The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule features the addition of two new venues, a significant reshuffling of the NASCAR playoffs, and the relocation of the prestigious All-Star Race to a new historic track.
One of the standout additions to the 2026 schedule is the NASCAR race event at Naval Base Coronado, situated just across the bay from San Diego.
The new street race is scheduled for June 21 marking an innovative and unique venue that leverages the iconic military setting, adding a novel backdrop and atmosphere to the season.
Meanwhile, Chicagoland Speedway makes its long-awaited return to the Cup Series schedule set for July 5. The 1.5-mile oval track located in Joliet, Illinois, last hosted a NASCAR Cup race in 2019.
The two new venues will effectively replace the Chicago street circuit and Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which have been removed from the 2026 calendar but hold the possibility of returning in 2027.
Another historic venue making a huge return is North Wilkesboro Speedway which will host its first points-paying Cup race since 1996.
This marks the transformation of North Wilkesboro from temporarily hosting the All-Star Race in recent years to now becoming a full-fledged stop on the points circuit. The race date is set for July 19.
Dover Motor Speedway will instead host the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 17 for the first time ever. This event move represents a significant change for Dover which had been a consistent points race venue since 1969.
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule features a major change in the location of the season finale. For the first time since 2019, the championship race will be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8, replacing Phoenix Raceway which moves to an earlier playoff round as the opening race of the semifinal round.
Additionally, the Watkins Glen race has been moved from its traditional summer timing to the Mother’s Day weekend in May.
This marks a historic scheduling adjustment for Watkins Glen, introducing road racing excitement earlier in the season, back-to-back with the newly added San Diego street race and the Sonoma road course, albeit the overall number of road races decreases slightly from six to five.
Within the NASCAR playoffs structure, several changes in venues and dates have been made to boost competition and track variety.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway moves out of the playoff bracket into the regular season with its race scheduled for August 23, while Homestead-Miami’s inclusion in the playoffs shakes up the late-season dynamics.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway shifts from the Round of 8 to the Round of 12, with Phoenix Raceway taking the new position as the opening race in the Round of 8.
The 2026 schedule also incorporates a second off-weekend for Cup Series teams which will fall after the Brickyard 400 in early August.
From a broadcast perspective, the first 14 Cup Series events including the Daytona 500 and the newly located All-Star Race will air on FOX Sports, either on the FOX network or FS1.
Prime Video will carry the subsequent five races kicking off with the Coca-Cola 600 and extending through the inaugural San Diego event. The in-season tournament will also return in 2026 during the TNT Sports portion of the schedule.
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Full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
| Venue | Date | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (Non-points) | Feb 1 | FOX / FS1 |
| Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway | Feb 15 | FOX / FS1 |
| EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) | Feb 22 | FOX / FS1 |
| Circuit of The Americas (COTA) | Mar 1 | FOX / FS1 |
| Phoenix Raceway | Mar 8 | FOX / FS1 |
| Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Mar 15 | FOX / FS1 |
| Darlington Raceway | Mar 22 | FOX / FS1 |
| Martinsville Speedway | Mar 29 | FOX / FS1 |
| Bristol Motor Speedway | Apr 12 | FOX / FS1 |
| Kanas Speedway | Apr 19 | FOX / FS1 |
| Talladega Superspeedway | Apr 26 | FOX / FS1 |
| Texas Motor Speedway | May 3 | FOX / FS1 |
| Watkins Glen International | May 10 | FOX / FS1 |
| All Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway | May 17 | FOX / FS1 |
| Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway | May 24 | Prime Video |
| Nashville Superspeedway | May 31 | Prime Video |
| Michigan International Speedway | Jun 7 | Prime Video |
| Pocono Raceway | Jun 14 | Prime Video |
| San Diego Street Race | Jun 21 | Prime Video |
| Sonoma Raceway | Jun 28 | TNT Sports |
| Chicagoland Speedway | Jul 5 | TNT Sports |
| EchoPark Speedway | Jul 12 | TNT Sports |
| North Wilkesboro Speedway | Jul 19 | TNT Sports |
| Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Jul 26 | TNT Sports |
| Iowa Speedway | Aug 9 | NBC / USA |
| Richmond Raceway | Aug 15 | NBC / USA |
| New Hampshire Motor Speedway | Aug 23 | NBC / USA |
| Daytona International Speedway | Aug 29 | NBC / USA |
| NASCAR PLAYOFFS | ||
| Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway | Sept 6 | NBC / USA |
| World Wide Technology Raceway | Sept 13 | NBC / USA |
| Bristol Motor Speedway | Sept 19 | NBC / USA |
| Kansas Speedway | Sept 27 | NBC / USA |
| Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Oct 4 | NBC / USA |
| Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | Oct 11 | NBC / USA |
| Phoenix Raceway | Oct 18 | NBC / USA |
| Talladega Superspeedway | Oct 25 | NBC / USA |
| Martinsville Speedway | Nov 1 | NBC / USA |
| Homestead-Miami Speedway | Nov 8 | NBC / USA |
