NASCAR's New Chase: A Mixed Bag of Excitement and Stress

NASCAR is bringing back The Chase for the 2026 season, and not everyone is thrilled. Fans and drivers have mixed feelings about the old playoff format returning. Some love the focus on winning and consistency, while others find it too stressful. Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time champion, has strong opinions about the new format. He thinks the stage-racing part adds a lot of pressure. Johnson says, \u201cStage racing brings a different kind of pressure. It forces drivers to act differently, and that's all about entertainment. \u201d But Johnson also admits that stage racing can be tough. He says, \u201cWith these new cars, our race starts even before we load the car onto the transporter. \u201d This means drivers have to be perfect from the very beginning, which can be really hard.Johnson won six of his championships under The Chase format. He says the 10-race format was the most rewarding. He remembers one race where he didn't think he had a chance to win. But with a few restarts at the end, everything changed, and he won. Johnson says, \u201cI just didn't think I was gonna win. \u201d The new format will have a 10-race Chase, nine races for the O'Reilly Series, and seven for the Craftsman Truck Series. Drivers will be chosen based on points earned during the season. There will be no automatic entries or eliminations every three races. Race winners will get 55 points for any victory, up from the previous 40. Stage points will also be awarded. The driver in first place will start with 2, 100 points in the Chase, with a 25-point lead over second and a 35-point lead over third. NASCAR hopes this new format will make the races more exciting. But only time will tell if drivers and fans will love it or hate it.