NASCAR’s return to the Chase format promised a fundamental shift in racing, and the early returns are suggesting the on-track chaos is officially a thing of the past.  According to one of Brad Keselowski’s drivers, the new format is already changing how drivers compete, a fact proven by the recent race at Kansas.

Ryan Preece on driver discipline

“I think everybody’s racing [and] not just throwing Hail Marys anymore.” One of the biggest differences the Chase format introduced was the importance of remaining consistent rather than just winning one race. This was earlier prioritized under the playoff format, which guaranteed a playoff berth after winning just a single race.

“I don’t think you want to see guys wrecking on restarts and taking yourself out in stage one or stage two,” Ryan Preece, driver of the #60 RFK Racing Ford, added.

How did the consistency aspect define the more disciplined racing witnessed now? Sure, winning still matters, but winning just a single race will no longer give a guaranteed title run. Only the top 16 drivers as per the standings will qualify for the Chase and the title contention. Earlier, drivers with even a single race win were allowed to compete in the playoffs.

So now, it becomes too risky for the drivers to intentionally wreck others and perhaps win a race. There is always the little possibility of the drivers also getting involved in the wreck, which could damage their consistency and end their contention sooner. The Kansas Speedway race was a massive example of this. There wasn’t a single incident-related caution thrown around until the very last lap, and even that did not come from the race leaders.

Even though the likes of Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin began losing the race, they played it safe and did not try any high-risk maneuvers to win. Ultimately, they did not win, but they still remained at the top of the standings because they did manage to finish within the top 10.

This is what sets the example for the rest of the field as well. When the title contenders manage to continue without wrecking each other, the races remain calmer, and the drivers become disciplined. However, this wasn’t always noticed in the recent seasons.

When NASCAR drivers went overboard for title contention

Back in 2024, the playoff format was still in operation, and the drivers were desperate to get into the top 16 and contend for the championship. So much so that Austin Dillon became the face of controversy, with NASCAR even snatching away his playoff berth despite a victory.

Heading into Richmond, the Regular Season was coming to a close, and the likes of Dillon and many other drivers had still not won a race to contend for the championship. As that event came to the final lap, Dillon found himself in the perfect position to win, right behind Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. He saw those two drivers as the only obstructions to winning the race, quite literally. There was a command heard over his radio to wreck both the #11 and #22 and take the checkered flag, which is exactly what he did.

But the authorities weren’t too happy with Dillon intentionally wrecking two drivers to snatch a berth in the playoffs (as confirmed by his radio), and took that away from him. However, he was allowed to keep the race win. Weirdly enough, the following season in 2025, Dillon only won one race, which was once again at Richmond, but without any controversy.

A similar incident was noticed during the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race last year (then called the Xfinity Series). NASCAR suspended Austin Hill for one race after he crashed into Aric Almirola while racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Although this was not for a playoff berth but rather in retaliation, it showcased the aggressiveness that drivers had up until that point. Most interestingly, both of these incidents involved Richard Childress Racing drivers, although it was only a coincidence.

At the end of the day, it is safe to conclude that the Chase format has forced the drivers into racing with more awareness and discipline, as Brad Keselowski’s driver, Ryan Preece, confirmed. Although some might say that it makes the overall race a bit uninteresting for the spectators, it only makes the races fairer and safer and allows for proper competition at the highest levels.