The 2025 NASCAR season is ongoing, but it’s time to look ahead to 2026.

NASCAR released its full schedule for next year on Wednesday, with several surprise changes.

There were already some confirmed moves, including a street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego and the championship returning to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time since 2019.

But there were other surprises that will shake up the schedule — the All-Star Race in Dover, Delaware, for the first time, the first points-paying race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 30 years and a return to Chicagoland Speedway after seven years away.

North Wilkesboro had hosted the All-Star Race for the last three seasons. The Chicago Street Course and Mexico City were removed for 2026, but Chicagoland fills the gap in nearby Joliet, Illinois.

Ahead of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, iRacing executive vice president Steve Myers shared how the simulator game is making an impact in the real world.

There will be two off weekends, one more than the 2025 season, on April 5 for Easter and Aug. 2.

The season once again begins with the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the second straight year at the iconic North Carolina short track. After the exhibition race, the regular-season begins with the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15.

FOX Sports will broadcast the Clash and Daytona 500, plus the next 12 races — wrapping up with the May 17 All-Star Race at Dover. Amazon Prime Video takes over the next five races, starting with the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and ending with the San Diego street race.

After that, the broadcasting shifts to TNT Sports for five races — Sonoma Raceway through the Brickyard 400 on July 26. TNT’s portion of the schedule will be when the In-Season Challenge takes place, the second straight year of the bracket-style tournament.

NBC Sports will once again carry the final 14 races of the season, beginning at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 9 and running through the 10-week playoffs. The championship at Homestead-Miami is set for Nov. 8.

Here’s the full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule with the broadcast partner for each race:

Carson Kvapil

No. 1 – Jarrett Chevrolet

Kvapil 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 23

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 10

Laps Led: 64

Avg. Finish: 13.8

Points: 6th

Carson Kvapil will make his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway ton Friday night. In his first start earlier this year, Kvapil earned his first top-five of the season after finishing fourth in the 2025 season-opening event.

On tracks two miles and greater in length, Kvapil has made seven starts, earning one top-five and three top-10s in his young NXS career.\

In five career NXS starts on the drafting tracks of Daytona, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kvapil has earned a best finish of second, coming at Atlanta in June.

Kvapil will pilot his Jarrett Chevrolet under the lights on Friday. Jarret, a leading 3PL partner strives to deliver exceptional outcomes by providing world-class service.

Carson Kvapil

“It was nice to have a weekend off to recharge, but this No. 1 team is ready to go at Daytona this weekend. We had a lot of success there earlier this season and I feel as though we have learned a lot since then, so I know we will unload a fast Chevrolet on Friday. There are only a few more races left in the regular season, so we are putting in the work to make sure our Jarrett Chevrolet is up front at the end when it counts.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 Hellmann’s / Round Canopy Parachuting Team Chevrolet

Allgaier 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 23

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 11

Top 10s: 14

Laps Led: 689

Avg. Finish: 12.9

Points: 2nd

Justin Allgaier is a previous NXS winner in the summer event at “The World Center of Racing,” taking the checkered flag in a dramatic photo finish in 2023.

Overall, in 29 career NXS starts at Daytona, Allgaier has amassed eight top-fives and 14 top-10s to accompany the victory in 2023.

Additionally, Allgaier has led at least one lap in six consecutive races at Daytona, dating back to this event in 2022.

This weekend, Allgaier’s familiar Hellmann’s No. 7 will instead carry the logo of the Round Canopy Parachuting Team for the third consecutive year. As part of this year’s scheme, the name of Thomas “Tommy” Harvey will be memorialized on the passenger side name rail. Harvey was a pilot for the RCPT-USA and helped train several members of the team prior to his passing.

Justin Allgaier

“Anything can happen at Daytona. It’s such an unpredictable race where you can go from the lead to the back of the pack in a split second. JRM has always built some incredible speedway cars and I know we are going to have another fast one on Friday night. Hopefully we can avoid any potential trouble out there and work well with our teammates to be up front and fighting for the win when it counts. It’s great to also be carrying the Round Canopy Parachuting Team logos once again on board our Hellmann’s Chevrolet. We’ve had great luck with them in the past, and my goal is to replicate that again this weekend.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet

Smith 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 23

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 4

Top 10s: 12

Laps Led: 44

Avg. Finish: 14.1

Points: 10th

Sammy Smith will take the green flag Friday evening at Daytona for the seventh time in his NXS career at the famed superspeedway.

Of Smith’s 20 NXS career starts on speedways measuring two miles or greater, he has tallied one win (Talladega, 2024), two top-five and six top-10 finishes.

As a part of The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation, Smith will be honoring two cancer heroes on the name rails of his Pilot Chevrolet this weekend, including Carolyn Barsetti Malsam, his great aunt on the driver’s side.

Sammy Smith

“Daytona is a unique track. You never know what’s going to happen so it really is anyone’s race and with the Playoffs so close, we have to be strategic to stay out of the big wrecks. Having the off-week has been nice to be able to prepare and focus on our Daytona package to get this No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet up front when it counts.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet

Zilisch 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 22

Wins: 6

Top 5s: 12

Top 10s: 14

Laps Led: 547

Avg. Finish: 9.5

Points: 1st

Connor Zilisch heads to Daytona for the second time in his NXS career on Friday night.

Zilisch enters Daytona fresh off his sixth victory of the 2025 season at Watkins Glen International. He led eight times for 60 laps and won his second consecutive NXS race at the New York road course. Zilisch leads all NXS drivers in race wins this season.

Zilisch’s victory at Watkins Glen broke a tie with Allgaier in the NXS driver standings, as he now leads his teammate by seven points. Additionally, the No. 88 team has a 56-point edge in the owner standings.

Watkins Glen was the 11th consecutive top-five by Zilisch, an impressive streak that began in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His average finish in those nine races is a sizzling 2.18, which includes five victories (Pocono, Sonoma, Dover, Indianapolis, and Watkins Glen).

Connor Zilisch

“I’m looking forward to getting down to Daytona this weekend with our WeatherTech Chevrolet. Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and everyone on this JRM team have been working really hard through the off weekend to get us ready to go. We’ve got a good plan in place and I’m ready to get back to the track.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Daytona International Speedway a combined 120 times in the NXS since 2006. In those starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, the organization has recorded eight wins, 30 top-fives and 47 top-10s. The average finish is 16.2.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / HMS-Byron/Bowman souvenir rig on Friday, Aug. 22 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.

Cancer Heroes Honored on JRM Cars by virtue of The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation:

No. 1 – Carson Kvapil

Mike Frank

Ric Bauman

Stephanie Kearns

No. 7 – Justin Allgaier

Pilot John Hixon

No. 8 – Sammy Smith

Carolyn Barsetti Malsam

Brandon Malcom

No. 88 – Connor Zilisch

Stephanie Kearns

JRM PR

In the bustling motorsport hub of Fishers, Indiana, the newly formed Cadillac Formula 1 Team is a hive of ambition. It was early 2025, and with their debut season in 2026 fast approaching, the team, backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, faced a critical decision: who would pilot their Ferrari-powered cars in their inaugural campaign?

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, a seasoned F1 veteran from his days at Manor/Marussia, sat in the sleek new headquarters, surrounded by blueprints and data screens, poring over a shortlist of drivers. The goal was clear—build a lineup that balanced experience, potential, and marketability to make a splash in F1’s fiercely competitive grid.

Lowdon’s first instinct was to prioritize experience. A new team, especially one entering under the daunting 2026 regulations with compact cars and active aero, needed drivers who could provide reliable feedback to refine a fledgling car. The name at the top of his list was Valtteri Bottas, the 35-year-old Finnish driver and former Mercedes race winner.

Bottas, now a reserve at Mercedes after losing his Sauber seat, brought a wealth of experience—247 Grand Prix starts, 10 wins, and 67 podiums. His time at Mercedes had honed his ability to develop a car, and his recent stint at Sauber, a Ferrari customer team, gave him insight into the power unit Cadillac would use in 2026.

“Valtteri’s a proven commodity,” Lowdon told his team. “He’s calm, consistent, and knows how to work with engineers to squeeze every tenth out of a car.”

Bottas had also shown hunger, attending all 24 races in 2025 as Mercedes’ reserve, and his social media post posing next to a Cadillac SUV with the caption “Do we like this seat?” had sparked buzz among fans. His experience made him a safe bet to anchor the team, especially as they aimed to avoid the reliability pitfalls that often plague newcomers.

For the second seat, Lowdon wanted to take a calculated risk. The team’s American identity, underscored by Mario Andretti’s role as a board director, demanded consideration of a U.S. driver to excite the growing American F1 fanbase. Colton Herta, the 24-year-old IndyCar star from Andretti Global, was their obvious choice, but he has underperformed.

Herta had finished runner-up in the 2024 IndyCar standings, with nine career wins and 14 poles in 99 starts. His raw pace was undeniable, and his test with McLaren in 2022 had earned glowing reviews from team principal Andrea Stella, who called him “a great candidate.”

The catch? Herta lacks the 40 superlicense points required for F1. Sitting ninth in the 2025 IndyCar standings, 56 points behind fifth, he needed a top-five finish to secure the license, a tall order with only five races left.

Lowdon, however, saw potential. “Colton’s lack of points doesn’t reflect his talent,” he said, recalling Herta’s pole at Toronto. “If he gets the license, he’s our guy. An American in an American team—it’s a no-brainer for the fans.”

Mario Andretti, a vocal supporter, agreed, noting Herta’s history racing against talents like Lando Norris in Formula 3. The team decided to monitor Herta’s IndyCar finish while keeping a contingency plan.

As a backup, Lowdon considered Felipe Drugovich, the 25-year-old Brazilian and 2022 Formula 2 champion. Drugovich, Aston Martin’s reserve driver, had been overlooked for F1 seats despite his F2 dominance, partly due to a lack of openings.

His technical feedback during simulator sessions and his familiarity with F1 circuits made him a strong candidate for a rookie role.

“Felipe’s ready for a shot,” Lowdon noted. “He’s young, fast, and has the patience to grow with a new team.” Drugovich’s name had surfaced in talks, with posts on X suggesting he was high on Cadillac’s list for the second seat if Herta couldn’t secure a superlicense. His Latin American fanbase could also boost Cadillac’s global appeal, complementing their U.S.-focused branding.

Another name in the mix was Sergio Perez, the Mexican veteran with 285 Grand Prix starts, six wins, and 39 podiums. Perez, recently ousted from Red Bull, had been linked to Cadillac, with reports claiming a contract was nearly finalized. His experience at midfield teams like Force India and his ability to score points consistently made him appealing.

“I’ve pushed teams forward race by race,” Perez said, hinting at his interest in a project like Cadillac. However, Lowdon hesitated. Perez’s high-profile exit from Red Bull and rumors of talks with Alpine suggested he might command a hefty salary or seek a more established team. Plus, pairing two veterans like Perez and Bottas could limit the team’s long-term growth, and Lowdon wanted a younger driver to nurture.

Other candidates, like Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher, were briefly considered but deemed less ideal.

Zhou, a Ferrari reserve and Lowdon’s former client, had shown resilience at Sauber, scoring their only points in 2024. However, his limited F1 success and lack of standout pace made him a lower priority.

Schumacher, despite his WEC progress, hadn’t raced in F1 since 2022, and his stock had faded.

Lowdon also eyed F2 talents like Jak Crawford and Alex Dunne, but their lack of F1 experience and superlicense uncertainties make them riskier for a debut season.

Our Prediction

After weeks of debate, Lowdon and his team will make their choice.

We believe Valtteri Bottas will lead the lineup, bringing the experience needed to guide Cadillac through the challenges of a new team and new regulations.

For the second seat, they will take a bold step with Colton Herta, banking on him securing a superlicense by season’s end. CEO of TWG Motorsports and majority owner of Andretti Global, Dan Towriss, has a strong affinity for Colton Herta.

Their connection goes beyond the track. Towriss entered motorsports through a sponsorship deal with Andretti in 2016, initially via Zach Veach, but his role expanded significantly with Herta. As CEO of Group 1001, Towriss facilitated a multi-year contract extension for Herta through 2027, making him one of IndyCar’s highest-paid drivers.

He admires Herta’s focus and commitment, particularly praising his reluctance to dwell on F1 speculation while chasing an IndyCar title. When Herta expressed hesitation about a potential F1 move, emphasizing his loyalty to his IndyCar team, Towriss called it “exactly the answer I would want,” highlighting Herta’s dedication and presence in the moment.

For Towriss, Herta represents both a personal investment and a cornerstone for achieving ambitious goals, like an IndyCar championship or a competitive F1 debut.

If Herta falls short, as it now appears he will, Felipe Drugovich or American F2 driver Jak Crawford will step in, offering a young, proven talent to balance the team.

The decision will reflect Cadillac’s dual goals: leverage Bottas’s expertise to hit the ground running while betting on a young star—ideally an American like Herta—to ignite fan interest and build for the future.

As Lowdon finalizes the plan, he likely looks out at the Indiana skyline, envisioning Cadillac’s cars charging down the Melbourne straight in March 2026, ready to carve their name into F1 history.

Gordon, Earnhardt, Labonte, Martin and Wallace were household names when North Wilkesboro Speedway last hosted a NASCAR Cup Series points race on Sept. 29, 1996, a memorable race won by Jeff Gordon. The names have since changed to Logano, Larson, Bell, Elliott, Blaney, Byron and Hamlin – and they’ll be racing for points when NASCAR roars back to North Wilkesboro for the Window World 400 on July 19, 2026.

Thirty years after its most recent points race at stock car racing’s highest level, North Wilkesboro’s five-eighths-mile oval will come alive with a 400-lap, Sunday-night spectacular that will have its winner punch a ticket into the NASCAR Playoffs.

One of NASCAR’s original race tracks, North Wilkesboro has successfully hosted the past three NASCAR All-Star Races, with the most recent May event featuring an unforgettable battle between Joey Logano and eventual winner Christopher Bell. This year’s race – and its incredible fan and sponsor support – paved the way for the track’s next premier event to have championship implications.

“This year reminded everyone how great the action is at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “It’s a challenge for the drivers and the teams to master this short track and because of that, you don’t know who’s going to win until the checkered flag flies.

“It’s going to be cool to see 400 laps of wheel-to-wheel racing under the lights at North Wilkesboro and how the strategies in a longer race play out. Whoever wins the Window World 400 will really have to earn it, because now, it’s about more than big money and bragging rights. There’s a playoff berth on the line.”

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, which debuted at North Wilkesboro in 1996 and returned in 2023, retains a spot on the 2026 calendar for a 250-lapper on Saturday, July 18. Competition schedules, additional entertainment and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.

“You know I’m a big believer in the value of short track racing and its history in our sport, so to me this is the biggest news on the 2026 schedule,” said North Wilkesboro Speedway Chairman of the Board and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“When I was preparing North Wilkesboro with Marcus (Smith) in 2019 for an iRacing scan, I felt like I was working inside an iconic time capsule. Now the track is more amazing than ever, born again after a lot of dedication and hard work. I can’t wait to see 400 laps of night racing there. It’s massive for the surrounding community, but every fan of NASCAR is going to feel like a winner next July.”

Window World’s presence as the Cup Series race entitlement sponsor builds on a relationship the company has had with its home track dating back to 2022.

“As a North Wilkesboro-based company and knowing what it means to this community, it’s been a true honor and privilege for us to be a partner with North Wilkesboro Speedway throughout their rebirth,” said Window World CEO Tammy Whitworth.

“Sponsoring a points race in the NASCAR Cup Series gives us the chance to bring an even greater spotlight on this region and all the good things that happen here. Through our national network of store owners and employees, we’ll do our part to bring positive attention to Wilkes County and the North Carolina mountains next summer.”

Affordable tickets and camping are on sale now at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com.

{Information provided by Speedway Motorsports}