Christopher Bell, a prominent NASCAR Cup Series driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, is optimistic about the sport’s new championship format in 2026. After finishing fifth in the 2025 season, Bell believes the altered system will improve fairness and reduce the impact of luck, fueling his confidence to climb higher in the standings. His anticipation comes amidst NASCAR’s shift away from the previous elimination-style playoffs to a more consistent season-long structure.
Bell Highlights the Advantages of the New Format for Drivers
The revised NASCAR championship format has eliminated race eliminations and removed guaranteed playoff spots for race winners, emphasizing consistent performance across the entire season rather than isolated victories. Bell expressed his approval of these changes, stating,
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Luck will have far less involvement,
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and further elaborated,
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I’m super happy with the format. I think this format will take any sort of doubts or ill feelings toward our champion. And I think it’s a great move in the right direction. I think we could potentially see the same few guys running for the championship year in and year out, and that’s the way it should be. We want the best drivers to be able to be the champion.
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This shift returns the playoffs to the ‘Chase’ format, consisting of the final ten races without eliminations. Bell played an active role on last year’s playoff committee and supports the full-season emphasis, noting, “
Christopher Bell talked on a media call today about NASCAR’s return to the Chase after he played a very active role on last year’s playoff committee.Bell says he was pro 36-race championship, but he’s happy with the Chase and says the system is “pretty much” a full season…
— Steven Taranto, NASCAR Reporter”
Adjusting Team Strategies and Overcoming Past Challenges
Bell and his No. 20 Toyota team are already adapting to the new format’s demands by broadening their focus beyond individual track performances. Martinsville Speedway, in particular, has been a stumbling block for Bell, as it played a critical role in both his first Championship 4 appearance in 2022 and his playoff elimination in 2025. Speaking about the format’s effects, Bell said,
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In the last couple of years, we have our tracks that we struggle at, and that has hindered us in the previous formats. So now, I think it weighs all of the tracks a lot closer. Your strengths and your weaknesses will equal out a little bit more,
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adding,
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It eliminates the need to have greatness at a certain track. We race 36 times a year. We don’t go to Martinsville or Phoenix 36 times a year, so I think it’s a lot fairer.
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Expanding NASCAR’s Reach Beyond U.S. Borders
NASCAR is also making moves to grow its global presence, following the successful international points race held in Mexico City in June 2025 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. This event marked the first points race outside the United States since 1958, sparking discussions about new international venues.
One such potential location is Montreal, Canada, where the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve previously hosted NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in the late 2000s. Commentator and 21-time Cup winner Jeff Burton weighed in on the prospects, saying,
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I just think it’s just the conversation about growing the sport, you know what I mean? How can we grow the sport? And those are decisions that you know Ben Kennedy, he’ll be heavy into those discussions about what is the right thing to do, if anything. And again, if you don’t ever do anything, you are going to fail.
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Looking Ahead: What the Changes Mean for the Future of NASCAR
Christopher Bell’s enthusiasm for the fresh approach reflects a broader shift in NASCAR’s competitive landscape, motivating teams to deliver consistent performance and reducing the randomness that sometimes influenced playoff outcomes. With the sport exploring international expansion and revising its championship format, 2026 promises to be a pivotal year for drivers and fans alike as new strategies take shape and global opportunities arise.
Christopher Bell talked on a media call today about NASCAR's return to the Chase after he played a very active role on last year's playoff committee.
Bell says he was pro 36-race championship, but he's happy with the Chase and says the system is "pretty much" a full season… pic.twitter.com/btC7xoFEKt
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) January 30, 2026
