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The 2025 NASCAR National Series schedule is finally here. Many rumors, like the new playoff schedule, are confirmed. However, what are those untrue rumors that sparked conversation in the NASCAR community?
Much like last season, NASCAR was publicly looking for an international race. Two prominent options were in Mexico City, at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Road Course, and Montréal, Québec, Canada, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
NASCAR has raced at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the past, notably in the Xfinity Seris from 2007 to 2012. But as the rumor mill went forward, fans rumored that both tracks could debut for the Cup Series in 2025.
We now know this is untrue, but at one time, two international races seemed like a legitimate possibility. While not off the table for the long term, Montréal will have to wait.
An early question many were asking upon the release of the 2024 NASCAR Schedule revolved around a new track.
This season saw the addition of the Iowa Speedway, filling Auto Club Speedway’s former spot on the schedule. However, it was unsure if this was a long-term option for NASCAR, as losing the Southern California market to Iowa was not ideal.
Not only was Iowa a success, selling out with a hot crowd, but it will return in 2025. The track also received a new race date in August.
In early May, Dale Earnhardt Jr. speculated on the Dale Jr Download that the Charlotte Roval would not return for 2025. His take matched the tone of some fans, who believed that the track had run its course.
Since its first race in 2018, the Charlotte Roval has been known for chaos. However, the Next Gen races have failed to capture the excitement of those first few races. Marcus Smith, President of SMI, publicly disagreed with the claims that the layout was washed up.
While the Next Gen races well on intermediate tracks, Charlotte is hosting both the Coke 600 and the Roval in 2025.
The 2024 season is the last season NASCAR is contracted to hold the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. At the same time, multiple rumors point to the long-term future of the race taking place elsewhere, even in other countries. However, no clear suitor came to light early this season.
In speculation, many thought that Bowman Gray Stadium was a possible sight for the Clash in 2025. However, this seemed unlikely. While the quarter-mile oval has a similar racing style to LA, the “mad house,” doesn’t have the infrastructure nor the February California weather.
While it felt unlikely, NASCAR signed on to manage track operations at BGS in late March. Afterward, speculation ran rapid, and on August 17, NASCAR and BGS announced that the Clash would move to Winston-Salem in 2025.
With Auto Club Speedway demolished in 2023 and the LA Clash not contracted after this season, NASCAR will be without a race in Southern California for the first time since 1997.
In early March, Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal tweeted that NASCAR was considering Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as a potential host of a race in the near future.
While not entirely off the table for the future, fans ran wild with rumors that it could happen as early as 2025, with cars racing in the parking lot of the baseball cathedral. These rumors are, of course, untrue.
While NASCAR could hold a race at the stadium after 2025, new rumors that NASCAR will build a Street Circuit in San Diego for 2026 may remove this plan from NASCAR’s future altogether.
In late May, Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar said on his live stream that Rockingham would return to the NASCAR schedule. While this did happen, with The Rock getting an Xfinity and Truck date, some thought Hocevar, a Cup Series driver, meant the Cup Series would return to The Rock.
The Rock has not hosted a Cup Series race since its first closure in 2004. While a Cup Series race would sell well the first time around, the oversaturation of the Virginia and Carolinas would make a tough long-term sell to fans.
Now that the Rock is back on the schedule, Carson is not technically wrong. However, the rumor mill over-speculated on this one.
On Aug. 18, NASCAR Latino, an X account used by NASCAR to connect with its Spanish-speaking fanbase, posted a 2025 schedule graphic. Since this schedule came from an official NASCAR account, those who saved it before the account deleted it believed it to be true.
NASCAR didn’t deny it either, saying it was “not entirely accurate.” It notably had several dates that lined up with rumors and announcements, including the Mexico City Race.
However, upon the release of the 2025 schedule, the schedule had incorrect dates in June. This difference could be due to a late change in negotiations with Mexico City. However, this “leaked” schedule is lost to the Silly Season rumor mill.
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