NASCAR’s Search for a New Playoff: What You Need to Know

What’s Happening?

NASCAR is publicly seeking a new Playoff or even Championship Points system for the future. This story will unfold throughout the 2025 season, and this tracker will provide you with all the breaking news and context needed to understand NASCAR’s pursuit.

• NASCAR introduced its current Playoff format in 2014. This controversial system consists of 10 races, four rounds, and 16 drivers. Drivers can lock themselves into the playoffs with a regular-season win and advance by doing so during the playoffs.
• This system was controversial when first introduced and has retained that reputation since. Events in late 2024 reignited fan outrage to a point at which NASCAR is reviewing the system.
• In order to do so, NASCAR must take into account the wants of all stakeholders in the sport. This includes the media, owners, drivers, tracks, and fans.

What’s the Latest News?

Update January 12: The Chase is Back

On January 12, 2025, NACSAR announced the end of the Playoff System, reintroducing a 16-driver, ten-race Chase format.

This format is to be used to varying degrees across the three NASCAR National Series, and features the removal of playoff points, eliminations, rounds, and the controversial win-and-in stipulation. The system also emphasises winning, with winners getting 55 points instead of 15, and a 25-point advantage at the start of the Chase.

Update September 22-26: The Final Committee Meeting

Several members of the NASCAR Playoff Committee have shared information on the latest and potential final meeting.

Among the things discussed during this meeting were the often-rumored 3-3-4 playoff format and the elimination of playoff points, with the latter representing a push towards a simplified format, that welcomes novice fans.

But perhaps the most important takeaway from this meeting was the growing number of members who support the full-season points system. According to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and NASCAR’s Managing Director of Communications Mike Forde, multiple committee members have flipped their opinions towards a return to the system.

Nonetheless, it still seems unlikely that NASCAR will head this direction as industry members such as track owners claim that the playoffs help boost their sales and excitement for races. On the other hand, according to these committee members, NBC has told NASCAR that the final decision is up to them.

A decision on a new playoff/championship format will likely not happen until after the conclusion of the season, with many citing that they do not want this weekend and its champions to be overshadowed by a new system.

Update September 10: NASCAR Set For Final Committee Meeting

During the September 10 episode of Hauler Talk, Mike Forde claimed that NASCAR is set to discuss a “short list” of formats with the Playoff Committee during the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend. This will likely be the final meeting of the committee, with their conversation then transitioning to NASCAR brass, who will make the final decision.

Update August 20: 2026 Schedule is No Indication that Current Playoff System Will Remain

In a media availability, NASCAR Executive Ben Kennedy clarified that references to the current playoff system placed on the final iteration of the 2026 schedule do not mean it will remain the same next season. Kennedy said, “I know there are conversations, as early as a couple days ago, on what the future of the playoff format looks like,” Kennedy said. “Nothing to announce today.” During the September 10 episode of Hauler Talk, Mike Forde claimed that NASCAR is set to discuss a “short list” of formats with the Playoff Committee during the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend. This will likely be the final

Update August 19: NASCAR Could Test Different Formats in the Lower National Series in 2026

When speaking with Eric Estepp, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell hinted that NASCAR could look to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and O’Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) Series to test out formats in 2026. O’Donnell said, ”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?'”

Update: Aug. 1: Though the Committee Has Found Common Ground, NASCAR’s Talks With NBC Could Put Changes on Hold for 2027

For the first time since March, several stories developed from this saga during the week of Jul. 28 through Aug. 1.

First, from Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, who said during The Teardown Podcast that he, a member of the committee, thought that everyone was in agreement on expanding the final round of the playoffs. As Gluck said, “I would have told you a few weeks ago that there’s probably a 90 to 95% chance that the one-race playoff was dead next year.”

However, NASCAR told the committee, which has only met twice, once in March at the 500 and again at the Coca-Cola 600 in May, that before they make a decision, they need to talk to NBC, the network that covers the playoffs and has a committee representative. This could push any potential changes to 2027, as the release of the 2026 schedule draws ever closer.

On Jul. 29, NBC Sports’ Vice President of NASCAR, Jeff Behnke, told Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal that NBC does not have a preference in format. However, he used playoff terminology, perhaps suggesting support of a playoff rather than a full-season points system, saying, “We will produce those playoff races to the best of our ability.”

Denny Hamlin, confirming that he was a committee member, corroborated this story on that week’s episode of Action’s Detremental, saying that sample size, meaning the number of races in the final round, was the biggest thing holding the format back. Both podcasts confirmed that the committee members are worried about the legitimacy of the championship.

On Wednesday’s episode of Hauler Talk, Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, confirmed that Joey Logano is also a committee member. Forde, a member himself, explained what he thinks is a realistic timeline for NASCAR implementing a new format, saying:

“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

Forde also stated that he isn’t ruling out 2026 as the season that sees championship changes, though NASCAR is comfortable waiting until 2027 to make the correct decision for the long term.

On Thursday, Gluck published an in-depth report for The Athletic, reiterating several points made earlier that week about NBC’s role in the playoff decision, which has received increasing scrutiny from fans and industry members. But in this report, he also revealed that in expanding the final round, the committee has suggested a three- and five-race finale.

NASCAR’s Playoff Committee

UPDATE: Aug. 1: Members of this committee can only speak for themselves and cannot advocate for a format outside the committee. The committee has met twice, during the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 race weekends, though NASCAR has sent out surveys to members. Newly confirmed members include Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Joey Logano, and a representative of NBC Sports.

Little detail was provided about what exactly happened at NASCAR’s first playoff committee meeting until the Feb. 26 episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast. NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, Mike Forde, a committee member and co-host of Hauler Talk, revealed surface-level details about the committee.

Key figures include Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s SVP for Strategy & Innovation, who Forde claims is the chairperson of the committee, and Tim Clark, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer. Forde also mentioned Julia Landauer, a former ARCA Menards Series West regular.

The rest of the members include representatives from teams, networks, and OEMs. However, when it comes to drivers, Forde states that there is a mix of current drivers and Hall of Famers. He even hints that “a lot of them have podcasts” and that “you also have two drivers who are also owners that are in it.”

Forde did not name specific industry members but mentioned that it consists of major names and options for current and retired drivers who own teams, host podcasts, or are in the Hall of Fame. He also clarified that the roughly 30 to 40-person panel also includes representatives from teams, OEMs, and NASCAR’s TV partners.

Most importantly, Forde revealed that Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, whom he claims “NASCAR has really turned to him as a leader in the garage,” is also a member.

Forde did not go into detail about what was discussed during the meeting. But mentioned that one Hall of Famer pitched a return to the 36-race season, and others suggested a three-race final round, a “seven-race lead into a three-race championship,” and cutting the field down to 12 or ten drivers.

This committee will not make the final decision; rather, it is a braintrust of industry members and representatives who give suggestions and feedback on different aspects of the Playoff.

What Caused The Hunt For a New System?

NASCAR’s current Playoff system, introduced in 2014, is a far cry from the sport’s first playoff, introduced in 2004 as the Chase. The round-to-round, win-and-elimination-style 10-race, 16-driver playoff has had a controversial history.

This controversy included the system rewarding drivers with poor statistics and those who did not start every race with a championship shot. This all came to a head last fall when Joey Logano, who had one of his worst career seasons, walked away with the title.

Compared to past Champions, Logano’s seven top-fives, 13 top-tens, and 17.1 average finish failed to stack up to even the most controversial of champions, including himself in 2022. Fans, media personalities, drivers, and content creators all flocked to the NASCAR online community to express their displeasure with this result

What Did NASCAR Say After Phoenix?

NASCAR was already under pressure about the system entering Phoenix, as the Martinsville Round of Four cutoff race saw a controversial finish in which drivers assisted their fellow OEM teammates in advancing to the championship race.

Following this race, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell addressed the Playoffs at the State of the Sport press conference before Logano’s win. O’Donnell claimed that in all sports, the best team or athlete may not win the championship. However, O’Donnell did claim that NASCAR would look into the playoffs. He hinted that the playoffs themselves wouldn’t go anywhere, as the playoff racing style justifies the system in its own right.

“We’ll absolutely look at you know what form the playoffs take in the offseason,” O’Donnell said. “You always learn, like I said before. But the playoffs in and of themselves, as Steve said, you cannot argue with the racing of the playoffs.”

However, following Logano’s victory, NASCAR’s tune on changing the playoffs slightly changed. On Nov. 12, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer confirmed that NASCAR was indeed open to changing the format.

Sawyer told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, “You know, we’re all ears on it, and we have some ideas, but we want to make sure as an industry, you know, we’re doing the right thing for our sport and the right thing to crown our champions.”

While NASCAR confirmed on Jan. 27 that it will maintain the current format for 2025, the system will be reviewed throughout the season. This ultimately took shape in an industry-wide committee that met during Daytona speed weeks.

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