NASCAR Xfinity Series: New decade, new identity

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is set to race at five different road courses in the 2020 season. As changes loom in the future, the Xfinity Series now has its own identity.

The 2020 season is the final season of the five-year sanctioning agreements that race tracks signed with NASCAR. While there is talk about changes to the 2021 Cup Series schedule, NASCAR has already made a few changes to the schedules in all three of the top series leading into 2020.

The main change to the Xfinity Series schedule is that NASCAR moved a race from Richmond Raceway to Martinsville Speedway.

Then last week, another major change was made. On Wednesday, January 15, NASCAR announced that the Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will take place on the road course instead of the oval.

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Although the configuration, number of laps, stage lengths etc., have not yet been determined, the move is another good change to the Xfinity Series schedule.

NASCAR has finally bestowed a true identity upon the Xfinity Series. This season, the 33-race schedule features five races on road courses. The five road course races are scheduled to take place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Road America, Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval.

Of those five tracks, the Cup Series only races at two. However, because the Charlotte roval race is in the Xfinity Series playoffs, Cup Series drivers are ineligible to compete in that event. So with only one companion road course race in which Cup Series drivers are eligible to compete (Watkins Glen), the remaining four road course races will likely be won by Xfinity Series drivers.

Add in the four preexisting Dash 4 Cash races at Texas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Dover International Speedway, and more races will likely be won by Xfinity Series drivers.

As a result, fans are pleased, and the Xfinity Series and its young drivers should gain popularity with fewer opportunities for Cup Series drivers to get to victory lane.

If NASCAR will not return the Xfinity Series to nearby Lucas Oil Raceway, I like the idea of the Xfinity Series drivers competing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, as it at least differentiates the Xfinity Series from the Cup Series.

JR Motorsports Xfinity Series driver Noah Gragson also likes the move.

Really, the Xfinity Series schedule could allow for one more road course race, as six races out of 33 is almost 20% (18.18%).

As for which road course, my top two choices would be either Virginia International Raceway or Circuit of the Americas. I previously suggested NASCAR should run the Truck Series at Virginia International Raceway. Regarding Circuit of the Americas, Tony Stewart tested a NASCAR car there, so there is at least some intel on how well cars would handle on that track.

With the new decade beginning and the sanctioning agreements with race tracks slated to end, NASCAR has the opportunity to continue making the Xfinity Series schedule unique.

Regarding future Xfinity Series schedules, Sports Business Journal motorsports reporter Adam Stern stated, “Obviously there will be some companion races but it’ll be interesting to see if more standalone Xfinity/Truck races are added. Obviously some fans feel that these series were at their best back in the day when they were going to smaller short tracks and doing standalone events than doing most races as companions to Cup.”

Frontstretch journalist Christian Koelle suggested five former race tracks which could host good standalone races for either the Xfinity Series or the Truck Series. A NASCAR on Reddit thread analyzed potential tracks to be added to at least one of the three NASCAR series schedules. Lastly, I wrote about five tracks to add to the Truck Series schedule – could any of these tracks host an Xfinity Series race as well?

If NASCAR supports and/or assists race tracks as they make upgrades, there would be more tracks at which the top three NASCAR series could potentially race. Gresham Motorsports Park is slated reopen this year. Evergreen Speedway is reportedly attempting to court a Truck Series race.

If NASCAR helps these tracks become ready to host major races, they could further diversify the schedules of the sport’s top three series.

When the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule was announced, it was marketed as, “20 Races at 20 Tracks on Tap for 2020”.

Although the Xfinity Series will continue to race at some tracks twice a year, NASCAR should attempt to follow that motto and continue making the Xfinity Series schedule unique and exciting for drivers and fans alike.

Next. NASCAR Cup Series: 8 tracks to add to the schedule. dark

The 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to begin in slightly less than one month on Saturday, February 15. The season-opening NASCAR Racing Experience 300 is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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