NASCAR explains schedule changes, addresses concer...

The 2026 schedule for all three national divisions is out, and between the Dover All-Star Race, a return to Chicagoland, and a North Wilkesboro points race, there’s a lot to look at. 

In a Wednesday media availability, NASCAR government vice chairman and chief venue and racing innovation officer, Ben Kennedy, in addition to managing director, competitors operations, Jusan Hamilton, addressed the various adjustments as they stay up for the brand new 12 months.

Dover All-Star Race

NASCAR confirmed that the Dover race will “greater than possible” be a day race, because the observe has no everlasting lights. 

“We labored with Speedway Motorsports on the shift there,” defined Kennedy. “A part of it was taking into account whether or not transferring them into Could felt prefer it was a greater time of 12 months from at the very least a warmth perspective, and we thought-about a handful of different tracks as effectively. We felt like that one was the most effective.

“Numerous concerns, simply as we take into consideration every certainly one of these strikes, and Dover was the best choice that we had for ’26.”

Dover is actually swapping locations with North Wilkesboro on the schedule, however this leaves Dover with no factors race. To mitigate that, there might be points-paying races for Xfinity and Truck Sequence at Dover that very same weekend.

Issues about Watkins Glen climate

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photograph by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

One other query mark on the brand new schedule is the plan to race at Watkins Glen Worldwide on Could 9-10. The race has by no means run that early within the 12 months, and a few suppose the risky climate and early season slot might damage attendance. Nevertheless, NASCAR management disagrees.

“I am from Ithaca, New York, so I spent a variety of time at Watkins Glen, and I feel the primary time I went to the Glen was most likely 1995 or 1996,” stated Hamilton. “It’s going to positively be a change to have that race happen in Could.

“The cool factor about having the race happen that point of 12 months, college continues to be in session, the inhabitants of central New York is far larger that point of 12 months, so you’ve the chance to probably attain a fan demographic up there that is sometimes not round throughout the summer time. So far as climate goes, you look — we take a look at a variety of information in any respect our venues, and climate is all the time definitely a consideration. You look at the moment of the 12 months, it says on common decrease 70s throughout the day, likelihood of rain is comparatively low even in comparison with August. The information that we have checked out.

“I can inform you from expertise, I do not wish to — my private expertise to be what dictates our strikes ever, however being up there not too long ago in Could, (you) nonetheless have of us that reside in that space, it sometimes appears like summer time in Could. I do not see an enormous threat in having the race that point of 12 months. I feel the climate for tenting needs to be nice, and I feel we’ll be capable of placed on a extremely good present that point of 12 months. Once more, the vital factor is having the ability to attain a fan demographic up there and make it possible for we’re doing what we have to do for the northeast fan, which that is the place I come from, so definitely have a ardour for ensuring we ship there.”

Placing Vehicles with IndyCar at St. Pete

Scott McLaughlin, Workforce Penske

Photograph by: Penske Leisure

For the primary time within the historical past of the NASCAR Truck Sequence, they’ll race at a avenue course in 2026. In truth, they’ll do it twice with the addition of the San Diego race, however earlier than that, they’ll be a part of IndyCar’s season-opening weekend at St. Pete.

NASCAR defined that their companions at FOX Sports activities, who maintain the printed rights to each races, have been intently concerned on this resolution. 

“There’s a variety of collaboration that takes place anytime we hyperlink collectively on joint occasions like that,” stated Hamilton. “It is also one other alternative for us to study and develop with avenue course racing, as I discussed. It is the primary avenue course occasion in 30 years, within the 30-year historical past of the Truck Sequence.

“Having that occasion on their schedule and ensuring that our improvement sequence have races on their schedule which are conducive to what we’re doing with our premier sequence within the NASCAR Cup Sequence can be essential. These drivers in improvement, someday their objective is to get to NASCAR Cup Sequence, and to have the ability to get expertise on a avenue course in certainly one of our decrease tier sequence can be essential. All of that I might say performs into that call.”

NASCAR officials also expressed a desire to work more closely with IndyCar in the future, opening the door for more combined weekends.

No races within the Pacific Northwest

Common view of Portland Oregon

Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos

With Portland falling from the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence schedule, there might be no national-level races in that area of the nation subsequent 12 months. Nevertheless, sequence officers stay all for increasing their presence there. 

“Yeah, we would like to be within the Pacific Northwest sooner or later,” stated Kennedy. “I feel we have stated this a pair instances: We’re all the time new markets we may go and discover sooner or later, and the Pacific Northwest has all the time been excessive on our record. Whether or not that is the Seattle space, the Portland area, or I might even toss Colorado, despite the fact that it isn’t on the West Coast, Colorado is one other market that we wish to go and discover sooner or later.

“Regardless that we can’t have Portland again on the schedule subsequent 12 months, (we) nonetheless have a variety of good relationships, each with Inexperienced Savoree, who’s going to be the promoter of the St. Pete occasion in February, however then a handful of different observe house owners and operators within the Pacific Northwest area. We have had a couple of conversations with them. Nothing has come to fruition fairly but, however would like to have a possibility to have a Cup Sequence occasion up there sooner or later.”

Getting Chicagoland race-ready

Kyle Busch wins, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photograph by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos

Chicagoland Speedway returns to the Cup schedule in 2026, however it hasn’t hosted a NASCAR race since 2019. The intermediate oval wants just a little upkeep to get it prepared for a race on Fourth of July weekend in 2026.

NASCAR has already despatched a facility improvement group out to the observe to look it over. Kennedy famous that the SAFER Barrier foam must be changed in some areas, in addition to another minor touchups.

“I feel the excellent news is it is comparatively race-ready, so we’ll most likely have to switch a few of the SAFER foam, defined Kennedy. “We’ll most likely must put a recent coat of paint on it, clear up a few of the grandstands, (and) renovate a few of the suite areas. There’s some parking areas that must be repaved. We’ll have an extended record of enhancements that we’ll have to make to the ability, and we’ll make that effectively prematurely of the time that we come there in July.”