Ben Kennedy remains open to tweaking controversial aspect of NASCAR amid schedule release

NASCAR Executive Ben Kennedy has spoken out on the potential to adjust the contentious elements of the NASCAR playoff format after the recent release of the 2026 schedule. He especially explained that the enumeration of the playoff rounds and their names in the schedule announcement should not be conceived as an indication that the form of playoffs will be treated the same.

Right now, the NASCAR Cup Series playoff setup has 16 drivers going head-to-head in the last 10 races of the season. These races are split into three parts, cutting out four drivers after each part, ending in a last race where the top finisher out of the remaining four is named the champ. Points are earned all season and in the playoffs for winning stages and races, also from season ranks, and these points stay with them in each part, but not in the championship race. This setup aims to reward steady and high-stress play, yet it has faced some backlash.

Bob Pockrass reported:

"Also Ben Kennedy said not to take the playoff listing and round designations on the announcement as a confirmation that the playoff format won't change. But they also want to take the time to make sure they get the playoff format right."

Bob Pockrass

@bobpockrass

Also Ben Kennedy said not to take the playoff listing and round designations on the announcement as a confirmation that the playoff format won't change. But they also want to take the time to make sure they get the playoff format right.

A new rule in the NASCAR playoff setup could really change the way drivers deal with the full season and the playoff games. If the big win were up for grabs over many races rather than just one final race, like some want, drivers would need to aim for top spots all through the playoff games instead of just banking on one big day. This might mean that doing well all year and playing smart and constant would pay off, making each game in the playoffs important, not just saving it all for a big show at the final race.

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Ben Kennedy reveals how a ‘road trip’ around Southern California led to NASCAR’s San Diego race location

NASCAR is set to host a groundbreaking event in 2026 by bringing a triple-header weekend to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. This marks the first time NASCAR will stage a street race on an active military base, chosen as a tribute to the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.

The event will feature all three major NASCAR series—the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series—across the same weekend, underlining the magnitude of the celebration. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s executive vice president, shared on X:

“We all got in a car one day, and we did a road trip around Southern California and drove down to San Diego with the Sports Commission. We had three or four different locations that we looked at, and this one was perfect. It's on a military base, on (a) naval base, and it sits between the Pacific Ocean and the Bay of San Diego.”

The course layout, though not finalized, is expected to be approximately three miles long, using parts of the base’s runways and apron areas.