NASCAR reveals full Cup schedule for 2025, shaking up the playoffs

On Thursday, NASCAR officially released its 2025 schedule, highlighted by the first-ever Cup race in Mexico, which will replace one of the two Richmond races on June 15. The international race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez was revealed earlier this week, and before that, NASCAR also announced Bowman Gray Stadium as the new host of the pre-season exhibition known as the ‘Clash.’ That race is scheduled for February 2.

The new season officially kicks off with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 on February 16. It will be drafting tracks back-to-back again s the Cup Series visits Atlanta Motor Speedway the following week. COTA also moves up a bit and becomes the third round of the year.

The Easter Break returns, serving as the only off-weekend throughout the entire season. However, this break will serve as the return to a beloved track for the lower divisions. On Easter Weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series will compete at Rockingham Speedway. It will be the first national-level race at ‘The Rock’ since 2013. The Truck Series is also heading to Lime Rock Park for the first time.

Back to the Cup schedule, Mexico and Bowman Gray are the only new races. However, several dates have been moved around. Homestead-Miami Speedway is once again out of the playoffs and returns to an early-season date, scheduled for March 23. Many still clamor for the track to regain its position as the finale, but Phoenix Raceway remains the host of the title-decider. Along with Homestead, Watkins Glen International and Atlanta Motor Speedway have been taken out of the playoffs.

This year, the Olympic break forced some one-off changes to the schedule, but in 2025, Daytona will once again be the regular season finale. The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway opens up the playoffs once again, which will have a different look next year. WWT Raceway (Gateway) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway are both joining the ten-race postseason. Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue to run the ROVAL course, despite some calls for it to go back to the oval layout. Talladega is now in the semi-final round. A detailed look at the full schedule can be found below.

DATE
TRACK/RACE
IMPORTANT NOTES

February 2
Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
 

February 13
Duels at Daytona International Speedway
 

February 16
Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway
67th running of NASCAR’s crown jewel event.

February 23
Atlanta Motor Speedway
 

March 2
Circuit of the Americas
 

March 9
Phoenix Raceway
 

March 16
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
 

March 23
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Moves back outside of the playoffs

March 30 
Martinsville Speedway
 

April 6
Darlington Raceway
 

April 13
Bristol Motor Speedway
 

April 20
EASTER BREAK
The only off-weekend during the season

April 27
Talladega Superspeedway
 

May 4
Texas Motor Speedway
 

May 11
Kansas Speedway
 

May 18
All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway
The special event returns to NWS for third consecutive year.

May 25
Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
NASCAR’s longest race and another crown jewel

June 1
Nashville Superspeedway
 

June 8
Michigan International Speedway
 

June 15
Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City
The first points-paying Cup race outside of the US since 1958

June 22
Pocono Raceway
 

June 28
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Moves back outside of the playoffs

July 6
Chicago Street Course
Third running of this street course event 

July 13
Sonoma Raceway
 

July 20 
Dover Motor Speedway
First Dover race scheduled for July since the inaugural race in 1969

July 27
Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Another crown jewel and the second consecutive year back on the oval 

August 3
Iowa Speedway
Iowa returns after making its debut on the Cup calendar in 2024

August 10
Watkins Glen International
The Glen moves back to its usual date outside of the playoffs

August 16
Richmond Raceway
Down to one race after losing its early season date to Mexico

August 23
Daytona International Speedway
The end of the regular season

PLAYOFFS BEGIN
PLAYOFFS BEGIN
PLAYOFFS BEGIN

August 31 [ROUND OF 16]
Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway
This crown jewel event opens the playoffs

September 7 [ROUND OF 16]
WWT Raceway (Gateway) 
Gateway hosts a playoff race for the very first time

September 13 [ROUND OF 16]
Bristol Motor Speedway
The Round of 16 elimination race

September 21 [ROUND OF 12]
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
NHMS joins the playoffs, opening the Round of 12

September 28 [ROUND OF 12]
Kansas Speedway
 

October 5 [ROUND OF 12]
Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
The Round of 12 elimination race

October 12 [ROUND OF 8]
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
LVMS opens the Round of 8 in the playoffs

October 19 [ROUND OF 8]
Talladega Superspeedway
The famous superspeedway moves into the penultimate round of the playoffs in a controversial move

October 26 [ROUND OF 8]
Martinsville Speedway
The Round of 8 elimination race

November 2 [CHAMPIONSHIP 4]
Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix hosts the title-deciding race for the sixth consecutive year.

2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule

Date

Race / Track

Saturday, February 15

Daytona

Saturday, February 22

Atlanta

Saturday, March 1

COTA

Saturday, March 8

Phoenix

Saturday, March 15

Las Vegas

Saturday, March 22

Homestead-Miami

Saturday, March 29

Martinsville

Saturday, April 5

Darlington

Saturday, April 12

Bristol

Saturday, April 19

Rockingham

Saturday, April 26

Talladega

Saturday, May 3

Texas

Saturday, May 24

Charlotte

Saturday, May 31

Nashville Superspeedway

Saturday, June 14

Mexico City

Saturday, June 21

Pocono

Friday, June 27

Atlanta

Saturday, July 5

Chicago Street Race

Saturday, July 12

Sonoma

Saturday, July 19

Dover

Saturday, July 26

Indianapolis

Saturday, August 2

Iowa

Saturday, August 9

Watkins Glen

Friday, August 22

Daytona

Saturday, August 30

Portland

Saturday, September 6

World Wide Technology Raceway

Friday, September 12

Bristol

Saturday, September 27

Kansas

Saturday, October 4

Charlotte Roval

Saturday, October 11

Las Vegas

Saturday, October 18

Talladega

Saturday, October 25

Martinsville

Saturday, November 1

Phoenix (Championship)

2025 NASCAR Truck Series schedule

Date

Race / Track

Friday, February 14

Daytona

Saturday, February 22

Atlanta

Friday, March 14

Las Vegas

Friday, March 21

Homestead-Miami

Friday, March 28

Martinsville

Friday, April 11

Bristol

Friday, April 18

Rockingham

Friday, May 2

Texas

Saturday, May 10

Kansas

Saturday, May 17

North Wilkesboro

Friday, May 23

Charlotte

Friday, May 30

Nashville Superspeedway

Saturday, June 7

Michigan

Friday, June 20

Pocono

Saturday, June 28

Lime Rock Park

Friday, July 25

Lucas Oil IRP

Friday, August 8

Watkins Glen

Friday, August 15

Richmond

Saturday, August 30

Darlington

Thursday, September 11

Bristol

Saturday, September 20

New Hampshire

Friday, October 3

Charlotte Roval

Friday, October 17

Talladega

Friday, October 24

Martinsville

Friday, October 31

Phoenix (Championship)

Read Also:

NASCAR CupA look at NASCAR’s limited history racing around the world

NASCAR CupFor Suarez, NASCAR racing in Mexico is “literally a dream”

NASCAR CupNASCAR announces Cup race in Mexico City for 2025

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