Kyle Busch Reflects on the Legacy of the Current Championship Format Amid Rumors of Big Change for 2026

NASCAR is expected to announce changes in the playoff format soon after the 2025 season finale at the Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. While there is no clarity as to how exhaustive the changes would be, comparisons are bound to happen, and talks have already begun.

Kyle Busch was asked about the legacy of the current format on Saturday. The 40-year-old secured both his titles in the current format and owes his tall stature in the sport to it. So, there would be some bias.

“I think that it was definitely a lot more sort of in the hands of a little bit of chaos, but not really,” said Busch, before talking about how tough it is on the contenders since the title hinges on performance in a single race.

“Like, the good teams still make it, but the last race is hard, you know? So, obviously, I guess Penske’s got it figured out, but they’re not there this year, so we’ll see a new one,” added Busch.

The Richard Childress Racing driver pointed out that Jimmie Johnson won several championships in the Chase format and one in the elimination format. In the current system, only Busch and Joey Logano are repeat champions. Busch regrets that he couldn’t win one more title, but then, there is always time.

This season is a done deal for Busch. He has just nine top-10 results in 35 races and is on the cusp of his worst season ever (if he finishes out of the top-10 in Phoenix on Sunday). However, his fortunes could change for the better in 2026.

Busch will be powered by the expertise of Jim Pohlmann, a new crew chief recruited from the championship-winning garage of JR Motorsports. Pohlmann previously served as crew chief for Justin Allgaier. Whatever the changes in the playoff format would be, they should shake the table enough to give Rowdy a fair chance. 

Why hasn’t NASCAR announced a format change yet?

Judging from the interviews of NASCAR officials over the past few months, it has become a certainty that some kind of change is coming to the playoff format. But there is a strong reason they haven’t already announced it.

“We don’t want to announce a format prior to Phoenix and then have everyone either devalue this year’s championship or sort of make another set of points of who would be the champion if a new format were in place. So I think that will be after this year,” NASCAR’s managing director of communications, Mike Forde, said in an episode of Hauler Talk.

One of the current Championship 4 contenders will have the honor of becoming the last champion under the current format. This makes it an added incentive for William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Chase Briscoe to push a bit harder on the gas pedal. Then again, with the title on the line, they are bound to be pumped up already. That single-race drama is something the current format provides, for better or worse.