Beginning with the 2026 season, the new format will feature the 16 drivers who earn the most points during the 26-race regular season advancing to a 10-race “Chase” playoff, NASCAR announced Monday, s...

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of the icons seated beside NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell when he announced that the Cup Series would be returning to the previously used Chase format in 2026.

Most importantly, the sample size to determine the champion is no longer a single race but a 10-race points race.