The only track that was on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule but not on the 2025 schedule is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which hosted the Busch Light Clash preseason exhibition race from 2022 to 2024. Bowman Gray Stadium, which had not hosted a Cup Series race since 1971, replaced it and hosted the Cook Out Clash before the 2025 season began.
As far as the actual 36-race points-paying portion of the schedule, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is the only new addition, as Richmond Raceway lost one of its two dates. But even Richmond is still on the schedule.
However, there has been no shortage of changes to the schedule itself, specifically as it pertains to the playoffs. The schedules of all three playoff rounds leading up to the Championship 4 have been altered.
Three tracks added, three tracks removed
Darlington Raceway had opened up the playoffs from 2020 to 2023 before the regular season was effectively extended by a week – but not by a race – due to NBC's commitment to the Summer Olympics in 2024. So in 2024, it hosted the regular season finale. But in 2025, it is back on the playoff schedule as the round of 16 opener.
Atlanta Motor Speedway, which opened up the playoffs in 2024, is no longer in the playoff schedule. But it is still on the schedule twice, first in late February (this weekend) and then in late June.
Watkins Glen International, which hosted the middle race of the round of 16 for the first time in 2024, has been moved back to the regular season calendar with its usual August date. Instead, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway has taken its place. Gateway was added to the calendar in 2022 and has hosted a race in early June each year since.
Bristol Motor Speedway is still scheduled to wrap up the opening round.
Further changes have been made to the round of 12 schedule. New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which most recently hosted a playoff race in 2017, is set to open up the round. Kansas Speedway, which hosted the round of 12 opener in 2024, is set to host the middle race, while the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval is still scheduled to wrap up the round.
Talladega Superspeedway, which had hosted the middle race of the round of 12 since 2017, has been moved to the round of 8 as the replacement for Homestead-Miami Speedway. The former host of the Championship 4, which was moved back to the playoffs as the host of the middle round of 8 race in 2022, is set to move back to the regular season with a March date.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is still scheduled to open up the round of 8, and Martinsville Speedway is still scheduled to conclude it. Phoenix Raceway is still scheduled to host the Championship 4 for the sixth year in a row.
All things considered, Darlington, Gateway, and New Hampshire are now on the playoff schedule, while Atlanta, Watkins Glen, and Homestead have been removed.
Kansas has had its date shifted, while Talladega has been moved back by a round. Bristol, the Charlotte Roval, Las Vegas, Martinsville, and Phoenix have all stayed put.
Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series action!