The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs start on Sunday 6 September 2026 with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington and run ten races to the Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday 8 November 2026. For 2026 NASCAR has returned to “The Chase”: the top 16 drivers after the 26-race regular season have their points reset and race the final ten events with no eliminations; the most points after Homestead wins the title. The next race, every playoff date and how to watch are below.
Key facts
| Playoffs (The Chase) | Sunday 6 September – Sunday 8 November 2026, 10 races |
| Championship field | Top 16 drivers in points after 26 regular-season races |
| Format | Points reset once, no rounds or eliminations; most points after the finale wins |
| Race win | Worth 55 points in 2026, plus stage points |
| Championship Race | Sunday 8 November 2026, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Florida |
| Sanctioning body | NASCAR |
Next Cup Series races
The upcoming Cup Series races with start times in US Eastern and UK time.
| Date | Race | Start (ET / UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 29 Aug | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona | 7:30pm EDT / 12:30am BST |
| Sun 6 Sep | NASCAR Southern 500 | All day |
| Sun 6 Sep | NASCAR Cup Playoffs Begin | All day |
| Sun 6 Sep | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington | 5pm EDT / 10pm BST |
| Sun 13 Sep | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway | 3pm EDT / 8pm BST |
| Sat 19 Sep | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol | 7:30pm EDT / 12:30am BST |
| Sun 27 Sep | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas | 3pm EDT / 8pm BST |
| Sun 4 Oct | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas | 5:30pm EDT / 10:30pm BST |
| Sun 11 Oct | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte | 3pm EDT / 8pm BST |
| Sun 18 Oct | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix | 3pm EDT / 8pm BST |
| Sun 25 Oct | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega | 2pm EDT / 6pm GMT |
| Sun 1 Nov | NASCAR Cup Series: NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville | 2pm EST / 7pm GMT |
See every fixture on the calendar →
2026 playoff races: The Chase
| Date | Race | Track |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 6 Sep | Cook Out Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway, South Carolina |
| Sun 13 Sep | Enjoy Illinois 300 | World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Illinois |
| Sat 19 Sep | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee |
| Sun 27 Sep | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway |
| Sun 4 Oct | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway |
| Sun 11 Oct | Charlotte Roval | Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, North Carolina |
| Sun 18 Oct | Phoenix | Phoenix Raceway, Arizona |
| Sun 25 Oct | Talladega | Talladega Superspeedway, Alabama |
| Sun 1 Nov | Martinsville | Martinsville Speedway, Virginia |
| Sun 8 Nov | NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race | Homestead-Miami Speedway, Florida |
How the 2026 Chase works
NASCAR replaced the elimination playoffs with a return to the Chase format it used from 2004 to 2013. After the 26-race regular season the top 16 drivers in points qualify. Their points are reset to a single level (with a bonus for regular-season performance), and all 16 race the last ten events. There are no rounds and nobody is cut: the driver with the most points after the Championship Race at Homestead-Miami is the 2026 Cup Series champion. A race win is now worth 55 points instead of 40, so winning matters more than consistency.
How to watch
Tickets
Tickets are sold by each track. Homestead-Miami’s championship weekend and the Bristol night race usually sell fastest; buy through the track’s own site or NASCAR.com.
Frequently asked questions
When do the 2026 NASCAR playoffs start?
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, known as The Chase, start on Sunday 6 September 2026 with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Where is the 2026 NASCAR championship race?
The 2026 Championship Race is at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida on Sunday 8 November 2026, replacing Phoenix as the season finale.
How does the 2026 NASCAR playoff format work?
Sixteen drivers qualify on points after 26 races. Their points are reset once and they race the final ten events with no eliminations; the most points after Homestead wins the championship.
What channel are the NASCAR playoffs on?
In the US the playoff races are on USA Network and NBC, with streaming on Peacock.
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