NASCAR Brasil Series announced a significant overhaul for the 2026 season, adopting for the first time a Playoffs system inspired by the traditional NASCAR Cup Series model. The proposal is to intensify the competition for the title, especially in the final stages of the championship.
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The decisive phase will consist of two stages — Chapecó and Brasília — which, together, will total six races. It is at this moment that the season champion will be defined. “After the 14th race or 7th stage, the 12 best-placed drivers in the standings are selected and we give all of them a bonus of 20 points to enter the Playoffs. The Playoffs stages will be the Chapecó and Brasília stages, the last two stages of the championship with three races each stage, therefore, six races still to score points and see who will be the champion”, explains Thiago Marques, category representative.
Before that, the championship will have a regular season consisting of 14 races, distributed across seven stages, plus seven qualifying Sprint Races. These short races will play a strategic role in defining the pole position for each stage and offering extra points to drivers. The points will be distributed as follows: 10 points for the winner, 8 for second place, 6 for third, 4 for fourth and 2 for fifth.
After the initial phase, the 12 best drivers in the overall standings advance to the Playoffs already with a bonus of 20 points. The first stage of this phase will take place at the new Chapecó racetrack, with three races in a single weekend. At the end of this round, only six competitors will continue in the title fight, receiving an additional 10 bonus points.
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The championship decision will be held at the Brasília Oval Circuit, on November 28 and 29, also with three races scheduled. The format provides, therefore, a total of 20 races throughout the year — 14 in the regular season and six in the elimination phase.
“Do the Regular Championship, the top 12 come out, they earn 20 points. After the first Playoffs stage, with three races, the top six are selected again, who receive an additional 10 bonus points to compete in the grand final in Brasília. This will be our championship. I’m sure it will be a great success and that everyone will like it”, Marques concludes.
The season will begin in Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), on April 11 and 12, marking the start of a calendar that promises balance between consistency and excitement, with a focus on a more intense and competitive final stretch.
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