Since Monday, when NASCAR finally unveiled its 2026 championship format, a return to a Chase-format, social media has been flooded with reactions. Naturally, there are some who love it, some who are okay with it, and then there are some who are still not satisfied.

For instance, some hardcore fans still want a return to a full-season points system, claiming it would reward the most consistent driver, free of all drama. But in such a case, with such devoted fans all over, what else can the sport do? Is it possible to really cater to everyone at once and keep every single fan happy? NASCAR Executive VP Tim Clark gave some answers.

NASCAR executive VP clarifies fans

Tim Clark, NASCAR’s executive VP and Chief Brand Officer, unpacked the multifaceted process on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio amid heated fan discussion regarding the format.

“There are a lot of voices in the proverbial room right, and if you consider the entire NASCAR ecosystem, it is very, very important to us.”

He described the process, detailing the contributions of stakeholders including fans, teams, FOX and NBC, Chevrolet and Ford, and track promoters, based on 12 months of data and private discussions.

Fan input poured in via social media storms, on structured surveys at races, fan councils, and direct feedback loops. However, Clark stressed, “Fan voices and dialogues happen in a lot of different places, social media is one of them, but it is not the only one.”

He highlighted the disagreement over rigid ideas. “We had a lot of input from fans, we had a lot of input from competitors, and I know that sometimes the word compromise is a bit of a four-letter word people think, that it needs to be this way, and if it’s not that way, then it’s a failure.”

Clark’s sharp response to those seeking perfection was: “What I would say to that is it’s just not realistic, unfortunately.”

Clark’s point is that while fan opinion matters, it comes from many channels, so only one of them does not get to dictate the outcome. And because there are so many stakeholders involved, and so many fans to cater, NASCAR’s decisions will always be a balance, not a flawless outcome for everyone.

Plus, this was focused on fans who care about full-season points. But NASCAR couldn’t focus only on them. Their testing showed that doing so would likely reduce TV viewership during the playoffs, which would hurt ratings and sponsor value.

At the same time, NASCAR didn’t want to lose fans who enjoy the excitement of a championship-deciding finale, which still attracts millions of viewers.

It would also reduce sponsor returns and turn away the small group of fans who enjoy the excitement of championship week, which attracts over 5 million viewers.

From his business perspective, which is different from that of competition chief John Propes, Clark explained his role.

“My job there is this balance between what we have to look after with this sport, relative to the business aspects as well as the competition aspects.”

Compromise won out, leading to a playoff system where the top 16 teams are seeded based on their regular-season points, which have increased from 40 to 55 wins. All teams will reset to 2,000 points at the start of the playoffs.

There will be no cuts during the playoffs, and teams can earn stage points only in the first 26 races. This approach rewards hard work and builds excitement for the fall playoffs.

Meanwhile, if anybody needs to worry about the new change, it’s the non-oval racers.

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NASCAR insiders worried about non-oval experts

Some insiders warn that the top-16 lock could make it harder for newcomers like Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) to break into the Cup series. SVG, who is a strong performer on road courses for Trackhouse Racing, has used his experiences from eliminations to quickly rise in the Cup rankings.

Insider Alex raised the question: “What does this do for smaller teams or for teams like Trackhouse Racing, who brought in SVG to dominate these road courses, and he was winning them all to advance to the postseason?”

Steve Letarte argued that having high wins (now at 55 points) is enough to achieve stardom. “Winning is enough for SVG to have an illustrious NASCAR career, even if it limits his ability to run for a championship. If he wins multiple races, he’s gonna become a household name.”

Kim Coon pointed out investment risks, comparing the shift from a “six-lane highway” for elimination to a “two-lane highway.”

This change discourages mid-tier investments: “It’s a lot tougher for a team to want to invest in you if it’s not a win in your end. SVG’s timeline would have been very different, more time in trucks before making it to the Cup series.”

Steve’s detailed analysis shows that, despite SVG’s strong performance on the road, they might still finish 16th in points if current behaviors do not change. “SVG’s dominance at the road courses would have crept him into sixteenth in points. That’s the beauty of the compromise.”

Alex pointed out that races in key locations, like the streets of Mexico City, can produce scores over 75 points, which shows potential for high results.

This idea matches Clark’s view that the format rewards top competitors like SVG but does not guarantee them championship chances. As a result, smaller teams feel pressure to chase wins instead of focusing on steady point gains.