Unanswered Questions About the 2024 NASCAR Schedule

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Matthew Russell, Dahl and Kevin Ford of Cheat Codes perform during the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

The 2024 NASCAR schedule has some questions answered, but the vast majority remain unanswered. What are some of these unanswered questions surrounding the 2024 NASCAR schedule?

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1. What Replaces Auto Club Speedway?

The replacement for Auto Club Speedway has yet to be announced, but it is a pretty safe bet that the LA Coliseum will not be that replacement. As for what it will be that will replace Auto Club Speedway, that is still uncertain, but the most popular pick might be moving Sonoma up to the West Coast Swing in the spring to race when it is green in Northern California. However, rumor is that Auto Club Speedway has yet to begin demolition, so, is it possible that they return to the track in 2024?

2. Will the Chicago Street Race Return?

The Chicago Street Race was a big win in terms of the racing product for the Cup Series that day, but weather derailed a large part of the weekend. Add to that local support of the event is mixed at best, which calls the future of the event into question. Honestly, it is possible to see this going either way. There is an avenue where NASCAR convinces the city that the weather derailed the first event, so why not try it again? There is also another avenue where the city looks at the public response and feels it is too big of a risk to try this type of event again.

3. Is North Wilkesboro Going to be A Points Race?

The All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway this year was given overwhelmingly positive reviews as an event, but the race itself was not as great. Many people wondered if Bristol Dirt’s date could be pawned off to North Wilkesboro for a points race, but that scenario seems unlikely now. Still, it’s not totally out of the question for North Wilkesboro to become a points race. However, it seems based on the Bristol announcement that the most likely path forward is another All-Star Race at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway.

4. Will NASCAR Go International?

NASCAR going international was all the rage early in the summer in the wake of Garage 56, but those rumors have quieted down in recent months. NASCAR going to another continent in 2024 may be a bit of a stretch anyway, so 2025 seems like the most likely year for that scenario to play out. However, Canada is a place that NASCAR has been rumored to go to in 2024, but, again, nothing official has come out on that front yet. NASCAR going international may not happen in 2024, but in 2025, it seems like a real possibility.

5. How Will NASCAR Handle the Olympics?

NASCAR and NBC have a unique wrench in the 2024 schedule, and that is the Summer Olympics between July 26 and August 11. In 2016, NBC simply moved NASCAR to another cable channel during the Olympics, but, in 2021, NASCAR took a two-week break in the summer during the Olympics. It seems NASCAR could do that again as is evidenced by Road America leaving the Xfinity schedule, but how do they handle that two-week break? One way is by a doubleheader weekend with two Cup races at the same track on the same weekend.

The 2024 schedule continues to be a major mystery, and its’ release continues to be uncertain among everyone paying attention to it. All of the answers to these questions may slowly drop until the schedule is fully released, or it may have to wait until the schedule is fully released.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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