Chase Elliott admits one thing he doesn’t like about NASCAR’s new Chase format for 2026 season


Chase Elliott weighed in on the “compromising” nature of the new NASCAR championship format, which was announced Monday at the NASCAR Productions Facility. This will be in effect for all three national series in 2026 and beyond.

For Elliott, the part where 16 drivers will have to qualify for the playoffs based on regular season points seemed particularly difficult, because the old “win and you’re out” style of playoffs is no more. On this note, the Hendrick Motorsports Ace said (1:20, via Bob Pockrass on X),

“I think it’s a great compromise if I had a complaint… I think 16 is just too much. I thought the 10-driver bit was really hard to get into. I still think 16 will be a challenge, but for me I think it’s a perfect compromise. You’ll never get everything you want.”

The Chase will span 10 races for the Series of cutsnine races for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity) and seven races for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The driver who finishes the season with the most points will be crowned series champion.

In a recent interview with NASCAR.com, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell discussed how returning to a modified version of the previously used Chase format (2004-2013) was unique to the sport.

“It’s something we think the fans will embrace,” O’Donnell said. “It’s 10 races, each race important and still very simple to explain to the fans. A set of points, easy to explain, and the best driver at the end of 36 races is ultimately going to win the championship if he can perform for these last 10 races.”

All eyes are now on the season-opening Daytona 500, scheduled for February 15. For Chase Elliott, this will be his 11th attempt at the Daytona 500.

Last year he finished 15th in the crown jewels event, while his teammate William Byron won. In fact, Byron is the only active Hendrick Motorsports driver to win the iconic 500-mile race, and that too twice.

Chase Elliott identifies ‘one mistake’ NASCAR made as an industry

Amid all the changes announced by NASCAR on Monday, December 12, Chase Elliott spoke with reporters at the NASCAR Productions facility in Concord, North Carolina. He brought up a mistake that NASCAR made as an industry. Explaining his position, the Dawsonville native said:

“A mistake that we’ve made as an industry, and not just in this regard, but in other areas as well, is trying to be like every other sport, you know, the mainstream sports that are out there. I think it’s very important to remember that that’s not the case.”

“It’s not, and that’s okay because what we have can be really entertaining and really fun to watch,” Chase Elliott continued. “I’m still a big motorsport fan, no matter what I do for a living, I still love it.”

Chase Elliott is the reigning winner of the NMPA Most Popular Driver award, an honor his father, the legendary Bill Elliott, received 16 times during his career. He is also a former NASCAR Cup Series champion, winning his only career title in 2020.