2024 NASCAR schedule: Atlanta, Watkins Glen new additions to Cup playoffs
NASCAR Cup Series teams will have an additional drafting superspeedway and road course in the playoffs in 2024.
The high-banked 1.54-mile drafting oval at Atlanta will open the playoffs Sept. 8 followed by a trip to Watkins Glen on Sept. 15 as both of those races moved from summer regular-season events into NASCAR’s version of the postseason.
NASCAR’s juggling of the playoffs was the primary change that had not been previously announced as NASCAR released its national series schedules Wednesday.
"We felt like it was an opportunity to introduce a little bit of variety to the schedule in the playoffs," said NASCAR Senior Vice President Ben Kennedy. "Introducing a drafting-style track like Atlanta to the Round of 16, to follow it up with Watkins Glen and then the Bristol night race is really going to test the variability of our drivers in their skills as they think about punching their ticket to the Round of 12.
"It was something we wanted to do that was a little bit different and shake it up a bit."
Because of a two-week break to allow NBC and its sister channels to be available for Olympic coverage, NASCAR’s season will end a week later than in recent years. With Darlington Raceway the traditional Labor Day race, that put Darlington as the last regular-season event instead of the playoff opener.
Atlanta replaces Darlington to open the playoffs and Watkins Glen is added in place of Texas, which was the opening race of the second round but was moved to April for 2024. Kansas, which was the second race of the playoffs in 2023, moves to the opening race of the second round for 2024.
Among the other significant changes:
--Atlanta, which had the fifth race of the season in 2023, moves to the second race to follow the Daytona 500, giving teams back-to-back drafting superspeedway races to open the season.
--Bristol will have both of its races on concrete instead of one on dirt that was placed over the concrete surface.
--Richmond will be the site of the Easter race, and both of its 2024 races are Sunday night races instead of day races.
--Iowa Speedway, as announced Tuesday, is the sole new track on the schedule, replacing California Speedway, which NASCAR has temporarily closed with plans to reconfigure it from a 2-mile track to a half-mile track.
Brad Keselowski on whether teams need a test at Iowa Speedway next year
--Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s race will be on the oval instead of the road course.
--NASCAR had previously announced the championship weekend at Phoenix would be Nov. 1-3, but it will now be Nov. 8-10 with the later start to the playoffs.
One change that didn’t happen — Charlotte Motor Speedway’s fall race will remain on the road course.
Also on Wednesday, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson’s office released a statement that endorsed the return of the Chicago street race for a second year. That race is scheduled for July 7.
"NASCAR has agreed to shorten the event’s set up and tear down windows, reducing travel disruption for impacted communities and other residents," the mayor’s office said in a statement. "NASCAR has also committed to addressing costs incurred by City departments and agencies in facilitating and securing the event as consistent with other large-scale events.
"This is a win for Chicago taxpayers, as the original agreement did not include provisions for such costs."
In the Xfinity Series, there are three new events — Iowa (replacing California), Indianapolis oval (replacing the road-course race there) and a second race at Talladega (replacing Road America). The second Talladega race is new for the playoffs for 2024 with Bristol now the regular-season finale instead of the first race of the postseason.
In the Craftsman Truck Series, there are two new events — a second race on the Bristol concrete (replacing the Bristol dirt race) and a second race at Martinsville (replacing Mid-Ohio). The second race at Martinsville is a new race in the playoffs for 2024 with the Indianapolis Raceway Park event now in the regular-season portion of the schedule.
NASCAR national series schedules (all times ET):
2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
Feb. 4: Clash at LA Memorial Coliseum, FOX, 8 p.m.
Feb. 15: Duel at Daytona (500 qualifying races), FS1, 7 p.m.
Feb. 18: Daytona, FOX, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 25: Atlanta, FOX, 3 p.m.
Mar. 3: Las Vegas, FOX, 3:30 p.m.
Mar. 10: Phoenix, FOX, 3:30 p.m.
Mar. 17: Bristol, FOX, 3:30 p.m.
Mar. 24: Austin (COTA), FOX, 3:30 p.m.
Mar. 31: Richmond, FOX, 7 p.m.
Apr. 7: Martinsville, FS1, 3 p.m.
Apr. 14: Texas, FS1, 3:30 p.m.
Apr. 21: Talladega, FOX, 3 p.m.
Apr. 28: Dover, FS1, 2 p.m.
May 5: Kansas, FS1, 3 p.m.
May 12: Darlington, FS1, 3 p.m.
May 19: All-Star at North Wilkesboro, FS1, 8 p.m.
May 26: Charlotte, FOX, 6 p.m.
June 2: St. Louis (WWTR Gateway), FS1, 3 p.m.
June 9: Sonoma, FOX, 3 p.m.
June 16: Iowa, USA, 7 p.m.
June 23: New Hampshire, USA, 2:30 p.m.
June 30: Nashville, NBC, 3:30 p.m.
July 7: Chicago street, NBC, 4:30 p.m.
July 14: Pocono, USA, 2:30 p.m.
July 21: Indianapolis, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 11: Richmond, USA, 6 p.m.
Aug. 18, Michigan, USA, 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 24: Daytona, NBC, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 1: Darlington, USA, 6 p.m.
PLAYOFFS
Sept. 8: Atlanta, USA, 3 p.m.
Sept. 15: Watkins Glen, USA, 3 p.m.
Sept. 21: Bristol, USA, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29: Kansas, USA, 3 p.m.
Oct. 6: Talladega, NBC, 2 p.m.
Oct. 13: Charlotte road course, NBC, 2 p.m.
Oct. 20: Las Vegas, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 27: Homestead, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 3: Martinsville, NBC, 2 p.m.
Nov. 10: Phoenix, NBC, 3 p.m.
2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule
Feb. 17: Daytona, FS1, 5 p.m.
Feb. 24: Atlanta, FS1, 5 p.m.
Mar. 2: Las Vegas, FS1, 5 p.m.
Mar. 9: Phoenix, FS1, 4:30 p.m.
Mar. 23: Austin (COTA), FS1, 5 p.m.
Mar. 30: Richmond, FS1, 1:30 p.m.
Apr. 6: Martinsville, FS1, 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 13: Texas, FS1, 1:30 p.m.
Apr. 20: Talladega, FOX, 4 p.m.
Apr. 27: Dover, FS1, 1:30 p.m.
May 11: Darlington, FS1, 1:30 p.m.
May 25: Charlotte, FOX, 1 p.m.
June 1: Portland, FS1, 4:30 p.m.
June 8: Sonoma, FS1, 8 p.m.
June 15: Iowa, USA, 3:30 p.m.
June 22: New Hampshire, USA, 3:30 p.m.
June 29: Nashville, USA, 5 p.m.
July 6: Chicago street, NBC, 2:30 p.m.
July 13: Pocono, USA, 3 p.m.
July 20: Indianapolis, USA, 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 17: Michigan, USA, 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 23: Daytona, USA, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 31: Darlington, USA, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 7: Atlanta, USA, 3 p.m.
Sept. 14: Watkins Glen, USA, 3 p.m.
Sept. 20: Bristol, USA, 7:30 p.m.
PLAYOFFS
Sept. 28: Kansas, USA, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 5: Talladega, NBC, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 12: Charlotte road course, USA, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 19: Las Vegas, NBC, 3 p.m.
Oct. 26: Homestead, NBC, 3 p.m.
Nov. 2: Martinsville, USA, 3 p.m.
Nov. 9: Phoenix, USA, 6 p.m.
2024 Craftsman Truck Series schedule
Feb. 16: Daytona, FS1, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24: Atlanta, FS1, 2 p.m.
Mar. 1: Las Vegas, FS1, 9 p.m.
Mar. 16: Bristol, FS1, 8 p.m.
Mar. 23: Austin (COTA), FS1, 1:30 p.m.
Apr. 5: Martinsville, FS1, 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 12: Texas, FS1, 8:30 p.m.
May 4: Kansas, FS1, 8 p.m.
May 10: Darlington, FS1, 7:30 p.m.
May 18: North Wilkesboro, FS1, 1:30 p.m.
May 24: Charlotte, FS1, 8:30 p.m.
June 1: St. Louis (WWTR Gateway), FOX, 1:30 p.m.
June 28: Nashville, FS1, TBD
July 12: Pocono, FS1, 5:30 p.m.
July 19: Indianapolis Raceway Park, FS1, 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 10: Richmond, FS1, 7:30 p.m.
PLAYOFFS
Aug. 25: Milwaukee, FS1, 4 p.m.
Sept. 19: Bristol, FS1, 8 p.m.
Sept. 27: Kansas, FS1, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Talladega, FS1: 5 p.m.
Oct. 26: Homestead, FS1, Noon
Nov. 1: Martinsville, FS1, 6 p.m.
Nov. 8: Phoenix, FS1, 8 p.m.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.
