League: NASCAR Sport: Motorsports Country: United States Category: Playoffs

Drivers gather in Charlotte for 2026 NASCAR Chase media sessions

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 2:44 AM

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Drivers gather in Charlotte for 2026 NASCAR Chase media sessions

Summary

Drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series met with the media at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina on September 4. This gathering marks the beginning of the Chase, the inaugural playoff format used to decide the champion in both series. The playoff field consists of 16 drivers for the Cup Series competing over 10 races and 12 drivers for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competing over 9 races. Denny Hamlin enters the Cup Series portion of the schedule as the top seed. Justin Allgaier holds the top seed position for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The event serves as the official introduction to the new championship format for the 2026 season.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•The 2026 Chase media event took place at the Charlotte Convention Center.
•Sixteen drivers participate in the Cup Series Chase over 10 races.
•Twelve drivers compete in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase over 9 races.
•Denny Hamlin is the top seed for the Cup Series.
•Justin Allgaier is the top seed for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Latest Updates

2:44 AMYahoo Sports — 2026 NASCAR Chase Media Days

What they're saying

"
CHARLOTTE, NC (WFXR) — The Chase is on for a title in the NASCAR Cup Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. 12 drivers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series over 9 races and 16 drivers in the Cup Series over 10 races met with media members during the Chase Media Days at the Charlotte […]
— Yahoo Sports

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