NASCAR will announce its championship format for the 2026 season on Monday.
The current playoff system has come under increased scrutiny in recent months, as the driver who wins the most races or scores the most points over the full season has not always gone on to win the championship. Critics argue the format places too much emphasis on late-season performance rather than rewarding consistency across the entire year.
While speculation continues about what changes may be coming, drivers are preparing to adapt regardless of the outcome.
NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace says he’s focused on racing, no matter what the final format looks like.
“There’s enough speculation around that we kind of have an idea, but nothing—nothing’s confirmed,” Wallace said. “For me, I’ve always been super silent on the format stuff because I have a contract, I have a job. Whatever that opportunity is, whatever format it is, whatever cars we race, whatever tracks we race at, I’m gonna show up and go race, and that’s it.”Comment with Bubbles
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NASCAR officials are expected to outline the new championship structure when the announcement is made Monday, potentially setting the stage for significant changes ahead of the 2026 season.