Report: The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule includes a dirt race at Bristol

NASCAR is making some major changes to its Cup Series schedule for 2021.

The coronavirus pandemic forced NASCAR to make some major changes to its 2020 schedule, and the organization seems to be embracing change for 2021, as well. The Athletic revealed the tentative 2021 Cup Series schedule in a report on Wednesday, and NASCAR has made some major changes to the calendar.

The 2021 slate will bring the debut of several new tracks, significantly increase the amount of road course racing, and – in a move that is sure to be polarizing – include a dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It had been rumored for a while that NASCAR was exploring the idea of covering Bristol – its premier short track – with dirt for one if its two annual races. The NASCAR Truck Series is the only major NASCAR series to run a race on dirt (at Eldora), and while it’s unclear exactly how a dirt race with modern Cup cars will turn out, it should be fascinating to watch.

Here are a few big takeaways from the schedule:

  • After the Daytona road course made its debut on the 2020 schedule, it will return for a new-look Clash before the 2021 Daytona 500.
  • An experimental dirt race at Bristol kicks off a stretch of three consecutive short-track races at Martinsville and Richmond.
  • Nashville Superspeedway will debut on June 20th, the week before NASCAR runs another doubleheader weekend at Pocono.
  • If you like road course racing, you’re in luck. The Cup Series will go to two new road courses in 2021, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and Road America in Wisconsin. Trips to Sonoma, Watkins Glen, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and a playoff Charlotte Roval race are still on the calendar, as well.
  • The Brickyard 400 as we know it is over. The famous race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been replaced with a road course race at Indy.
  • The 2021 All-Star race will be held at Texas Motor Speedway. As a result, Texas has lost its usual spring date in exchange.
  • The 2021 regular season will conclude with a race at Daytona, which is great. The regular-season finale earlier this year at Daytona was easily the most dramatic and thrilling race of the year, and ending the regular season at Daytona should be the standard going forward.
  • Chicagoland and Kentucky have been dropped from the schedule.

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