Making Sense Of NASCAR’s Updated Schedule Now

NASCAR unveiled their latest portion of the 2020 schedule on Wednesday. This latest version takes us up to Labor Day weekend. With this schedule, we will close out the NASCAR Cup Series regular season.

Adjustments have also been made to the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well as the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series schedules too.

So, lets outline them now.

Cup Series

The schedule will still consist of 36 points paying races as well as the All-Star race. To get us to complete the schedule, adjustments had to be made.

What races were adjusted?

Atlanta (March 15), Homestead (March 22), Texas (March 29), Bristol (April 5), Richmond (April 19), Talladega (April 26), Dover (May 3), Martinsville (May 9), All-Star Race (May 16), Kansas (May 31), Michigan (June 7), Sonoma (June 14), Chicagoland (June 21) and Watkins Glen (Aug. 16) have all had races affected.

More: What NASCAR Races Moving Forward Will Have Fans

But, all have been made up now too. Lets go in order to what was made up and where?

Atlanta and Homestead moved to back-to-back weekend’s on June 7 and June 14. Texas was moved to July 19, Bristol to May 31, Talladega (June 21), Dover (Aug. 22), Martinsville (June 10), Kansas (July 23) and Michigan (Aug. 8).

Dover and Michigan’s dates are part of doubleheader weekend’s, so only one visit to those tracks will happen this season.

The All-Star race was moved from Charlotte to Bristol and will run next Wednesday night (July 15).

Richmond, Sonoma, Chicagoland and Watkins Glen have been canceled. Those races were made up at Darlington (May 17, May 20), Charlotte (May 28) and now Daytona on the road course (Aug. 16).

The 10 race playoff will remain the same.

Xfinity Series

This one gets a bit more confusing. But, lets just keep it simple and in order.

Races affected were: Atlanta (March 14), Homestead (March 21), Texas (March 28), Bristol (April 4), Talladega (April 25), Dover (May 2), Charlotte (May 23), Mid-Ohio (May 30), Michigan (June 6), Iowa (June 30 & Aug. 1), Chicagoland (June 20), New Hampshire (July 18) and Watkins Glen (Aug. 15).

The races made up were: Atlanta (June 6), Homestead (June 13), Texas (July 18), Bristol (June 1), Talladega (June 20), Dover (Aug. 23) and Charlotte (May 25).

Here’s where this this a little confusing.

Iowa, New Hampshire, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio were canceled.

More: NASCAR Start Times Need Adjusted

Homestead ran a doubleheader weekend last month and the first Iowa race was made up there. The second Iowa race gets a doubleheader at Kansas on July 25. The Watkins Glen date gets move to the Daytona road course weekend on the same day now in August.

New Hampshire goes to tomorrow night’s Kentucky race. Chicagoland was the second Darlington race.

That just leaves just the Mid-Ohio and Michigan dates that needs a makeup. They can’t run with the Cup/Truck weekend in Michigan because they will be in Road America. Do they just run a doubleheader there to make up for Mid-Ohio? That in turn leaves Michigan to be made up without much room to make that date up.

See, they’re running two races already in Kentucky and Dover. They’re not scheduled to be in Texas in a couple of weeks. can’t run a second race at Daytona on the superspeedway. So, either they run on Friday on the Daytona road course or just eliminate one race which for TV purposes, they won’t want to do.

Their playoffs remain the same, so they’ll have to squeeze a new race in before Darlington or go from 33 to 32 races now.

Truck Series

They too have had their share of cancellations. Eldora, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Richmond are all canceled so far. Here’s where they stand.

Races affected: Atlanta (March 14), Homestead (March 20), Texas (March 27), Richmond (April 18), Dover (May 1), Charlotte (May 15), Kansas (May 30), Texas (June 5), Iowa (June 12), Chicagoland (June 19), Pocono (June 27), Kentucky (July 9), Eldora (July 30), Michigan (Aug. 8), Gateway (Aug. 21), CTMP (Sept. 6).

That means all but seven of their scheduled 23 races have been affected.

Here’s what’s been made up or will be: Atlanta (June 6), Homestead (June 13), Texas (July 18), Dover (Aug. 21), Charlotte (May 26), Kansas (July 24), Pocono (June 28), Kentucky (July 11), Michigan (Aug. 7) and Gateway (Aug. 30).

The Iowa date moves to the Daytona road course on Aug. 16. The Chicagoland date moves to the Kansas weekend on July 25.

Now, they have Richmond, Texas 2, Eldora and CTMP to make up.

That’s four races still without much room to finagle.

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