NASCAR Exec Says Homestead Will Likely Host 2027 Championship Race

What’s Happening?

NASCAR’s Mike Forde says that Homestead-Miami Speedway will likely host 2027 NASCAR Championship weekend, despite NASCAR looking towards a rotation of host venues in the near future.

Even though NASCAR’s top divisions have yet to take the track for an official points-paying race, the 2026 season already feels like a solid reset for NASCAR.

This metaphoical reset is seen through several changes made by NASCAR across the board this past season and offseason, with a renewed Chase format set to crown its first champion, changes to the sport’s short-track racing package, and a new host location for the championship weekend.

This change in venue for the season finale is one that was welcomed by fans, as, since the introduction of the NASCAR Next Gen car in 2022, the quality of racing at intermediate ovals has, in the eyes of fans, substantially increased.

Of course, the track that will host 2026’s championship festivities, Homestead-Miami Speedway, is by no means new to the role, as the 1.5-mile track in South Florida previously hosted the event from 2002 to 2019.

NASCAR announced this change last May, an announcement that also confirmed the sport would move to a rotating format, with a new venue hosting each year, in the near future.

For the most part, many expected this year’s return to Homestead to be the first race of this rotational format, with a new venue hosting championship weekend in 2027, 2028, and so on.

But that might not be the case, as per the recent episode of NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, Mike Forde, says that the sport plans for Homestead to retain hosting duties into 2027. 

“We’re looking at a Homestead finale in 2026 for sure. And then in 2027, never say never, but in all likelihood, right now, the plan for us at NASCAR is to have the Homestead-Miami Speedway again host the season finale in 2027.” — Mike Forde

Though these plans are not set in stone, Forde clarified that the sport will take a look at this rotating championship format following the 2027 finale at Homestead. With Forde saying it is important to NASCAR to take the end-of-year race weekend to new markets, hopefully, in 2028.

“Having that in different markets is super important,” Forde said. “So we’re looking forward to that happening, but probably the 1st year we’ll see that is in 2028.”

Rotating the Championship

Of course, things could change by next fall, as by this time last season, Phoenix Raceway was likely the host of NASCAR’s Championship weekend in 2026.

Nonetheless, the track, which still plays a role in the 10-race Chase, is suspected to be part of this somewhat unconfirmed rotation of tracks that will host the championship.

During the State of the Sport Press Conference in late 2024, current NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell, then COO, gave fans some ideas of places that could host the championship in the future.

His ideas included tracks such as Darlington Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, though, at the time, the sport had not settled on a rotating format.

Nonetheless, NASCAR has yet to confirm any other future host sites beyond Homestead-Miami Speedway.

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