Important Dates on the 2026 NASCAR Calendar
The 2025 NASCAR season has come and gone, and now sights are set on 2026. With the new season comes a new 36-race schedule. While still relatively similar, several dates have been moved, swapped, or replaced with new or returning tracks. Here is a look at some of the most interesting races on the upcoming schedule.
Chicago Street Race Out, Chicagoland Speedway Returns
The Chicago street race was one of the most unique events on the NASCAR schedule over the past three years. It was the first street course in NASCAR history and took place on Fourth of July weekend. Two of the three races were won by New Zealand native Shane Van Gisbergen, while Alex Bowman claimed the other. The event brought NASCAR back to the Chicago market after the series left Chicagoland Speedway, which last hosted a race in 2019.
Now, Chicagoland Speedway will return as the contract to race on the streets of Chicago was not renewed. The event will once again take place on Fourth of July weekend and feature a full slate of action: the ARCA Menards Series on Friday night, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, formerly known as the Xfinity Series on Saturday, and the Cup Series on Sunday night. The return has been highly anticipated by NASCAR fans, many of whom wanted the speedway to make a comeback. While the Chicago street race will be gone, another street course will take its place on the calendar.
Coronado Naval Base
For the first time in history, NASCAR will race at a naval base. San Diego will host its first NASCAR weekend when the Truck, O’Reilly, and Cup Series visit Coronado Island during the first weekend of June. The course will measure 3.4 miles and feature 16 turns, with part of the track running alongside the water. It remains unclear whether NASCAR will return to Coronado in the future, so this could be a once-in-a-lifetime event for fans who attend.
Dover, North Wilkesboro Swap
The NASCAR All-Star Race has rotated among several tracks in recent years, including Charlotte, Bristol, Texas, and most recently North Wilkesboro, which returned to the schedule in 2023 after being unused since 1996. Dover Motor Speedway originally hosted two races per season but was reduced to one in recent years. Now, Dover will lose its points-paying race and instead serve as the All-Star Race location in 2026, while North Wilkesboro will host a points race for the first time in two decades. The change comes with an interesting twist. The All-Star Race has typically been run at night, but Dover does not have lights. The All-Star event at Dover will take place on Sunday, May 17th, while North Wilkesboro’s points race is scheduled for Sunday, July 19th, serving as the semi-final round of the in-season tournament.
Championship Returns to Homestead-Miami
NASCAR’s championship weekend left Homestead-Miami Speedway after the 2019 season in favor of the newly renovated Phoenix Raceway, a decision that disappointed many fans. Homestead had long been a fan favorite, while Phoenix received mixed reviews. After recent renovations at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the track will once again host championship weekend, with the title race set for Sunday, November 8th. The Phoenix race will move up three weekends, becoming the 33rd event of the 36-race schedule.
