“Re-engage with our core fans”: NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell pinpoints the desire behind returning to ‘The Chase’ format

As NASCAR announced the major shift in its championship structure in 2026, the return of ‘The Chase’ Championship format, the governing body’s president, Steve O’Donnell, shared the desire to bring back the old format as less about nostalgia and more about rebuilding trust with their most loyal fans.

NASCAR reveals its new championship format live during a press conference on Monday (January 12). The new format will feature 16 drivers competing for a 10-race postseason with no eliminations. When the Chase begins, there will be a single-point reset after the 26-race regular season.

The driver with the most points after the final 10 races will win the title. This format will reward both winning and consistency more than in recent years.

During the press conference, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell explained that the decision to step away from the current elimination-style playoff format and return to a more traditional 10-race Chase was driven by a desire to reconnect with longtime fans who helped build the sport. It took almost a year to finalize the new format.

Here’s what O’Donnell said:

“From my perspective I’d be interested to hear the other guys just re-engage with our core fans, the folks who got us there, our loud voice. And I think when the industry is talking about they want a different format, we want that as well. At the end of the day, it’s, you know, growing the fan base, but it’s not just chasing new fans. We need to be with the folks who brought us to the dance and make sure that they believe in us where we’re going. New fans will come along because they’re going to see that this is a cool sport to be around.”

NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell on the full season points possibility

There was a pressure on NASCAR to change the championship format. They faced criticism from fans, veteran drivers, and teams who feel the elimination-style format no longer rewards the consistent performer.

Many fans on social media demanded to bring back the old full-season points-based format, but the governing body came up with a bit of a different model. The return of The Chase format is less about going back in time and more about finding the right balance between what fans want and what’s best for the sport’s growth.

Further in the press conference, O’Donnell shed light on the full season points possibility and said:

“It narrowed down to full-season or some type of Chase, vocal fans on social media aren’t all of our fans, we wanted a balance and this was simple.”

Under the new format, 55 points will be awarded to a driver on winning a NASCAR race instead of 40.