Heading into the 2026 season, NASCAR confirmed a monumental change. The playoffs are no longer, and The Chase is back!
NASCAR announced the news in January after consulting with a playoff committee consisting of executives, drivers past and present, media members and more throughout 2025.
It isn't quite the full 36-race points format some were hoping for. There will still be a regular season and postseason, with the championship set to be decided across a number of races at the end of the campaign. This is the final 10 in the Cup Series, the final nine in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and seven in the Truck Series.
Unlike the playoffs previously, there are no rounds or eliminations in The Chase. After the points reset, it is a straight 10, nine, or seven race fight for the championship, depending on which series you are racing in.
But which races make up The Chase in 2026? We've got it all covered below.
The Chase 2026 schedule
Here is the full schedule for The Chase in 2026 across all three of the Cup, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Truck Series.
Cup Series
| Race No. | Track | Start Time (ET) | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darlington Raceway | 5pm | USA Network | MRN |
| 2 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 3pm | USA Network | MRN |
| 3 | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30pm | USA Network | PRN |
| 4 | Kansas Speedway | 3pm | USA Network | MRN |
| 5 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 5:30pm | USA Network | PRN |
| 6 | Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | 3pm | USA Network | PRN |
| 7 | Phoenix Raceway | 3pm | USA Network | MRN |
| 8 | Talladega Superspeedway | 2pm | NBC | MRN |
| 9 | Martinsville Speedway | 2pm | NBC | MRN |
| 10 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 3pm | NBC | MRN |
O'Reilly Auto Parts Series
| Race No. | Track | Start Time (ET) | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darlington Raceway | 7:30pm | CW | MRN |
| 2 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 7:30pm | CW | MRN |
| 3 | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30pm | CW | PRN |
| 4 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 7:30pm | CW | PRN |
| 5 | Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | 4pm | CW | PRN |
| 6 | Phoenix Raceway | 7:30pm | CW | MRN |
| 7 | Talladega Superspeedway | 3:30pm | CW | MRN |
| 8 | Martinsville Speedway | 4pm | CW | MRN |
| 9 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 5pm | CW | MRN |
Truck Series
| Race No. | Track | Start Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol Motor Speedway | 8PM | FS1 |
| 2 | Kansas Speedway | 1PM | FS1 |
| 3 | Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | 5PM | Fox |
| 4 | Phoenix Raceway | 7:30PM | FS1 |
| 5 | Talladega Superspeedway | 4PM | FS1 |
| 6 | Martinsville Speedway | 6PM | FS1 |
| 7 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 7:30PM | FS1 |
