Darlington, Charlotte, Las Vegas? NASCAR Namedrops Possible Tracks For Championship Race
What’s Happening? During Friday’s State of the Sport press conference, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell was asked if NASCAR’s Championship weekend would…
NASCAR is once again speaking about changing the host sight of its Season Finale. While Phoenix is a lock for 2025, there could be a change in the long-term future. So, what should NASCAR look for in its new host track, and what are some realistic options?
At the State of the Sport press conference, when NASCAR first spoke about looking at a new host site for the season finale, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell stated that Phoenix supplied one key factor. “It’s very difficult to replicate what we see this week in the atmosphere, what goes into it, the crowd that shows up consistently,” said O’Donnell. “So as we look and consider other venues, all of that has to come into play.”
Fans will be a major factor in this decision. The packed grandstands that come with race weekend at Phoenix are a great look for the sport. However, quality racing will be a good look for the sport. This is a major complaint of the Next Gen car at Phoenix, which leads to constant conversation of an intermediate, or mile and a half track, becoming the host of the race.
Beyond both of these, an interesting market will have to factor into the decision. NASCAR does a quality job of marketing the championship race at Phoenix. The sport utilizes the desert theme in its multimedia promotions. A memorable market with a rich history of racing, both with and without NASCAR, will have to be considered when looking at a new track.
What’s Happening? During Friday’s State of the Sport press conference, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell was asked if NASCAR’s Championship weekend would…
Thanks to the State of the Sport press conference and O’Donnell, we know of a short list of tracks that have potential as a future host of this race. “You look at a number of other venues that are out there, you know, Darlington, Charlotte, you name it, Vegas,” said O’Donnell. “There’s a lot of considerations for us.”
O’Donnell and NASCAR President Steve Phelps also referred Homestead for a potential return, something fans would love. Speaking of the fans, one track that always gets brought up is Kansas Speedway. With the fan excitement around the track, NASCAR should consider it as well.
So, let’s examine these options and see what would attract NASCAR and what would drive it away.
These tracks are the two mentioned that NASCAR does not own; while that is a detraction, NASCAR should not overlook their location and style of racing when assessing a new home for NASCAR’s finale.
What’s Happening? As we roll into the 2025 NASCAR season, rumors and confirmations for the 2026 NASCAR National Series Schedules will…
Charlotte seems like an easy option. The amenities, location, and fan support make it a lock for a Championship race at NASCAR’s home track. The intense racing brought by the Next Gen, combined with the track’s history, also checks crucial boxes on the checklist.
If NASCAR were to host the finale at CMS, it could end or temporarily suspend Charlotte’s Roval’s short life. This is due to the Roval’s location on the schedule in relation to NASCAR’s traditional Memorial Day weekend 600-mile race at CMS. NASCAR and CMS would likely not move the 600 for the Championship, making the Roval an odd man out. However, fans seem to have grown dissatisfied with the layout in recent years, and this could be a welcomed change.
One major detraction would be the market. While it is in the heart of NASCAR country, that may not feel as special as Atlanta, Miami, or Phoenix. North Carolina is already the host of the 600, the All-Star Race, and the Clash, and the finale would only further crowd this market.
Vegas has many of the same positive aspects as Charlotte. The massive track, with solid racing, has two race weekends a year, one of which, much like Charlotte, is already in the playoffs. However, unlike CMS, LVMS would not have to change a race entirely to adopt the Championship.
LVMS benefits from the track’s location in one of the most well-known cities in the U.S., and unlike CMS, LVMS is relatively close to its namesake city. While the marketing for the race would be solid, the one unknown and one of the most important factors will be fans and attendance.
At its 2024 races, the TV camera shots of the LVMS grandstands show a lot of open space. How a championship race would affect attendance is, of course, unknown, but it could factor well into LVMS’ candidacy. However, as a travel destination, Las Vegas could see real consideration for hosting the championship.
NASCAR and its fans have mentioned these tracks as an ideal new home for the season finale. All four are owned and operated by NASCAR, which is a win-win for the sports governing body.
Darlington would match the energy of a Phoneix crowd; however, the egg-shaped oval has a few drawbacks.
First, the track has amazing racing; both races this season saw in-race highlights and a spectacular race to the flag. Furthermore, the track already has that elusive Playoff race that these tracks may need to earn a championship race weekend.
However, the main detraction comes down to location and market. While the track does fill the grandstands, Darlington, much like Charlotte, does not have the special feel of Atlanta, Homestead, or Phoenix, as it is in that area of NASCAR country that the series often visits.
Furthermore, NASCAR would perhaps have to remove the track from its traditional Labor Day weekend of the Southern 500 unless they wanted to do something drastic.
A fan favorite for this new gig is Kansas Speedway, the track that fans once rejected. Thanks to the NASCAR Next Gen car, the track has a new life with its excellent product.
While there are many positives about the on-track product and what it might produce, there are questions about the track market and attendance. Once again, the consecutive sellouts at Phoenix will be hard for any track to top.
While it feels like a stretch, Kansas would provide a great racing product for fans and at-home viewers, adding much-needed excitement to the championship race.
While these simple solutions seem to be the ones that NASCAR has given the most thought to, while NASCAR speaks highly of Phoenix, in that same press conference, O’Donnell stated:
“So Miami certainly has been one that we’ve looked at. I would say that in March when we go back, how do we do from an attendance standpoint? That’s going to be really big for us to see can we gain some momentum. We already know the racing is terrific, right? We are going to deliver on that, but we have a job to do collectively as a sport to drive attendance.” — Steve O’Donnell
This is the key to this debate: while Homestead has great racing, NASCAR requires good attendance. The sport’s bosses clearly see value in having a packed grandstand on TV rather than just good racing.
When and if NASCAR makes the change, we know there are good, yet risky, options. NASCAR will consider these factors, and some they know more about when making that call for 2026.
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