Nascar news

• NASCAR returns to Chase format: How 2026 playoffs will work

  12-01-2026 23:07 via sports.yahoo.com
  The "Chase" is on again for NASCAR, which will return to a 10-race postseason format in the Cup series in 2026 featuring 16 drivers battling for the championship as it steers away for the playoff format used the previous 11 years.The new format announced on Jan. 12 is aimed at rewarding consistency as much as winning. Based on points, the top-16 drivers after a 26-race regular season will advance to the Chase format similar the one introduced 22 years ago. A race win no longer assures a driver w
  
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• The evolution of NASCAR's championship format over the years

  12-01-2026 22:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  Motorsport photoNASCAR's championship format has just undergone its latest change, but it's far from the first time the Sanctioning Body has tweaked the way it crowns a champion.At some point, stock car racing was awarding points based on prize money, race lengths, or even laps completed. In the modern age, the Chase or the playoffs have existed in some form since 2004, breaking the season up into parts and create unpredictable outcomes. Without getting too into the weeds of every little ch
  
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• NASCAR reverts back to 'The Chase' playoff format. Here's how it works

  12-01-2026 22:26 via sports.yahoo.com
  NASCAR went back to its past in order to speed toward its future.On Monday, Jan. 12, it announced its new playoff format, which is actually just a reversion to an old way of crowning a champion called “The Chase.”The method will resemble the format used from 2004 to 2013, determining the champ based on cumulative points over the final 10 weeks of the season. No more four-round playoffs with the winner-take-all championship race that had been in place since 2014.“There were a co
  
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• NASCAR announces new championship format for 2026, return of The Chase

  12-01-2026 22:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  NASCAR announced Monday, Jan. 12 its new championship format for the 2026 season and beyond, bringing back the Chase for the Championship and emphasizing winning with a return to a full-season points system.NASCAR utilized the Chase format from 2004-2013 when it first introduced a postseason.The top racing series in the United States is looking to get past a turbulent offseason that culminated in a nasty federal antitrust trial that ultimately settled, but the company was accused of being a fami
  
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• NASCAR reverts to the Chase for the Championship format in 2026

  12-01-2026 22:01 via sports.yahoo.com
  Motorsport photoStarting in 2026, NASCAR will revert to a variation of the Chase for the Championship format it used to crown its champions from 2004-to-2013.In other words, no more win and you’re in and no more multiple elimination rounds. Most importantly, the sample size to determine the champion is no longer a single race but a 10-race points race.However, unlike NASCAR’s first version of a playoff, which included 10 and then 12 drivers, this version will feature the expanded 16
  
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• “The Chase is Back”: Dale Jr Compromises as NASCAR Goes Public with New Championship Format

  12-01-2026 21:52 via sports.yahoo.com
  March 29, 2015 - Ridgeway, VA, U.S. - Ridgeway, VA - Mar 29, 2015: Denny Hamlin (11) celebrates his win of the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, VA. NASCAR Motorsport USA 2015: Sprint Cup Series STP 500 Mar 29 - ZUMAa55_ ©imago images/ZUMA WireThe fated announcement has now come true. Just like the rumors suggested, NASCAR is bringing back the Chase format. In their official press release today, they have declared that the current playoff format will switch to The Chase again. T
  
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• New NASCAR Championship Format Revealed for 2026 Season, Details on Playoff Points

  12-01-2026 21:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesAfter years of frustration from drivers, fans and many in the garage, NASCAR announced its new playoff format on Monday afternoon that will be implemented beginning in the 2026 season. The new NASCAR playoff format includes bringing back a form of the 10-race chase.In a live-streamed NASCAR Championship format announcement, president Steve O’Donnell shared that the sport is going back to the “Chase” format moving forward.Read More: NASCAR Power Ranki
  
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• NASCAR changes playoff format again as it reverts back to the original 10-race Chase format

  12-01-2026 21:36 via sports.yahoo.com
  PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 04:A detail view of the Bill France NASCAR Cup Series Championship trophy onstage prior to the 2025 NASCAR Awards Show at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on November 04, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)Sean Gardner via Getty ImagesThe Chase for the Cup is back in NASCAR.The sanctioning body announced Monday that it was returning to its original postseason roots and getting rid of the multi-round format it had used since 2014. In
  
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• NASCAR's 'Chase' returns: What fans need to know about the 2026 format

  12-01-2026 21:33 via sports.yahoo.com
  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR's nearly two-year study into an overhaul of its championship-deciding format concluded Monday with the reveal that in 2026 the stock car series will return to a 10-race version closely resembling the very first iteration introduced 22 years ago.The system will return to a 10-race format consisting of the top 16 drivers in the regular-season standings. There will be no driver eliminations every three races, winning will be incentivized and its name will return
  
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• Smoke is back at Chili Bowl and Larson v Bell takes center stage

  12-01-2026 21:08 via sports.yahoo.com
  Motorsport photoIn introducing the guests for the annual Monday morning Chili Bowl Midget Nationals press conference, event publicist Bryan Hulbert called the attending drivers Mount Rushmore caliber and heaped praise upon the city officials who make it happen.Tony Stewart is back after a five-year hiatus, the two-time event winner turned groundskeeper, now tasked with just being a fan this week under the guise of grand marshal.Smoke was joined by two of his modern contemporaries in three-time w
  
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• Ex-FOX Broadcaster Tells NASCAR Haters to Back Off as Dale Jr. Gives Ultimate Approval to Championship Format

  12-01-2026 19:32 via sports.yahoo.com
  Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch May 1, 2024 Columbus, OH, USA NASCAR, Motorsport, USA legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks to media following the Memorial Tournament Legends Luncheon at the Ohio Union. Earnhardt emceed the event. Columbus , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAdamxCairns/ColumbusxDispatchx USATSI_23161485 ©IMAGO/USA TODAY NetworkIn these past 12 years, the 10-race elimination-style playoffs have been the subject of criticism for many, as they claim
  
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• NASCAR Insider Reveals Growing Industry Anxiety After Greg Biffle’s Fatal Plane Crash

  12-01-2026 19:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  via Imago ©via ImagoGreg Biffle’s sudden demise sent ripples across the motorsport fraternity. The fans and experts from all over the world are still coming to terms with it, as they try to cope with the second-hand loss that they are experiencing. But right now, the question being discussed more than his death is ‘how’ he died.Plane crashes and NASCAR have some weird, unwanted connection. Over the years, so many drivers have lost their lives in air-borne travel, which jus
  
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• Chili Bowl results: How NASCAR drivers fared at the 2026 Nationals in Tulsa

  12-01-2026 17:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  The biggest midget car racing event in the world, the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink in Tulsa, Oklahoma, always attracts some of NASCAR’s top stars. Which means millions of eyes this week will be focused on the 2026 Chili Bowl results.Leading the charge at this year’s Chili Bowl is Kyle Larson, who returns to the SageNet Center as the event’s defending champion after he scored his third Chili Bowl victory one season ago.Larson will be joined by a number of NAS
  
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• Tony Stewart Takes a Dig at the Daytona 500 With 7-Word Chili Bowl Verdict Amid Souring NASCAR Ties

  12-01-2026 17:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  credits: Sean Gardner/Getty Images ©credits: Sean Gardner/Getty ImagesTony Stewart has never been the type to soften his words, especially when it comes to NASCAR. Over the past few years, Smoke’s frustration with the sport has only grown louder. Whether it’s the charter system he’s openly criticized, the sponsor struggles that drained Stewart-Haas Racing, or NASCAR’s steady drift away from the roots he once helped define, Stewart has been vocal in voicing his opinio
  
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• Richard Petty’s Prized Memorabilia Goes Up on Sale 34 Years Later

  12-01-2026 15:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  MARTINSVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 03: 7 time Cup Series champion Richard Petty talks with fans prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Playoff Race Xfinity 500 on November 03, 2024 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: NOV 03 NASCAR Cup Series XFINITY 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2411036868500 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireTrue NASCAR fans know that Richard Petty’s career wasn’t just built on wins and championships. Rat
  
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• Insider Echoes Richard Petty’s Peer As He Quietly Exposes Long-feared Theory Of Racing Economy

  12-01-2026 14:30 via finance.yahoo.com
  MARTINSVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 03: 7 time Cup Series champion Richard Petty talks with fans prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Playoff Race Xfinity 500 on November 03, 2024 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: NOV 03 NASCAR Cup Series XFINITY 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2411036868500 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireNASCAR isn’t the same anymore, and Richard Petty’s son, Kyle Petty, knows it all too well. Earlier
  
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• Why Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch, the Last Two Cup Champions for Jack Roush, Shared A Great Rapport

  12-01-2026 11:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  Matt Kenseth (L) and Kurt Busch (R) | Credits- Mike Dinovo-Imagn ImagesMatt Kenseth won one of the most hotly debated championships in NASCAR history in 2003, securing the Cup title with a season built on consistency rather than a pile of trophies. He reached the peak with only a single race win, a result that ignited debate across the garage and grandstands. One year later, the sport responded with a seismic shift, introducing the Chase format. Under that new system, Kurt Busch came out as cham
  
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• Tony Stewart Highlights How the Chili Bowl Punishes Mistakes More Than the Daytona 500

  12-01-2026 10:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  Nov 17, 2017; Homestead, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series team owner Tony Stewart during qualifying for the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway | Credits- Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesThe 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals are finally set to get underway at the SageNet Center in Oklahoma on January 12. With multiple races scheduled throughout the week, the action will build toward Saturday’s finale, when a new champion will be crowned. Ahead of the green flag, Tony Stewart has underlined just ho
  
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• Why Dale Jarrett Running the NASCAR Double Is As Big As Kyle Busch’s Achievements Despite Fewer Wins

  12-01-2026 04:32 via sports.yahoo.com
  Jan 29, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Jarrett makes a speech after being inducted into the NASCAR hall of fame during the induction ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame. | Credits- Sam Sharpe-Imagn ImagesKyle Busch is greatly lauded today for his achievements in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Truck Series. The two-time Cup Series champion is the only driver in history to win championships in all three national NASCAR series and is the all-time leader in
  
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• Alex Bowman Credits Dale Earnhardt Jr. for Giving Him His First Big Break in NASCAR

  12-01-2026 04:19 via sports.yahoo.com
  Jul 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman (48) reacts after winning the Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Race. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY SportsAlex Bowman may not have stockpiled wins like his teammates Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, or William Byron, but he has shown quite a consistency in both speed and progression across various types of tracks. His quantum leap into Hendrick Motorsports traces directly back to Dale Earnhardt Jr., who first spotted h
  
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• Rick Hendrick’s NASCAR Recruit Breaks Silence on Chili Bowl Curse as Misfortune Clouds Title Hopes

  12-01-2026 03:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  Image Credit: IMAGO ©Manish KalsiA back-to-back streak of bad luck stings indeed. Rick Hendrick’s team mostly had a thumping good 2025 season. Most notably, Kyle Larson clinched his second NASCAR Cup Series championship after narrowly defeating season-favorite Denny Hamlin. As 2026 rolls into view, a blooming talent akin to Larson’s is set to join the ranks. However, Hendrick’s recruit slammed into an unexpected roadblock at the Chili Bowl before his season could start.Ric
  
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• Kyle Busch Does Not Get Too Worked Up About Transitioning from the Racetrack to Driving on the Road

  12-01-2026 03:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  Feb 13, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (8) during driver introductions for the Duels at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn ImagesNASCAR racers are used to going 200 miles an hour, and that, too, in traffic with other racecar drivers on the track. And many times it can get frustrating to drive on normal roads among normal people, as Ryan Blaney once confessed when he caught himself zoning out and creeping well above the post
  
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• Insiders Tease Championship Overhaul as NASCAR’s Most Controversial System Faces Long-Awaited Reckoning

  12-01-2026 02:10 via sports.yahoo.com
  The moment that was most hyped up in 2025 is probably just around the corner. Drivers and fans alike in the NASCAR community had been clamoring for a change in the title format for years. Their wishes came to fruition at the end of last year, when the sport’s executives announced that tweaks are underway. Now, all clouds of doubt and speculation over said changes in the NASCAR championship will clear out.A trailer for the new NASCAR championship format“@NASCAR says it will announce i
  
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• Veteran Insider Goes Against Fans, Defends NASCAR’s ‘Redneck’ Rebrand in 3-Words

  12-01-2026 00:08 via sports.yahoo.com
  Nascarpixtures / X ©Nascarpixtures / XDuring the Prohibition era in the United States, moonshine runners competed against each other in a show of pride. While it was risky and illegal, it garnered enormous fame in the southern part of the country. This sport grew to be a prominent stock car racing series, which we now know as NASCAR. A sport that was labeled ‘redneck racing.’The perception of NASCAR being a ‘redneck’ sport comes from its historical and cultural facto
  
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