This Is What The PERFECT NASCAR Cup Series Schedule Looks Like

The PERFECT NASCAR Cup Series schedule does not exist, until now!

I’m talking 39 total events with 36 points races. The Clash and the Shootout are two completely separate exhibition races that lead into the Daytona 500. No track gets two dates unless it’s a drafting track — Daytona, Talladega, or Atlanta. That’s it. SMI still gets their contracted 15 dates (including the All-Star Race), so nobody’s breaking any deals.

We end up with nine road course races plus one more exhibition road race. Fans have been asking for more road course racing for years, and this does it the right way. Different styles of tracks force drivers to actually be good everywhere if they want a championship. No more specialists sneaking through.

Clash: Miami Street

Saturday before the Super Bowl. Warm weather, brand new street course, and right in the Florida market. Perfect way to get national attention and build hype for the Daytona 500 a couple weeks later. Make it feel big.

Shootout: Daytona

Separate the Clash and the Shootout for good. This one kicks off Speedweeks. Strictly previous year’s pole winners only. Keep it short. It’s just an appetizer. Give the fans a taste of what’s coming without wearing everybody out before the 500.

#1: Daytona

The Great American Race. Enough said. Always the first points race. Always the biggest stage.

#2: Phoenix

First race of a real west coast swing to start the year. Get the series out west early while the weather is still good.

#3: Las Vegas

Some of the best racing NASCAR has right now happens here. The Next Gen car loves these 1.5-mile ovals and the racing shows it. Who doesn't love Vegas?

#4: Long Beach

Street race on the west coast. Maybe partner with IndyCar and turn it into a true doubleheader weekend. That would be a massive event.

#5: Atlanta

Arguably the best track on the schedule right now. Feels like 1990s Daytona. Keep one of these early.

#6: Circuit of the Americas

Might be the nicest facility NASCAR visits. World-class track, home of Formula 1 in the United States, and the best pure road course on the circuit. Austin gets hot later, so running it early is perfect.

#7: North Wilkesboro

Old-school throwback that deserves a points race every year. The place has character and the racing has been great since it came back.

#8: Martinsville

NASCAR’s oldest track. One date is plenty. No need to go to little ole Martinsville twice a year.

#9: Talladega

It’s Dega, baby. One of the three tracks that earns a second date because of what it brings.

#10: Richmond

Only one date needed, but make this one a night race. The atmosphere under the lights is better.

#11: Texas

Much improved track and attendance is way up. Going to Texas and COTA once each has been a nice balance for that market.

#12: Kansas

Great racing every single time we go there. Reliable, competitive, and exciting.

All-Star Race: Charlotte

The All-Star Race belongs in Charlotte. It builds the entire week leading into the Coke 600 and feels right at home.

#13: Charlotte

NASCAR’s longest race belongs right where it is — Memorial Day weekend. The Coke 600 is tradition for a reason.

#14: Chicago Street

NASCAR did a good job making this feel like a big marquee event. The racing has been solid and the downtown atmosphere is unique. July 4th weekend was fun, but created problems for the city. This date is a fair compromise.

#15: Nashville

Best city to travel to on the entire circuit. Under the lights this place consistently produces great action and the fans love it.

#16: Michigan

One of the best tailgate scenes in the sport. The Dega of the Midwest shouldn’t go anywhere. Perfect summer race.

#17: Watkins Glen

Running this race in May in 2026 was a terrible idea. Put it back in the summer and the place will be packed. The Glen belongs in the heat.

#18: Iowa

Not the best racing on the schedule, but the fan support has been there every time. Keep it.

#19: San Diego

Naval Base Coronado was top notch in 2026. This should become a go-to destination trip for fans and a new July 4th tradition. Doesn’t get more patriotic than racing on a military base.

#20: New Hampshire

This belongs in the summer when the weather actually feels decent and isn’t freezing. Simple fix.

#21: Indianapolis

The Brickyard 400 stays, and it stays on the oval. No more road course experiments here. Keep the history.

#22: Montreal

Expand the market internationally. Canada has some great NASCAR fans and this gives us a true international race that isn’t just a one-off.

#23: Bristol

The Bristol night race on a hot summer night is one of the best scenes in the entire sport. The spring race is dull by comparison and can go away. One Bristol date, under the lights, is plenty.

#24: Pocono

Notice the trend of northern markets in the summer? Pocono has a loyal audience and fits right into that stretch.

#25: Sonoma

Don’t let Shane van Gisbergen's dominance fool you. This is still one of the best races on the schedule year after year. The scenery and the racing both deliver.

#26: Daytona

Ideally this would be July 4th, but the city of Daytona won’t let that happen. Still, ending the regular season at Daytona is great. Big stage, big drama.

#27: Darlington

The Southern 500 belongs on Labor Day weekend. Best way to kick off the Chase. Throwback feel, tough racing, and the right kind of pressure.

#28: Chicagoland

Yes, I included both the street race and the oval. Chicago is NASCAR’s largest market and can serve two completely different types of fans. The oval racing in 2026 lived up to the hype and the crowd was a sellout. Keep both.

#29: Dover

This track has no business ever hosting the All-Star Race again. It belongs in the Chase where it can actually matter.

#30: Road America

This should have never been taken off the schedule. Great fans, historic venue, and a real road course that rewards good drivers.

#31: St. Louis

NASCAR returned here recently and has seen good crowds and good racing. Another big Midwest market the series is trying to grow. Keep building on it.

#32: Atlanta

Don’t put this race in the summer. Way too hot in Atlanta for that. Stick it in the Chase where the weather is better and the stakes are higher.

#33: Mexico City

Why did we leave? Huge international market. Just build in a bye week afterward so the teams have enough time to get everything ready for the next stretch.

#34: Kentucky

Crowds were really good the last time NASCAR ran here. The Next Gen car is perfect for this track. Bring it back.

#35: Talladega

Want to really shake things up before the championship? Talladega does that better than almost any track. Second Dega date belongs late.

#36: Homestead-Miami

Miami in November. Great racing and a true championship atmosphere. Homestead feels like a real final exam.

That’s the full schedule. Thirty-six points races that force drivers to be good on superspeedways, short tracks, intermediates, street courses, and traditional road courses. Nine different road courses plus the Miami exhibition. SMI still gets their dates. Drafting tracks are the only ones with two. No more wasting dates on the same track twice when other places are begging for a shot.

This schedule grows the sport, respects the fans who want variety, and actually makes the championship mean something. Drivers would have to earn it the hard way — by being good everywhere. That’s the way it should be.