Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch doesn't sound all that convinced by the sport's return to The Chase.
It was revealed this week that NASCAR would be reintroducing The Chase as its championship format heading into the new season, with the playoffs having been ditched altogether after consultation throughout the 2025 season.
Although it is not the 36-race points format that some fans would have liked, it does put more importance on the regular season and consistency, with win and you're in having been ditched, the field set to be determined by the standings only, and there being no eliminations or rounds in the postseason.
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Kyle Busch reacts to The Chase return
However, when asked for his thoughts on the switch, Busch raised a good point. Although he was far from negative about the change, he did raise that NASCAR has run this format before and decided to ditch it, so why now is it the answer?
“I don't know, I thought we got away from it for some reason or another," Busch told the media (via Peter Stratta) at North Wilkesboro Speedway when asked for his reaction to the news. "But not really sure what that is. I got short-term memory loss."
“Hopefully it's better and people like it," he added.
"We'll see how everybody attacks it and what they do in order to make the most of their opportunity to go race for championships.”
Asked if he liked or disliked any particular part of the format, Busch raised another negative.
"I remember when we had The Chase format, getting wrecked once or twice, you’re eliminated," Busch said. "You have no chance at a championship.
“And with wrecks being a heck of a lot more these days and people running over people...maybe it’ll keep it even because everybody’s getting wrecked in the final 10 [races]...but when it was just me, or seemed like it was just me [getting wrecked] and not the front two, three guys, I think the best we placed was maybe fifth or third or something like that in points.”
The 2026 Cup Series season officially gets underway with the Daytona 500 next month, where drivers will begin to rack up the regular season points that they will hope eventually see them qualify for The Chase later in the year.
