Homestead-Miami Speedway used to host the Championship 4 event across the three NASCAR levels, but that honor was stripped as the sport started going to Phoenix Raceway in 2020. While the crowds have been stellar, the racing at Phoenix hasn’t produced many memorable moments. So, should NASCAR return to Homestead for the championship in 2026?
Look at what happened at Homestead last weekend. In the closing moments, Tyler Reddick blew by Ryan Blaney for one of NASCAR’s most dramatic finishes in the playoff format to date. Yet, it wasn’t just a late-race pass that made it special. Homestead provided fans a glimpse of the NextGen car’s strength as drivers were able to race each other competitively with great passing opportunities.
The racing was simply phenomenal, and Homestead proved why NASCAR must make it the Championship 4 event in 2026. Phoenix is an excellent facility with fans who have a deep passion for racing, but it’s hard to close the season at the venue when NASCAR’s best track sits idle in early November. That wasn’t the case previously, but it’s proving why it needs to return.
Homestead has been excellent with the NextGen car, and if NASCAR wants the best four drivers in the world to fight for a championship, the race track is perfect. We will miss Homestead in the 2025 NASCAR playoffs, but hopefully, its date in March is due to the facility undergoing renovations. After all, Homestead has proven to be NASCAR’s Mona Lisa, and that can’t be wasted in 2026 and beyond.
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