What Happened in NASCAR’s Latest Playoff Committee Meeting?
What’s Happening? NASCAR Insider Jeff Gluck, a member of NASCAR’s Playoff Committee, revealed some key details from the latest NASCAR Playoff…
During the latest episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR’s Mike Forde suggested that NASCAR might do away with the current system’s Playoff Points, and laid out what is next following what was possibly the final meeting of NASCAR’s Playoff Committee.
With just six races left in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, NASCAR is still deciding what points format will be utilized to crown the champion in the coming seasons.
Though this period of self-reflection began in February, with NASCAR assembling a brain trust of industry members called the Playoff Committee not to decide, but comment on potential changes to the points system, the sport wrapped up what was likely the final committee meeting just last week.
Following this meeting, members such as Dale Earnhardt Jr, Denny Hamlin, and Jeff Gluck have all made note of potential changes to the playoff system. While all have suggested that expanding the final round of races is a strong likelihood, another item that has arisen from this meeting is a shift to simplification of the playoff system.
This could come in many ways, with Gluck citing the removal of playoff points as a potential option. Wednesday, on NASCAR’s in-house podcast Hauler Talk, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Communications Mike Forde said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Playoff points “hit the dusty trail.”
What’s Happening? NASCAR Insider Jeff Gluck, a member of NASCAR’s Playoff Committee, revealed some key details from the latest NASCAR Playoff…
During the Playoff Committee meetings, which have been behind closed doors, several members have been reliable sources of information, with Forde being one of the first to explain the committee and its goals to the public back in February.
In this episode, Forde gave his takeaways from the latest meeting, reasserting his fellow committee members’ claims that, though it is unlikely NASCAR goes this route, the full-season points system has grown in popularity amongst the committee members.
Though in his take, Forde expanded on Gluck’s talk about simplifying the playoff system. Forde says that he thinks playoff points were added for “a good reason,” but the complexity of the bonus points, handed out to race winners and stage winners, is a “barrier to entry” for casual viewers.
“I think playoff points are a good thing,” Forde said. “I think they were created for good reasons, but I think they’re a barrier to entry for those who don’t follow NASCAR. They’re a little bit confusing.”
So, if NASCAR were to remove playoff points, what would happen? Forde suggests that NASCAR would hand out more points for winning, essentially bonus points, built into the base points system.
“I wouldn’t be surprised, if there is a playoff format moving forward, that playoff points hit the dusty trail, and there is just more points for a win, for instance.” — Mike Forde
This quote is also interesting as Forde states, “if there is a playoff format moving forward,” a change in tone from other committee members, and potentially implying that NASCAR may be giving the format a serious look, though it remains unlikely.
What’s Happening? Following the latest NASCAR Playoff Committee meeting, NASCAR Cup Series driver and owner Denny Hamlin thinks that the sport…
According to Forde, there are some “loose ends” to be sorted out, such as who qualifies, how the system would seed drivers without playoff points, and how win-and-in/win-and-advance would work within the system.
From there, this issue now heads to NASCAR officials to make the final call on, as both Forde and his counterparts have noted that NBC, the network that carries the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, has recused itself from these discussions. While the term NASCAR Officials is often used loosely, Forde broke down who he thinks the decision-makers will be.
Forde claims that a group of individuals in NASCAR leadership will present an idea to the NASCAR Board of Directors, which includes names like Jim France, Lesa France Kennedy, Steve Phelps, and Mike Helton. The Board will then have the final call on what, if anything, happens to NASCAR’s points system.
If there is a new system, it will likely not be introduced until after this fall’s Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, and could even come closer to the start of the 2026 season, rather than the end of the current year.
For rumors, news, and background information on NASCAR’s 2025 review of its playoff format, including details on committee meetings, make sure to check out the article linked below.
What’s Happening? NASCAR is publicly seeking a new Playoff or even Championship Points system for the future. This story will unfold…
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History has been made in the NASCAR Cup Series. Tyler Reddick became the first driver in the sport’s history to win the first three races of the season. That’s right, not even Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, or Jeff Gordon have accomplished this feat, but Reddick and 23XI have. At the track, he won his first race for the Michael Jordan-owned team.
In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Shane van Gisbergen went from sixth to first (I’m not joking) in one corner to take home his first win at Circuit of the Americas. As for Trucks, Layne Riggs came in first in the first ever Truck Series race at St. Petersburg.
Now, how was the racing as a whole? Where do the races stack up against each other? Let’s take a look at my Race Weekend Rankings and see where the COTA/St. Pete Weekend ranks among the rest of the 2026 season!
Check out the latest episode of The Cutline, where Armany broke down the weekend at COTA and St. Pete.
You can follow along with Armany by creating your own Race Weekend Rankings Tier List. Make sure to tag Armany and The Daily Downforce on X, and we’ll share your list with the rest of the NASCAR Community.
The checkered flag flew down in Austin, Texas, as Tyler Reddick made history by winning his third straight race to kick off the 2026 season. With this win, he starts the year with a massive points lead. No other driver is within 70 points of Reddick in the points standings. Who would have guessed going into this race that SVG not only wouldn’t be the dominant car but also would only lead a handful of laps? The No. 97 team was just off in general, from a slower-than-usual qualifying effort on Saturday and a car that didn’t turn to SVG’s liking. Luckily for much of the field, it opened the door of opportunity for other drivers to pounce and dethrone SVG as King of the road, at least in Austin.
Here are the key things to take away from today’s Cup Series battle at Circuit of the Americas.
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Two stages are now complete at Circuit of the Americas for the NASCAR Cup Series. In the first stage, the cream rose to the top in Austin, Texas as the entire top 5 finishers were all former winners in the Cup Series on road courses. Ross Chastain earned top honors in the opening stage with his Trackhouse teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, right behind him. The second stage crown went to Ty Gibbs. Here’s things to note as we gear up for the final stage through the finish.
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