The NASCAR season gets underway this Sunday as the Cup Series opens up the season with the exhibition race, The Clash at Bowman Gray,at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. That begs the question: what do you need to know about NASCAR entering this season?
The Chase Returns
After a dozen years of the much-maligned NASCAR playoff system, NASCAR has changed the points structure back to a format similar to the original Chase used from 2004-2010. The playoffs were a luck of the draw, where drivers only needed five or so good races to win the championship.This was evident in the 2023 and2024 cup champions having posted the worst average finishes ever by a champion in Cup Series history.
The Chase rewards more consistency, forcing drivers to be on their game the final ten weeks, as one or two slip ups could cost a title. The Chase was coined a “perfect compromise” by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, as it split the difference between the fans, who favored a traditional full-season point format and Nascar Leadership and TV wanting a stick-and-ballstyle playoff to draw in the casual fan. After the first 26 races, the top 16 drivers in points from the36 car field advance to a final 10-race push for the championship. The regular-season champion after 26 races enters the Chase with 2,100 points, followed by second place at 2,075, trickling down till the 16th drive enters with 2,000 points. Race winners will now earn 55 points instead of 40, creating advantage as second place still earns 35 placing a bigger emphasis on winning.
Is Short Track Racing Back?
NASCAR’s bread and butter is short-track racing, but ever since 2022 with the debut of the Next Gen car, short-track races have been a tough watch. NASCAR needs to improve the short-track racing as it is the identity of the sport and is crucial to the core of the fanbase. Last year, however, with Goodyear making softer tires, short track racing saw an improvement but still not to the NASCAR standard of beating and banging while rubbing fenders.
The sanctioning body has taken additional steps to remedy the short track issue this year by increasing to a 750 horsepower package, up from the previous 670. More horsepower makes the cars harder to drive and creates more passing opportunities. In the exhibition clash race run last week the higher horsepower already seemed to improve the racing. Combined with Goodyear soft tires, short-track racing seems to be on an upswing for 2026.
Last Ride for Rowdy?
The 2026 season might mark the last year of NASCAR legend Kyle “Rowdy” Busch’s illustrious career. Busch was the best driver of the 2010s, winning two Cup Series titles and leading all three national series each in wins that decade. The change to the Next Gen car in 2022, his older age and his move from one of the top teams in Joe Gibbs Racing (RCR) to a struggling Richard Childress Racing team has led to the decline of Busch’s performance. Busch hasn’t won a race since Gateway in June 2023, entering this year on the longest winless streak of his career. These past two seasons represent the first time in his career he hasn’t won a single race in a season ever since debuting in 2005.
Busch was NASCAR’s most hated driver in 2008 when he wrecked with the golden child of NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Richmond. Since 2023, however, his winless streak and his status as being one of the last of the old guard who raced during NASCAR’s peak have transformed him into a fan-favorite, something nobody ever thought would happen. Busch’s contract with RCR ends after this year. While he would be the top driver on the market,if a good ride doesn’t open up for him he just might call it a career.
The Rookie
Hotshot rookie Connor Zilisch, who is younger than the movie Cars, debuts full-time this year in the No. 88 car for Trackhouse. Zilisch had one of the best O’Reilly seasons in series history, winning10 races in 32starts. He led the series in all other major statistics with 16 podiums, 20 top-five finishes, including an absurd 18 straight top fives, 23 top 10s and eight poles. Yet, due to NASCAR’s one-race playoff championship format,Zilisch did not win the title despite scoring the most points all year. Yet another example of how the playoff system can punish consistency.
Zilisch is one of the top prospects of all-time, drawing comparisons to current star driver Kyle Larson and to the Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. Trackhouse has winning equipment with teammates Ross Chastain and Shane Van Gisbergen (SVG) both winning races last year. Zilisch is great on road courses and is the only one to beat SVG, widely considered the best road course racer in NASCAR, head-to-head last year, doing so multiple times in the O’Reilly series. Don’t be surprised if Zilisch comes out and wins multiple races this season.
Races to Watch
The Daytona 500, February 15th, 2:30 p.m. EST on FOX– “The Great American Race” is the biggest race in NASCAR and it opens the season. William Byron, in his Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 will look to win an unprecedented third straight Daytona 500, something that has never been done before. A mixture of rain delayed races to go and a poor super-speedway package has caused the 500 to lose some of its luster recently. Nonetheless, it remains NASCAR’s biggest race of the season and one you won’t want to miss.
Coca-Cola 600, May 24th, 6:00 p.m. EST on Prime– The Coca-Cola 600 has been one of the top races in the Next Gen car era due to superb action on intermediate tracks. Stock car racing’s longest night delivers unmatched pageantry on Memorial Day weekend. Where the 500 has lost some of its luster lately, the 600 has gained it. It’s going to be one of the most competitive races of the season with comers and goers throughout, potentially race of the year candidate.
San Diego Street Course, June 21st, 4:00 p.m. EST on Prime– In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, NASCAR is doing something straight out of Top Gun by racing around Naval Base Coronado on Father’s Day weekend. This marks NASCAR’s first time racing in Southern California since Auto Club Speedway’s final event in 2023. This is NASCAR’s second attempt at a street course after the Chicago Street Course from 2023-25. SVG will be the odds on favorite, while seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is another notable driver in the field.
Chicagoland Returns, July 5th, 6:00 p.m. EST on TNT– After hosting Cup Series races from 2001-20, Chicagoland Speedway returns this year. With the Chicago Street Course being a success, NASCAR will try to capitalize on the momentum in the Chicago area. The racing should be fantastic due to a worn-out surface chewing tires up and the Next Gen’s prowess on mile- tracks. NASCAR always puts on special show to honor America with its heavy patriotism on the Fourth of July weekend,this year should be no different.
North Wilkesboro Returns, July 19th, 7:00 p.m. EST on TNT– North Wilkesboro has completed a miraculous comeback. An original track on the inaugural 1948 circuit, it was abandoned by NASCAR in 1996, yet thanks in large part to Dale Jr., the track began its revival in 2020 through iRacing. After hosting the All Star Race the last couple of years, the track is truly astonishing. This track represents the continuation of NASCAR’s push back to its Southern roots, to win the core fanbase back. This race is one to watch for the atmosphere alone though as it represents everything NASCAR is.
Southern 500, September 6th 5:00 p.m., EST USA– “The race that makes men men.” While the 600 might be the longest race,the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, “The Track Too Tough To Tame,” is the most grueling. The track chews up tires like no other, making car management crucial over500 excruciating miles on Labor Day weekend. The race also opens up the Chase this year and “If The Lady in Black” gets the best of you, a championship run might be over before it even begins.
NASCAR Championship Race at Homestead-Miami, November 8th, 3:00 p.m. EST on NBC– A generation of NASCAR fans grew up with Homestead being the final race of the season and for the first time since 2019 it returns to that date. Homestead has some of, if not the best racing on the cup circuit nowadays, thanks to its multi-groove track. This is the cumulation of the season, the championship will more than likely decide during this race. The Chase has seen many thrilling moments here and with its return NASCAR hopes it can provide another to finish off the 2026 NASCAR season.