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…
During a recent interview, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell claimed that NASCAR’s search for a new playoff format is in its “final processes” and teased that officials are considering testing different formats across the three NASCAR National Series.
Among the many storylines of change during the 2025 NASCAR season, perhaps the most prominent is the sport’s open search for potential changes to its playoff format.
As part of this, NASCAR has gathered industry stakeholders, such as network partners, drivers, owners, and even Hall of Famers, for their opinions on the system as part of the NASCAR playoff committee. Though this committee will not make the final decision on the potential changes made to the playoff system, or point system as a whole, NASCAR has used it as a brain trust of ideas and review.
At first, the sport seemed hopeful that it would make any necessary changes by 2026. Recent reports suggest that NASCAR could hold off for another year while it continues conversations with TV partners and doesn’t want to rush such an important decision.
Some fans rejected this idea of holding off another year, while others supported it, saying that it’s better to get the idea right rather than rush to a conclusion that is just as unstable as the current format. But, during a recent interview with Eric Estepp of Out of the Groove, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell said that the discussions around changing the system are winding down.
“We are kind of in the final processes,” O’Donnell said. “We’ve tried to talk to as many of the stakeholder groups as possible. We’ve got a couple more of those conversations to have.” O’Donnell then suggested that after the discussions wrap up, the process of implementing a new system might be a question of where rather than when.
What’s Happening? During the latest episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Communications Mike Forde explained the…
In an interesting twist, O’Donnell suggested that the sport could test a different format in one of its two lower national series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (the new name for the NASCAR Xfinity Series) and the Craftsman Truck Series, or even try three different formats across all three series as early as next year.
”I think for us the decisions are gonna be, ‘Do you put something immediately in the Cup Series? Do you try something around next year’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Trucks? Do you try three different things?’ ” — Steve O’Donnell
In the past, some fans have criticized NASCAR for being quick to implement changes, such as the Playoff elimination system in 2014 or the NASCAR Next Gen in 2022, without testing them in lower series or divisions like other major sports leagues do. O’Donnell even addressed this directly.
“Most sports will look at, ‘Hey, let’s try this in AAA baseball. And if it works, great, if we want to tweak it, okay, let’s make those tweaks and then put it to the next level.’ We’ve historically not done that. So we’re just going to try and beat up a lot of those things.” — Steve O’Donnell
If the sport went this route in 2026, it might be as confusing as it would be exciting. Still, prior to 2016, the Truck and Xfinity Series did not have a playoff or Chase System, meaning there was a 12-year period where the two lower National Series and the top National Series did not share this system.
Ultimately, O’Donnell did not rule out leaving the system as is for the future. He acknowledges that fans may not like this decision, saying, “If we stay the status quo and we don’t do anything in all three series, there’s got to be a pretty good explanation as to why, and to who we spoke to.”
Closing out the playoff topic, O’Donnell reiterated that NASCAR’s goal is to find a format that fans are proud of. “I can assure you what we want is, for the championship and the champion to be somebody that all our fans are proud of in terms of how it was determined.”
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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Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas
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On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.
Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below
Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.
Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:
We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.
The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below
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Four road courses on the schedule, and somehow that’s enough to spark one of the biggest debates in the garage. After recent comments from Brad Keselowski questioning the business value of road racing, the conversation has picked up serious steam. Is NASCAR leaning too far into it, or is the current balance about right?
There are valid points on both sides, from sponsorship realities to fan traditions to competitive diversity. Some tracks have gained traction. Others have struggled. The question isn’t just whether road courses belong, but how many make sense within a 36-race season. It’s less about extremes and more about direction. And with future schedule changes always looming, this debate probably isn’t settled anytime soon.
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