NASCAR
NASCAR Changes to Remember Before the 2026 Season
Stock cars are less than two weeks away from kicking off the 2026 racing season with the first green flag of the year. Following a jam-packed offseason’s worth of news, NASCAR will have a few major stories headlining this coming season. From formats to new races to drivers with new teams, here are some changes to keep in mind when watching NASCAR in 2026.
‘The Chase’ is Back
After more than a year of speculation, NASCAR announced wide-sweeping championship format changes in January. Rather than having the elimination-round Playoffs, NASCAR is returning to a form of the old ‘Chase for the Cup’ rules used from 2004-2013. Highlights of these changes include the top-16 in points making a 10-race postseason after race 26.
‘Win and You’re In’ is no longer the rallying cry for the garage area, instead reverting back to a consistency-based championship. Reseeding will be based solely on regular season points, with the highest-ranked driver being reset at 2,100 points. They will have a 25-point gap over second-place, 35 over third, then down by five-point gaps until 16th with 2,000 points. Race wins are now also worth 55 points, an increase from past value of 40 points. There are no more Playoff rounds; the driver with the most points at the end of 10 weeks will be crowned champion.
Slightly modified versions of the above-mentioned format will also be used for the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Truck Series. Trucks will see their top-10 in points duke it out over their last seven weeks. O’Reilly will likewise see 12 drivers contend over nine races. All three series’ Chase kickoff race will be the Labor Day weekend event at Darlington Raceway.
In with O’Reilly Auto Parts, Out with Xfinity
11 years of title sponsorship with the NASCAR Xfinity Series has come to an end. 2026 will mark a new era for the Saturday division, now known as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The name change will be a tricky transition for everyone, but we will all adjust in due time. Xfinity does remain involved in NASCAR, however. They will remain the title sponsor of the Fastest Lap Award, as well as the Xfinity 500 fall Martinsville race, and are still a partner with 23XI Racing.
Horsepower Increase in Cup cars
The Cup Series’ Next Gen era has not seen any major package changes, until now. 2026 will see Cup cars upped to 750 horsepower on all ovals under 1.5 miles, as well as road courses. This affects all short tracks, as well as: Darlington, Phoenix, Gateway, Nashville, Dover, and New Hampshire. The horsepower rise was made with intentions of making cars tougher to drive and increasing falloff. Recent testing at North Wilkesboro Speedway showed mixed results on drivers being able to tell any difference with the additional power. Combined with softer Goodyear tires and other package changes though, the on-track product may show visible changes throughout this season.
How to Watch National Series Races in 2026
Television broadcast homes are largely unchanged for Trucks, O’Reilly, and Cup races alike in 2026.
- Trucks will remain on FOX or FS1; their season kicks off from Daytona on Friday, Feb 13.
- O’Reilly likewise remains solely on The CW for the balance of their year, starting Saturday, Feb. 14.
- Cup is once again divided between four different networks for their 36-race campaign. Fox Sports begins their season with the Cook Out Clash (Sunday, Feb. 1) and carries them through the All-Star Race (Sunday, May 17). Prime Sports then takes over for a five-week run of streaming-exclusive races, before handing the reigns to TNT Sports. From August 9 onwards, races will return to either USA Network or NBC under their umbrella. This includes the last three races being on the main NBC network.
Antitrust Lawsuit Fallout
Dominating headlines throughout December was the ongoing antitrust lawsuit brought by two race teams against NASCAR. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were arguing anticompetitive malpractice under the Sherman Antitrust Act. They alleged NASCAR strong-armed race teams to sign an unfair 2025 Charter Agreement. Almost two weeks’ worth of time in a Charlotte federal courtroom saw Michael Jordan, Jim France, Richard Childress, Steve Phelps, Denny Hamlin, and more all testify as witnesses. On the eighth day of the trial, NASCAR and the teams agreed to an out-of-court settlement. Exact details of this compromise are still unknown. However, NASCAR did grant the teams: evergreen/permanent charters, a large piece of international media revenue, a share of all future revenue (including intellectual property), and gave the plaintiff teams a financial settlement.
In the wake of this mammoth agreement, Steve Phelps did resign from his post as the outward-facing NASCAR Commissioner. No exact replacement has been named, but his duties have been largely shifted to NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell.
Schedule Changes in All Three Series:
- Championship Weekend Returns to Homestead: The fan-favorite track in south Florida will crown all three series’ champions once again, hosting the finale weekend for the first time since 2019. The past six seasons all ended at Phoenix Raceway; both tracks are expected to be part of a multi-stop rotation for the championship weekend in years to come.
- San Diego Naval Base Race Weekend: A first-of-its-kind spectacle will take place on Father’s Day Weekend in June. All three series will race around Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. Drivers will be navigating between fighter jets and aircraft carriers on a 3.4-mile temporary circuit set up on an active military base. San Diego’s race date comes from Mexico City, to avoid conflicts with the FIFA World Cup. This will be NASCAR’s second-ever street race, following three years of racing in downtown Chicago.
- Chicagoland Speedway Returns from Slumber: Speaking of The Windy City, ‘The Magnificent Mile and a Half’ will host NASCAR again for the first time in seven years. Joliet, Illinois will welcome back ARCA, O’Reilly, and Cup cars to celebrate Independence Day Weekend. Chicagoland Speedway saw a few all-time classic finishes in its last few years. Can the Next Gen Car deliver as much excitement on the ancient asphalt?
- North Wilkesboro Speedway Regains Points Race: From one track returning to another, North Wilkesboro Speedway is once again piece of the championship equation. The site of the All-Star Race for the past three seasons, the historic bullring will hold its first points race in 30 years. July’s Window World 450 will be as eagerly anticipated for new and old fans alike as any race this season.
- Dover Motor Speedway Gets All-Star Race: The $1 million extravaganza that is the NASCAR All-Star Race has a new home. The Monster Mile at Dover Motor Speedway sheds its points date for the no holds barred exhibition. Dover will be the fourth different track to host the All-Star Race since 2020.
- Trucks to Tango with IndyCar at St. Pete: Another new innovation will see the Craftsman Truck Series paired with IndyCar once again. The famed St. Petersburg Grand Prix will welcome Truckers for the first time ever, part of a unique doubleheader. Trucks and IndyCar previously held companion weekends at Texas Motor Speedway until 2023.
- IndyCar Doubleheader at Phoenix Raceway: IndyCar will also share a track with O’Reilly and Cup cars the very next week at Phoenix Raceway. The desert mile has not seen open wheel racing since 2018, setting up a long-awaited return in March. IndyCar will run on the same day as O’Reilly, leading to a fun opportunity for any driver to run both series.
- Watkins Glen will see their traditional late-summer race date shift to early May, the week prior to the All-Star Race.
Trackhouse Racing Team Shakeup
An unusually-quiet silly season 2026 only saw major changes surrounding Trackhouse Racing. Daniel Suarez moved on after five years with this team, opening up a seat for Connor Zilisch. The phenom will run for Rookie of the Year in a newly-branded No. 88 Chevrolet. Teammate Shane van Gisbergen likewise shifts to the No. 97, bringing back his personal number from Supercars. Ross Chastain’s team also has a new flavor; Brandon McSwain is now crew chief for the No. 1 Chevrolet. McSwain makes this move over from Hendrick Motorsports, where he was a previous engineer for William Byron.
Championship Redemption for Denny Hamlin?
Can Cup season 21 end with Denny Hamlin as number one? Still reeling from his devastating title loss at Phoenix Raceway in November, Denny Hamlin hopes to rebound in 2026. Now 45 years old, Hamlin is the elder statesman of the NASCAR garage, still chasing the elusive Bill France Cup. Age has seemingly not impacted Hamlin yet, with a monster six-win season put up last year. After an offseason filled with legal battles and tragedy alike, can Hamlin lock in for a career-defining exclamation point? Hamlin would be the oldest-ever NASCAR champion, by mere days over Bobby Allison’s record.
Even Year Logano Eyes Vengeance
Perhaps Hamlin and the rest of the field’s strongest championship rival in 2026 will be Joey Logano. Under the Playoff format, the Penske No. 22 made the Championship 4 in every even-numbered year from 2014-2025, winning three Cup titles. 2025 saw statistical regresses across the board for Logano, who eyes a major bounce back effort this season. Known for inaugural wins at new tracks, can Logano be first to capture the flag in a new format as well?
Brad Keselowski Injury Recovery
Logano’s longtime teammate Brad Keselowski also looks for a higher ceiling in 2026. Coming off a broken leg injury from December, Keselowski will sit out the Cook Out Clash, with plans to return by the Daytona 500. ‘The Great American Race’ is NASCAR’s one prize not yet claimed by the 2012 Cup champion and RFK Racing co-owner. Past Speedweeks, Keselowski hopes to be in the title hunt once again this season. A slow start to 2025 mired the No. 6 Ford, missing the Playoffs and finishing 19th in points. A stellar second-half run by the 6 did turn many heads, though. Keselowski is a past champion of ‘The Chase’ format and hopes to make the 16-man dance again in 2026.
Looming Star-Studded 2027 Silly Season
2026’s largely status quo silly season may only tease a monster upcoming free agency period. As many as 20 drivers may be on expiring contracts after 2026, opening up a very deep pool of available talent. Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, Corey Heim, and many others could see their talents take them elsewhere with new opportunities.
Drivers Still Winless in Cup
Speaking of star power, nearly one-third of the Cup grid for 2026 still chases their first career win. 2025 only saw one new Cup winner (Josh Berry), a stat equaled for three-straight seasons. The list of winless talents includes names such as: Ty Gibbs, Carson Hocevar, Connor Zilisch, Ryan Preece, and John Hunter Nemechek. 2022 saw an astounding five first-time Cup winners; 2026 may fall in a bit closer to that year’s parity.
Chevrolet Changes Cup Body Style
While admittedly minimal to the untrained eye, Chevrolet teams will debut a new body kit in 2026. This marks the first major changes to the Camaro design since the Next Gen Car’s introduction in 2022. Sharp lines specifically around the nose and tail pieces may lead to increased performance and success for all bowtie entries. Outside of Hendrick and Trackhouse, Chevrolet only saw one other Cup win throughout 2025. With Haas and Rick Ware also joining Team Chevy, higher ceilings are expected for all GM teams.
Kaulig Racing to RAM, Possible Cup Future for Dodge?
Perhaps the largest story of 2026 in the Craftsman Truck Series is the return of RAM. Kaulig Racing will field five trucks, anchored by full-time drivers Justin Haley, Brendan ‘Butterbean’ Queen, and Daniel Dye. Their fourth No. 25 entry will be a rotating all-star cast, starting off with Tony Stewart’s NASCAR return at Daytona. Their fifth No. 14 Truck will have its driver revealed in the ‘Race for the Seat’ reality show that will air over the following few weeks. Amidst their first year back in NASCAR since 2012, it will be fun to see how RAM succeeds or struggles with this factory-backed effort.
Stellantis executives have not denied future interest in expanding past Trucks to the Cup Series. Should they hit the ground running in 2026, this timeline back to Sundays could be faster than anyone imagined. Designing a new Cup car from the ground up does take time. Expect any future announcements to revolve around the 2027 or 2028 seasons.
JR Motorsports Returns to Daytona 500
One of the most popular entries from recent Daytona 500 memory will run it back in 2026. JR Motorsports will return for a second Cup Series appearance. Justin Allgaier will once again drive the No. 40 Chevrolet fielded by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sponsored by Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey. This trio finished an impressive ninth amidst their first Daytona 500 attempt last year, and aim even higher this time around. Like last year, they will have to either qualify into the show on speed or race their way in through the Duel. Anything involving Dale Jr. is met with unmatched fan support. Expect the No. 40 to be a popular sight once again on the Florida high banks.
The 2026 NASCAR season officially begins Sunday, February 1, with the Cook Out Clash from Bowman Gray Stadium. Two weeks after that, Cup cars will hit the high banks at Daytona for the 68th Running of the Daytona 500. Stay tuned for any news that may come out between now and the first green flag of the new year, as the offseason is quickly coming to a close.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Sean Gardner/Getty Images
