NASCAR fans rejoice as it is once again time for the NASCAR Cup Series. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will feature the “Chase” for the cup in the final 14 races of the 2026 season, with one winner to take it all. As a reminder, this year is a return to the “Chase” method of determining the winner. The former “playoff” method of elimination has been officially retired.
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said earlier this year that the reason for the new points system and return to the “Chase” method was to honor the core fanbase.Â
“The biggest thing was looking at who we wanted to be as a sport going forward, and that included really a focus on our core fan base and who had been with us for a long, long time and gotten the sport to where it was. So we wanted our future format to reflect that,” said O’Donnell.
Read on for more information about the upcoming Cup Series schedule and where you can watch all the action.
The 2026 NASCAR Playoff Schedule
The 2026 NASCAR Playoff Series will begin Sunday, September 6, at 5/4c ET with the Cookout Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway. Below is the remaining schedule for all 16 races in the cup series:
September 13 at 3 p.m. ET — World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (St. Louis)
November 8 at 3 p.m. ET — NASCAR Championship (Homestead-Miami Speedway)
Where can you watch the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series?
Things are a little tricky for streaming and live broadcasts for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, so fans should plan accordingly. For most of the races, fans can watch the live broadcast on USA Network. Streams of USA Network broadcasts are available onlineam
However, for the Four Cup Series races, NBC will take over the broadcast. Streaming will be available on Peacock. Those four races are as follows:
November 8, 3 p.m. ET — Homestead-Miami Speedway
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will continue to run on the CW throughout the races on September 18, and every following Saturday until the championship race on November 7.
Meanwhile, HBO Max will only air practice and qualifying sessions for the Cup Series races that are also covered by NBC.
Finally, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will continue to air on Fox Sports, beginning with the cup series playoffs on September 17 at the Bristol Motor Speedway race.
Who is competing in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series?
There are 15 full-time organizations that will compete in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series. The final 16 drivers will be locked in after the final regular season race in Daytona on August 29. Teams can be broken down into the chartered and unchartered teams under Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. For a more detailed breakdown on teams, fans can check out the official NASCAR listing.
The main focus will be on drivers who have gathered enough points to qualify to the cup series. The drivers who have successfully clinched a spot in the cup series races are:Â
- Denny Hamlin (number 1 seed)
- Ryan Blaney
- Tyler Reddic
- TY Gibbs
- Chase Briscoe
- Christopher Bell
- Kyle Larson
- Chase Elliot
- Joey Logano
- Chris Buescher
- Daniel Suárez
- Carson Hocevar
- William Byron
- Bubba Wallace
- Austin Cindric
- Ryan Preece
According to early predictions, all eyes will be on Hamlin, Blaney, and Larson as potential overall winners. Anything can happen, however, when the pressure is on.
Where is the 2026 Cook Out Southern 500 and where can you watch it?
The 2026 Cook Out Southern 500 cup race will take place on Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. ET, at the Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. The race will air on USA Network, with streaming available on HBO Max. Live updates from the race will also be broadcast on the radio. As mentioned previously, this is the first race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs
Historically, this is considered one of the more difficult races because of its unusual oval shaped design. Specifically, there are “tighter turns at one end and sweeping corners at the others” . It is even sometimes called the “Track Too Tough to Tame.” Darlington Raceway conditions will also force drivers and teams to manage a very abrasive track surface that causes heavy tire wear over time
Who won the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025?
Kyle Larson was the winner of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. It was a second win for the driver, who first won the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021. Larson was named the NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the year in 2013. He was also named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Speaking to the New York Times in August, Larson explained that despite many challenges this season, he is grateful for team debriefs after bad races. “I don’t enjoy running average, but I enjoy the debriefs because they’re much more in-depth these days as we’re trying to get our cars better and operations better,” said Larson. “When you have trust and belief in everybody at the shop, you feel like you’re making progress in those meetings.”
Whether Larson manages to make a comeback, or if he’s inched out by the current top three drivers, this 2026 NASCAR Cup Series is surely to bring much excitement.
