The 2020 NASCAR season has been an unusual one, but there is finally a concrete schedule to round out the regular season for the Cup, Xfinity, Gander RV & Outdoors Truck, and ARCA Menards Series. With some dates forced out due to COVID-19, others have taken their place, including a special stop for the three national series on the Daytona International Speedway road course for the first time. From 7 August to 30 August, the regular season caps off with 19 races, including six Cup, five Xfinity, four Truck, and four ARCA.
The Truck Series kicks off with a race at Michigan International Speedway on 7 August, followed by the Xfinity Series’ second road race of the season at Road America. The Cup Series will have a doubleheader at Michigan on 8 and 9 August, with ARCA serving as a support date on the second.
From 14 to 16 August, the four series will debut on the Daytona road course. The layout is currently scheduled to host the 2021 Busch Clash, and will replace the Cup Series’ lost road course date at Watkins Glen International as New York remains under lockdown for the pandemic. NASCAR will use the same configuration as the one for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
“While we are disappointed that we will not see our NASCAR fans at The Glen this year, we must prioritize the health and safety of our attendees, competitors, and staff,” read a WGI statement.
“Daytona International Speedway has a storied history like no other in motorsports,” DIS head Chip Wile said. “The sport of NASCAR gets to add a surprise chapter of road course racing to the venue’s legacy. Throughout the years, we have had many memorable moments with sports cars and motorcycles, but now NASCAR will take center stage on the road course at the World Center of Racing.”
The Trucks also lose their special dirt track and road course races at Eldora Speedway and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, though the inclusion of Daytona ensures there will be right turns in some capacity for the series. Daytona also serves as a compensation of sort for the Xfinity Series’ other lost road race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
“The Silverado 250 weekend has been incredibly exciting to host here at CTMP since 2013,” commented Mosport president Myles Brandt. The track is the lone Canadian stop in the national series. “We’re sure fans, drivers, and teams alike are feeling the same disappointment that we are in having to cancel the event. We are now looking to the future as we are excited for 2021 and making plans to mark the 60th anniversary of this legendary facility.”
Dove International Speedway follows with six races in a span of three days: on 21 August will be the ARCA Menards Series East and the Trucks. The Cup and Xfinity Series will have doubleheaders at the “Monster Mile” on 22 and 23 August.
The regular season will come to a close on Daytona’s oval as originally scheduled for Cup and Xfinity. The Xfinity Series will wrap up on 28 August, followed by Cup the next day. ARCA and the Trucks will also run those days at World Wide Technology at Gateway, the latter in conunction with the NTT IndyCar Series.
“We know that we will still be working lots of pieces of this logistical puzzle as we prepare for the event,” Gateway track president Curtis Francois stated. “We are blessed with a huge outdoor grandstand capacity and open-air midways that will enable us to social distance and provide a safe, responsible and comfortable event experience for the fans who are able to attend. Every possible effort will be made to ensure that our fans will enjoy another great racing experience at WWTR.”
August schedule
Date | Day | Series | Track | Length (mi) | Network | Start Time (ET) |
7 August | Friday | Trucks | Michigan | 200 | FS1 | 6:00 PM |
8 August | Saturday | Xfinity | Road America | 182 | NBCSN | Noon |
8 August | Saturday | Cup | Michigan | 312 | NBCSN | 4:00 PM |
9 August | Sunday | ARCA | Michigan | 200 | MAVTV | 1:00 PM |
9 August | Sunday | Cup | Michigan | 312 | NBCSN | 4:30 PM |
14 August | Friday | ARCA | Daytona RC | TBA | MAVTV | 5:00 PM |
15 August | Saturday | Xfinity | Daytona RC | 182 | NBCSN | 3:00 PM |
16 August | Sunday | Trucks | Daytona RC | 153 | FS1 | Noon |
16 August | Sunday | Cup | Daytona RC | 231 | NBC | 3:00 PM |
21 August | Friday | ARCA East | Dover | 125 | Trackpass | 2:00 PM |
21 August | Friday | Trucks | Dover | 200 | FS1 | 5:00 PM |
22 August | Saturday | Xfinity | Dover | 200 | NBCSN | 12:30 PM |
22 August | Saturday | Cup | Dover | 311 | NBCSN | 4:00 PM |
23 August | Sunday | Xfinity | Dover | 200 | NBCSN | 1:00 PM |
23 August | Sunday | Cup | Dover | 311 | NBCSN | 4:00 PM |
28 August | Friday | Xfinity | Daytona | 250 | NBCSN | 7:30 PM |
29 August | Saturday | ARCA | Gateway | 150 | MAVTV | 6:00 PM |
29 August | Saturday | Cup | Daytona | 400 | NBC | 7:30 PM |
30 August | Sunday | Trucks | Gateway | 200 | FS1 | Noon |