Five Changes Fans Would Love to See on the 2027 NASCAR Schedule

What’s Happening?

NASCAR is nearing the release of its 2027 schedule, and, with plenty of rumors and commentary circling the community, it’s a good time to remind fans that they have a say in what happens each season.

For example, this year alone, NASCAR returned to Chicagoland after years of begging from fans to see a Next Gen Race at the track, and North Wilkesboro got its first points race in 30 years, something that fans pleaded for after a solid 2025 All-Star Race.

There are already a handful of projections that fans would like to see, such as a Chase schedule shakeup, new hosts for specific weekends, and a few returning tracks, so let’s take a look at what NASCAR could do for the fans in building out the 2027 schedule.

No Watkins Glen Spring Race

If there was any real “disaster” with the 2026 NASCAR schedule, it was the move of Watkins Glen International to the spring.

While fans still showed up to the track, they were met with muddy, cold, and windy conditions that, frankly, they warned everyone would happen when the 2026 schedule dropped last August.

These problems even extended to the drivers, as several showed off their rental cars, and even campers, stuck in the mud outside the track.

Now, NASCAR has already confirmed the track will not host a spring race in 2027 and will host a Chase race instead. Still, we added it to this list to remind you that fans do have the power to force a change, but let’s hope that NASCAR doesn’t schedule it too late in the season.

New Fourth of July Host

NASCAR fans will bicker and fight about almost everything, but everyone agrees that NASCAR needs to find a new home for the Fourth of July race weekend and leave it there.

For the longest time, Daytona played host to the weekend before Indianapolis, then Road America, then the Chicago Street Circuit, and now Chicagoland took over. Chicagoland, as beloved as it is, does not fit the billing for one of the four important NASCAR holiday weekends.

Of course, fans are going to fight over where the race should go, but that doesn’t mean NASCAR shouldn’t try to find a new home.

Still, if the sport opts to take it somewhere just as questionable as Chicagoland, they likely won’t hear the end of it until the 2028 season comes around.

No Dover All-Star Race

In the same vein as Fourth of July Weekend, most fans agreed that Dover, once again a beloved track, was a bad place to take the race in 2027.

While it’s not confirmed that track owner and All-Star host Speedway Motorsports is moving the event for 2027, it seems all but confirmed, with rumors stacking names like Nashville, Charlotte, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, and Las Vegas into the mix.

While any of those tracks losing a points date would be a shame, something has to happen, and if that something happens, most fans seem okay with Las Vegas losing a points race or North Wilkesboro taking back its role as host.

Chicago AND Chicago Street Circuit

It’s no secret that not everyone loved the Chicago Street race. On the other hand, like most controversial or outright untraditional things in NASCAR, the event had its handful of supporters.

Still, those who wanted the sport to go back to Chicagoland Speedway were right, as this year’s Fourth of July race had a great crowd and good racing.

With rumors that Chicago’s street race could be back on the schedule still swirling, and others (all the way to the top of NASCAR) claiming that both races could have a spot on the calendar, why not put both on and see what happens? It may work out for the best.

Still, it seems that it will be one or the other.

Less Conflict With Big Races and Big Events

While NASCAR may not have to worry about the World Cup in 2027, for a sport that goes nearly the majority of the year’s 52 weeks, there will be plenty of opportunities for NASCAR to get overshadowed.

Now, NASCAR has already made one of these changes by moving the entire season back a week to adjust for the new Super Bowl schedule.

But they shouldn’t stop there. This year, like every year since its move to October, the Bristol night race will go head-to-head with the Tennessee Volunteers football, while NASCAR at Gateway has to compete with the NFL’s opening Sunday.

This may be too easy a solution, but NASCAR is definitely well aware of all football schedules (especially the NFL, ACC, and SEC), so why not make sure race weekends like these can soar in 2027?

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