NASCAR is expected to release the 2024 Cup Series schedule in the coming weeks, and the schedule could see many changes.
The exit of NASCAR The Cup Series schedule is always a subject of great excitement, debate and speculation among drivers and fans. From new tracks to race date changes and everything in between, there are always changes, and the 2024 calendar will be no exception.
Several unique factors will help shape the 2024 calendar and determine where major changes are likely to occur. Some of these changes are mostly rumors, while others are almost certain.
Predicting the full 36-race schedule is never easy. However, in the weeks leading up to publication, separating rumors into fact or fiction often becomes a much simpler task, and this year that was the case again.
With some of these dominoes already in place, what will the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule look like?
NOTE: Significant changes listed in italics.
Regular season
Exhibition: Sunday February 4 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Clash)
Race 1: Sunday, February 18 – Daytona International Speedway (66th Daytona 500)
Race 2: Sunday, February 25, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Race 3: Sunday March 3, Phoenix Raceway
Race 4: Sunday, March 10, Sonoma Raceway
Race 5: Sunday March 17, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race 6: Sunday March 24, Circuit of the Americas
Race 7: Sunday, March 31, Texas Motor Speedway
Race 8: Sunday, April 7, North Wilkesboro Speedway
Race 9: Sunday, April 14, Martinsville Speedway
Race 10: Sunday, April 21, Talladega Superspeedway
Race 11: Sunday, April 28, Dover Motor Speedway
Race 12: Sunday, May 5, Kansas Speedway
Race 13: Sunday May 12, Darlington Raceway
All-Star Race: Saturday, May 18, Rockingham Speedway
Race 14: Sunday, May 26, Charlotte Motor Speedway (Coca-Cola 600)
Race 15: Sunday, June 2, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Race 16: Sunday, June 9, Michigan International Speedway
Race 17: Sunday, June 16, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race 18: Sunday, June 23, Nashville Superspeedway
Race 19: Sunday June 30, Chicago Street Course
Race 20: Sunday, July 7, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race 21: Sunday, July 14, Pocono Raceway
Race 22: Wednesday July 17, Richmond Raceway
Race 23: Sunday July 21, Richmond Raceway
Race 24: Sunday, August 11, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval (Brickyard 400)
Race 25: Sunday August 18, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Montreal)
Race 26: Saturday, August 24, Daytona International Speedway
Playoffs – round of 16
Race 27: Sunday September 1, Darlington Raceway (Southern 500)
Race 28: Sunday, September 8, Kansas Speedway
Race 29: Saturday September 14, Bristol Motor Speedway
Playoffs – round of 16
Race 30: Sunday September 22, Watkins Glen International
Race 31: Sunday, September 29, Talladega Superspeedway
Race 32: Sunday, October 6, Charlotte Motor Speedway oval
Playoffs – round of 16
Race 33: Sunday, October 13, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Race 34: Sunday, October 20, Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race 35: Sunday, October 27, Martinsville Speedway
Championship 4
Race 36: Sunday, November 3, Phoenix Raceway
2024 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule: Track the planned changes
There are a significant number of changes across the board in this particular schedule, including new tracks, date swaps and some slight changes to the playoff schedule.
The first wave of changes begins during the second week of the regular season. NASCAR has confirmed that Auto Club Speedway will not be on the program in 2024the track will likely be converted to a short track in the near future.
As a result, NASCAR’s early-season “West Coast Swing” will see significant changes, with Las Vegas Motor Speedway moving to the second race of the year and Sonoma Raceway to the final weekend of the trip west for keep it at three weekends in length.
Las Vegas is no stranger to hosting early-season races, but Sonoma traditionally hosts races in mid-June. With significant changes to both the “West Coast Swing” and summer schedule, Sonoma will likely be played in March instead of June.
At the end of March, a new wave of changes will appear on the schedule, with Texas Motor Speedway exiting the playoffs and hosting the seventh race of the season on Sunday, March 31. Through 2020, Texas had hosted two Cup Series races. on weekends, and the first was almost always held that weekend in March or early April as the seventh race of the year.
The following weekend, one of the biggest and most anticipated changes to the schedule takes place as North Wilkesboro Speedway hosts a points race for the first time since 1996.
This year, North Wilkesboro hosted the All-Star Race, and since this weekend, rumors about a points race on the track were numerous. While Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt race weekend is on hold and could be shelved, this opens up the possibility for North Wilkesboro to host a full Cup Series weekend.
North Wilkesboro winning a points race leads to the next big schedule change in May during All-Star Weekend. In 2024, Rockingham Speedway will return to the calendar and host the All-Star Race, exactly 20 years after hosting its most recent Cup Series event.
Like North Wilkesboro, Rockingham will get its “audition” for the Cup Series with the All-Star Race, and if things go well, the track could end up with a points race in 2025.
Early June will see a change in race dates, with Michigan International Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosting the 16th and 17th races of the year, respectively.
Both of these tracks have hosted June race weekends in the past, with Michigan hosting one for over five consecutive decades from 1969 to 2019 before schedule changes in 2020 and 2021 finally brought it back to one only race weekend in August.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled for Friday, July 26 through Sunday, August 11, and as has been the case in years past, NASCAR will have back-to-back weekends as NBC will cover the Olympics from start to finish .
As a result, NASCAR will face scheduling constraints and will likely need to run a doubleheader at some point during the season to ensure the overall season length does not change significantly.
While there are several tracks that could host a doubleheader weekend, it is Richmond Raceway that is the subject of rumors.
A doubleheader weekend in Richmond would resolve the growing complaint about the recent absence of night racing on the site, something that was traditionally synonymous with Richmond. A midweek Wednesday evening race followed by a Sunday day race would allow for both a night race and a day race.
Two other important schedule changes appear immediately after the Olympic break. The first change is almost a given at this point, and it’s one that many fans are already familiar with. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of NASCAR at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and all signs point to racing returning to the oval for the crown jewel Brickyard 400 weekend.
Rumors regarding the return of the Indianapolis oval have been discussed since the move to the road course in 2021. Following this year’s road course weekend, several drivers participated in oval testing at the track, further fueling more rumors about a potential return.
The prestige of a victory at Indianapolis is well documented, and the return to the hallowed oval will be awaited by many in the garage.
The following weekend will see another important change to the schedule: the addition of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Montreal race would mark the first international Cup Series race since 1998, when NASCAR held an exhibition race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. However, the first Cup Series race in Canada since 1958 would be a points race.
The addition of the Montreal track to the calendar has been rumored for some time now, with the race effectively replacing the Auto Club race and moving to the summer. While NASCAR has made it known that it is considering adding international races to its schedule, the move is an ideal way for the series to strengthen its international presence.
The remainder of the regular season sees no further changes, but the second round of the playoffs sees substantial changes.
According to the latest rumors, Watkins Glen International will leave the regular season to qualify for the playoffs. The race will likely serve as the opening race of the round of 16 in late September while the weather is still favorable in the region.
And Watkins Glen would be the only road race playoff, as just two weeks later, the final significant change of the season sees the Charlotte Motor Speedway weekend move from the Roval to the traditional oval, a move that makes the subject of rumors for a large part. season and would be very popular among fans.
Prior to 2018, Charlotte’s playoff race was contested on the oval, and typically the race was held on Saturday nights with the exception of recent years.
Overall, the changes allow for the addition of several new/returning tracks, such as Montreal, North Wilkesboro, Rockingham and the Indianapolis Oval. On the other hand, tracks and events such as the Bristol dirt race, Charlotte Roval, Auto Club and the Indianapolis road course will be removed from the schedule.
On top of that, Richmond will host its first-ever doubleheader, with the first midweek Cup Series race since 2020.
These changes will help create a more diverse schedule and add even more excitement and anticipation for the season as a whole.
