Connor Zilisch reacted publicly after NASCAR revealed it will bring back the Chase format to determine the series champion in 2026, a decision that would have altered the outcome of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity title battle. The return of the Chase format places new importance on consistent performance during the season’s final ten races, a structure highly relevant to the ongoing Connor Zilisch NASCAR Chase format debate.
NASCAR Revamps Championship Contention with Chase Format Return
NASCAR’s leadership announced a significant change for 2026, confirming that all three national series—including the NASCAR Cup Series—will decide their champions using a returning 10-race Chase format. This redesign roots itself in rewarding yearlong consistency over single-race heroics, with championship contenders now accumulating points through the closing stretch of races rather than facing progressive eliminations.
The revamped rules award 55 points for each race win during the Chase, while stage points remain part of the tally. The regular season leader enters the Chase with 2,100 points, with each following driver starting five points lower per spot in the standings. Simulations of these new rules show that, if introduced a year earlier, Zilisch would have claimed the 2025 championship with 2,550 points. Behind him, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, and Carson Kvapil would complete the top six, demonstrating how the modified format could reshape championship outcomes.
The decision arrives just as Connor Zilisch, a former JR Motorsports driver, transitions to his NASCAR Cup Series rookie season with Trackhouse Racing. Although the rules came too late to affect Zilisch’s 2025 Xfinity campaign, their introduction brought immediate personal and professional reactions from key drivers who shaped last season’s storyline.
Barbed Social Media Exchange Between Zilisch and Love
Shortly after NASCAR’s announcement, Connor Zilisch and the 2025 Xfinity champion, Jesse Love, engaged in a pointed exchange on X (formerly Twitter), showing that emotions surrounding the championship format run high among competitors. Love, who clinched last year’s title after a tense finale at Phoenix, responded to chatter about what might have been if the new system was in place. Zilisch, whose dominant regular season and solid playoff stretch contrasted with Love’s up-and-down postseason, underscored his feelings in a reply:
“12 months late😜,” Connor Zilisch replied to Love’s post on X.
This brief social banter between the best friends illustrates the mixture of camaraderie and rivalry that pervades the series. Love’s title win, decided after overtaking Zilisch in the closing laps and fending off Aric Almirola, was a testament to clutch performance, though some viewed it as controversial due to inconsistent results in earlier playoff rounds.
Off-Season Plans Take Drivers Across Racing Disciplines
Looking ahead, both Zilisch and Love remain deeply involved in racing across different formats as they prepare for the 2026 NASCAR season. Jesse Love, heading into his third full-time season with Richard Childress Racing, will compete in the renowned Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With a strong background and victories in Xtreme Outlaw midgets and POWRi West, Love continues to sharpen his dirt racing credentials before returning to NASCAR competition.
Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch is widening his experience by entering endurance racing on a world stage. The 19-year-old will compete in the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona, his third straight start at the classic 24-hour event. Driving in the demanding Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, he joins the Action Express Racing squad with full-time drivers Earl Bamber and Jack Aitken. This opportunity further cements Zilisch’s reputation for versatility and ambition as he prepares for his debut season as Trackhouse Racing’s No. 87 Cup driver.
Implications for Drivers, Teams, and the Upcoming Season
The NASCAR Chase format’s resurgence promises to intensify competition and strategic considerations throughout the championship’s final stages. By putting consistent results ahead of one-off performances, the new points system could reshape how drivers and teams plan their runs, particularly for those like rookie Connor Zilisch, whose blend of regular season strength and playoff grit would be well-suited to the changed structure. Jessie Love, Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and others now face a season where every race in the closing stretch carries amplified stakes.
With off-season events like the Chili Bowl Nationals and the Rolex 24 at Daytona shaping the fitness and focus of top contenders, anticipation swells for what the 2026 season will bring. Fans and insiders will be watching closely as championship hopefuls test themselves across disciplines, ready to return to a NASCAR landscape transformed by the return of the Chase.
Finally back in a midget here in Tulsa! Race of champions on tap for tomorrow night. pic.twitter.com/zmCYxuqK3N
— jesse love jr (@jesselovejr1) January 12, 2026
