NASCAR Reveals 2026 Schedule: New Races and Strategic Changes
The 2026 NASCAR season promises renewed excitement with a series of significant changes. The recently announced schedule includes the incorporation of new tracks and strategic adjustments in the programming.
One of the most notable new features is the inclusion of a street race in San Diego, marking a milestone in the competition. In addition, Chicagoland Speedway returns to the circuit after a hiatus. The All-Star Race moves to Dover, Delaware, and the season will culminate at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The calendar, which runs from February to November, features two free weekends. The season will begin with the Clash exhibition race on February 1 at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, followed by the Daytona 500 on February 15.
The season finale will be on November 8th in Homestead, Florida, an iconic venue that hosted the final for 18 consecutive years before NASCAR moved it to Phoenix Raceway in 2020. The final is expected to rotate to different venues in the coming years.
The Chicagoland return comes after a six-year hiatus, with the circuit located in the suburbs of Joliet. The event in San Diego will take place on a military base in Coronado.
To accommodate Chicagoland and San Diego, NASCAR has eliminated the Chicago street race and will not return to Mexico City, where the first international Cup Series points race since the 1950s was held. The return to Mexico City in 2026 was made difficult due to the FIFA World Cup.
Other notable changes include the move of Watkins Glen, in New York, from its traditional August date to Mother’s Day weekend. The All-Star Race moves from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Dover, so that North Wilkesboro will have a Cup race with points, and New Hampshire will lose its playoff race to become the penultimate race of the regular season.
The Copa Series 2026 calendar is as follows:
- February 1: Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
- February 15: Daytona 500
- February 22: Atlanta
- March 1: Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas
- March 8: Phoenix
- March 15: Las Vegas
- March 22: Darlington, South Carolina
- March 29: Martinsville, Virginia
- April 5: Free weekend
- April 12: Bristol, Tennessee
- April 19: Kansas
- April 26: Talladega, Alabama
- May 3: Texas
- May 10: Watkins Glen, New York
- May 17: All-Star Race (Dover)
- May 24: Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
- May 31: Nashville, Tennessee
- June 7: Michigan
- June 14: Pocono in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
- June 21: San Diego
- June 28: Sonoma, California
- July 5: Chicagoland
- July 12: Atlanta
- July 19: North Wilkesboro
- July 26: Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis)
- August 2: Free weekend
- August 9: Iowa
- August 15: Richmond, Virginia
- August 23: New Hampshire
- August 29: Daytona, Florida
- September 6: Darlington
- September 13: Gateway in Madison, Illinois
- September 19: Bristol
- September 27: Kansas
- October 4: Las Vegas
- October 11: Charlotte Roval
- October 18: Phoenix
- October 25: Talladega
- November 1: Martinsville
- November 8: Homestead, Florida
