Denny Hamlin suggested that NASCAR's decision to remove the regular-season championship came just as he was on course to win the honor for the first time. Now, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Communications Mike Forde has clarified the thinking behind the decision on the latest episode of Hauler Talk.
The 2026 season marks the return of the Chase format, replacing the elimination-style playoffs that had been used previously. Along with that change, NASCAR has removed both the official "playoffs" terminology and the regular-season title.
Denny Hamlin addressed the issue after the North Wilkesboro race on Actions Detrimental. When co-host Jared Allen was surprised to learn there was no regular-season champion, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran jokingly said (45:04 onwards):
Denny Hamlin's comments came while he sits atop the NASCAR Cup Series standings with five races remaining before the Chase begins. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver leads the standings with 842 points, holding a 68-point advantage over Tyler Reddick and an 87-point cushion over Ryan Blaney in third.
Under the previous system, Denny Hamlin would be on his way to claiming the regular-season championship. But under the revised format, he will instead enter the Chase simply as the No. 1 seed if he maintains his advantage. NASCAR's Mike Forde addressed the topic on Hauler Talk and explained their position (31:36 onwards):
The playoff committee was formed in 2025 as NASCAR explored changes to its championship format. The group included industry representatives such as current and former drivers, NASCAR officials, media members and other stakeholders who met throughout the year before recommending the return of the Chase system, which NASCAR announced ahead of the 2026 season.
Forde explained that one of the committee's first recommendations was to move away from playoff terminology altogether, an idea first raised by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin (32:27 onwards):
Forde continued by explaining why NASCAR also decided to remove the regular-season championship:
Forde added that NASCAR's broader objective was to simplify the format and remove terms such as playoff points, elimination rounds and seeding. Rather than creating multiple championships, NASCAR wants to focus on one season-long champion, while identifying the points leader entering the Chase as the No. 1 seed.
While Denny Hamlin has found himself leading the standings, Tyler Reddick's season has taken the opposite direction. Just over a month ago, the 23XI Racing driver held a 100-point advantage atop the standings after winning five of the opening 14 races and was the top seed in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge.
Since then, mechanical failures, crashes and penalties have erased that cushion, allowing Hamlin to take firm control of the standings. Discussing Reddick's latest setback at North Wilkesboro on Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin admitted the No. 45 team lacked its usual pace even before the accident with Alex Bowman:
The revised championship format means the fight between Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick now carries different stakes. Instead of competing for a regular-season championship and trophy, the points leader after the opening 26 races will enter the Chase as the No. 1 seed, with a 25-point advantage over second.
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