The NASCAR Cup Series schedule used to be easily copied and pasted from year to year. There were very few, if any, changes at all. The way NASCAR arranges its schedule these days is very different, and in the last few years, this strategy has resulted in an explosion of new races at fascinating new venues.
These days, NASCAR looks for additional races to add to the Cup schedule in addition to iconic races like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500. It also does not hesitate to move dates about.
The increased expectation of the timetable for the upcoming year is one of the outcomes of this strategy. Which new song(s) will be included? Will a date or a track be removed? How will the ten-race playoff field look?
The 2025 Cup schedule has not yet been confirmed, but according to NASCAR sources, an announcement this month is anticipated. These are some of the anticipated modifications, as determined by discussions with various sources within the NASCAR business.
Mexico
It is commonly known that NASCAR wants to host a points race abroad of the United States, something it has not done since 1958. A year ago, this ambition was almost achieved, but the talks with Montreal broke down.
This season, Mexico City is the most likely contender. Formula One has been competing there since 2015, and the Xfinity Series raced there for four years (2005–2008).
Although agreements between NASCAR and Mexico City promoters have not yet been finalized, industry confidence in the project’s eventual success is high.According to an industry insider, the deal is “close,” meaning it will close.
If Mexico City manages to get a race, NASCAR will undoubtedly triumph, even if it necessitates the inclusion of a road course in an already packed schedule. Although some in the garage would not be thrilled about the relocation because of practical and security issues, in general, this would be a good thing for the expansion of the sport. When Xfinity raced there, Mexican fans showed a strong enthusiasm for NASCAR-style racing, which has only intensified since Daniel Suárez, a native of Mexico, won the 2016 Xfinity championship and went on to win Cup races.
What would Mexico City replace
Should NASCAR hold a race in Mexico City the following year, a slot will need to be made available on the schedule. Why would NASCAR do that?
by abandoning the spring Richmond race, those close to the industry claim. Too often in recent years, Richmond’s on-track action has lacked enthusiasm, and the track’s attendance is not high enough to warrant keeping two weekends.
Even though it would be regrettable to have one fewer short track on the schedule, neither the NASCAR management nor its teams are in favor of Richmond being the site of two races per year. Most people agree that this action is long overdue.
The Clash
Little is known about the location of NASCAR’s exhibition event, which is held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for three years before moving to a new location each season.
We do anticipate that a fourth edition of the Clash will not take place in the Coliseum. The occasion proved that NASCAR could successfully construct a track within a stadium and have a valuable race there. However, the novelty has worn off, the three-year contract is over, and there would be declining returns for investing millions of dollars in something that could not be salvaged.
Will the Clash make a comeback to Daytona, as some drivers have expressed openly? It would act as a stopgap measure for a year until NASCAR decides on a new location for 2026. But after things went so well in L.A., how would returning to Daytona be perceived by the general public? It should be possible for NASCAR to use this to create a comparable show somewhere. It is unlikely that Daytona would check this box.
Bowman Gray Stadium is another location that has surfaced as a strong contender in recent weeks, according to industry sources. Since NASCAR announced in March that it has acquired the facility’s lease to handle racing operations, effective immediately, the organization’s links to the historic quarter-mile track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, have only grown stronger. The association dates back to the 1940s.
The Clash at Bowman Gray would undoubtedly satisfy the requirement of moving the preseason exhibition event to a distinctive location that would not be taken into consideration for a Cup points race. This racetrack’s limited space would probably produce the kind of television-ready drama that Fox Sports and NASCAR, who will broadcast the event, are looking for to start the season. Consider this as Major League Baseball playing a game in an Iowa cornfield meets NASCAR.
Southern California
Despite the ongoing renovation at California Speedway in Fontana and the conclusion of the Clash at the Coliseum, NASCAR has remained resolute in its desire to continue operating in Southern California. NASCAR has looked into a number of options for hosting a race close to the second-biggest city in the nation, such as teaming up with the Long Beach Grand Prix or hosting one at Dodger Stadium alongside Formula E.
Industry sources claim that both the Long Beach Grand Prix and Dodger Stadium are currently unviable for various reasons. Even while nothing is official yet, it seems more and more likely that NASCAR will not be holding races in Southern California in 2019.
Canada
There was a feeling that it would be some time before NASCAR looked at the idea of racing on the renowned Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after negotiations between the series and Montreal fell down last year. Waiting a year to seek Montreal would make sense given that Mexico City might join in 2025, giving NASCAR a significant boost to its 2026 schedule.
However, NASCAR and Montreal have recently reopened talks, albeit the exact nature of the conversations vary depending on who you speak with. According to one industry source, there was a 50/50 chance that Montreal would be able to obtain a date in 2025. For the odds to improve, according to a different source, a lot has to change.
Although it does not appear feasible right now, Montreal could still happen in 2025.
Championship race
Industry sources say that Phoenix Raceway will host NASCAR’s championship weekend for its three national series in 2025, an announcement that is sure to not go down well. Although many drivers have openly advocated for the championship to be moved, there have been talks about doing so; nonetheless, NASCAR was unable to ignore the strong support in the Phoenix area.
The community has embraced the chance to host championship weekend in Phoenix ever since it did so for the first time in 2020, and NASCAR recently finished a $178 million redevelopment project at Phoenix Raceway with the goal of making Phoenix a venue capable of hosting its championship.
Even while racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway is typically thought to be far better, NASCAR did not enjoy the same level of support in Miami, where the championship frequently felt underappreciated. There are those in NASCAR who think the 1.5-mile South Florida oval, which is regarded as one of the top circuits in the sport by most drivers and fans, will eventually host NASCAR’s championship weekend. However, it is unclear when.
As part of its efforts to guarantee the championship weekend in 2026, the City of Homestead is making progress. On April 17, at the Homestead Council Meeting, a motion was approved by the city authorities to start drafting a proposal to revive championship weekend at HMS. Homestead’s focus on 2026 suggests that Phoenix will continue to serve as the host city for 2025.
Circuit of the Americas
Bobby Epstein, the chairman of Circuit of the Americas, predicts that NASCAR will make a fifth consecutive trip back to the road track in Austin, Texas in 2025.
COTA is leased by Speedway Motorsports; the initial three-year agreement was signed for the 2021 season, and an extension was later signed to include the 2024 season. And while no deal has been struck to guarantee NASCAR’s return, Epstein said in an email to The Athletic last month that it is anticipated that a deal will be done shortly.
“They’ll be back,” Epstein said. “For sure they want to come back in 2025, and we are working on finalizing a date.”
As part of an effort to broaden the Cup schedule’s diversity and introduce NASCAR to underserved or unexplored locations, the series added COTA to the schedule in 2021.
The excitement surrounding COTA has persisted, in contrast to some other tracks that NASCAR has introduced recently. Many drivers openly expressed their support for the partnership to continue throughout the course of the last weekend.
“It’s one of those road courses that has a little bit of every driving technique you’d need on a road course: the heavy braking, finesse, hustle areas,” Chase Briscoe said. “It’s cool to share a track with F1. There are a lot of cool road courses, but this is one we need to keep on the schedule.”
Industry sources say there is no hidden opposition within NASCAR, so a return to COTA seems certain.
Regular-season finale
Industry sources say that after a one-year break, it is almost a given that the 2025 regular season will wrap up at Daytona once more.
Due to a schedule conflict with NBC Sports, which is airing the 2024 Summer Olympics and has requested that NASCAR be silent for two weeks, Daytona will not be hosting the finale this year. Daytona is anticipated to return to being race 26 in the absence of the Olympics in 2019.
Easter Sunday
According to industry sources, NASCAR is not anticipated to race on Easter Sunday in 2025 after a three-year experiment racing on the holiday, when it had previously taken that weekend off. There will probably be a lot of appreciation for this choice within the garage.
All-Star Race
Industry sources expect North Wilkesboro Speedway to hold the All-Star Race again next year, as it has done since 2023. Although Speedway Motorsports has spent a great deal of money and effort trying to revitalize the once-derelict track, it remains immobile.
(Top photo of February’s Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
