Since the debut of the Next-Gen car in 2022, NASCAR fans and drivers haven’t stopped complaining. The horsepower was dialed down to 670, aiming to boost safety and lowering costs, which was a steep drop from the 2014 peak when horsepower numbers sold as high as 900. More importantly, the fans and drivers like Chase Elliott are extremely unhappy with the current playoff format. But NASCAR seems to be listening in, and as the year wraps up, it promises big changes for 2026.

With Mike Forde confirming a change in playoff format, which is expected to be revealed after the Championship final race in Phoenix, there is increased chatter regarding the return of a 36-race points championship. Now pair that with the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Brad Keselowski, revealing an increase in horsepower, and it is safe to say that NASCAR is attentive, and now, on Spider, cannot help but notice it.

Speaking on the latest Rubbin’ is Racing podcast, Spider extends gratitude to NASCAR, acknowledging their willingness to listen to what the fans want: “I think it’s great. I think it’s important that NASCAR is willing to make changes. You know, there’s been a lot of rumors recently, whether it be testing higher horsepower, changing the playoff format.”

The fans were used to seeing Dale Earnhardt Sr. clinch the 1987 Winston Cup championship with two races remaining, securing the title with a 515-point lead and becoming the third driver in NASCAR history to clinch the championship with two races to go. That pure dominance of the old 36-race points championship is what the fans have been missing.

And now, NASCAR is weighing a major shakeup for 2026 that could return to a full-season point system after over 20 years. At the NASCAR playoff committee’s September 17 meeting, the idea was generating serious buzz. Drivers, team owners, track officials, and media insiders tossed around concepts that could shake up the sport and return it to its roots.

Mike Forde, NASCAR’s director of communications, revealed that some committee members were particularly giddy, insisting the proposal will reward consistency and ensure the most deserving driver claims the crown over the long haul. But that’s not the only thing that is changing.

Spider added, “And then we see all this talk. I’ve been seeing reports that NASCAR is trying to get back to its roots, like kind of the good old style of racing that the traditional fans grew up liking and fell in love with. So it sounds like they’re going to try to cater more towards their original fan base, as opposed to try to cater to new fans and demographics, which I think obviously is, of course, valuable.”

Amid longstanding complaints about the current 670 horsepower, voiced by Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano multiple times, Brad Keselowski recently dropped the bomb that NASCAR is increasing the horsepower to a probable 750, delivering the drivers and the fans the old-style revving of the engine and high-speed racing.

One of the main reasons the TV viewership was dipping is because of how unsatisfied the fans were with the current playoff system and the Next-Gen cars, but as NASCAR has listened to their concerns and acted upon them, hopefully, we can see a boost in the viewership moving forward. Even Kenny Wallace slammed the fans for the continuous nagging and not having patience until the 2026 season.

Reflecting on the type of fans that exist, Spider couldn’t help but sound off on this newfound victory NASCAR has gotten. He said, “But I think it’s good that NASCAR is willing to hear feedback and make changes. And we’ve said numerous times in this show, NASCAR fans are some of the most like…  Whatever term you want to call it. They’ll be the first to tell you their opinion, and they have a lot of opinions. So, the fact that NASCAR is willing to entertain those opinions and cater to those desires, I think is a massive, massive win.

But that’s not the only thing set to change, as the charter issues with NASCAR and 23XI, FRM, are still underway. The NASCAR community can expect some structural changes in how the teams can buy and use their charters in the future. But for now, the fans can let out a collective sigh as the two main issues have finally been resolved. But one manufacturer has some other changes up its sleeves…

Huge Chevrolet changes confirmed for 2026

Chevrolet is shaking things out for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series with a brand-new body, marking the end of the Camaro ZL1’s run in the sport. The ZL1 only made its Cup debut in 2025 after Chevrolet refreshed its branding, but with the standard Camaro discontinued in 2024 following the final assembly in 2023, it is time for a new era.

Details on the 2026 body are still scarce, but NASCAR’s Elton Sawyer confirmed on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the approval process is complete, saying, “Started working with the folks over there at GM probably over a year or so ago. Conversation, then they started submitting the body parts. Then they go to a wind tunnel test where all the OEMs are there and watch how that test unfolds at the wind tunnel. So, all the boxes have been checked. Looking forward to seeing the new Chevrolet when we get to Daytona in 2026.”

Chevrolet backs six charter teams—Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Trackhouse Racing, Kaulig Racing, Spire Motorsports, and Hyak Motorsports—and remains the most successful manufacturer in the series. And it would look to reinforce its dominance heading into the Round of 12 elimination race.