Story By: BRANDON LEE / RFK RACING – CONCORD, NC – NASCAR announced Thursday the schedule for the 2025 season, highlighted by a shakeup in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs, and a pair of new venues to total the 38-race schedule.
Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston Salem, N.C.) and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit (Mexico City, Mexico) highlight the slate as the famed North Carolina short track will host the annual season-opening Clash race. Mexico City will host a regular season race in mid-June, the first International Cup points race in 67 years.
The NASCAR Playoffs will see Darlington Raceway (Aug. 31) return to its prior slot as the kickoff race for the 10-race playoffs, as Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 23) returns to its prior slot as the regular season finale.
World Wide Technology Raceway (Sept. 7) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 21) are moved into the playoffs schedule, as Homestead (March 23), Watkins Glen (Aug. 10) and Atlanta (June 28) shift back to regular season dates. Talladega’s (Oct. 19) annual fall race will take place much later than in years’ past as the second race in the Round of 8.
Easter Weekend stands as the lone off week on the Cup schedule, the first time since 2021 the series will not compete on Easter Sunday.
Other notable changes include a shift in Dover Motor Speedway’s race weekend from May to July 20, and a shift in the race at Iowa Speedway from June to Aug. 3. Richmond Raceway (Aug. 16) will host just one race weekend compared to two in prior seasons.