The ARCA Menards Series has revealed its 2026 schedule, featuring 20 races at 19 tracks across the United States. The season will start at Daytona International Speedway and conclude with the championship race at Kansas Speedway, marking the venue’s return as the final stop for the first time since 2021.
The upcoming season includes several notable returns to popular venues, including Pocono Raceway in June and Chicagoland Speedway in July, both of which have not hosted ARCA races in recent years. Fans can also expect a mix of well-known superspeedways, traditional short tracks, road courses, and dirt tracks throughout the season, promising a diverse and competitive racing calendar.
2026 Season Highlights Across Various Track Types
Daytona International Speedway will open the 2026 ARCA Menards Series calendar for the 63rd consecutive year, continuing a longstanding tradition dating back to 1964. This event will once again serve as part of a same-day doubleheader with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, scheduled the day before the Daytona 500. FOX Sports will broadcast the Daytona ARCA 200 for the second year running, with 13 races airing on FS1 and six on FS2.
The season finale moves back to Kansas Speedway, which will be the only venue to host two ARCA races in a single year. The first race is set for May, followed by the championship-deciding event in September.
Returning venues include Chicagoland Speedway, hosting a race in July for the first time since 2019, and Pocono Raceway, which re-enters the ARCA schedule for a June race following its last appearance in 2023. These events will be held in conjunction with NASCAR Cup Series races to enhance the racing weekend experience for fans.
Diverse Track Selection Combines Superspeedways, Short Tracks, and Road Courses
ARCA President Ron Drager emphasized the variety on the schedule, stating,
“The 2026 ARCA Menards Series schedule will see long-term relationships with NASCAR national series tracks like Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway continue,”
and added,
“We’ll also return to traditional short track venues like Toledo Speedway, Elko Speedway, Berlin Raceway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, in addition to the road courses at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen International and the two dirt tracks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. It’s a great mix of tracks across the country that will provide our teams and our fans one of the most diverse schedules in American motorsports.”
– Ron Drager, ARCA President
The schedule features traditional short track races, including Toledo Speedway in May, Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway in June, Madison International Speedway in August, and Salem Speedway in September. Dirt racing fans will see the return of races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds during their usual weekends.
The two road course contests in 2026 include a May race at Watkins Glen International and a July appearance at Lime Rock Park, which will mark Lime Rock’s second consecutive season on the ARCA schedule.
Partnerships with NASCAR Series and Combination Events
The 2026 calendar includes several combination races with other NASCAR-sanctioned ARCA regional series. The season’s March race at Phoenix Raceway will be a joint event with the ARCA Menards Series West. Additionally, races at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Iowa Speedway, and Bristol Motor Speedway will combine with the ARCA Menards Series East. A fourth combination event is set to be announced upon the release of the ARCA Menards Series East schedule.
Season Overview and Schedule Accessibility
All race dates and times for the 2026 ARCA Menards Series are tentative and subject to change. Detailed schedules for the ARCA Menards Series East and West will be published at a later date to provide teams and fans with complete information for the upcoming year.
To stay informed on the latest developments, fans are encouraged to follow ARCA Racing’s official channels for updates on race details and broadcast information.
