The 2026 season is a landmark one for NASCAR Cup, and most of the change is about how the champion is crowned.
The playoffs go back to basics. NASCAR has scrapped the elimination-round format used since 2014 and revived the full-season Chase points system last seen in 2004–2013. There are no more elimination knockout rounds. The top 16 still make the Chase after 26 races and have their points re-seeded for the postseason, but from there the title simply goes to whoever leads the standings after the final race. It rewards season-long consistency over a winner-takes-all shootout.
The calendar's bookends shift. The season still opens with its biggest race, the Daytona 500, in February — but the finale moves to Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, its first time hosting the decider since 2019.
More power on the tightest tracks. Engine output rises to 750 bhp — up from 670 — at short tracks and road courses, giving drivers more to manage where throttle control and handling matter most.
The spec "Next Gen" car and the three manufacturers carry over unchanged. New to the sport? Start with what the NASCAR Cup Series is.