NASCAR teases major playoff change that fans will absolutely love

Time to roll out the Steve Carell memes, NASCAR fans, ‘it’s happening’.

Change it appears is coming to the sport’s much-maligned Cup Series playoff format, and you are going to absolutely love this one.

A decision on what the postseason will look like from 2026 on will be announced in the coming weeks, as fans continue to rage against a system which anoints a champion based on the result of just one race in November.

While support for a return to a 36-race championship season is gaining momentum in the corridors of power in Charlotte, one thing appears almost certain whatever the final decision is. There will likely be no more 'points reset’ in 2026 and beyond.

Fans absolutely hate it when every driver has their points reset at the start of each playoff round - effectively nullifying their performance before that point. But it appears this ‘rule’ is about to bite the dust.

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Key NASCAR figure talks playoff format

Mike Forde, Managing Director for Racing Communications at NASCAR, dropped the biggest of hints during an appearance on the Door Bumper Clear podcast.

He dropped it in response to Rick Ware Racing Competition Director Tommy Baldwin arguing that the driver who ends the regular season atop the standings, should start the postseason with an advantage as well.

“I think that’s probably gonna happen. I think we’ve talked about it, I feel like I have. If I haven’t, there you go, there’s your clip Dirty Mo,” admitted Forde.

Forde used current superstar Denny Hamlin to illustrate the point - a man who of course has still to claim that elusive Cup Series championship, despite having 60 race wins.

“Denny has talked about this, because he’s part of the Playoff Committee too. So Denny was anti the current format obviously (I’d be interested to see how he feels now, or if he wins the championship this year).

“But that was one of his points - he had a horrible Bristol and it did not matter at all. He didn’t care that he had a horrible [Bristol] because, to your point, the points reset, so him running horribly did not matter at all.

“So that’s one of the things we’re talking about too - should we not have a reset and just pick up where you left off in the rounds.”

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