Only a mere number of weeks remain until the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season begins with the new Chase format in play. The elimination-style playoff format and the win-and-in method of shortlisting playoff drivers have been axed for the better, and drivers will now be rewarded based on their body of work through the entire season.
One person who appreciates this change a lot is Dave Alpern, the President of Joe Gibbs Racing. Alpern often collaborates with his team’s media to post YouTube shorts that explain the know-hows of stock car racing. In one such recent video, he explained why he thinks the Chase format is the best step forward.
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The season will open with 26 regular-season races. The 16 drivers who secure the most points during this stretch will be a part of the final 10-race Chase. The driver who leads the points table at the end of this Chase will be crowned the champion. Alpern had already pitched this idea in an earlier video of his and was elated that NASCAR had chosen to act on it.
He said, “Keep in mind, the last time we had the Chase, there were no stage points. There was no 15-point bonus. So, you can earn as many as 35 additional bonus points per race than you could the last time you had the Chase. The other thing I think is really key is that they got rid of ‘win and you are in.’”
“There was nothing worse than someone winning the Daytona 500 and the announcer saying, ‘They have locked a spot in the playoffs!’ Who does that after one game in any sport? I think you need to earn it over a body of work. So, now there is no ‘win and you are in.’ A win is gonna give you a bonus, which is gonna point your way in. But you’ve gotta do it every week.”
If a driver goes through a bad week, he has no choice but to put in extra effort the next week and get back on track. Failing to do so will have real-time impacts on his standings and hurt his chances of making it to the Chase. Alpernis in full support of this concept since it makes every race matter more.
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“Kudos to NASCAR,” he concluded. “I think they listened to the input from the industry. I think they listened to the inputs from you, the fans. I think we landed in a great place.” Many drivers and executives, like him, resonate with this sentiment. The success of the format, however, will come to light as the year progresses.
The post “Kudos to NASCAR”: Joe Gibbs Racing Insider Voices Full Support for the New Chase Format appeared first on The SportsRush.
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