NASCAR Exec on Timeline For Playoff Changes: “I Think We’re Comfortable Waiting for 2027”

What’s Happening?

During the latest episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Communications Mike Forde explained the timeline for potential changes to NASCAR’s championship format. Though it may be an unpopular decision, Forde expressed that he thinks NASCAR is comfortable waiting until 2027 to make the right choice.

When NASCAR left Phoenix Raceway last November, a significant portion of the NASCAR fan base expressed that they were fed up with the NASCAR playoffs. Though this discussion has been happening for over two decades, it was renewed thanks to Joey Logano’s improbable championship win despite a lackluster season.

As the winter months rolled on, NASCAR eventually confirmed that they were forming a committee to review the championship format, suggesting and discussing potential changes to the playoff or perhaps creating a new format altogether. 

Recently, two members of this 30—to 40-person committee, Denny Hamlin on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, and Jeff Gluck on his podcast, The Teardown, suggested that NASCAR is not close to making a final decision. This is due to NASCAR claiming it needs to discuss playoff changes with its broadcast partner, NBC, while pressure mounts to release the 2026 season right around the corner.

On the latest episode of Hauler Talk, Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, explained why he thinks NASCAR officials could (and are comfortable) taking yet another year to make changes.

“I Wouldn’t Completely Rule Out 2026 Changes”

First, Forde did not immediately rule out NASCAR making changes before the 2026 season, though the path to wrapping up discussions in time for such a potentially dramatic change is not clear.

“If we have enough time to get changes in place for 2026, I think that’s something that we’ll work towards. But making that happen, as we’re getting closer to the middle of August, to talk to NBC and have a full-blown meeting, and what the aftermath of that will be may be a little bit tricky. But I wouldn’t completely rule out 2026 changes either.” — Mike Forde

NBC, via its main network and USA, covers the entirety of NASCAR’s playoffs. It reportedly has its preferred format and a representative on the playoff committee.

As a major stakeholder in the sport, NASCAR needs to run potential changes by the network. These talks with one of their key TV partners are one of the key factors potentially delaying NASCAR from making changes to the system for next season.

Despite fans’ feeling that changes were inbound prior to this delay, Forde stresses that changes for 2026 were never promised. While NASCAR would prefer to have this debate sorted out by the 2026 season, Forde said that the sport didn’t want to rush the process. “I think that was a sort of an unsaid goal.
I think what we wanted to do was not make any rash decisions.”

Forde says divergent opinions on what direction to take, such as a three-race final round or a full-season points system, are also a big factor in the time it has taken to get to where the committee is.

Making the Right Decision for the Long-Term

Often forgotten by fans, this committee’s initial goals included making a long-term change. Since the introduction of a playoff format in 2004, then known as the Chase for the Cup, NASCAR has frequently changed the format, including a complete overhaul in 2014.

NASCAR does not want to rush a decision and end up back at square one after a few seasons. In Forde’s eyes, once all the opinions are together, NASCAR would like to whittle down the top four ideas, meet with NBC, and then make a decision.

“I think it’s really just boiling it down to the top four [ideas], getting with NBC, then getting back to the committee, and then getting with NASCAR leadership, NASCAR board of directors, to say, ‘Okay, here’s what it is.'” — Mike Forde

Knowing that NASCAR wants to make the right decision, even if that means it takes another year to decide whether or not to make changes to the format, Forde closed by saying that he thinks NASCAR is comfortable waiting until 2027 to make a change.

“If that can happen for 2026, great,” Forde said. “If not, I think we’re comfortable waiting until 2027.

The NASCAR playoff committee has had two meetings, one in February and one in May. While there is no clear answer to the championship problem, one thing is clear amongst those for and against a playoff system in the online NASCAR community: something needs to change.

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