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Should Homestead-Miami Speedway Be the Finale Venue?

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Speedway on November 17, 2019 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Joshua Lipowski

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Royal T Grafix

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When the 2024 schedule was released, many people pointed to the finale being Phoenix Raceway for the fifth consecutive season. This weekend, the NASCAR circus heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway, which was once the finale venue from 2002-2019. Dale Earnhardt Jr. even talked about how people miss Homestead as the finale venue, so, should Homestead-Miami Speedway be the finale venue?

Homestead’s Time as a Finale Venue, and Why NASCAR First Left

When Homestead-Miami Speedway was first chosen as the venue for the season finale in 2002, many fans were unhappy at the move at first. Keep in mind that Homestead-Miami was a flat 1.5-mile track back in 2002, and the track was soon reconfigured to the track it is today. Now, it is a 1.5-mile progressively banked (18-20 degrees) track that gradually became more and more popular with the fanbase as time went on.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, NASCAR visited Homestead-Miami Speedway only one weekend per year, and that was the finale weekend. The track developed a brand as the home for the NASCAR season finale. An entire generation of NASCAR fans grew up with the track being the home for the season finale, and the races happening underneath a Florida sunset was a perfect metaphor for the ending of a Cup Series season.

As a track, Homestead had some iconic moments and iconic races as the season finale. From Bill Elliott cutting a tire on the final lap and losing the lead in 2003, to the crazy finish to the inaugural 2004 Chase, to Tony Stewart vs Carl Edwards in 2011, to Jimmie Johnson winning his seventh Championship in 2016. However, the track was not totally beloved during its time as the season finale

First off, the 1.5-mile track product during its time as the finale venue was not the best. On top of that, some fans were getting tired of the finale venue being the same every single year. Of course, this was part of a larger conversation about the schedule becoming bland, and NASCAR changed the finale venue in 2020 to Phoenix.

What Makes It a Good Finale Venue

The main reason it worked as a finale venue in the first place is because of its’ location. It is in South Florida, and that means it is one of the only places in the country where the weather is nice enough to race during that time of year. The location just worked perfectly, and the racing was not terrible either.

Now that the Next-Gen car works so well on intermediate tracks, many fans are looking for an intermediate track to host the final race. Homestead-Miami Speedway is an intermediate that could host the final race, and it already has a history as a finale venue.

What is Keeping NASCAR From Having it as the Finale Venue

NASCAR is not always thrilled with going backward on things. Yes, they do at times bring back old traditions such as the traditional Southern 500, but they also change things up. They moved the traditional 4th of July Daytona summer race to August, moved the Brickyard 400 to the road course, and moved the All-Star Race from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Not all changes are bad by any means, but it shows that NASCAR is changing things up. If they choose to go back to Homestead-Miami Speedway, they would be going backward.

On top of that, Homestead-Miami is a very unique venue. It is unlike any intermediate track out there, and some would argue it tends to favor certain drivers. For example, Kyle Larson won there last year and he has led the most laps there three times. Then again, Larson has only one win there, so, that’s quite a loaded claim to make for a guy who has only one win at a track.

At the end of the day, everyone is on the same playing field with the same rules. Maybe some drivers race around Homestead-Miami well, but, what’s keeping other Championship contenders from improving there?

Homestead-Miami Speedway is a popular choice to become the NASCAR season finale venue once again. Will NASCAR make the move to bring it back in 2025?

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: SVG Wins at COTA

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The checkered flag is out for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitors at COTA, and it was Shane van Gisbergen who was left standing tall at the end of the race. His 5th career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory, it was his first at the track.

  • The opening stage was dominated by the JRM duo of Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen with the No. 1 of Zilisch looking to be the stronger of the two early on. Prior to the end of the stage, both short-pitted, making a long-term play for the win. SVG still managed to end the stage in 10th.
  • Austin Hill stayed out after a disappointing showing in Atlanta last week to collect some stage points. Also running strong in the first stage were Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Brandon Jones, and Jesse Love.
  • Despite not being in his usual ride, Carson Kvapil was very competitive in his DGM No. 91 Chevy. Granted, the car was prepared by JR Motorsports ahead of this race, but it was DGM guys running the show. They did an admirable job, bringing the car home in the 19th position after falling off late. He’ll have 5 more starts in the car later this year to fill out the remainder of his schedule.
  • The second stage belonged to Sam Mayer. Finishing 2nd in the first stage and winning Stage 2, he had a mighty good points day today. Meanwhile, his former teammate Justin Allgaier also had a strong finish in stage 2. That’s a promising sign, considering his heartbreaks in Daytona and Atlanta, respectively.
  • Connor Zilisch had far from a perfect race today. Sure, he led a bulk of the opening stage, but mechanical issues plagued him later in the race. Extra time on pit road making repairs put him behind the 8 ball in Stage 2. This put the race firmly in the hands of SVG. He did manage to battle back to the top 5 before he was dumped by Corey Day and the controversy around that driver continues to build. Zilisch brought it home in 21st with significant damage.
  • With Connor Zilisch’s issues, it was more or less a cakewalk for Shane van Gisbergen in the JRM No. 9. He went on to win, scoring his 5th career win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He has an opportunity to sweep the weekend. He starts tomorrow’s Cup race in the 13th position.

Race Results

Caution Tracker
  • Lap 20: End of Stage 1
  • Lap 35: Baltazar Leguizamon spins
  • Lap 40: End of Stage 2
  • Lap 57: Sage Karam

Points Standings

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch, driver of the #1 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: Mid-Race Report, It’s the Zilisch and SVG Show!

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The first two stages are in the books for the stars of tomorrow in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA. Predictably, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen dominated the first two stages. As they short-pitted at the end of each stage, Austin Hill and Sam Mayer both went to collect stage wins, respectively. Here are the key takeaways from the race so far.

  • Austin Hill, after a disappointing finish to last week’s race in Atlanta following being sent by Ross Chastain, won the opening stage of the race. This was, of course, after Connor Zilisch and SVG short pitted, playing the long game for the win. Zilisch led a bulk of the opening stage, leading 12 of the opening 20 laps. On pit road, SVG managed to leapfrog Zilisch for the would-be race lead.
  • The only incident to note in the opening stage was when Jeremy Clements got off course. The caution did not fly, and he finished the stage in the 30th position.
  • Key drivers earning stage points in the opening stage include Austin Hill (10), Sam Mayer (9), Justin Allgaier (8), Brandon Jones (7), Jesse Love (6), Carson Kvapil (5), Corey Day (4), and Rajah Caruth (2).
  • The second stage wasn’t quite as cut and dry as the first. While battling for the lead, Connor Zilisch overdrove a corner, making an uncharacteristic mistake. He went over the radio to complain that it felt like his car was pulling to the right, an indication of a possible issue with his left side brakes.
  • There was a late caution in the stage as Baltazar Leguizamón suffered a brake failure and plowed hard into the tire barrier. He was okay but this effectively ended his day. SVG and Connor Zilisch both came down pit road during this caution. Zilisch had a slow stop as his No. 1 crew started to check out the right side of the car for potential brake problems. Sam Mayer went on to win the stage.
  • Earning stage points in the second stage were Sam Mayer (10), Justin Allgaier (9), Carson Kvapil (8), Jesse Love (7), Austin Hill (5), Sammy Smith (4), Brandon Jones (3), and Ryan Sieg (1).

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

What to Keep an Eye on in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at COTA

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Saturday Double-Header continues with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series action from Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Here’s what you need to look out for and what to expect in today’s race.

  • Road course heavy hitters, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, are in the field today. You know what that means: another slobber knocker of a race between them as everyone else struggles to keep up. And, you guessed it: they both are starting on the front row with Zilisch claiming the pole in his No. 1 JRM Chevy. SVG is driving the No. 9.
  • Since Zilisch is in the No. 1, Carson Kvapil has been demoted to the No. 91 of DGM Racing. While the car is prepared by JR Motorsports, it won’t be his usual pit crew. Rather, his crew is made up entirely of DGM employees. So, there are a lot of unknowns for him heading into today’s race. He’s starting 6th.
  • Speaking of JRM, Rajah Caruth turned some heads in the first two races of this season. How will he fare on a road course? That No. 88 team is used to winning on these types of tracks. Keep an eye on him. Caruth is rolling off 19th.
  • Austin Hill bounces back after a disappointing finish last week in Atlanta, thanks to the ruthless bumper of Ross Chastain. He’s rolling off in the 3rd position.
  • Coverage for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA begins at 3 PM EST on the CW.

Starting Lineup

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.