Joey Logano has never been shy about thriving where chaos lives. A three-time Cup Series champion, Logano arguably became the face of NASCAR’s elimination-style playoffs. He won when it mattered most and ignored the noise that followed. Critics loved pointing out how he didn’t need season-long dominance, just perfectly timed punches. And for years, that approach worked.

But NASCAR’s return to the Chase format has thrown a curveball even Logano didn’t see coming. The driver who once mastered do-or-die moments now admits he was surprised by the change. And more importantly, knows it forces a rethink. For Logano, this isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about recalibrating everything to chase one thing that still matters most: the championship.

Joey Logano didn’t see it coming, but knows exactly what comes next

Joey Logano didn’t try to hide his surprise when NASCAR officially confirmed the return of the Chase format for 2026, even though he was part of the room where those conversations were happening.

“I was a little surprised. I was on the committee as well. And there’s a lot of, as like everyone said, there’s been a lot of different ideas that were thrown out there. This one I didn’t hear about,” Logano revealed during a live edition of Inside the Race.

That committee wasn’t small or symbolic. NASCAR’s Playoff Committee featured more than two dozen influential voices from across the sport, including competition executive Steve O’Donnell, Hall of Famers like Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., active stars such as Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, team owners, and media figures. The goal was simple but delicate: fix the championship without breaking what still works.

What they landed on was a compromise. Instead of going back to a full-season points system or sticking with the high-risk elimination playoffs, NASCAR opted for the Chase’s cumulative points format. It rewards consistency, still values winning, removes the single-race championship finale, and crucially aims to pull back longtime fans while keeping newer, younger viewers invested.

For Logano, the change isn’t scary. In fact, it’s familiar. He made his Cup Series debut in 2008 when the NASCAR Chase format was already part of NASCAR’s DNA. While he didn’t win a championship in that era, he learned how to race inside it. Then came the 2014 playoff overhaul, a format Logano didn’t just adapt to. He mastered it, building a reputation for peaking at exactly the right time.

Now, that muscle memory matters again. “The strategy will change and I look forward to that. It’s going to be different. Um, I’ve been here before, though, right? I’m one of the few drivers that lived the chase before now the playoffs, and now back to the chase.”

The closing reality is simple: Logano isn’t mourning the loss of the format he conquered. He’s already adjusting. And if history says anything, when the rules change, Joey Logano usually finds a way to make them work in his favor.

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How the garage responded to NASCAR’s big shift

If NASCAR expected universal applause for bringing back the Chase, that wasn’t quite the case. However, the overall tone from drivers and executives leaned far more optimistic than divided. During the official announcement, NASCAR’s top brass and some of the sport’s most recognizable voices lined up to explain why this version of the championship format made sense now.

Competition executive Steve O’Donnell framed the decision as a carefully balanced solution rather than a nostalgic move. As he put it, “This (format) is the best of both worlds.” In NASCAR’s eyes, the Chase keeps the season-long grind meaningful while still avoiding the winner-take-all chaos that turned the Championship 4 finale into a lightning rod for criticism.

Former driver and longtime fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., who served as a panelist during the playoff committee discussions, was openly enthusiastic about the change. For Dale Jr., the appeal wasn’t just competitive but was emotional. He explained that the Chase “makes it simpler for our fans to follow,” adding that even from a fan’s perspective, the format keeps him engaged every single week rather than tuning in only when elimination drama spikes.

Mark Martin echoed that sentiment, pushing back hard against online backlash, which called the move a step backward. “I think it’s a huge win for NASCAR. It’s a huge win for the competitors… It’s a huge win for the fans. No one loses in this format,” Martin said, emphasizing that consistency finally carries real weight again without stripping away the importance of winning.

Current stars also weighed in. Chase Elliott, never one to sugarcoat things, delivered a pointed message to fans who were hoping for a full-season points return. “Let’s enjoy what we got. We’re so quick to complain about everything,” Elliott said, urging people to give the format a fair chance before tearing it apart.

In the end, while some fans still wanted a full-season points system, the voices inside the garage seem aligned on one thing: this Chase revival isn’t about the past. Instead, it’s about stabilizing NASCAR’s future without losing what made it compelling in the first place. Let’s see how the decision turns out. We won’t have to wait long to find out.