Photo for Headline Surfer / NASCAR will crowning of a Cup Series champion for the first time at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 8. In recent years, the finale had been held at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR, like all of the other organized sports and entertainment entities in the US and around the world have had to make adjustments in schedules - either cancelling outright or deferring events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NASCAR on Thursday announced the final installment of events in its revised 2020 schedule, including the full playoffs schedule for all three national series:
• NASCAR Cup Series All 10 playoff venues and dates will remain intact from the original 2020 schedule, with the postseason kicking off at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6 (NBCSN, 6 p.m. ET) and culminating with the crowning of a champion for the first time at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 8 (NBC, 3 p.m. ET).
• NASCAR Xfinity Series - One new venue, Talladega Superspeedway, has been added as the second race in the opening round of the playoffs on Saturday, Oct. 3 (NBCSN, 4:30 p.m. ET) while Bristol Motor Speedway moves to the regular season finale on Friday, Sept. 18 (NBCSN, 7 p.m. ET). The Playoffs will now begin at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 26 (NBCSN, 7:30 p.m. ET).
• NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will visit two new venues during the series’ playoff run – Kansas Speedway on Friday, Oct. 16 (FS1, 7 p.m. ET) and Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 25 (FS1, Noon ET), which is the new date for the race from Texas that was postponed on Friday, March 27.
Bristol Motor Speedway will now serve as the Playoffs opener for the Gander Trucks on Thursday, Sept. 17 (FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET). Finally, the Gander Trucks will visit Richmond Raceway on Thursday, Sept. 10 (FS1, 8 p.m. ET) for the regular season finale – fulfilling the race that was originally scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 18.
"NASCAR’s modified event procedures and protocols were designed in accordance with public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials," said Matt Nordby of NASCAR Communications, adding, "NASCAR will determine if fans are allowed entrance to NASCAR events on a market-by-market basis, in accordance with local and state guidelines."
"NASCAR’s modified event procedures and protocols were designed in accordance with public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials," said Matt Nordby of NASCAR Communications, adding, "NASCAR will determine if fans are allowed entrance to NASCAR events on a market-by-market basis, in accordance with local and state guidelines."
The final installment of the 2020 schedule is as follows (playoff opening races are in bold type):
|
DATE |
TRACK |
SERIES |
DISTANCE |
NET |
START (ET) |
|
Sat, Sept. 5 |
Darlington |
Xfinity |
200 mi |
NBC |
12:30 PM |
|
Sun, Sept. 6 |
*Darlington |
Gander Trucks |
200 mi |
FS1 |
2:00 PM |
|
Sun, Sept. 6 |
Darlington |
Cup |
501 mi |
NBCSN |
6:00 PM |
|
TThuSept. 10 |
Richmond |
Gander Trucks |
187 mi |
FS1 |
8:00 PM |
|
Fri, Sept. 11 |
Richmond |
Xfinity |
187 mi |
NBCSN |
7:00 PM |
|
Sat Sept. 12 |
*Richmond |
Xfinity |
187 mi |
NBCSN |
2:30 PM |
|
Sat, Sept 12 |
Richmond |
Cup |
300 mi |
NBCSN |
7:30 PM |
|
Thu, Sept. 17 |
Bristol |
Gander Trucks |
107 mi |
FS1 |
7:30 PM |
|
Thu, Sept. 17 |
Bristol |
ARCA Menards |
107 mi |
FS1 |
9:30 PM |
|
Fri, Sept. 18 |
Bristol |
Xfinity |
160 mi |
NBCSN |
7:00 PM |
|
Sat, Sept. 19 |
Bristol |
Cup |
266 mi |
NBCSN |
7:30 PM |
|
Fri, Sept. 25 |
Las Vegas |
Gander Trucks |
201 mi |
FS1 |
9:00 PM |
|
Sat, Sept. 26 |
Las Vegas |
Xfinity |
300 mi |
NBCSN |
7:30 PM |
|
Sun, Sept. 27 |
Las Vegas |
Cup |
400 mi |
NBCSN |
7:00 PM |
|
Sat, Oct. 3 |
Talladega |
Gander Trucks |
250 mi |
FS1 |
1:00 PM |
|
Sat. Oct. 3 |
*Talladega |
Xfinity |
300 mi |
NBCSN |
4:30 PM |
|
Sun, Oct. 4 |
Talladega |
Cup |
500 mi |
NBC |
2:00 PM |
|
Sat, Oct. 10 |
Charlotte Roval |
Xfinity |
155 mi |
NBC |
3:30 PM |
|
Sun, Oct. 11 |
Charlotte Roval |
Cup |
253 mi |
NBC |
2:30 PM |
|
Fri, Oct. 16 |
*Kansas |
Gander Trucks |
200 mi |
FS1 |
7:00 PM |
|
Fri, Oct. 16 |
Kansas |
ARCA Menards |
150 mi |
FS2 |
10:00 PM |
|
Sat, Oct. 17 |
Kansas |
Xfinity |
300 mi |
NBCSN |
3:00 PM |
|
Sun, Oct. 18 |
Kansas |
Cup |
400 mi |
NBC |
2:30 PM |
|
Sat. Oct. 24 |
Texas |
Xfinity |
300 mi |
NBCSN |
4:30 PM |
|
Sun, Oct. 25 |
Texas |
Gander Trucks |
220 mi |
FS1 |
Noon |
|
Sun, Oct. 25 |
Texas |
Cup |
501 mi |
NBCSN |
3:30 PM |
|
Fri, Oct. 30 |
Martinsville |
Gander Trucks |
105 mi |
FS1 |
8:00 PM |
|
Sat, Oct. 31 |
Martinsville |
Xfinity |
131 mi |
NBC |
4:30 PM |
|
Sun, Nov. 1 |
Martinsville |
Cup |
263 mi |
NBC |
2:00 PM |
|
Fri, Nov. 6 |
Phoenix |
Gander Trucks |
150 mi |
FS1 |
8:00 PM |
|
Sat, Nov. 7 |
Phoenix |
ARCA Menards West |
100 mi |
Trackpass |
2:00 PM |
|
Sat, Nov. 7 |
Phoenix |
Xfinity |
200 mi |
NBCSN |
5:00 PM |
|
Sun, Nov. 8 |
Phoenix |
Cup |
312 mi |
NBC |
3:00 PM |
The NASCAR Cup Series continues with a pair of races this weekend, at Michigan International Speedway.
Saturday’s race will air live at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio while Sunday’s will start at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Previous-Related Coverage:
Posted: Thu, 03/12/2020 - 16:18
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.