Why is NASCAR Leaving Road America?

ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN - JULY 03: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Kwik Trip 250 at Road America on July 03, 2022 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

On Sunday, Road America announced that the NASCAR Xfinity Series will not return to the track in 2024. This was met with some sadness from the fan base as Road America is one of the most popular tracks amongst the fan base. Why would NASCAR leave Road America, and what does it mean for NASCAR as a whole?

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Why Would NASCAR Leave Road America?

David Kallman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal specifically noted the 2024 Olympics in his article, and he even said that NASCAR leaving next year may not be permanent. The 2024 Olympics goes from July 26th through August 11th in 2024. The weekend that Road America was scheduled on this year, was right in the middle of where the Olympics will be on the 2024 calendar.

NBC broadcasts the Olympics in 2024, which NASCAR had taken a two-week break for in 2021. Now, if NBC needs that weekend for the Olympics, why would NASCAR not move Road America to a different date on the calendar? In the end, it comes down to where can they move it to.

Road America is not a race that can be moved to any date on the calendar. It is a track that hosts many different racing series, and it is in Wisconsin, meaning that the weather does not allow a race early in the season or late in the season. So, taking a one-year hiatus from the sport may make some sense.

What It Means for the 2024 Cup Series Schedule

It fuels rumors that NASCAR will take a two-week break during the Olympics. Again, this is what NASCAR did in 2021, and it makes sense given how big of an event the Olympics are for NBC.

It also takes away a potential replacement for the Chicago Street Race should that race not happen in 2024. Many people looked to Road America as an option for NASCAR to go back to in 2024 should the Chicago Street Race leave the calendar. However, this report seems to squash any of those rumors.

However, it does not totally rule out NASCAR’s top division going back to the track in the future. Maybe Road America will return at some point, but it does not seem that NASCAR sees returning to the track as a major priority. Road America is just not as highly valued by NASCAR as other venues for whatever reason.

What It Means for the Milwaukee Mile

One race track that could end up benefitting from this arrangement is a track that sits just one hour south of Road America, the Milwaukee Mile. The Milwaukee Mile hosted its’ first Craftsman Truck Series race in years this season.

If Road America is off the schedule, then what is stopping NASCAR from bringing the NASCAR Xfinity Series back to the Milwaukee Mile? The when may be a point of discussion as the current date would mean taking the Xfinity Series out of Daytona during the current weekend.

However, the current status of the Olympics means there could be some major shifting of the schedule. It may not be out of the question that Milwaukee moves to a different date in the summer to allow the Truck Series and Xfinity Series to run a companion weekend together.

It would make some sense because it would allow Wisconsin racing fans to still get an Xfinity Series race in the area at some point. Maybe NASCAR could bring IMSA to the Chicago Street Race to run as a preliminary event and allow the Xfinity Series to go to Milwaukee instead. Hey, it’s a theory?

Road America leaving the schedule is a surprise to many NASCAR fans, but hopefully, it is only temporary. Could Road America return to the schedule in the near future?

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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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