With the future of Chicago’s Street Course in limbo and a potential San Diego race in the works, the future of NASCAR’s street courses is at a crossroads. Could both cities be on the schedule in 2026? Or is it a battle for one spot for next year?

NASCAR’s Street Course Future: Chicago? San Diego? Or Both?

NASCAR is relishing in the successes and failures of its street course attempt in Chicago. But as we head away from Chicago and towards Sonoma, we are still talking about street courses. As Chicago’s future hangs in the hands of its officials and a future race in San Diego is in final talks, could we see more than one on the schedule? Or are we at the beginning of a duel between two cities to get a NASCAR street course race?

We finally got to see Chicago’s Street Course in the dry — and it delivered again. From Shane van Gisbergen’s shocking debut win in 2023 to his dominating return in 2024, the Chicago Street Course has quickly become a marquee event. But while the racing has been electric, the future of the event is uncertain as the city of Chicago is reportedly seeking changes to its current deal with NASCAR.

San Diego Street Course: The Next Big Thing?

Enter San Diego. According to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, a deal for a street race in the Southern California city is currently in the works. With the possibility of a new event on the table, speculation is swirling: Is San Diego a potential replacement for Chicago, or could NASCAR be planning to run two street races in the future?

The Southern California market has been all but abandoned by NASCAR in recent years. Auto Club Speedway’s closure and stalled short track plans, combined with the Clash’s move from the L.A. Coliseum back to NASCAR’s roots in Winston-Salem, have left the region without a major stock car race since 2023. That’s a huge gap in one of the country’s largest and most diverse markets.

IndyCar’s success with the Long Beach Grand Prix proves there’s demand for street racing in Southern California. NASCAR reportedly even tried to purchase the rights to Long Beach — a bold move that didn’t pan out. Instead, San Diego may offer a clean slate and a chance for NASCAR to build its legacy.

Read More: Kyle Kirkwood Dominates the Streets of Long Beach

San Diego is a beautiful city with a strong military presence and vibrant downtown — a compelling setting for a street race. But with both Chicago and San Diego reportedly negotiating with NASCAR, fans are left to wonder: Will we see two street races on the schedule? Or is San Diego simply leverage to get Chicago to re-sign for 2026? What exactly is NASCAR’s play here?

What do I think? I think Chicago re-signs for the future. The city has finally adjusted to the event, and it seems like the locals are embracing it. Even the mayor recently said the race is starting to feel like a real Chicago tradition. Why put out a fire that’s still burning?

But if NASCAR adds a street course in San Diego, that could pull a significant portion of the traveling fan base away from Chicago. Suddenly, you’re splitting the hype and the novelty that makes street courses special.

This is a two-fold problem for NASCAR. On one hand, you have an underserved Southern California market that’s been without a Cup race since 2023 and is hungry for the sport’s return. On the other hand, Chicago is finally warming up to the disruption and excitement of NASCAR in the streets. So what do you do?

How To Blend The Streets With NASCAR’s Identity:

As a bit of a NASCAR purist, I’ll admit, I like my ovals. But I can appreciate what street courses bring to the table. They take the racing to the people. Cities offer density, young audiences, and photogenic backdrops. It’s smart marketing and a unique fan experience.

That said, I think we’ve lost the plot a little. NASCAR is, and always has been, an oval series at heart. There is a place for street and road courses, but it should be intentional. We should be racing at COTA because it’s world-class, and at Watkins Glen and Sonoma because of history. Add in an international road course like Mexico City or Montreal, and one well-executed street race. That’s all you need.

Read More: NASCAR Cup Series at COTA Highlighted by Rules Inconsistency, Bell Victory

Denny Hamlin recently floated a brilliant idea: a street oval. Find two parallel streets and design a temporary oval around them. That way, you bring NASCAR to the cities without abandoning what makes the series unique — turning left.

You could realistically do this in both Chicago and San Diego. Embrace the excitement of the street course, but keep the oval DNA alive. Best of both worlds.

Wherever NASCAR decides to move the street race, I am sure it will be a success, but let us not compromise our identity as a series to bring the sport to new markets.

CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Larson returns to his familiar HendrickCars.com paint scheme on his No. 5 Chevrolet this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway. 

Now, to park it somewhere familiar as well. 

Larson will look to reach victory lane at his de facto home track for the third time in his career, notching his second win at the 1.99-mile road course a year ago. 

Meanwhile, despite his illustrious career at serpentine circuits, Chase Elliott is still knocking on the door of his first victory at Sonoma. He’ll chase that coveted checkered flag with a white livery on his No. 9 Chevy that will hit the track for the first time since the preseason Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, coincidentally won by Elliott. 

Points leader William Byron is back in his No. 24 Valvoline ride while Alex Bowman brings the No. 48 Ally scheme to Wine Country. 

The Hendrick Motorsports paint scheme preview is sponsored by Kelley Blue Book. 

Here’s how the cars will look when they hit the race track this weekend! 

The NASCAR Cup Series will tackle Round 3 of the 2025 In-Season Challenge this weekend, with the rolling hills of Sonoma Raceway being the venue of choice on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT Sports/truTV, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Xfinity Series

All 37 cars will have a chance to post a qualifying time Saturday (2:40 p.m. ET, truTV, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Saturday’s qualifying session will consist of one round, split into two 20-minute groups. The groups below are determined via a metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

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MORE: How to watch on TNT Sports | Weekend schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Following the sold-out success of this year’s event, NASCAR has confirmed that the Cook Out Clash will once again serve as the opening exhibition race of the 2026 season at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. The action unfolds on Saturday, January 31, and Sunday, February 1, with coverage airing on FOX Sports.

“We wrote a new chapter in the history of motorsports at Bowman Gray with this year’s Clash,” said Joey Dennewitz, NASCAR Regional Managing Director. “It’s only fitting to bring the 2026 edition back to NASCAR’s first weekly racetrack — the original home of grassroots racing. Huge thanks to the City of Winston-Salem and Winston-Salem State University for helping us make ‘The Madhouse’ magic happen again.”

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines added, “We’re honored to host the 2026 Cook Out Clash. Last year’s event was a great success for everyone involved — and we’re ready to raise the bar even higher.”

Cook Out, one of the fastest growing family-owned restaurant chains in the country, will return as the title sponsor. Founded in Winston-Salem in 1989, Cook Out is best known for its burgers and famously affordable combos, with more than 350 locations across 11 states.

“We’re proud to bring the NASCAR family together again in our own backyard,” said Jeremy and Morris Reaves, CEO and Founder of Cook Out. “Last year was amazing — and we’re fired up to do it again!”

Cook Out is no stranger to NASCAR. In addition to the Clash, they sponsor major races like the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville and Richmond, and the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington. They’re also an official quick-service restaurant of the sport and support grassroots racing and the NASCAR Youth Series.

“Cook Out is the real deal,” said Justin Swilling, Project Lead for the Clash. “Their support takes our events to the next level — and 2026 is going to be another can’t-miss, sold-out weekend.”

Bowman Gray Stadium, built in 1937, is NASCAR’s oldest weekly racetrack and has played a central role in the sport’s history. Bill France Sr. and Alvin Hawkins brought NASCAR to the stadium in 1949, and it became the first paved oval track for the organization. The venue has seen 29 Grand National (now Cup Series) races between 1958 and 1971, with legends like Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, and Ned Jarrett making their mark.

Petty even celebrated his 100th career victory there during the 1969 Myers Brothers 250. More recently, the stadium hosted NASCAR East Series events from 2011 to 2015, with wins from Ben Kennedy, Ben Rhodes, Ryan Preece, and Corey LaJoie.

This year’s Cook Out Clash was the first Cup Series race at Bowman Gray since 1971, and it didn’t disappoint. 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott took the win, thrilling fans and reigniting the intensity that defines this iconic venue.

For more details and to join the ticket list for the 2026 Cook Out Clash, visit NASCARClash.com. To explore weekly racing action at Bowman Gray Stadium, including modified, sportsman, street stock, and stadium stock divisions, head to bowmangrayracing.com.

Less than a week ago, Cannon McIntosh was busy becoming the first multi-time winner of the BC39 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

On Tuesday night, McIntosh was in the process of becoming the first three-time USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget winner at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex.

While his BC39 victory required him to charge from 19th to the win, his Sweet Springs score didn’t require as much flair for the dramatic.

During Tuesday’s Mid-America Midget Week opener at the 1/6-mile dirt oval, the Bixby, Oklahoma native went wire-to-wire, leading all 40 laps en route to his third career USAC National Midget victory at Sweet Springs, following previous triumphs in 2020 and 2022. It’s the type of track he knows. It’s the type of track he loves.

“I grew up going to small tracks like this,” McIntosh reflected. “There’s usually a pretty good bottom to roll and a cushion as well. I like places where you can do both. It’s not just dedicated to one line. I feel like it suits me pretty well. Actually, I feel like the last few times I’ve been here, I’ve really struggled to find my speed and rhythm. To get back in victory lane here is pretty special.”

McIntosh’s latest win was his second consecutive on the USAC National Midget trail and his third overall during the 2025 season. For his career, McIntosh has now tallied 12 USAC National Midget feature wins, moving himself to 61st place all-time alongside series champions Danny Caruthers, Russ Gamester and Jeff Gordon as well as Gene Force, Bobby Grim and Ron Shuman.

USAC National Midgets Results From Sweet Sprints Motorsports Complex

1. Cannon McIntosh (2)

2. Justin Grant (1)

3. Daison Pursley (6)

4. Hayden Reinbold (7)

5. Gunnar Setser (3)

 6. Kevin Thomas Jr. (13)

7. Kale Drake (17)

8. Steven Snyder Jr. (8)

9. Jacob Denney (5)

10. Logan Seavey (11)

11. Drake Edwards (21)

12. Gavin Miller (12)

 13. Ethan Mitchell (18)

14. Zach Daum (4)

15. Cale Coons (9)

 16. Riley Kreisel (14)

17. Trey Zorn (22)

18. Brecken Reese (19)

19. Mack Leopard (16)

20. Andrew Felker (23)

21. Garet Williamson (15)

22. Chad Winfrey (24)

23. Kyle Jones (10)

24. Kameron Key (20). NT

CHICAGO (AP) — NASCAR’s first in-season tournament hasn’t made much of an impression on its drivers so far. Ty Gibbs said Sunday he didn’t know who his second-round opponent was until after the Cup Series race.

That might be about to change.

Gibbs is one of eight drivers still in the mix for the $1 million prize that goes to the winner of the five-race, bracket-style competition. While Shane van Gisbergen was closing out his Cup victory in Chicago this weekend, some of the most compelling action on the downtown street course was at least connected to the inaugural In-Season Challenge.

Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace raced each other hard in the final laps after they tangled in Chicago last year. Bowman got the better of the head-to-head matchup, finishing eighth and eliminating Wallace from the tournament.

John Hunter Nemechek was 15th, one spot better than his opponent, Chase Elliott. Gibbs had a strong day and finished second, good enough to beat AJ Allmendinger in sixth. Ty Dillon, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, Zane Smith and Erik Jones also moved on.

The 14th-seeded Smith upset No. 3 seed Chris Buescher by finishing 14th. He is matched up with Gibbs for Sunday’s road race at Sonoma.

“I hate we had to knock another Ford out, but it’s super cool to advance,” Smith said.

With the in-season tournament — part of a new media rights deal that includes TNT — NASCAR is following in the footsteps of the NBA and soccer leagues around the world. After Sonoma this weekend, it concludes with races at Dover and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Bowman said the tournament wasn’t on his mind as he battled with Wallace at the end in Chicago. Whatever the reason for the contact, their head-to-head matchup certainly added a bit of intrigue to the racing behind van Gisbergen’s victory.

With the money involved and the field trimmed to eight drivers, there could be more moments like the duel between Bowman and Wallace in the final weeks of the challenge.

“I wasn’t expecting that to happen or to get raced like that, but we did,” Bowman said. “We just have to move on from it and keep digging.”

It sure sounds as if Dillon is enjoying the competition. Dillon, the No. 32 seed, eliminated Brad Keselowski on Sunday after he upset top-seeded Denny Hamlin at Atlanta on June 28.

There was absolutely no drama in Dillon’s win after Keselowski was collected in an early crash that began with Carson Hocevar hitting the wall and spinning out between Turns 10 and 11. Hocevar was eliminated by Reddick.

“I’m just so proud of Kaulig Racing and our No. 10 team,” Dillon said. “I knew in a basketball city, going up against Brad in a game of knockout, I was going to have a good chance.”

Dillon takes on Bowman and Preece faces Reddick in the next round. But the most interesting contest just might be Nemechek versus Jones in a matchup of Legacy Motor Club teammates.

“I felt like if we could have gotten through the first round, these next two rounds are really good for us,” Preece said. “Our road course program is pretty strong, and we keep making it better. So going into Sonoma, I think we’re up against Tyler Reddick, so he’s really good at road courses as well, but I like being the underdog.”

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