NASCAR fans aren’t pleased with the latest news about NASCAR’s points system, but what is this news, and why is it leading NASCAR fans to express shared displeasure?
Throughout the 2026 NASCAR season, the sport openly and publicly reviewed its current playoff system.
The system, which divides the series season into a period of 26 races, the regular season and 10 races split into four rounds with a single race deciding the champion, the playoffs, was nothing new to fans. However, after fans showed their dissatisfaction with Joey Logano’s improbable 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship win, tensions over the system boiled over.
This led to the possibility of NASCAR tweaking the system for the first time since the single race championship was introduced in 2014. While NASCAR made it clear this was not a promise, they did assemble a committee of industry members to review the system and suggest changes.
From there, committee members shared updates about the meetings and expressed the growing support for the full 36 race points system NASCAR utilized until 2003 throughout the season. As the year tailed off, it looked clear that NASCAR would, at the very least, do away with the single race championship.
What’s Happening? NASCAR is publicly seeking a new Playoff or even Championship Points system for the future. This story will unfold…
With NASCAR likely leaning away from the controversial format, fans figured it would land in one of three camps.
First was a rumored “3-3-4” playoff that would retain some principles of the 2014 single-race format, but with three rounds, rather than four, and one round of four races to decide a champion. This method meets the often-spoken-of criteria that a new system must have multiple races decide the champion, but disappoints traditionalists.
Second is a variation of a 10-race chase, which NASCAR utilized from 2004 to 2013. This system was the original playoff format, which saw groups of 10 to 12 drivers broken off and reset in points for the 10 final races of the season. Even though this is a playoff format, fans, including some traditionalists, like the nostalgia and simplicity of this system.
Finally, there is the full-season points system. This is the one that many fans appreciate for its traditional aspect, despite flaws such as drivers seeking consistency or winning the title before the final race. Many supporters of the 36-race system also support a modified version that prioritizes winning over pure consistency, an often-cited issue with the original system.
While NASCAR faces a major decision this offseason, fans’ questions may not have an answer for some time, as most reports indicate that NASCAR will announce the format later rather than sooner. But what is the latest news on the direction NASCAR is headed?
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Thursday night, Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal reported that NASCAR informed select team owners prior to the championship race at Phoenix that a playoff system would be the “most likely” outcome of this year’s extensive review of its championship system.
In response, fans online revolted against this idea, with users like @GTP_Dylan_GTP citing the numerous fan polls that support the full-season points. Although these polls do not represent all NASCAR fans, they provide a glimpse into the mindset of those most actively engaged in NASCAR conversations online.
Others, like @patrickstarr42, expressed disappointment with waiting all year for another playoff system to be the outcome, saying, “We all went through Phoenix and they are going to look at us with a straight face and say the playoffs are staying?”
Nonetheless, some individuals appear to be confused by this development, despite Stern’s indication that it could be “some sort of playoff with revisions.”
So, perhaps this could include the highly requested removal of the win and in rule in the final race championship, or even the removal of something like playoff points. Some users even speculated that NASCAR could be using the playoff name on a 10-race chase.
Nonetheless, the response to this report has not been entirely negative, with users like @Jacob_J_Nelson expressing interest in a ten-race Chase or even the rumored 3-3-4 format:
“While I didn’t mind the one race championship, I’d be fine with a 10 race Chase or even the 3-3-4 format thrown out there. I could accept a season long title, but would probably tune out late if the point spread is great.”
What’s Happening? As the 2025 NASCAR season draws to a close, fans are awaiting NASCAR’s final decision on its playoff system….
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