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New road course among changes to 2018 NASCAR schedules

As expected, NASCAR’s 2018 schedules for the Monster Energy Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series will see significant changes.

Charlotte road course layout

Charlotte road course layout

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Motorsport.com first reported last week the Cup series would see a new cutoff race (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and a new kickoff race for the playoffs (Las Vegas Motor Speedway).

In addition, Chicagoland Speedway moves into the regular season and the fall Richmond race moves into the playoffs.

“Fan feedback was a major driver in developing these schedules, and we worked very closely with the industry to set the stage for an exciting 2018 season,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. 

“This season has delivered more dramatic moments to fans, and with the adjustments to the 2018 schedules we’re in a great position to build upon that success.”

The official release of the schedules on Tuesday also offered some other changes:

  • The Clash, the preseason exhibition Cup series race held annually at Daytona, will be run the same day as Daytona 500 qualifying next season (Feb. 11), condensing Daytona Speedweeks almost entirely into one week of track activity.

  • The fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be run on the track’s infield road course, which just underwent renovations to help alleviate concerns teams had about the track. The Xfinity series will also utilize the course that weekend.

  • Chicagoland moves to July 1 on the schedule and will kick-off NBC Sports’ coverage of the second half of the Cup and Xfinity series’ schedules.

  • The Truck series adds a date at Las Vegas next March and its seven-race playoffs will kick-off at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park next August. The Trucks’ cut-off race for the playoffs will be the August race at Bristol, Tenn.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been about innovation,” said Marcus Smith, president and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports Inc. "Fans are going to be in for a thrill, and drivers had better be ready for the most physically and mentally challenging race in the Playoffs. 

"With a 35-foot elevation change between Turn 4 and Turn 10, drivers in next year’s Bank of America 500 will truly experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.”

2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule

Feb. 11: Daytona International Speedway (Clash / Daytona 500 Qualifying)
Feb. 15: Daytona International Speedway (Duel)
Feb. 18: Daytona 500
Feb. 25: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 11: Phoenix Raceway
March 18: Auto Club Speedway
March 25: Martinsville Speedway
April 8: Texas Motor Speedway
April 15: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 21: Richmond International Raceway
April 29: Talladega Superspeedway
May 6: Dover International Speedway
May 12: Kansas Speedway
May 19: Charlotte Motor Speedway (Monster Energy All-Star Race)
May 27 : Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 3: Pocono Raceway
June 10: Michigan International Speedway
June 24: Sonoma Raceway
July 1: Chicagoland Speedway
July 7: Daytona International Speedway
July 14: Kentucky Speedway
July 22: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 29: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 5: Watkins Glen International
Aug. 12: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 18: Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 2: Darlington Raceway
Sept. 9: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 16: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 22: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 30: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 7: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 14: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 21: Kansas Speedway
Oct. 28: Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 4: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 11: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 18: Homestead-Miami Speedway

2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule

Feb. 17: Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 24: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 3: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 10: Phoenix Raceway
March 17: Auto Club Speedway
April 7: Texas Motor Speedway
April 14: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 20: Richmond International Raceway
April 28: Talladega Superspeedway
May 5: Dover International Speedway
May 26: Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 2: Pocono Raceway
June 9: Michigan International Speedway
June 17: Iowa Speedway
June 30: Chicagoland Speedway
July 6: Daytona International Speedway
July 13: Kentucky Speedway
July 21: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 28: Iowa Speedway
Aug. 4: Watkins Glen International
Aug. 11: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Aug. 17: Bristol Motor Speedway
Aug. 25: Road America
Sept. 1: Darlington Raceway
Sept. 8: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 15: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 21: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 29: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 6: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 20: Kansas Speedway
Nov. 3: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 10: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 17: Homestead-Miami Speedway

2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule

Feb. 16: Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 24: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 2: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 24: Martinsville Speedway
May 4: Dover International Speedway
May 11: Kansas Speedway
May 18: Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 8: Texas Motor Speedway
June 16: Iowa Speedway
June 23: Gateway Motorsports Park
June 29: Chicagoland Speedway
July 12: Kentucky Speedway
July 18: Eldora Speedway
July 28: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 11: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 15: Bristol Motor Speedway
Aug. 26: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Sept. 14: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Oct. 13: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 27: Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 2: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 9: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 16: Homestead-Miami Speedway

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