NASCAR’s Top Drivers To Benefit From The Chase’s Return
NASCAR made a major announcement during its offseason that the sport would bring back its Chase format for the Playoffs, with a few tweaks. The most significant change to The Chase format is that drivers will no longer be able to automatically clinch a Playoff spot by winning a regular season race.
Instead, to qualify for the Playoffs, Cup Series drivers will need to win races along with scoring points every week. The Top 16 drivers based on points, are now eligible to compete in the Playoffs.
Consistency is the key to a postseason berth, with winning providing extra points to a victorious driver. The regular season champion will also start the postseason with bonus points, as well.
Additionally, there won’t be any eliminations in the postseason. Instead, the champion will be determined by which driver has the most points at the end of the 10-race Cup Series Playoffs.
With that said, this change to the points system and Playoffs will definitely benefit key teams and drivers heading into the 2026 season. The following is a list of the top nascar drivers and teams to benefit from The Chase’s return.
Chase Elliott Has Been A Model Of Consistency
It’s only fitting that we start this list with Chase Elliott as he’s arguably the one driver who will benefit the most from The Chase. And, no, it’s not because if his first name. It’s due to Elliott being a model of consistency.
In the Next Gen era, which is 2022 to present, Elliott leads the Cup Series with a 12.4 average finish. Over that span, he also leads in Top 20s (115), DNFs (10), and is third in Top 10s (73).
Last year, if the Cup had The Chase, then Elliott would’ve finished 7th based on points. While he was consistent with Top 10s and DNFs, the no.9 car failed to reach victory lane as many times as his Hendrick teammates. And, this Chase format would also require a different strategy for the postseason than what we’ve seen the last several years.
Nevertheless, Elliott’s consistency puts him in the proverbial front row for the change to NASCAR’s scoring and Playoff systems.
William Byron Would’ve Dominated 2023 and 2024
William Byron has really emerged as a Cup Series contender these last three years. And, his rise to the top of the Series would’ve netted him a Championship in 2023, if the Cup Series had The Chase format back then.
Byron finished the year with six wins, 15 Top 5s, 21 Top 10s, four poles, an 11.0 average finish and third in the Championship standings. Yet, those stats were good enough for the Championship based on this new version of The Chase.
2024 would’ve seen Byron finish runner-up with his three wins, 13 Top 5s, 21 Top 10s, 12.9 average finish and third place in the Championship standings.
Heading into the 2026 season, you have to like Byron’s chances to compete for the Championship without needing to survive eliminations or win and get in. His consistency over the last three years (4.0 wins, 13 Top 5s, 19.3 Top 10s per season), make him one of the top drivers for the Cup Series this year.
Christopher Bell To Ring Success Under New Format
Christopher Bell is the Joe Gibbs Racing version of William Byron. He finished 5th last season, for the second straight year. However, he did score four victories which was a career best. Bell’s 2025 stats would’ve put him as the runner-up at the end of the season if the Cup Series operated under The Chase format.
Bell would’ve finished roughly 17 points behind Larson for the title. Bell wasn’t even involved in the Championship Race last year due to being eliminated in the Round of 8. So, things could’ve been much different for the no.20 car if the Cup Series had The Chase.
Now, Bell will head into this season licking his lips due to the possibility of winning a championship because of the weight being placed on winning and consistency.
While Bell finished with the second most wins in the field, and led the Cup Series with an 11.2 average finish, NASCAR betting sites had Bell listed as an odds-on favorite to win just about every race week along with his teammate Denny Hamlin and rival Kyle Larson.
On a side note, Bell fans are still screaming for NASCAR to do away with stage racing and points. Bell would’ve finished at the top of the field if the Cup Series didn’t have stage racing. While that’s not going away anytime soon, the sport did bump up the number of points per win from 40 to 55. So, it’s a start. And, that’s good news for JGR’s Bell and Hamlin.
Shane van Gisbergen Would Still Benefit From The Chase
Many Cup Series critics would also point to Shane van Gisbergen as the poster boy for the “win and get in” model. However, that’s just simply not true. Yes, SVG struggled to succeed on any tracks other than road courses last year. Yes, all four of his wins came on road courses.
However, under the new scoring system, SVG would’ve still made the Playoffs if the Cup Series had The Chase format in place last year. Van Gisbergen finished 25th in points last season, but this new scoring system would’ve bumped him up to 16th where he would’ve made the Playoffs.
Kyle Larson Is Still The Driver To Beat
Last year, Kyle Larson earned his second Cup Series Championship despite not winning a single Playoff race. Yet, Larson led the Cup field in Top 5s (15), Top 10s (22), was second in laps led (1,106), and was third in wins (3).
Those stats, even without a win in the second half of the 2025 season, still would’ve earned Larson the Cup Series title by 17 points over Bell under this new point system.
Additionally, Larson would’ve won the 2024 Cup Championship under the new scoring system as he led the field in wins (6), Top 5s (15), and laps led (1,700). However, the no.5 car finished 6th that season.
Also, Larson would’ve finished runner up in 2022 and 2023 under this Chase format. That would make five straight years of finishing in the Top 2, because Larson would’ve run away with the title in 2021, when he finished with 10 wins, 20 Top 5s, and 26 Top 10s. Under this Chase scoring system, Larson would have three titles and two runner ups in the last five years.
So, whether it’s the old Playoff format or this upcoming Chase format, Larson is clearly the top driver heading into the 2026 Cup Series season.
If you’re looking for NASCAR Picks in 2026, start by tracking the race setup, not the hype. Rob “Knuckles” McPhail, a NASCAR betting expert, says the best edge usually comes from timing and information. Watch the odds early, but place most of your action later in the week as practice speeds, qualifying results, and updated weather sharpen the market. Focus on track type, tire wear, pit-road performance, and team strategy, shop for the best number across sportsbooks, and look for value in top-3/top-5/top-10s or head-to-head matchups when the data supports it. With a schedule full of parity and momentum swings, discipline and line value will matter just as much as picking the right driver.