What’s Happening?

The 2025 NASCAR schedule remains largely unknown as the Cup Series heads into the second half of the season. This leaves many unanswered questions surrounding the schedule, and these are the biggest ones.

• As of this writing, only six Cup Series dates have been officially announced for 2025, with two more races unannounced but pretty much guaranteed. This leaves 28 of the 38 races still unannounced.
• The addition of the “In-Season Tournament” and the potential changes to the Playoff schedule make this schedule much different from those in years past. With all of these factors at play, how will the schedule change?
• Fans are waiting impatiently for the 2025 schedule. Everyone wants to see it soon, and it will be exciting to see how it looks when it does come out.

How Do They Format the In-Season Tournament?

The in-season Tournament is brand new for the 2025 season and begins on June 28th with Atlanta. How does the rest of the Tournament play out? If we follow the 2024 schedule, it would go to Chicago Street Race, Pocono, Indianapolis, and Michigan. Is that the schedule NASCAR wants for the in-season tournament?

NASCAR likely wants a variety of tracks for this part of the schedule, and this schedule is missing a short track. Maybe Indy or Pocono get swapped out for a short track like Richmond to finish off the schedule. Maybe we see a Nashville slot somewhere for a more traditional intermediate track race. Either way, plenty of changes could come to accommodate the In-Season Tournament.

How Does NASCAR Adjust the Playoff Schedule?

After the New Hampshire race, Jordan Bianchi reported that New Hampshire, Darlington, and Gateway are “Tentatively” slated to join the Playoffs instead of Homestead-Miami and Watkins Glen. Bianchi reports that Homestead is moving to March. While Watkins Glen does not have a date yet, it seems likely the track will revert to its’ early-mid August date for 2025. The Darlington/Atlanta swap was expected as the first Playoff race of 2025 slots back in on Labor Day weekend when the Southern 500 at Darlington is.

The question becomes, where should New Hampshire and Gateway be put? Both tracks are further North, meaning weather could be a factor in the fall, so both races must be relatively early in the Playoffs. Does that mean other races like Talladega, Las Vegas, and Charlotte could bump further back into the schedule?

Where Does NASCAR Race Internationally?

Since Garage 56 was announced, it has been widely speculated that NASCAR was looking to race internationally. Well, Jordan Bianchi reports that talks are “Progressing” between NASCAR, Mexico, and Canada to host a race.

In all likelihood, these races would be hosted on the Formula One track in those countries: Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigues in Mexico and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada. According to Bianchi, one venue getting a date likely means Richmond losing one of its two dates. However, he did not specify what would happen if both tracks got a date, and both getting a date could spell doom for the next track we will discuss.

What Does NASCAR Do With Iowa?

NASCAR at Iowa was seen as a major success in 2024, but was it enough to keep this track on the schedule for 2025? NASCAR remains noncommittal on coming back to Iowa for 2025. The track’s small market and grandstands make many wonder what the venue’s future could be.

If NASCAR adds Mexico and Canada in 2025, something must go. Unfortunately, for the abovementioned reasons, Iowa might be the easiest one to drop. However, many want to see NASCAR return to the track after a solid first showing in 2024.

Where To Move the Clash?

According to Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR is expected to move the season-opening Clash to Bowman Gray Stadium in 2025. This would come after a three-year stint at the LA Coliseum, and it would take the concept of racing around a football stadium to a more intimate, grassroots venue. Should this happen, it would be a return of the Cup Series to “The Madhouse.”

NASCAR’s top division raced there 29 times from 1958 through 1971. However, holding The Clash there means it could very cold in North Carolina, which could create interesting conditions for drivers and fans.

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