NASCAR: Remaining schedule expected to feature one big change

NASCAR has not confirmed an entire 36-race schedule for the 2020 Cup Series season yet. But here is what that schedule should look like.

NASCAR ran just four of the 36 scheduled Cup Series races before suspending the season indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic back in March. From the time the season was suspended to the time it got started again 70 days later in mid-May, eight races were postponed.

More changes have been made to the schedule since NASCAR returned to action with a previously non-scheduled race at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17. Three tracks ultimately saw their races canceled and given to other venues, and the schedule now consists of 34 races from  theseason opener to the season finale.

Two tracks are still seeking replacement dates for races that have been postponed: Michigan International Speedway and Dover International Speedway.

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Fortunately for those two tracks, both are already scheduled to host other regular season races, so a 36-race schedule seems simple to come up with at this point in time. It is believed that both venues will host doubleheaders on their originally scheduled August race weekends.

Following Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, 12 races have been contested this season, leaving 24 more points-paying events before champion is crowned on Sunday, November 8 at Phoenix Raceway.

Aside of these two expected doubleheaders, there is expected to be one big change to the playoff schedule.

NOTE: Races in bold have not been confirmed, and races in italics are scheduled to take place on dates that differ from the initial 2020 schedule. * = playoff race.

1. Sunday, June 21 – Talladega Superspeedway
2. Saturday, June 27 – Pocono Raceway
3. Sunday, June 28 – Pocono Raceway
4. Sunday, July 5 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway
5. Sunday, July 12 – Kentucky Speedway
6. Sunday, July 19 – Texas Motor Speedway
7. Thursday, July 23 – Kansas Speedway
8. Sunday, August 2 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway
9. Saturday, August 8 – Michigan International Speedway
10. Sunday, August 9 – Michigan International Speedway
11. Sunday, August 16 – Watkins Glen International
12. Saturday, August 22 – Dover International Speedway
13. Sunday, August 23 – Dover International Speedway
14. Saturday, August 29 – Daytona International Speedway
15. Sunday, September 6 – Darlington Raceway*
16. Saturday, September 12 – Richmond Raceway*
17. Saturday, September 19 – Bristol Motor Speedway*
18. Sunday, September 27 – Texas Motor Speedway*
19. Sunday, October 4 – Talladega Superspeedway*
20. Sunday, October 11 – Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval*
21. Sunday, October 18 – Kansas Speedway*
22. Sunday, October 25 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway*
23. Sunday, November 1 – Martinsville Speedway*
24. Sunday, November 8 – Phoenix Raceway*

The only expected change, aside from the speculated doubleheaders at Michigan International Speedway and Dover International Speedway, is a change to the playoff schedule involving Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) music festival, which was scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17, is now scheduled to take place between Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, which is the week after the currently scheduled date for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway playoff race (Sunday, September 27).

As a result, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway are expected to swap playoff dates. This change would move the Las Vegas Motor Speedway playoff race from the round of 12 to the round of 8 while moving the Texas Motor Speedway playoff race from the round of 8 to the round of 12.