CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A NASCAR spokesperson confirmed on a podcast this week that a new playoff format could come as soon as 2026.

Photo by Dominic Aragon/TRE

Spokesperson Mike Forde confirmed the possible move on NASCAR’s “Hauler Talk” podcast. Forde is also a member of the playoff committee that NASCAR formed to discuss and develop changes to the format.

“We have a final playoff committee meeting that is coming midweek next week [after Bristol],” Forde said. “The plan is to discuss the shortlist of potential formats and the playoff committee’s opinion on that. We’ll go through that process and hopefully make a determination on an even shorter list… and whittle it down to one final format NASCAR will move forward [with].

“We may see something as soon as 2026.”

On the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi – often first to break news before formal announcements – hinted at the possibility of a 3-3-4 format where the championship round would expand from one race to four. Bianchi didn’t elaborate any further on what the format would look like.

Forde said the committee had their first meeting at the start of the 2025 season. The committee formed in response to fan feedback expressing an interest in a different playoff format.

In 2024, fans expressed outrage with how Joey Logano won the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Photo by Dominic Aragon/TRE

Logano made the playoffs after getting a fuel mileage win in the fifth overtime of the Nashville Superspeedway race. He led the last nine laps – the first of which came 23 laps beyond the advertised distance.

In the 10 playoff races, Logano had an average finish of 13.9 and earned three wins. He won at Atlanta and advance to the Round of 12 where Alex Bowman failed post-race inspection at the Charlotte Roval and put him in the Round of 8.

Logano then advanced to the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway with a fuel mileage win and six laps led at Las Vegas. Christopher Bell, a top championship favorite, dominated at Las Vegas and missed the Championship 4.

Between Las Vegas and Phoenix, Logano finished 28th at Homestead-Miami and 10th at Martinsville – but it was no matter. He won at Phoenix and claimed his third Cup Series championship.

On the season, Logano earned the all-time worst numbers for a Cup champion – seven top-5 finishes, 13 top-10s and an average finish of 17.1 in 36 races.

Courtesy of JEM

While some people have vehemently called for the pre-2004 full season championship format to return, including NASCAR Hall of Famer and fan favorite Mark Martin, the committee has reportedly come to a consensus on the one-race championship going away – but not the playoffs.

NASCAR hasn’t confirmed any format changes yet.

“I think the format we are going toward will be embraced by fans,” Forde said.

NASCAR last changed the format in 2017 when they added stage points and playoff points to the Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series.

Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.

A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.

Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.

Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com