The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule features plenty of new additions. First off, it sees a points race at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time since 1996. Sure, North Wilkesboro has put on a great show for the All-Star Race the past three seasons, but having it back as the host of a points race is awesome.
Coronado Air Base in San Diego, California is also set to make its debut, not to mention the long-awaited return to the Chicagoland Speedway during the summer.
NASCAR hasn't been afraid to adapt and change its schedule. With that in mind, there are quite a few other tracks on the list that the sport should consider returning to at some point in the near future.
5 tracks NASCAR needs back on the schedule
Kentucky Speedway
To start, NASCAR has a track sitting more than ready to use right in the heart of Kentucky. In fact, the now-famous Colonel Sanders statue has looked pretty sad just sitting there in the stands by himself.
Kentucky Speedway held Cup Series races from 2011 until 2020, and the races there had long been quite exciting, from a duel between the Busch brothers in 2019 to Cole Custer's shocking win in 2020. The 1.5-mile oval would put on a great show in this Next Gen car, but we haven't yet gotten to see it. For now, the track sits unused.
Road America
Obviously, most fans in NASCAR have the viewpoint that the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval has run its course in the sport since being added in 2018. The racing on road courses in the Next Gen car has been some of the most boring racing the series has had. No offense to Shane van Gisbergen; he's been untouchable regardless.
Maybe it's the gimmicky feel of road course racing at the Roval, the Chicago Street Course, or Coronado, which could end up being a short-lived venue. That's where a place like Road America would fill the need for road course action. It may have only hosted three Cup Series races ever, two of which in 2021 and 2022, but the place always brings the fans.
Nashville Fairgrounds
We are getting a big nostalgia vibe with North Wilkesboro Speedway back as the host of a points race, and Nashville Superspeedway has been a great addition in the Nashville market.
But from both perspectives, what would be more perfect than a return to the historic Nashville Fairgrounds? NASCAR has been pushing to return to its roots, and the Fairgrounds hosted plenty of Cup Series races from 1958 to 1984.
I get it; people who live nearby seem to be annoyed by the sounds of auto racing, but the track is a historic landmark. Even if it never gets a points race, it would be cool to see it host the Clash or the All-Star Race.
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile never got to see the NASCAR Cup Series take to the track, despite the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series running 19 races there from 1984 to 2009 and the Truck Series returning in 2023 and 2024 after a 14-year absence.
But who's to say it wouldn't be a cool place for the top series? IndyCar also races there again after departing following the 2015 season. What would be so bad about a return to one of the most famous one-mile tracks in racing? It would cover the Wisconsin market, just like Road America did.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Obviously NASCAR continues to want to try to hit international markets. The Cup Series raced in Mexico City in 2025, but it won't happen again in 2026.
They have long hoped to hit the Canadian market. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Series raced in Montreal from 2007 to 2012, and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve never disappointed.
Over the past couple of years, there were rumors of a possible Cup Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but nothing has ever come of them. Here's to hoping that NASCAR will one day make a return to Montreal, in some form.
Will we see any of these five tracks return to NASCAR? Only time will tell, but we can certainly all hope so.