The Full 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule Has Arrived

Getty NASCAR Cup Series drivers race at Auto Club Speedway.

The dates and locations are set for the 2023 Cup Series season. NASCAR has dropped the full slate of events, which includes one off-week and the first-ever All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

NASCAR dropped the full schedule on September 14 and set the stage for a packed year of racing. The teams will first kick off the preseason by heading to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash on Sunday, February 5. They will then prepare for a trip to Florida for the Duels at Daytona (February 16) and the season-opening Daytona 500 (February 19).

As many expected, the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race will return for the 2023 season. It will take place at night since April 9 is Easter Sunday. The summer races at Atlanta Motor Speedway will also move to the night and take place under the lights.

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There will be some minor changes during the regular season, such as Richmond Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course swapping summer dates. However, the playoff schedule will remain the same. It will start with the Southern 500 and will end at Phoenix Raceway. The cutoff races — Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Roval, Martinsville Speedway — will remain the same.

Like 2022, the NASCAR Cup Series schedule includes a stretch of races on the West Coast. this includes the final race on the two-mile configuration of Auto Club Speedway on February 26. This venue will become a short track after the 2023 season, so this will be the last battle featuring the intermediate configuration.

The 2023 Cup Series Schedule

A Major Change Takes Place in Texas

GettyCup Series drivers race at Circuit of the Americas.

With North Wilkesboro Speedway taking over as the host track of the All-Star Race, there were immediate questions about the future of Texas Motor Speedway. Would the track located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have two points-paying races?

The answer is no. The drivers will head to Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 24, for the Round of 12 opener. That will be it. 2023 marks the first time since the 2004 season that the track hosts only one race.

Elliott Sadler won that points-paying race while driving the No. 38 Ford and then two more drivers joined the list of Texas winners the following season. Now the track will go back to hosting only one race during the 2023 season.

The drivers will still head to Texas twice during the 2023 season. They will just visit Circuit of the Americas outside of Austin for the third consecutive season. The first year featuring the road course was marred by heavy rain, crashes, and angry comments from drivers. The second year, for comparison, was a success with fierce battles between AJ Allmendinger, Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman, and other drivers.