NASCAR Contemplating Alterations to Playoff Structure for 2026 Season

As the new NASCAR season approaches, potential changes to the Cup Series playoff structure may be in store.

John Probst, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, stated on Monday that there will be no modifications for the 2025 season, but the playoff format will be reevaluated before the 2026 season.

Probst made these remarks during a competition briefing leading up to the start of the season, which kicks off with the Daytona 500 on February 16th.

\"We don't want to make minor adjustments to the playoffs every year,\" Probst explained. \"For 2025, we have decided not to make any changes. However, throughout this year, we will gather a group of stakeholders, including media, manufacturers, Goodyear, and drivers, to discuss where we are and what we are thinking.\"

\"This year, we will work with this group to take a comprehensive look at the playoff format.\"

Under the current structure, 16 drivers qualify for a 10-race chase divided into four rounds. The number of playoff drivers decreases from 16 to 12 to 8 before the Championship Four is determined. This format has been in place since 2014 and has only undergone minor changes since 2017, when stage racing and playoff points were introduced.

Probst noted that NASCAR has received feedback from stakeholders who either love the current playoff format, hate it, or fall somewhere in between.

However, there is no guarantee that any changes will be made in the end.

\"We haven't reached a point where we feel compelled to make changes,\" Probst stated. \"But we are actively considering the feedback from fans.\"

The current Cup champion is Joey Logano.