After many months of anticipation and several individual announcements preceding it, NASCAR released the complete 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule on Wednesday. The new schedule includes a significant shuffling of race dates, the return of two racetracks back to their original configurations, and a popular new addition to the Cup Series' slate of races in the Midwest.
"NASCAR is committed to delivering an annual schedule that continues to be bold and dynamic across all three national series while maintaining the famed destinations that our fans love," read a statement by Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy. "The 2024 NASCAR National Series schedules strike a great balance between visiting many of our traditional tracks that continue to put on a great show, and newer locations like our first Cup race in Iowa and our highly anticipated return to the streets of Chicago that create 'bucket list' moments and attract new fans to America's leading motorsport."
The notable changes to the Cup Series schedule are as follows:
- Iowa Speedway has been added to the schedule on June 16, marking the inaugural Cup Series race at a track that has become a popular stop on the Xfinity and Truck Series tours. Iowa takes the place of Auto Club Speedway, which is in the process of being redeveloped.
- Bristol Motor Speedway's spring date will once again be held on concrete after three years on dirt, with the race being moved from Easter Sunday back to March 17. Richmond Raceway will now be the Easter Sunday evening race on March 31, and both Richmond races will now be held in primetime.
- The Brickyard 400 will return in 2024, as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will revert its annual NASCAR race weekend from the infield road course back to the track's iconic oval configuration. The change comes ahead of the 30th Anniversary of the Brickyard 400, which was first held in 1994.
- Texas Motor Speedway's annual race date has been moved out of the playoffs and back to the springtime to be held on April 14. With Circuit of the Americas' annual race date taking place on March 24, this will mark two races in the state of Texas in the course of a month.
- Atlanta Motor Speedway will serve as the opening race of the playoffs, with the track's second race date shifting from early July to Sept. 8. Atlanta's spring date has also been moved back several weeks, making it the second race of the season following the Daytona 500.
- A second road course has been added to the playoffs, as Watkins Glen's annual race date has been moved from August to Sept.15.
- The Southern 500 at Darlington on Labor Day Weekend will now serve as the regular-season finale, taking the place of Daytona after four seasons. Daytona will now serve as the penultimate race of the regular season on Aug. 24.
- The lone off weeks of the 2024 season will be an extended break, as NASCAR will take a two-week vacation following the Brickyard 400 on July 21 until Richmond on Aug. 11. This will be in part to accommodate broadcast partner NBC Sports' coverage of the Summer Olympics.
- After serving as the middle race of the Round of 16 over the past two years, Kansas Speedway will now be the opening race of the Round of 12.
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway's annual race date has been moved from mid-July to mid-June on June 23.
2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
(All times ET)
Sunday, Feb. 4 -- Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (non-points) -- 8 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, Feb. 15 -- Daytona 500 Duels -- 7 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, Feb. 18 -- Daytona 500 -- 2:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Feb. 25 -- Atlanta Motor Speedway -- 3 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, March 3 -- Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, March 10 -- Phoenix Raceway -- 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, March 17 -- Bristol Motor Speedway -- 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, March 24 -- Circuit of the Americas -- 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, March 31 -- Richmond Raceway -- 7 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, April 7 -- Martinsville Speedway -- 3 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, April 14 -- Texas Motor Speedway -- 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, April 21 -- Talladega Superspeedway -- 3 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, April 28 -- Dover Motor Speedway -- 2 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, May 5 -- Kansas Speedway -- 3 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, May 12 -- Darlington Raceway -- 3 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, May 19 -- All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Non-points) -- 8 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, May 26 -- Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway -- 6 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, June 2 -- World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway -- 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, June 9 -- Sonoma Raceway -- 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, June 16 -- Iowa Speedway -- 7 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, June 23 -- New Hampshire Motor Speedway -- 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, June 30 -- Nashville Superspeedway -- 3:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, July 7 -- Chicago Street Course -- 4:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, July 14 -- Pocono Raceway -- 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, July 21 -- Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- 2:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Aug. 11 - Richmond Raceway -- 6 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, Aug. 18 -- Michigan International Speedway -- 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Saturday, Aug. 24 -- Daytona International Speedway -- 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Sept. 1 -- Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway -- 6 p.m. (USA)
NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
Round of 16
Sunday, Sept. 8 -- Atlanta Motor Speedway -- 3 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, Sept. 15 -- Watkins Glen International -- 3 p.m. (USA)
Saturday, Sept. 21 -- Bristol Motor Speedway Night Race -- 7:30 p.m. (USA)
Round of 12
Sunday, Sept. 29 -- Kansas Speedway -- 3 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, Oct. 6 -- Talladega Superspeedway -- 2 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Oct. 13 -- Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval -- 2 p.m. (NBC)
Round of 8
Sunday, Oct. 20 -- Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- 2:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Oct. 27 -- Homestead-Miami Speedway -- 2:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Nov. 3 -- Martinsville Speedway -- 2 p.m. (NBC)
Championship Race
Sunday, Nov. 10 -- Phoenix Raceway -- 3 p.m. (NBC)