September 30, 2020 | By Lee Spencer

NASCAR unveils innovative 2021 Cup schedule

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspects of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule are the addition of a dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway and a fulsome menu of road course events, including three at tracks where the Cup Series has never raced in the modern era.

In the full 2021 Cup schedule announced Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR has added road course races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (where the Xfinity Series raced this year), Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and Road America (where the Xfinity Series has raced since 2010).

There are also notable omissions. Gone is the Brickyard 400 at vaunted Indianapolis Motor Speedway, one of the crown-jewel events on the schedule since its 1994 debut. Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway, both 1.5-mile intermediate tracks, won’t host races next year, casting doubt on their respective futures in NASCAR’s top series.

Starting with the May 23 date at COTA, the Cup Series will compete at six road courses, double the number from 2019, the last full season before the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic this past March.

In other noteworthy changes, Homestead-Miami Speedway moves to the second position on the schedule after the Daytona 500. The West Coast Swing follows, starting at two-mile Auto Club Speedway, which will begin its conversion to a half-mile short track after next year’s Feb. 28 event.

Atlanta gets two dates next year (Mar. 21 and July 11), while Texas loses its spring points race but adds the NASCAR All-Star Race on June 13. The Bristol Dirt race on Mar. 28 starts a run of three short-track races that includes Martinsville and Richmond.

“As everyone knows, Bristol Motor Speedway is the home to big events and we feel like this will be one of the most anticipated races in the NASCAR Cup Series in quite some time,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “We have proven in the past that we know how to transform Bristol Motor Speedway into one of the most pristine dirt facilities anywhere around, so we can’t wait to see how the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will perform on the high banks at the World’s Fastest dirt Half-Mile.”

Both Dover and Michigan will host one race each, while Darlington Raceway gets two events, and Nashville Superspeedway is added to the schedule.

Pocono remains as a weekend doubleheader, and the 10 Playoff races remain unchanged from this season, with the season finale returning to Phoenix Raceway. 

“We developed the 2021 schedule with one primary goal: Continue to take steps to create the most dynamic schedule possible for our fans,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “Extensive collaboration between NASCAR, the racetracks, race teams and our broadcast partners allowed NASCAR to create what promises to be an exciting 2021 schedule of races.”

Below is the full 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule (Playoff races in bold font):
 
2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
 

Date                                              Race / Track
Tuesday, February 9                     Clash (Daytona Road Course)
Thursday, February 11                  Duel at Daytona
Sunday, February 14                     DAYTONA 500
Sunday, February 21                     Homestead-Miami
Sunday, February 28                     Auto Club
Sunday, March 7                            Las Vegas
Sunday, March 14                          Phoenix
Sunday, March 21                          Atlanta
Sunday, March 28                          Bristol Dirt
Saturday, April 10                           Martinsville
Sunday, April 18                             Richmond
Sunday, April 25                             Talladega
Sunday, May 2                                Kansas
Sunday, May 9                                Darlington
Sunday, May 16                              Dover
Sunday, May 23                              COTA
Sunday, May 30                              Charlotte
Sunday, June 6                               Sonoma
Sunday, June 13                             All-Star (Texas)
Sunday, June 20                             Nashville Superspeedway
Saturday & Sunday, June 26-27     Pocono Doubleheader
Sunday, July 4                                 Road America
Sunday, July 11                               Atlanta
Sunday, July 18                               New Hampshire
Sunday, August 8                            Watkins Glen
Sunday, August 15                           Indianapolis Road Course
Sunday, August 22                           Michigan
Saturday, August 28                         Daytona
Sunday, September 5                       Darlington
Saturday, September 11                   Richmond
Saturday, September 18                   Bristol
Sunday, September 26                     Las Vegas
Sunday, October 3                            Talladega
Sunday, October 10                          Charlotte Roval
Sunday, October 17                          Texas
Sunday, October 24                          Kansas
Sunday, October 31                          Martinsville
Sunday, November 7                        Phoenix