NASCAR is putting the finishing touches on its 2027 Cup Series schedule, an intricate process in which one change can create a ripple effect necessitating several other adjustments. While there are still some things that need settling and last-minute tweaks could still be made, there is a good sense of what the final version of the schedule will look like.
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Bristol Motor Speedway’s revered night race will no longer be part of the Chase and will go back to a regular-season slot in August — where it was from 1976-2019 before it was moved to the playoffs.
Other tracks expected to bump out of the Chase next year are Darlington Raceway in South Carolina and World Wide Technology Raceway (commonly known as Gateway) outside of St. Louis.
Expected to replace Bristol, Darlington and Gateway as Chase races in 2027 are Richmond Raceway in Virginia, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International in New York. Watkins Glen’s move was already announced in May.
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It is increasingly likely that in 2027 NASCAR will again stage a race at the [San Diego] base, even with the risk of diminished returns in the second year of the spectacle. At this point, it would be highly unlikely for NASCAR not to go back — though the race date is anticipated to be in August.
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NASCAR will be racing somewhere in the Chicago area next year, though it is still being sorted out whether it is on a purpose-built street course downtown, at the Chicagoland Speedway oval in Joliet, Ill., or both — with the last option considered less likely.
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North Wilkesboro Speedway is considered the leading candidate to host the All-Star Race, based on talks with our industry sources, as it did from 2023-2025 before it was then awarded a points race for this season, its first in 30 years.
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See much more at The Athletic.