What’s Happening?

The NASCAR schedule is incredibly fluid, and plenty of tracks have come and gone from the schedule for various reasons. Even legacy race tracks like Rockingham and North Wilkesboro bit the dust at one point in NASCAR history. Those examples in the past showcase that very few tracks are safe from having their dates revoked. However, there are a select few that we envision NASCAR will NEVER leave at any point.

• Many factors go into whether or not NASCAR will leave any of these tracks. This includes overall legacy, local support, the racing product, attendance, and location.
• It’s impossible to predict exactly how the schedule will break down in the future, but, these tracks are all safe bets to stay on the schedule forever for various reasons.
• These tracks tend to be fan favorites, so, that plays a role in why NASCAR will never leave these tracks. Fan support is a major part of why NASCAR sees value in staying at a certain track.

Daytona

NASCAR is based out of Daytona Beach, Florida, and the Daytona 500 is the richest race of the year. There is no reason now or ever that NASCAR would even consider leaving Daytona International Speedway. It’s the definition of a “Crown Jewel”

Charlotte

While Daytona is where NASCAR itself is based, most of the race teams are based out of the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord also hosts the Cup Series’ second biggest race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600. While the racing product was hit or miss throughout the Gen-6 era, the track’s location and prestige keep it on the schedule as long as NASCAR is around.

Talladega

Superspeedway races are some of NASCAR’s hottest tickets, and Talladega is the biggest of the bunch. The 2.66-mile superspeedway hosts two races per year, and it still hosted the fastest qualifying lap in NASCAR history in 1987 at 212 MPH. The incredible racing product, good crowds, and great TV ratings mean Talladega will stay for years to come.

Atlanta

Just like Talladega and Daytona, Atlanta is a superspeedway, although a smaller size. The track has gained a reputation as a must-watch event over the last few years, and it’s going to continue down that path. While the recent reconfiguration wasn’t beloved by everyone, Atlanta is going to stay.

Michigan

This may surprise some people, but, thinking from a business perspective, racing at Michigan is very important. Detroit is the “Motor City” after all, and Michigan is the closest track to Detroit. Both Chevrolet and Ford have a large presence in Michigan, and that means this track will stay, even if it recently lost a date.

Martinsville

Martinsville is the oldest track in NASCAR, which gives it a great legacy, but, it’s also fairly close to the sport’s hub in Charlotte. While the recent races at Martinsville have not been great, this is a track that appeals to the diehard NASCAR fan, and racing at places like Martinsville is what makes NASCAR unique to other major motorsports.

Darlington

Darlington has similar historical value to Martinsville, but, Darlington stays on the schedule due to the Southern 500. While the track lost the “Crown Jewel” between 2004 and 2014, the fact that NASCAR kept the date the same on the 2024 schedule despite moving out of the Playoffs shows how they value this race. NASCAR has a larger appreciation now for what the Southern 500 means for fans, so, this track stays.

Bristol

Bristol Motor Speedway has similar historical value to Martinsville, and it has a big event with the Night Race. The track also produces some great racing, especially in the 2024 spring race, despite the Next-Gen car’s struggles on short tracks. The track still pulls in over 100,000 people for the Night Race every year, and NASCAR cannot walk away from that.

These tracks will likely be on the NASCAR schedule until the end of time. NASCAR doesn’t feel quite like NASCAR without any of them.