NASCAR Set to Discuss “Short List” of Playoff Formats With Playoff Committee Next Week

What’s Happening?

NASCAR’s Mike Forde says that while the sport has yet to announce a new playoff format, NASCAR is “very close” and will discuss a “short list” of potential formats with the Playoff Committee next week.

The subject of conversation amongst the NASCAR community this week was a suggested playoff format from Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, who, during an episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, seemingly out of nowhere, suggested a ‘hypothetical’ playoff format of two rounds of three races, and a finale of four.

While this is not confirmed to be NASCAR’s future playoff system, it still made waves in the NASCAR community, with many wondering if Bianchi was hinting that this was the system NASCAR favored. However, a member of the committee has come forward and clarified that this is not the case and that NASCAR has yet another meeting lined up with its playoff committee.

During the latest episode of NASCAR’s in-house podcast Hauler Talk, Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Communications, did not comment on Bianchi’s “hypothetical’ format, though he did say that internal discussion on NASCAR’s playoff system are quickly wrapping up.

He says that mid-week next week, NASCAR will meet with its playoff committee of industry stakeholders, both current and retired, to discuss what he calls a “short list of potential formats.” The goal of this meeting will be to gauge the committee’s opinion on said formats and continue whittling down the list of potential formats.

“I think the plan for that meeting is to discuss the short list [of] potential formats, and get the playoff committee’s opinion on that. So, we’ll go through that process, and then hopefully make a determination of an even shorter list, really come down, whittle it down, to one final format. NASCAR will decide to move forward, and we may see something as soon as 2026.” — Mike Forde, Managing Director of Communications for NASCAR

While this is the committee’s final meeting, Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, who is on the committee, clarified on X that a new format is not finalized.

NASCAR and The Search for Its Playoff

The past month of playoff news has rolled through the NASCAR community at varying speeds. At one point, Forde and Denny Hamlin, another playoff committee member, both suggested that a decision could be pushed to 2026, with the changes applicable for 2027.

While that was happening, and despite a growing grassroots movement to return to a full season points system, somewhat led by Hall of Famer and playoff committee member Mark Martin, the narrative on the playoff has shifted to expanding the final round, with suggestions from committee members of three, four, and even five races.

NASCAR’s playoff committee will not have final say on this matter, with NASCAR, of course, being the decider. However, many have expressed that the networks, and NBC in particular, have a say as well.

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