2027 NASCAR Schedule Promises Intrigue While Chicago, San Diego Questions Loom

The Clash is headed back to Daytona. The All-Star Race could very well be heading back to North Wilkesboro. What is old is possibly new again in NASCAR when it comes to the schedule. And the most recent new? Naval Base Coronado and the Chicago street course? Still up in the air, with the San Diego race appearing more likely than the Chicago streets. As track dates trickle out on the 2027 Cup schedule, there are some other significant adjustments. Many of those haven’t been announced yet but were reported last week by The Athletic and correlate with what I’ve been hearing about the 2027 slate. — Bristol has no use for a September weekend if it’s not an elimination race. With the new Chase format, Bristol wants its night race back in August and it should get that. New Hampshire, in August, is used to having a September date. So New Hampshire is expected to replace Bristol as far as a Speedway Motorsports-owned short track in The Chase. This move should help both tracks. Both are on the calendar at a time when people are used to camping at those venues. It avoids a Bristol conflict with college football and it seems to attract more family camping. And kids won’t be in school in Tennessee and some of the surrounding states. — As previously announced, Watkins Glen moves to The Chase. While it still seems August would be the best fit for family camping there, September is way better than the drenched May weekend it had this year. World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) likely moves out of The Chase to late summer. Rotating tracks in The Chase should be expected, so Gateway losing its spot for the postseason isn’t a horrible thing. But it would also be good if it is rotated back in to give that track a boost — not to mention some cooler weather in September than in August. — What takes the place of Watkins Glen in May? It appears Dover remains in May but as a points race and not the All-Star event. North Wilkesboro looks like the favorite to be the All-Star Race after having a July points race to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the last points race at the track. North Wilkesboro is a better All-Star spot than Dover, although if there was any way to put it at Nashville, that could generate some buzz. That would be welcome buzz about the sport in that area, where the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway improvement talks seem stalled. — It is also possible that Richmond joins The Chase. With the way the calendar works, if NASCAR wants a week off in the summer, Darlington on Labor Day would end the regular season. NASCAR is always looking to boost Richmond and this could be the Saturday night showcase race of The Chase since Bristol (also a typical Saturday night show) moves to August. — The Clash going to Daytona feels right. That doesn’t mean it should go there forever. But with a potentially new (or relatively new) aero package and the later start to the season (the week after Presidents’ Day), this seems like the right time to run it at Daytona. At least there won’t be snow. And the night before the Super Bowl should mean plenty of eyes. — What happens to Bowman Gray after losing the Clash? Maybe a truck race is headed to the quarter-mile track. That would be a challenge, as there would have to be controlled pit stops (there’s no pit road), but that was done at Eldora Speedway, too. That would continue to be a nod to a historic track. — Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Rockingham will be on the truck and O’Reilly schedules next year, as questions about track ownership amid the ongoing financial struggles of the IHRA likely will keep it off the calendar in 2027. — And finally, what about Chicago and San Diego? I am wishing more for Chicago rather than San Diego, as it isn’t as much of a lift for people to attend. Public transportation is available for most at Chicago. At the naval base, the bridge and the neighborhood roads make access more difficult. But corporate and team executives seemed to love San Diego and it certainly produced awesome images. So while this probably isn’t a long-term play (at what other military bases could NASCAR race?) going back for another year wouldn’t be a bad thing. Going back to a place for a second time often means improvements after the initial year. The trouble is finding a date that works. San Diego and Coronado already have a big July 4 weekend event. August is looking the most likely. If both San Diego and Chicago are on the calendar, that would mean Chicagoland Speedway is likely off after its one-year return. But as much of a lift as it seems for NASCAR to get the Chicago street race done, it probably will want to keep Chicagoland ready in case it’s needed. The frustrating part of the 2027 schedule? No international events. Maybe that will change in 2028. But a return to Mexico City or a race in Montreal would be sick. Brazil? NASCAR obviously has a presence there (as it does in Europe), and while the focus on points events likely would rule out those locations during the season, a Clash at either a street or a stadium setting in South America or Europe would certainly create excitement for a season.