In a teleconference on Tuesday, NASCAR provided perception into what’s in play and what’s out of the query as a part of their rotating season finale. The monitor has to examine a number of bins which embody a powerful on-track product, a superb local weather for early November, and naturally, being situated in a sexy market. However one other facet of that’s discovering a venue that greatest displays the general schedule and avoiding ‘wildcard’ tracks.
The sanctioning physique introduced a return to Homestead-Miami Speedway for 2026 earlier within the day, ending Phoenix’s six-year run because the title-decider for all three nationwide divisions. It can mark the start of a rotating finale with varied tracks serving because the host location from year-to-year.
Homestead hosted the finale from 2002 by way of 2019 earlier than the shift to Phoenix occurred — the longest consecutive run of any monitor. Within the teleconference, NASCAR Govt Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Improvements Officer, Ben Kennedy revealed that rotating finale will focus primarily on intermediate tracks and even brief tracks.
No superspeedways and street programs
Kennedy dominated out the concept of using a superspeedway or street course for the championship race within the speedy future, however he did not utterly shut the door.
“By no means say by no means, however I believe we have unanimously agreed that it must appear and feel like what we might count on conventional NASCAR racing to appear and feel like,” defined Kennedy when requested about presumably taking the finale to Daytona. “Brief tracks, intermediate tracks, mile tracks are all on the board. Superspeedways, I believe all of us really feel like proper now we would not contemplate that as a championship venue, not that Daytona is not a championship caliber venue.
“There are a number of story strains that come out of these occasions, and we need to guarantee that, once we go to Homestead, Miami, or Phoenix or wherever it is likely to be sooner or later, that there’s a lot of technique and that a number of our championship drivers are additionally contending for the victory on the finish of that race.
“We talked about that. We have talked about street programs as effectively. Once more, by no means say by no means, however street programs are most likely decrease on the record as we take into consideration championship venues. So we’re actually going to hone in on brief tracks and I’d say mile-and-a-halfs for now.”
Final-lap crash, Daytona 500 (Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing; Cole Custer, Haas Manufacturing unit Group; Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing; Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing; Austin Cindric, Group Penske; Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports)
Picture by: James Gilbert / Getty Photographs
NASCAR would not go so far as to say that any monitor is totally excluded, however they did admit that tracks similar to Michigan and New Hampshire seemingly aren’t ultimate because of the time of 12 months and their geographical location.
“I do not assume something is a nonstarter per se at this level,” mentioned Kennedy. “We do need to be sure we’re attempting to keep away from extreme moist climate disruptions on the occasion weekend. Whether it is as far north as a New Hampshire or a Michigan, for example, we’ll have a look at over 30 years of previous climate historical past on that date and that weekend to guarantee that we’re limiting our dangers as a result of a number of followers will come and camp out for that complete weekend, a number of followers that may drive to see the race, after which many followers that may tune in on TV as effectively.
“If we have now snow on the bottom or it is beneath freezing temperature, followers do not need to come out for a weekend to a championship venue, and it is a bit of a problem. We’ll be considerate about that. I do not assume it guidelines out any venues or tracks per se, however it’s a part of our consideration set.”
Snow falling on Martinsville Speedway
Picture by: NASCAR Media
Tracks NASCAR does not personal could also be within the working
Kennedy additionally famous that tracks outdoors of the scope of ISC (NASCAR possession) could also be thought of as effectively, similar to Speedway Motorsports’ Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“I believe something is on the desk at this level, to be trustworthy, whether or not it is NASCAR property or elsewhere,” mentioned Kennedy. “The good half about it’s we have now a superb relationship with Speedway Motorsports, and so they have many distinguished occasions within the playoffs, cutoff races on the Charlotte oval and Bristol and a handful of others.
“Nothing to report in the present day on precisely the place we might be contemplating or the place these properties is likely to be, however I believe all playing cards are on the desk at this level.”
Ryan Blaney, Group Penske Ford
Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photographs
NASCAR additionally intends to be faster with its schedule reveal transferring ahead. Final 12 months, it wasn’t till the tip of August when the 2025 schedule was confirmed.
“We would like to — I’d say two components to this,” started Kennedy. “We might favor to announce it sooner after which even have it’s annual and as a separate sort of standalone announcement as effectively.
“Our aim is to maneuver up the announcement of the 2026 schedule for this 12 months. I believe our aim can be to maneuver up the announcement of the place the championship location goes to be for 2027 and have its personal second within the highlight and within the solar as Homestead-Miami does in the present day.
“I believe that offers us the power — there’s a number of content material, a number of story strains which might be popping out in the present day in regards to the championship race transferring right down to Homestead-Miami Speedway. There are going to be a number of different moments that we’ll have from now till November of ’26 of the brand unveil, the leisure, all the things else that is going to occur and transpire round that weekend, and actually reimagining what the Championship Occasion appears to be like like at Homestead-Miami Speedway.”
To summarize, he added: “I need to transfer up the announcement of the championship location, nonetheless have it as a standalone announcement, after which I believe additionally, to reply your query, is have this be yearly as an alternative of saying two or three or 4 without delay.”
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