In these past 12 years, the 10-race elimination-style playoffs have been the subject of criticism for many, as they claim that consistency and performance are not rewarded. A large part of the championship win depends on luck. However, 2026 is soon going to witness a major change. The sport’s authorities are going to introduce a new championship format system on Monday, and they have chosen the sport’s two very popular drivers to approve the same.
Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Mark Martin are on with the duty. Within a few hours, NASCAR will witness a major change, something that the fans have asked for a long time. Amidst this, another veteran driver and former FOX broadcaster feels it would be only right for the haters to now relax.
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Kenny Wallacehas become a voice of the sport for the fans. He regularly drops recent updates and his opinion on the sport through his social media show, “Coffee with Kenny.” Discussing the new NASCAR Championship format, which he claims to know but cannot reveal, Wallace mentioned that the sport is going back to its old ways, and that the fans should go easy on the sport now.
“NASCAR told me flat to my face. ‘Herman, we are going to get NASCAR back to where it should be.’ NASCAR recognizes that they messed up in the past. So, take this moment as a win for you all. Don’t keep fighting NASCAR,” he said.
Fans and critics have been quite overt with their opinions on the sport and the current championship format. For many, Denny Hamlin’s title loss in the 2025 season, despite being one of the best performers throughout his run, was a major example of why the format needed change.
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After years of disdain, however, the sport is expected to be on the right path. Although not a lot is known about the new format, it could keep the fans happy. Chris Rice had earlier claimed the same when he told Wallace that he would like the format.
Wallace also feels that the authorities have listened to the fans at this point, owing to the changes that will be announced.
“I would say NASCAR heard you everybody. They listened to you. We got the NASCAR championship format today and Dale Jr. and Mark Martin, they like it because it’s back to what we want. Where everything matters. There’s no more getting lucky getting into points.”
Most fans have been asking for a 36-point race championship format; however, that might not be the case, and for a good reason.
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“It’s not exactly what everybody’s posting about. We need an adjustment. Do we need an overhaul? No. But we need an adjustment.”
Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice’s statement spoke volumes on the new format that the sport will soon adopt. With Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr on their way to approve of the same, the fans can expect something of their liking. However, it is not expected to be exactly what some of them wanted.
A 36-point season has drawbacks of its own. Drivers can sometimes dominate with more points and race wins, which can see a season ending rather early (competition-wise). This can regularly be noticed in Formula 1 and other related motorsports, when the Champion is often crowned before the season ends, making the remaining races rather boring.
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However, it is also true that the Championship 4 format is not completely fair to all the drivers, and the new system is supposed to address this.
NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass dropped a hint on the possible format, revealing that it could “likely some form of 10-race Chase with eligibility & points reset determined by standings.” This would simply mean that the new format will still have a 10-race chase, but perhaps without the elimination-style format. This would make all the playoff drivers eligible to win the title up until the final race, keeping the competition healthy.
This new championship format could prove to be the greatest change that the sport has introduced in recent years. Many drivers would benefit from this, and the title winner is expected to be more deserving and less lucky. So what is your prediction on the new format that releases today?
The post Ex-FOX Broadcaster Tells NASCAR Haters to Back Off as Dale Jr. Gives Ultimate Approval to Championship Format appeared first on EssentiallySports.
