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So, heading into 2026, the newest schedule for NASCAR has a lot to offer that many fans want, many fans find a bit startling, and a few surprises along the way.
The push to give North Wilkesboro a points race after three successful years of being the All-Star host was answered profoundly. The hope for a track to return to the schedule was heard clearly, and those in the mid-west got their wish, as Chicagoland is here once again.
Watkins Glen goes from having some summer fun to some spring sensation. Whether that is going to mean using the rain tires is unclear, but the odds have gone up that they will get bolted on for a while.
NASCAR’s rotating season finale starts with bringing championship weekend back to the track that hosted it for many years, and proved to be a very viable location to do so. Having Homestead being back as the final race might be the best move of it all.
And yet, the one move that isn’t happening is the decision to not change the playoffs.
Races got moved, with Talladega going from the second round to the third, and Phoenix now starts the third round rather than be the championship finale. Yet, the issue is not where the tracks landed for the season, but more on NASCAR deciding to stick with the 16-driver field and elimination format for the 13th consecutive year.
Even the original Chase format did not have a format that lasted as long as the version introduced in 2014. From 10 drivers to 12, bonus points and wild cards, the way a field was set back before the expansion consistently went through changes, to keep it fresh. Fans loved it, loathed it, but still had discussion on it.
Now, it feels as though the sport has become comfortable with the format they have, but is it too comfortable?
Perhaps it is time to make a change to the playoff format, something that will really make it feel like a battle between 16 drivers. Yet, maybe a battle between 16 drivers, but without the need for each one to worry about the others, and instead worry about one.
The in-season championship for 2025 gave us a different battle on the track beyond just seeing who would win stages or the race. It had upset after upset in each race, and made it intriguing to watch with each event to see who would get a bonus just for racing one other driver each week.
What if that formula was applied for the postseason, with a bit of a modification to still have it be four rounds?
Think about it for a moment…the playoffs begin with 16 drivers, with wins and points determining the seedings. The issue that many have said has been that wins automatically give a driver a bid, but not every driver that has won has not shown consistently they are playoff contenders. Is Shane Van Gisbergen a playoff contender with three wins, all on road courses, when there’s only one track in the postseason with right-hand corners? Does Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, deserve a playoff spot with one win, but have not performed like a team with no wins, such as Alex Bowman or, surprisingly, Kyle Busch?
Eligibility has always been a talking point with the playoffs, so why not make it easy by saying if you win a race, you are eligible for the playoffs, but only if they finish in the top-16 at the end of the regular season.
It still rewards winning, but also doesn’t give an automatic spot, meaning each week that same driver still has to earn the spot.
Once it is time to set the playoffs, take a page from the in-season championship, and make it a bracket. Then, winning matters, because more wins means a higher seeding, with points earned in the regular season being tie-breaker. To mix it up, rather than it be No. 1 against No. 16, make it where No. 1 is paired with No. 9, then 2 vs. 10, 3 vs. 11, and so forth.
As an ode to the current format, the drivers battle over three races. If one of the drivers gets a win in the round, they move into the next round. Should the driver they are paired with get a win in the round, highest finish in the third race determines who moves on. No wins by either driver, it’s the highest finish in the round to determine who moves on.
Unfortunately, this bracket setup also means the “Round of 16, 12, 8 and Championship 4” then needs adjusted.
After three races, the field of 16 will get reduced to eight. The bracket is paired up again, and three races each against one other driver. Eight drivers get cut to four, the semi-finals of the NASCAR championship bracket. Could an upset be seen in the bracket to move forward, certainly, but a driver that was consistent in the regular season has a high probability of continuing that in the playoffs.
It comes down to the final race of the year, and the two best drivers of the playoffs go one-on-one, with another potential 38 drivers trying to write their own chapter.
How the champion is crowned currently in the championship race, that remains for the Championship Bracket. We have seen in past events when it comes to the two best drivers, it is compelling how it can change with every lap, every position, mistake and rally.
The two best drivers in the playoffs in 2011 were not tabbed as the two best in the regular season, but when those final 10 races came, it suddenly became clear that one driver was going to win his way in, and another was staying consistent. Both saw the final checkered flag with an equal amount of points.
But, Tony Stewart’s drive was undeniable. Five wins, including an absolute must-win at Homestead, made those playoffs one to remember.
It is time to make this battle for the title one that matters not just for 10 races, but one where it matters all year. Even the No. 1 seed in March Madness can go down in an instant to an underdog, and we saw that during the summer months when a bonus was on the line in the mid-season championship. The regular season right now, as some have said on podcasts, online, and when asked at the track, means nothing much unless you win.
Being consistent needs to make a return.
The time has come to give these playoffs a revamp, just as they did with the schedule. Make winning matter for 36 races, and not just give a free pass to go for a championship.
It’s time to step up, because when it comes to change and adaption, the sport isn’t keeping up.
