NASCAR‘s All-Star Race and All-Star Open will move to the one-mile concrete oval of Dover Motor Speedway after a three-year run at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the new 2026 Cup Series schedule revealed after during its official August 20 release.
Also, Watkins Glen International will host its only NASCAR visit on May 10, a significant change from its traditional race in August.
And after only one off-weekend during the 2025 schedule, drivers will get two breaks in 2026: during Easter Weekend in early April and the first weekend in August.
So “schedule speculation syndrome” can be put to rest for another year.
“Obviously, a lot of collaboration, a lot of time, a lot of energy that went into it, and it’s just a good blend like we’ve had over the past few years of innovation and tradition of being able to celebrate our history and our roots and where we come from, but then also having these bold new moves that we’re introducing to the schedule,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president and chief venue & racing innovation officer. “For events like a street race in San Diego at the Naval Base Coronado, or taking the championship race back to Homestead-Miami Speedway or even a beloved track that our fans have been asking for the past several years in bringing a points race back to Chicagoland or bringing a points race to North Wilkesboro for the first time in 30 years.
“So, a lot of milestone moments that will be created next year, certainly a lot of anticipated moments, I think, that our fans are going to have. Certainly, proud of the work that everyone’s done to help put this together.”
Windy City Still in the Mix
NASCAR had already announced the Chicago Street Course Race held the first weekend in July would not be back on the schedule for next year. Reasons given stated a break was needed to reassess logistics and a possible move away from the Fourth of July holiday weekend and the burden put on the city, if it was to return.
No problem, NASCAR moved that race weekend back to Chicagoland Speedway. Scheduled for July 5, this will be the first time NASCAR has raced the 1.5-mile oval since 2019. After sitting dormant for a few years, the sanctioning body knows the track will need some TLC to open.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Kennedy said about the track NASCAR owns. “I think the good news is we already have a little bit of a playbook from Chicago over the past few years. And you know, I think it’s going to be an incredible event for that part of the season.”
Doozy of a Change for Dover
One of the more notable changes is to the All-Star Race and All-Star Open. It will still be held in May, but the first time both events will be held at a Northeast facility (Dover, Delaware) and on a one-mile oval.
Traditionally held at night, Dover doesn’t have lights like NWS and its prior home of Charlotte Motor Speedway. All three tracks are owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. so it will stay in the business family of tracks.
In turn, Dover loses the one points race they did have, which was run in July this year.
Mother’s Day in … Watkins Glen?
Yep, for anyone wanting to treat Mom to a road course race on her special day, next year is your chance.
Fans have traditionally enjoyed the summer-time weather at the Central New York track with some making it a vacation destination. Moving to the area’s unpredictable Spring conditions could be risky.
Historically, May at WGI has an average high of 68 degrees F with only 2mm of record snowfall during that month.
Darlington Spring Race Is Sooner
Darlington will host the first of its two races on March 29, moving it from this year’s date in April. Again, even though weather in the South is supposed to be better as the months tick off, April has been problematic for some tracks in the area.
Speaking of, Martinsville Speedway retains its Spring event being held one-week prior on March 22.
Heading Back to Homestead for Championship Race
As previously reported, Homestead Speedway will once again host the Championship Weekend November 6-8 for all three NASCAR Series. The track in Southern Florida formally hosted the crowning events from 2002 to 2019 before it was moved to Phoenix Raceway in 2020.
Phoenix will remain in the championship mix as one of three tracks in the Playoff Round of 8 on October 18. That date was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but that race has been moved up a few weeks to Oct. 4 as part of the Playoffs Round of 12.
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