NASCAR start time, TV schedule release raises eyebrows amid playoff format change speculation

NASCAR on Wednesday announced the full 2026 schedule with start times and networks for all three of its national series. There are some interesting items of note, such as only 10 Cup Series races, including The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, will be on network television.

But at the end of NASCAR’s release, there’s a really important note which reads, “*Playoff Races.” The final 10 races are listed with the asterisk symbol. Now, on the surface, that’s not surprising. The final 10 races of the season have served as NASCAR’s postseason since 2004.

However, NASCAR has not officially announced the format they will use to decide a champion in 2026. NASCAR introduced the current elimination style format in 2014. The 10-race postseason is capped off by a one-race, winner-take-all finale where the highest finisher of the Championship 4 drivers is crowned champion.

NASCAR put together a playoff committee consisting of former drivers, media partners, team owners, manufacturers, track representatives and independent media to determine if the format should change in 2026. Some have argued for a return to the full-season points format, while others are in favor of a revamped 10-race Chase.

What appears clear is that the current format will not continue in its current form. Something will likely change, and it could be the sanctioning body moving on from the one-race finale.

NASCAR’s Mike Forde shares update on internal discussions about future of championship format

Mike Forde, NASCAR managing director of racing communications, said on Tuesday’s “Hauler Talk” that discussions are still taking place within NASCAR concerning the future of the championship format. Forde said an announcement as to which format NASCAR uses to determine a champion in 2026 and beyond could come in “two weeks, it could be in two months.” All of it is still to be determined.

“Where it stands right now… I don’t think the playoff committee is going to meet again. I think we have gotten all the feedback that we needed from them. Awesome job, by the way, from the playoff committee. … Now, it’s in NASCAR’s hands,” Forde said. “They’re going to take all the feedback they got from every walk of life and every thought on the spectrum from no playoffs whatsoever to keeping it how it is and really beating that all up. They’re announcements to come. Honestly, I don’t know where it is. It could be in two weeks, it could be in two months.

“We clearly want to make sure that we have been very thorough on this one. Obviously, it will be before Feb. 5 in The Clash, but it could be sooner than later, it could be in January. I don’t know, I don’t think anyone knows just yet. Still discussions to be had on where we are on discussion of the playoff format. I think we feel good about the directions and the possibilities here because of the playoff committee and the work that they’ve done and the feedback we got from the industry.”