On August 20, NASCAR officially announced the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, along with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series calendars, ending months of speculation within the racing community. The schedule maintains the tradition of 36 points-paying races for the Cup Series, continuing the format established in 2001, supplemented by two exhibition events.
This comprehensive 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule incorporates multiple adjustments in dates and venues, designed to enhance the racing experience and maintain a balanced distribution of events throughout the season.
Key Changes to Race Dates and Venues for 2026
The season will commence with the NASCAR Clash on February 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium, a historic track that recently rejoined NASCAR’s National Series in 2025 following a successful preseason event. The renowned DAYTONA 500 will follow as the first points-paying race on February 15 at Daytona International Speedway.
One of the significant scheduling shifts occurs at Darlington Raceway, which moves its event from early April to late March, taking place on March 22. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, NASCAR Cup Series will not hold races during Easter Weekend.
Kansas Speedway also changes its spot on the calendar by advancing from the 12th race to hosting its first event of the year on April 19. Another notable adjustment involves Watkins Glen International, shifting from mid-August to Mother’s Day Weekend in May, spreading the road course events more evenly across the season rather than clustering them in the summer months.
North Wilkesboro Speedway reenters the spotlight with a points-paying race scheduled for July 19, positioned in mid-July, while Dover Motor Speedway takes over as the host for the mid-season exhibition race on May 17.
The schedule introduces a West Coast sequence with the San Diego Street Race at Naval Base Coronado set for Father’s Day Weekend on June 21, followed immediately by Sonoma Raceway, providing a compact “West Coast Swing” of consecutive road races.
Chicagoland Speedway returns to the NASCAR Cup Series, replacing the Chicago Street Course for the Fourth of July Weekend race date. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s race is postponed by two weeks to provide a more dynamic July racing lineup, with North Wilkesboro following Atlanta’s event.
Additional Venue Updates and Postseason Adjustments
Iowa Speedway, which had faced questioning about its future on the schedule, will appear once again for a race on August 9. Conversely, New Hampshire Motor Speedway is removed from the postseason, as Homestead-Miami Speedway is restored as the venue for the season finale on November 8, a move anticipated to excite fans.
Phoenix Raceway, which had hosted the finale for the past five years, will now serve as the first race of the concluding Round of 8 on October 18. This realignment changes the progression of postseason events significantly.
Complete 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule Overview
The full 36-race schedule, alongside two exhibition events, is distributed over various renowned circuits and varied broadcasting partners such as FOX/FS1, Prime Video, TNT Sports, and NBC/USA. Notable races and their scheduled dates include:
February
– Feb 1: NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (FOX/FS1)
– Feb 15: DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway (FOX/FS1)
– Feb 22: EchoPark Speedway (FOX/FS1)
March
– Mar 1: Circuit of The Americas (COTA) (FOX/FS1)
– Mar 8: Phoenix Raceway (FOX/FS1)
– Mar 15: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (FOX/FS1)
– Mar 22: Darlington Raceway (FOX/FS1)
– Mar 29: Martinsville Speedway (FOX/FS1)
April
– Apr 12: Bristol Motor Speedway (FOX/FS1)
– Apr 19: Kansas Speedway (FOX/FS1)
– Apr 26: Talladega Superspeedway (FOX/FS1)
May
– May 3: Texas Motor Speedway (FOX/FS1)
– May 10: Watkins Glen International (FOX/FS1)
– May 17: Dover Motor Speedway (FOX/FS1) – Midseason exhibition
– May 24: Charlotte Motor Speedway (Prime Video)
– May 31: Nashville Superspeedway (Prime Video)
June
– Jun 7: Michigan International Speedway (Prime Video)
– Jun 14: Pocono Raceway (Prime Video)
– Jun 21: San Diego Street Race at Naval Base Coronado (Prime Video)
– Jun 28: Sonoma Raceway (TNT Sports)
July
– Jul 5: Chicagoland Speedway (TNT Sports)
– Jul 12: EchoPark Speedway (TNT Sports)
– Jul 19: North Wilkesboro Speedway (TNT Sports)
– Jul 26: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (TNT Sports)
August
– Aug 9: Iowa Speedway (NBC/USA)
– Aug 15: Richmond Raceway (NBC/USA)
– Aug 23: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NBC/USA)
– Aug 29: Daytona International Speedway (NBC/USA)
September
– Sept 6: Darlington Raceway (NBC/USA)
– Sept 13: World Wide Technology Raceway (NBC/USA)
– Sept 19: Bristol Motor Speedway (NBC/USA)
– Sept 27: Kansas Speedway (NBC/USA)
October
– Oct 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (NBC/USA)
– Oct 11: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL (NBC/USA)
– Oct 18: Phoenix Raceway (NBC/USA)
– Oct 25: Talladega Superspeedway (NBC/USA)
November
– Nov 1: Martinsville Speedway (NBC/USA)
– Nov 8: Homestead-Miami Speedway (NBC/USA) – Season finale
Impact and Outlook of the 2026 Schedule Changes
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule introduces significant adjustments that aim to balance the racing calendar geographically and seasonally, providing a diverse racing experience while responding to fan preferences. The relocation of the season finale back to Homestead-Miami Speedway, for example, revives a fan-favored finish to the series, while strategic repositioning of events like Watkins Glen International to May offers better spacing of road course races.
With venues like North Wilkesboro returning and others shifted strategically, NASCAR appears focused on enhancing competition and viewership through varied locations, dates, and broadcast partners. The schedule also reflects NASCAR’s commitment to honoring traditional race dates while experimenting with new event placements to optimize the flow of the season.
