NASCAR: 5 possible additions to the 2025 Cup Series schedule

No. 4 - Long Beach

Staying on course with NASCAR's desire to keep a Southern California date on its schedule, the Long Beach street course fits that bill perfectly as well.

This track, while iconic and glorified for its rich history of IndyCar racing, likely wasn't on anybody's radar in the NASCAR garage up until just a few days ago. That is, until RACER's Marshall Pruett dropped a bombshell report last month, stating that NASCAR had "been actively pursuing the 50-percent stake in the Long Beach race that became available for acquisition last year by the estate of the late businessman Kevin Kalkhoven".

Gerald Forsythe ended up purchasing the remaining stake in the event and committing the event to IndyCar, but the fact that NASCAR was interested could prove to be a huge deal.

The sport has proven that it can put on a good show on a street course after its inaugural race in Chicago last season, incredibly won by Shane van Gisbergen in a historic Cup Series debut.

This track is also one that would be great for NASCAR racing. It features few long straightaways, tight turns, hard braking zones, a few combination corners, and a rough track surface that would likely enhance tire wear, something NASCAR fans and drivers have been clamoring for.

Putting NASCAR's stamp on a historic event such as the Grand Prix of Long Beach would be great for all parties involved. It may even provide the potential for another NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader.