NASCAR 2026 Rounders Sports DFS Season Preview

NASCAR is back for the 2026 season, kicking things off with the Clash at Bowman Gray on February 1st. The quarter-mile exhibition race should provide plenty of excitement to start the season and will also serve as the first betting opportunity of 2026 in NASCAR. That event leads into the biggest race of the year in mid-February, the Daytona 500, which is also the largest DFS and betting opportunity on the NASCAR calendar.

There are several major changes heading into the 2026 season, many of which took place during the offseason. The biggest change is the championship points system, as all three NASCAR series will return to a version of the Chase format used from 2004–2014. There is no longer a “win and you’re in” playoff format. Instead, the Chase will reward consistency, with the top 16 drivers in points after the 26 regular-season races qualifying for the Chase. There are also no longer elimination rounds. The 16 drivers who qualify will have their points reset and will compete over the final 10 races to determine the champion. I believe this change will benefit bettors and DFS players, as drivers will place a greater emphasis on consistent finishes rather than chasing wins at all costs, which should lead to more predictable race outcomes.

Another major offseason storyline was the settlement between 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR regarding the charter agreement and the ongoing court battle from last season. From a weekly viewer or bettor perspective, there should be little noticeable change in 2026. However, both 23XI and Front Row Motorsports officially have their charters back and will be operating at full strength this season.

Additional changes to the Cup Series schedule include North Wilkesboro hosting a points race, the return of Chicagoland Speedway, and the addition of a race at the Naval Base in San Diego.

I am also making some changes with Rounders Sports this season. For more than six seasons, I have provided free NASCAR DFS content to my followers on Twitter/X and on RoundersSports.com. At this point, I feel it’s time to adjust my content model to better reflect the many hours I spend each week researching, analyzing, and maintaining the website. That said, I want to ensure the content remains affordable and accessible for DFS players.

Starting this season, the subscription cost for all DFS content and articles covering all three NASCAR series will be $9.99 per month. With a subscription, you will receive the same style of articles and breakdowns you’ve seen in previous seasons, along with an increased depth of information across all series. I will be expanding my coverage to include more track-specific strategy, more detailed breakdowns, deeper analysis of my top plays, tournament plays, and value options, as well as additional stats and race-specific insights. When the schedule allows between practice, qualifying, and race day, full driver breakdowns will also be provided.

There are not many NASCAR DFS content creators who consistently provide analysis for all three top NASCAR series, and my goal is to continue doing so at a high level. At $9.99 per month, subscribers receive coverage for all three series at a cost of less than $1 per race. I believe this is the best format for delivering in-depth driver analysis, strategy, and lineup construction, and it is far more efficient than relying on hours of video content just to explain weekly lineup builds.

All articles will continue to be posted on RoundersSports.com, just as they were last season, with access available to subscribers. I will also be posting a content release schedule on the website once NASCAR session times for each weekend are confirmed. This can be found under the Schedule tab on RoundersSports.com and is based on NASCAR’s official practice and qualifying times. All races will be included in the subscription that I write content for which will be every race this season except the Clash next week. In most cases, breakdowns and analysis will be posted within two hours of the conclusion of practice and qualifying, or once lineups are set if the race is run the same day. If practice and qualifying occur a day or more before the race, content will be posted by 11:00 PM the night before the event.

I will continue to post NASCAR Best Bets when applicable on the website and on my social media. This content will remain free, as I only post bets when I see clear value.

I have accumulated thousands of dollars in DFS winnings every season while playing and providing NASCAR DFS content, and I believe I can help most players build winning lineups.

I appreciate your support moving forward, and you can do so by subscribing HERE.