Ranking The Five Biggest Storylines Of The NASCAR Offseason

The 2025 NASCAR season is officially in the history books, with Kyle Larson, Jesse Love, and Corey Heim each being crowned champions of their respective series.

But that doesn’t mean the storylines are over. In fact, in the three months between now and the 2026 Daytona 500, there are expected to be several changes that could change the future of the sport for good.

In this article, we’ll dive into those storylines, some larger than others, and see what role they could have on both the immediate and long-term future of the sport.

The NASCAR Offseason Is Already Spicing Up

It didn’t take long for things to get interesting following Sunday’s Cup Series finale in Phoenix.

The series itself lost an important legal battle to 23XI Racing. Superstar driver Denny Hamlin wouldn’t commit to his future. And legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. dropped a subtle hint about how the series could be formatted in 2026.

We get into all that and more in our top five storylines of the NASCAR offseason.

5) What Does Corey Heim Do In 2026?

While Jr. Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing star Connor Zilisch is widely considered the best prospect in NASCAR, reigning Truck Series champion Corey Heim is not far behind.

The 23-year-old became both the youngest driver in Truck Series history to reach 10 career wins (22 Years, 7 Days) and the winningest driver in a single season with 12 en route to a dominant championship run.

And yet, he somehow does not have a clear plan for his 2026 season. Typically, a season as impressive as Heim’s would see him move into a top-tier ride in either the Xfinity (soon-to-be O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series, or even directly into the Cup Series.

But so far, it’s been radio silent on Heim. The understanding is that Toyota Racing Development would like to keep him under their umbrella, but there are only so many seats to go around. So, what do Heim’s plans look like for 2026, and who will be his employer?

4) Could NASCAR Be Up For Sale?

Since it first began in February of 1948, NASCAR has been owned by the legendary France family. It was founded by Bill France Sr., handed down to his sons Jim and Bill France Jr., and later to Brian France and Lisa France Kennedy.

Jim currently serves as the series’ CEO, while Lisa’s son Ben is one of the series’ lead executives.

However, in February, series president Steve Phelps revealed that the family was, for the first time, considering an equity sale. Given the ongoing legal battle, which we will touch on shortly, could a larger sale than anybody expected be on the horizon?

3) Will Denny Hamlin Pull A Carl Edwards?

Surely Denny Hamlin will be back with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2026, right? After all, he just came about two minutes away from his first career championship and is under contract for next season.

But when asked about his future recently, Hamlin had this to say: “I plan to. I have a contract to. But at this point, there’s just absolutely no way that I would even… I don’t even think about race car, right now,” Hamlin told Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. “Yeah, I’m going to need some time on this one.”

That’s uhhh, not a very firm commitment.

In 2016, Hamlin’s former teammate Carl Edwards shocked the NASCAR world when he suddenly announced his retirement following a similar heartbreak in the final race of the season. Hamlin and Edwards have different dispositions, so it’s not exactly the same situation. But hey, you never know…

2) What Comes Of The Ongoing Lawsuit Between NASCAR, 23XI Racing, And FRM

As we mentioned above and have covered extensively in the past year, NASCAR is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit backed by 23XI Racing (owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan) and Front Row Motorsports.

Most expected the two sides to settle before reaching a trial, which is currently set for Dec. 1. However, the teams recently received a significant victory in their pre-trial process when the judge presiding over the case determined that NASCAR has complete power over the “premier stock-car racing” market in the United States.

Big 23XI / Front Row win today — Judge Bell has granted summary judgment on market definition of “premier stock-car racing” and that NASCAR has power in that market — trial will be focused on whether NASCAR unlawfully exercised its power in that market.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 4, 2025

Now, the teams must only prove that NASCAR unlawfully exerted its power within that market.

A settlement of some sort still feels likely, as NASCAR opening its books to the public for the first time in its history has already proven harmful for the series. But the closer we get to a trial date, the more it seems both sides are prepared to face this head-on.

If it does reach a trial, several questions loom.

How will the judge rule? If NASCAR wins, is that the end of 23XI and Front Row Motorsports? If the teams win, what does it mean for NASCAR? There are major implications at play about the future of stock car racing in the United States.

1) What Will The Points Format Look Like In 2026?

It’s the question that plagued the entire 2025 season.

If you talked to any online NASCAR fan in the past year, it seems all they did was complain about the series’ current points format, which combines an elimination format and a one-race, winner-take-all championship for the final four.

Critics deemed the system random, unfair, and an inaccurate reflection of the season as a whole. While others believed it created intense moments and forced drivers and teams to perform at their peak in the biggest moments.

Now, it’s all but assured that the format has met its end.

But what replaces it is unknown. There has been talk of reverting to a full-season points format, a 10-race playoff format, or even a modified version of the current elimination format.

Whatever NASCAR chooses, it will surely have both supporters and detractors. But it’s by far the biggest storyline heading into the 2026 season.