Racing fans are finally free from the frustrating chaos of manufactured “Game 7” moments. NASCAR announced on Monday the new championship format that will be used in the Cup Series this season. After months of deliberation, the four-round postseason endeavor and winner-take-all finale have been thrown out for a 10-race mini-season to crown a champion. If you’re a stock car racing die-hard, this format should sound familiar. The Chase is back!
NASCAR revived its original postseason structure with a few tweaks. The top 16 drivers in the points standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the Chase. The “win-and-you’re-in” qualification path from the Playoffs has been completely eliminated. Instead, drivers will now receive 55 points for a race win, compared to the previous 40-point haul. The Playoff Points system has also been scrapped, but drivers will still score regular-season points for stage results.
Like with the original Chase implemented in 2004, there will be a points reset after a 26-race regular season. The points leader will start with 2,100 points, the No. 2 seeded driver will have 2,075 points, and the No. 3 seed will have 2,065. The starting total will decrease by five points down the rest of the postseason field. Once the Chase begins, there will be no field cuts or additional points resets. The champion will simply be the driver with the most points after the final race.
How NASCAR broke the camel’s back
When the Chase was dropped for the Playoffs after the 2013 season, it was immediately criticized for minimizing the importance of the regular season and creating the potential for ridiculous championship outcomes. With a single race win enough to qualify, drivers locked in their postseason spot in February or March and spent months with no competitive jeopardy until the Playoffs started over Labor Day weekend.
The real chaos began in the Playoffs, and last year’s Xfinity Series title fight was the format’s most egregious example. Connor Zilisch dominated NASCAR’s second division. The 19-year-old won 10 races and racked up 20 top-five finishes over the 33-race season. He also scored more points in the playoffs than anyone else. However, Zilisch lost the championship to Jesse Love after finishing third in the winner-take-all finale. Love only won two races, the Daytona season-opener and the Phoenix finale. Yes, the Chase will be implemented in the renamed O’Reilly Series and Craftsman Truck Series as well.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell claimed that the 2025 Xfinity Series finale had no bearing on the body’s decision to bring back the Chase. The executive also said that the Chase was a format unique to NASCAR, which balanced rewarding season-long consistency and winning, and noted that it’s a simpler format to explain to casual fans.
