTAGE?
Yes. As recognition for sustained excellence, the top driver at the end of the regular season will earn a 25-point cushion over the second seed. The entirety of the regular season is valued with the descending points structure.
HOW IS THE CHAMPION DETERMINED?
Whichever driver in The Chase has the most points following the season finale is the champion.
HOW WAS THE CHASE FORMAT DECIDED?
The changes come after an extensive review that included collaboration between owners, drivers, OEMs, tracks, broadcast partners and -- most importantly -- the fans. The enhanced format follows an exhaustive Playoff Committee and fan-feedback review that put forward three key recommendations:
- A larger sample size for a championship
- Bolster the importance of each race
- Rewarding consistency while maintaining the importance of winning