The 2018 Monster Energy Cup Series schedule will have a much different look with NASCAR realigning several dates, including a long-sought road course and a second short track being added to the 10-race playoffs.
NASCAR unveils reshuffled 2018 Cup Series schedule
The schedule features several dates shifting, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway now hosting the regular season finale, and two new playoff tracks.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The changes announced by NASCAR on Tuesday inject some excitement into what has been a heavily scrutinized scheduled in recent seasons. Especially true pertaining to the playoffs where 1.5-mile tracks have made up half of the postseason venues, although those style ovals are often criticized for the lack of quality racing.
But now, the playoffs will see greater diversity representing the full array of tracks drivers and teams compete on throughout the 26-race regular season.
“The desire was loud and clear from the fans that they wanted a road course in the playoffs,” NASCAR senior vice president of racing Jim Cassidy told reporters in a teleconference. “A lot of people heard that and went to work on how we could accomplish that.”
The notable changes include:
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway will shift from its traditional midsummer date to closing out the 26-race regular season on Sept. 9. The fabled track has held a late-July, early-August place on the schedule since first hosting NASCAR’s premier division in 1994.
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway now kicks off the playoffs (Sept. 16). Its parent company, Speedway Motorsports Inc., previously announced it was moving the second race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to the Nevada track, which will have a pair of tripleheader weekends featuring Cup, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series.
- Richmond International Raceway’s fall date, which had been the regular season finale, will move into the playoffs as the middle race of the first round (Sept. 22). Also, Richmond’s spring race will revert back to Saturday night after two years of racing on Sunday; a move spurred by declining attendance.
- Charlotte Motor Speedway’s fall race goes from being held on the oval to the 13-turn, 2.4-mile road course inside the facility, which includes portions of the mile-and-a-half oval track. The first road course ever to be included in the playoffs will also be a first-round elimination race.
- Chicagoland Speedway will no longer host the playoff opener. Instead, its lone race is July 1.
- Daytona 500 qualifying and the exhibition, The Clash, will both be held on Feb. 11. The season-opening Daytona 500 moves back to its traditional President’s Day slot (Feb. 18).
2018 Monster Energy Cup Series Schedule
Date Site
2/11 Daytona International Speedway (Clash / Daytona 500 Qualifying)
2/15 Daytona International Speedway (Duel)
2/18 Daytona 500
2/25 Atlanta Motor Speedway
3/4 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
3/11 Phoenix International Raceway
3/18 Auto Club Speedway
3/25 Martinsville Speedway
4/8 Texas Motor Speedway
4/15 Bristol Motor Speedway
4/21 Richmond International Raceway
4/29 Talladega Superspeedway
5/6 Dover International Speedway
5/12 Kansas Speedway
5/19 Charlotte Motor Speedway (Monster Energy All-Star Race)
5/27 Charlotte Motor Speedway
6/3 Pocono Raceway
6/10 Michigan International Speedway
6/24 Sonoma Raceway
7/1 Chicagoland Speedway
7/7 Daytona International Speedway
7/14 Kentucky Speedway
7/22 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
7/29 Pocono Raceway
8/5 Watkins Glen International
8/12 Michigan International Speedway
8/18 Bristol Motor Speedway
9/2 Darlington Raceway
9/9 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
9/16 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
9/22 Richmond International Raceway
9/30 Charlotte Motor Speedway
10/7 Dover International Speedway
10/14 Talladega Superspeedway
10/21 Kansas Speedway
10/28 Martinsville Speedway
11/4 Texas Motor Speedway
11/11 Phoenix International Raceway
11/18 Homestead-Miami Speedway
See More:
