This may not be the most likely of things to happen, but, what if NASCAR elected to stage some street courses for their lower tier series only? A street race weekend for the Xfinity Series, Truck Series, or maybe even ARCA while the Cup Series runs elsewhere. With the amount of road course races currently in the Cup Series, it’s an idea worth considering at the very least in terms of development.
Where could NASCAR go? Could this open up the ability for NASCAR to tackle some smaller markets previously untouched by major racing series?
Knoxville, Tennessee is one of NASCAR’s biggest markets in the TV ratings on a weekly basis. As a result, why not bring NASCAR to its’ city streets? The closest track to Knoxville is Bristol, which is about 90 minutes away.
Imagine if they tried to stage a summertime race around Neyland Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team. It could be NASCAR’s version of the Nashville street course that IndyCar races on. It’s a unique way to bring NASCAR to a market that has shown its’ love for the sport in the TV ratings.
Another relatively large market that does well in the TV ratings. Hosting a race on the streets of the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area would be something that the locals would definitely appreciate. Yes, there are already plenty of races in North Carolina, but imagine if the Xfinity or Truck Series ran this type of standalone weekend while the Cup Series was somewhere like Charlotte?
Maybe during the fall Charlotte weekend, the Xfinity or Truck Series could run a street race in this market not too far away. It’s an interesting theory to say the least, and it’s a way to bring more NASCAR to a market that loves the sport.
If NASCAR has trouble getting its’ top series to Seattle, then why not bring some street racing to Tacoma, Washington with the lower series? NASCAR has tried this before, as what was then known as the Winston West Series ran two street races there in 1986 and 1987. So, NASCAR has been there before.
NASCAR has shown that the Pacific Northwest is a place they are looking to expand as evidenced by a standalone race in Portland. Tacoma is closer to a bigger market in Seattle, Washington, and it has hosted racing before. Why not try again?
South Carolina does not have quite the racing history North Carolina does, but man does it still have a penchant for horsepower. Again, bringing the racing to the people in a market that loves NASCAR. Greenville, South Carolina is one of NASCAR’s biggest TV markets, but Charleston has a bigger brand.
Why not bring NASCAR’s lower tier series another race in a place that appreciates NASCAR? Charleston, South Carolina is a great place to do it.
If Knoxville is not an option, then why not Memphis? It’s a market that has held NASCAR racing before in the lower series, and it had professional sports in town via the Memphis Grizzlies. Because of this, NASCAR has the option to bring its’ lower series to Memphis as well.
This one is a more risky market, but it’s still an option. Also a market where there is not a race track nearby, means that there is either a large group of NASCAR fans that want a race, or no interest at all. Regardless, it’s a worthwhile idea.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell claims that he feels NASCAR “got a little lazy” in its attempts to keep growing the sport during a recent interview.
NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell is entering his first full season as NASCAR President, after taking over the post from former President Steve Phelps in March 2025.
O’Donnell took over his post during a turbulent time in sports history, as schedule changes and car generations compounded fans’ growing issues with things such as the 2014 playoff system.
To add to his troubles, NASCAR was in the midst of a heated antitrust lawsuit with two of its teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, that was bound for court in late 2025.
Ultimately, NASCAR would manage to put a bow on most of its troubles before the start of the 2026 season, settling the lawsuit with the two teams, changing its points format, and expressing an openness to explore changes to its NASCAR Next Gen car, such as increased horsepower on short tracks and road courses.
This whirlwind of change is turning gears in the NASCAR fanbase, with many fans saying a lot of the reshuffling is just as good for the sport as putting things such as the lawsuit and playoffs in the rear-view mirror, a sentiment shared by O’Donnell.
During an interview with Sports Business Journal on Monday, the long-time NASCAR executive said, “This is the first year I can remember where we’re going into the season, just talking about racing and what’s great about NASCAR.”
This isn’t the only shared feeling between O’Donnell and NASCAR fans, as prior to that, he said he felt NASCAR had grown “a little lazy” after overtaking IndyCar as the top motorsport in America, something he has even told NASCAR employees.
“When I started at NASCAR, we were chasing IndyCar, and the goal was, if we can just kind of surpass IndyCar, and we did that, and, you know, I’ve told our employees, I think we all got a little lazy.” — Steve O’Donnell
While many fans would agree that NASCAR has turned around for the better, there is still work to be done, and in O’Donnell’s eyes, the sport is in a prime spot to grow.
“My job and all of our jobs is to bring the industry together and talk about, we got a pretty cool thing going here, and we can really grow it,” O’Donnell said.
NASCAR isn’t exactly setting lofty goals for itself in 2026, at least in public, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the attention of its fanbase.
While the revived Chase format has drawn back some eyes, things like NASCAR’s “Hell Yeah” advertising campaign were the talk of the NASCAR community entering the 2026 Daytona 500.
That race also produced a finish that saw NBA legend, team owner, and former NASCAR lawsuit plaintiff, Michael Jordan, bring home another major race win on National TV with driver Tyler Reddick.
This race also saw a slight increase in viewership from the 2025 Daytona 500, one hurt by a major rain storm that blew in early in the race’s running.
Though TV ratings may not be skyrocketing, NASCAR has early momentum to make 2026 good enough to set a firm foundation for O’Donnell’s goals of growth, but maintaining that momentum will be another challenge in and of itself.
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.
The NASCAR Truck Series breaks off from the main touring series schedule this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series aren’t racing. So, whether you are going to be at the track or home, what does the forecast look like for the race weekend in Austin, Texas?
Before the OAP Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the OAP Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the OAP Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Before the Cup Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the Cup Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the Cup Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
When the three NASCAR National Series rolled into Austin for COTA’s first NASCAR race weekend in 2021, no one could have guessed the chaos that lay in wait. A major rain shower did not prevent the series from racing that day, as, though it was still somewhat foreign at the time, NASCAR sent the Cup Series out in the rain for a chaotic race, ultimately won by Chase Elliott.
Note: This article will be updated with a more accurate and detailed forecast as the race weekend nears.
After back-to-back drafting tracks, NASCAR’s three National Series split ways as the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series head for Circuit of the Americas, and the Truck Series makes its debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
This information will be available when NASCAR releases it on Monday afternoon.
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.
