The NASCAR championship will be decided under different rules in 2026. Kevin Harvick believes drivers like Chase Elliott will only benefit from the Chase, no pun intended, and he’s probably not wrong.
Looking back on the last two seasons in the Cup Series, Chase Elliott has been the most consistent. For the most part, his bad days end in P15 finishes, and he has two or three DNFs scattered throughout the season. That could benefit him in the Chase format.
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On Kevin Harvick’s podcast, the former Cup Series champion discussed the change with Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass. They both see this as a benefit for Elliott and the No. 9 team.
Chase Elliott speaks to teammate William Byron before a NASCAR Cup Series race. Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
(Joe Puetz-Imagn Images)
“It definitely helps Chase Elliott. I mean, there is no question that this helps Chase Elliott,” Harvick said. “Because of the fact that this is his style of racing, they’re grinders. They’re able to take those 10ths and turn them into 5ths. Take a 20th and turn it into a 10th. So, you have to be a grinder in this system to win it.”
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Everyone knows that the last time the Chase was the law of the land, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus were dominant. It was one of the main reasons why the playoff format was invented. Can Hendrick recreate that dominance and success with Elliott? Kyle Larson? William Byron? Perhaps Alex Bowman figures something out in this format?
Last year, Elliott won the Clash and two points races, Atlanta and Kansas. He had great performances in a lot of races and was one of the top drivers all year long. His playoff run came up short, but he was almost as good as he ever was.
Is there something about the new format that mentally helps this team succeed? There might be. But the real benefit will come when those P12, P15, P18 finishes start to rack up on the bad days, and the P8, P5, P2, P1 finishes will fill in the gaps.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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