The 75th anniversary of NASCAR in 2023, an opportunity for stock car racing to celebrate its heritage and the way it has grown from its formation in 1948, comes at a time in which the sport is aggressively pushing into the future in ways that its founders and shapers could hardly have conceived. Given that, it’s only fitting that the 2023 schedule reflects what is timeless about NASCAR while simultaneously bringing it up to — and perhaps even a little beyond — the times.
For the most part, the 2023 Cup Series schedule looks virtually identical to the 2022 schedule. The Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum returns for the second year in a row, as does the Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Easter Sunday night. Just like 2022, there is only a single off-week in the middle of June, and the 10-race playoffs remain unaltered.
However, there are two very notable changes with the addition of two new racetracks — one an old favorite finally returning, and another introducing a completely new concept in one of America’s largest cities.
- The NASCAR All-Star Race has been moved from Texas Motor Speedway to the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway in Wilkes County, N.C. on May 22. North Wilkesboro makes its long-awaited return to the Cup schedule after originally hosting Cup races annually from 1949 until the track was shut down following the 1996 season.
- NASCAR returns to Chicago with the Cup Series’ first-ever race on a street course on July 2. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile course will integrate parts of Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and other parts of the city’s downtown area. The street course will take Road America’s place on the schedule.
Other changes to the 2023 schedule include the following:
- Feb. 26 marked the final race at Auto Club Speedway on the track’s original two-mile oval configuration. The track will be reconstructed and reconfigured into a half-mile, high banked oval following the race.
- Martinsville Speedway’s spring race moved back to being a Sunday afternoon race after being held on Saturday night the past two years. Both Saturday night Martinsville races in 2021 and 2022 were plagued by poor weather.
- Richmond Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have swapped race dates during the summer. Richmond’s second race will now be held on July 30, while Indianapolis will be on Aug. 13 as the Cup Series runs the track’s road course for the third year in a row.
- While Road America has been dropped from the Cup Series schedule, the track will continue to hold an Xfinity Series race, which it has done annually since 2010. The Xfinity race at Road America is scheduled for July 29.
- Texas Motor Speedway will only host one Cup race for the first time since 2004.
- In addition to the Cup Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will also return to North Wilkesboro as well as The Milwaukee Mile. The Truck Series race will mark NASCAR’s first in Milwaukee since 2009.
2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
(* denotes non-points race)
- Sunday, Feb. 5 – The Clash* – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Winner: Martin Truex Jr.)
- Thursday, Feb. 16 – Duel at Daytona – Daytona International Speedway (Winners: Joey Logano, Aric Almirola)
- Sunday, Feb. 19 – Daytona 500 – Daytona International Speedway (Winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.)
- Sunday, Feb. 26 – Auto Club Speedway (Winner: Kyle Busch)
- Sunday, March 5 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Winner: William Byron)
- Sunday, March 12 – Phoenix Raceway (Winner: William Byron)
- Sunday, March 19 – Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Sunday, March 26 – Circuit of the Americas (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- Sunday, April 2 – Richmond Raceway (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Sunday, April 9 – Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt (Winner: Christopher Bell)
- Sunday, April 16 – Martinsville Speedway (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Sunday, April 23 – Talladega Superspeedway (Winner: Kyle Busch)
- Sunday, April 30 – Dover Motor Speedway (Winner: Martin Truex Jr.)
- Sunday, May 7 – Kansas Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- Sunday, May 14 – Darlington Raceway (Winner: William Byron)
- Sunday, May 21 – All-Star Race* – North Wilkesboro Speedway (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Sunday, May 28 – Coca-Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- Sunday, June 4 – World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (Winner: Kyle Busch)
- Sunday, June 11 – Sonoma Raceway (Winner: Martin Truex Jr.)
- Sunday, June 25 – Nashville Superspeedway (Winner: Ross Chastain)
- Sunday, July 2 – Chicago Street Course (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen
- Sunday, July 9 – Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: William Byron)
- Sunday, July 16 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Sunday, July 23 – Pocono Raceway
- Sunday, July 30 – Richmond Raceway
- Sunday, Aug. 6 – Michigan International Speedway
- Sunday, Aug. 13 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
- Sunday, Aug. 20 – Watkins Glen International
- Saturday, Aug. 26 – Coke Zero Sugar 400 – Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series playoffs
Round of 16
- Sunday, Sept. 3 – Southern 500 – Darlington Raceway
- Sunday, Sept. 10 – Kansas Speedway
- Saturday, Sept. 16 – Bristol Motor Speedway (Night)
Round of 12
- Sunday, Sept. 24 – Texas Motor Speedway
- Sunday, Oct. 1 – Talladega Superspeedway
- Sunday, Oct. 8 – Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Round of 8
- Sunday, Oct. 15 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- Sunday, Oct. 22 – Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Sunday, Oct. 29 – Martinsville Speedway
Championship Race
- Sunday, Nov. 5 – Phoenix Raceway