NASCAR Announces Big Changes to 2020 Cup Series Schedule
We are happy—and intrigued—to see NASCAR and its various supportive partners come together in a joint effort to make some improvements to the live sport of NASCAR—but will these changes prove successful?
On March 26th, NASCAR announced a radical change in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. While next year’s schedule will still consist of 36 points races, the traditional format will change. This includes changes in race dates for most tracks, a new 2 Cup race weekend at Pocono, new locations for “Independence Day” and “Labor Day” race celebrations, a new slate of races for the “Playoffs”… culminating with championship weekend in Phoenix, AZ rather than Homestead, FL.
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive VP and Chief Racing Development Officer had this to say about the changes: “The fans and the industry as a whole have been vocal about the desire for sweeping changes to the schedule, and the 2020 slate is a reflection of our efforts to execute against that feedback. These changes are the result of unprecedented consensus-building with our race tracks and broadcast partners; something we look to continue into 2021 and beyond.”
So what will NASCAR fans think of these changes? Will the new race dates help fill more seats at specific events with dates more suited to respective climate and date? Will these changes help expand the NASCAR fan outreach? How will these changes be perceived by the entire NASCAR community? We look forward to seeing how the season shapes up.
2020 NASCAR Cup Series race date changes include:
DATE RACE/TRACK
Sunday, Feb. 9 Daytona- The Clash
Thursday, Feb. 13 Duel at Daytona
Sunday, Feb. 16 Daytona 500
Sunday, Feb. 23 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, March 1 Auto Club Speedway
Sunday, March 8 ISM Raceway
Sunday, March 15 Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, March 22 Homestead-Miami Speedway
Sunday, March 29 Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, April 5 Bristol Motor Speedway
Sunday, April 19 Richmond Raceway
Sunday, April 26 Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, May 3 Dover International Speedway
Saturday, May 9 Martinsville Speedway
Saturday, May 16 All-Star Race, Charlotte
Sunday, May 24 Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 31 Kansas Speedway
Sunday, June 7 Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, June 14 Sonoma Raceway
Sunday, June 21 Chicagoland Speedway
Saturday, June 27 Pocono Raceway (2 Cup race weekend)
Sunday June 28 Pocono Raceway
Sunday July 5 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Saturday July 11 Kentucky Speedway
Sunday, July 19 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sunday, Aug. 9 Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, Aug. 16 Watkins Glen International
Sunday, Aug. 23 Dover International Speedway
Saturday, Aug. 29 Daytona International Speedway
PLAYOFFS RACES BEGIN
Sunday, Sept. 6 Darlington Raceway
Saturday, Sept. 12 Richmond Raceway
Saturday, Sept. 19 Bristol Motor Speedway
Sunday, Sept. 27 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 4 Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, Oct. 11 Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 18 Kansas Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 25 Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, Nov. 1 Martinsville Speedway
Sunday, Nov. 8 ISM Raceway