NASCAR Mexico Series announced that they will be scrapping their Playoffs in favor of introducing the Chase system for the first time in series history.
The much-maligned knockout Playoffs format is officially no more, at least within NASCAR. NASCAR Mexico Series, the last series to still use the format, announced their decision to drop their Playoffs system in favor of the Chase on 19 February.
NASCAR Mexico’s decision follows the lead of the three national NASCAR series, which officially dropped the Playoffs for the return of the Chase on 12 January 2026.
While the Chase is a returning format for NASCAR in the United States, it will be a new format for NASCAR Mexico.
NASCAR Mexico ran a full-season points system from 2004 to 2022 before switching to the knockout Playoffs in 2023.
“At the NASCAR Mexico Series, we understand that evolution is a fundamental part of motorsports,” said NASCAR Mexico in the official announcement.
“With our sights set on the growth and consolidation of our championship, and in alignment with NASCAR’s international trends, we have worked responsibly and strategically on updating the competition system for the 2026 season.
“For the 2026 season, the championship will be contested under a system comprised of 8 Regular Season races and 4 races corresponding to the “El Chase NASCAR México Series”, the stage that will determine the 2026 Champion in each category.”
Chase will be used in both NASCAR Mexico Series and its second division NASCAR Challenge Series. Both divisions will keep racing together at the same time, creating a multi-class environment only equaled by the NASCAR Brasil Series.
The best 10 drivers in each division at the end of Round 8 in Super Óvalo Potosino will be given entry to the Chase, which will be held from Round 9 in Autódromo Monterrey to Round 12 in Autódromo Miguel E. Abed.
Like with the US Chase, the top-10 driver’s points will be reset at the start of the Chase and whoever had the most points at the end is declared as the series champion. The points distribution after the Chase reset is as follows:
POSITION | MEXICO POINTS | CHALLENGE POINTS |
1st | 2015 | 1015 |
2nd | 2012 | 1012 |
3rd | 2009 | 1009 |
4th | 2006 | 1006 |
5th | 2005 | 1005 |
6th | 2004 | 1004 |
7th | 2003 | 1003 |
8th | 2002 | 1002 |
9th | 2001 | 1001 |
10th | 2000 | 1000 |
NASCAR Mexico Series is set to feature 12 rounds in 2026, down two from the 14 rounds hosted in 2025.
Super Óvalo Potosino will kickstart the year on 15 March, one of the two dates that the half-mile oval will host.
The opener is then followed by a visit to the ¾-mile Súper Óvalo Chiapas on 29 March and Aeropuerto Tulum – an air base race track much like the upcoming Naval Base Coronado street course – on 26 April.
Autódromo Miguel E. Abed will also have two dates. The Puebla track is scheduled to not only host the finale on 15 November, but also host the fourth round on 17 May. However, it is currently unknown on what layout will be used for both rounds.
The ⅞-mile oval Óvalo Aguascalientes México will host Round 5 on June 7 and Round 10 on 27 September.
Two rounds have yet to determine its venue: Rounds 6 and 11. For Round 6, it is a choice between the ⅝-mile long El Dorado Speedway in Chihuahua and a third round at Super Óvalo Potosino.
Round 11 is tentatively scheduled to be NASCAR Mexico’s inaugural visit to Autódromo Yucatán, a 3.34 kilometer long road course located at one of Mexico’s easternmost states.
However, if the plan fell through like NASCAR Mexico’s aborted Panama plans from 2025, then the series will visit Autódromo de Quéretaro instead.
Autódromo de Quéretaro is guaranteed a spot in the calendar regardless of what happened. The 0.8-mile long oval will host the penultimate round of the regular season on 26 July. Regular season itself will end on 16 August, with Chase starting on 5 September at Monterrey.
This schedule does mean that Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico’s premier racing venue, will be left out of NASCAR Mexico for the first time since 2021.
Disclaimer: Credits for all photos are listed underneath each image.