by Nascar is heading for the 2026 season with the eliminatory system still in the air. They have remained with the current format for almost a decade, but the pressure of drivers and fans clearly indicated that the change should at least be on the table.
Ben Kennedy, Nascar executive vice-president, recently spoke to Siriusxm Nascar radio and said the debate had passed in many different directions.
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“So many people in the room come together and it is incredible to hear the wide range of opinions on how our eliminatory format should work in the future. Not to touch it, everything is going well to return to the 36-point calendar. You therefore know that we are looking at a number of different options,” he said.
Kennedy stressed that whatever the decision, it will not be precipitated: “It is a priority for us to announce something sooner than late and, in the end, we want to make sure that we take the time to do things correctly. So we want to make sure that he is really reflected. Because this next step is, I think our hope is that the new format will simply go in advance. ”
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The media, engines and leadership clash on the future of Nascar Playoff Format
Television partners want to keep the system that guarantees drama. The elimination rounds and the winner-to-all final offer many moments that play well on television. “Television wants playoffs. They want eliminations … I don’t know exactly what they want, but they want something close, I think, what’s going on now,” an initiate aligned by NBC told Jeff.
The drivers, on the other hand, repel. Many have said that the championship of a race leaves too random. Denny Hamlin was one of the most vocal criticisms, stressing that a full season of good performance can be canceled in an afternoon. Chase Elliott also said that a return to the traditional system of full season points would better reward coherence. An opinion with which Dale Earnhardt Jr. also agreed.
The special committee responsible for the format examination includes drivers, owners, manufacturers and media partners with Kennedy leading the group.
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Ideas like a multi-head final have floated, but no decision was made. Confirmation of the 2026 calendar arrives soon and although the current eliminatory system is listed for the moment, the door is still open. If nothing changes over time, Nascar can wait 2027 to implement a new system.
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