NASCAR insider hints revised playoff structure could be announced this month 

NASCAR insider Kelly Crandall recently answered one of stock car racing fans' queries about the playoff structure. She shared an X post discussing when the governing body can announce the revised playoff format for the 2026 season.

The current playoff system features three elimination rounds before heading to the championship race. Each round comprises three races and eliminates the four lowest-scoring drivers from contention. Only four drivers remain to compete in the one-race championship decider. The governing body introduced this format in 2014 and has been following it for the past decade.

However, since 2024, fans have been criticizing this format and asking NASCAR to change it for the next season. Following that, the governing body formed a committee to address the situation. But there is no confirmation about the change or any date for the decision to be made public.

Reflecting on that, Kelly Crandall shared her prediction via an X post and wrote:

"My expectation is that it would be during the pre-season media rules briefing sometime this month, which is typically middle to later in the month. Unless they choose to do it as a separate announcement, which theoretically could come at any time."

In November 2025, on the Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR managing director Mike Forde stated, "he feels good about the direction and possibilities" of the format change. He concluded that the decision could be out in two days, weeks, or months.

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NASCAR unveiled the 2026 Cup Series season calendar

In November 2025, NASCAR revealed the full-time calendar for the upcoming 2026 Cup Series season. The governing body has made some tweaks to the schedule and added two additional races to the season. Also, the sanctioning body changed the venue of the Championship 4 race from Phoenix Raceway to Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Athletic was the first to release the 2026 full-time schedule. Here's the list of all the events:

• Feb. 1: Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
• Feb. 15: Daytona 500
• Feb. 22: Atlanta (EchoPark)
• Mar. 1: Circuit of the Americas
• Mar. 8: Phoenix
• Mar. 15: Las Vegas
• Mar. 22: Darlington
• Mar. 29: Martinsville
• Apr. 5: Off (Easter)
• Apr. 12: Bristol
• Apr. 19: Kansas
• Apr. 26: Talladega
• May 3: Texas
• May 10: Watkins Glen
• May 17: All-Star Race (Dover)
• May 24: Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
• May 31: Nashville
• Jun. 7: Michigan
• Jun. 14: Pocono
• Jun. 21: San Diego (Naval Base Coronado)
• Jun. 28: Sonoma
• Jul. 5: Chicagoland
• Jul. 12: Atlanta (EchoPark)
• Jul. 19: North Wilkesboro
• Jul. 26: Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis)
• Aug. 2: Off weekend
• Aug. 9: Iowa
• Aug. 15: Richmond
• Aug. 23: New Hampshire
• Aug. 29: Daytona (regular-season finale)
• Sept. 6: Darlington (playoff opener)
• Sept. 13: Gateway
• Sept. 19: Bristol (Round 1 elimination)
• Sept. 27: Kansas
• Oct. 4: Las Vegas
• Oct. 11: Charlotte Roval (Round 2 elimination)
• Oct. 18: Phoenix
• Oct. 25: Talladega
• Nov. 1: Martinsville (Round 3 elimination)
• Nov. 8: Homestead (Championship Race)

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson clinched his second Cup Series championship title in the 2025 season. Larson gained a lead over the race-dominating driver Denny Hamlin after the final pit stop. Larson finished three spots ahead of Hamlin in P3 and won the championship title.

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Edited by Karan Yadav