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After a few years of NASCAR making bold and exciting changes to its schedule, the 2024 edition seems like a step backward — or at least not as thrilling by comparison.
That’s for a couple reasons. First, the two-week Olympic break (requested by NASCAR’s TV partner, NBC Sports) means some major elements of the late-summer schedule have been altered temporarily (at least we hope it’s not permanent). Daytona had shined as the regular-season finale but is no longer in that spot; instead, Darlington’s Southern 500 ends the regular season instead of opening the playoffs. Meanwhile, the 10-race postseason now starts with Atlanta — an unpredictable drafting track — and then goes to Watkins Glen, which is in the playoffs for the first time.
Second, there’s no splashy new race on this year’s schedule. Sorry, what’s that? Oh, Iowa Speedway? Sure, that is an inaugural event — but it doesn’t come with the undeniable excitement Montreal would have brought.
Still, the schedule offers plenty of interesting dates — and for the third straight year, we’re ranking them based on anticipation level. Here’s the criteria we use to put these races in order:
- How curious will we be to see what happens in this race?
- How much will we care about this race by the end of the year?
- What kind of an impact will this race have on this season (or beyond)?
One other note: We did not consult last year’s rankings before making the new list. Any similarities are pure coincidence. With that said, let’s check out our third annual anticipation rankings.
1. Chicago Street Course (July 7)
Well, this is weird. Chicago was last year’s pick for the most anticipated race, but shows up in the top spot again. How is that possible?
There are a few factors at play here. First, this year’s schedule doesn’t have the sort of attention-grabbing new addition that was the case for 2023 (Chicago and North Wilkesboro) or 2022 (the first Clash at the Coliseum). Talks of Montreal fell through and the Clash stayed in Los Angeles. That left Iowa — previously ignored despite being owned by NASCAR — as the only new track for 2024. So there was nothing else to jump up and grab this spot.
Second, Chicago didn’t get a fair shake last year. The wild flooding and relentless rain hampered the weekend, so we still haven’t seen the full power of how it could actually work for NASCAR (like with the concerts pulling in fans who don’t even care about racing).
Third, Chicago was still a success despite the terrible weather. The race became the second-most-watched of 2023 (behind the Daytona 500), it produced highly enjoyable racing and was ultimately historic (Shane van Gisbergen became the first driver in the Modern Era to win his Cup Series debut).
That’s why even the questions of “What would a smooth, sunny weekend look like?” and “Can Chicago produce again?” make it highly anticipated once again.
Last year: No. 1
2. Daytona 500 (Feb. 18)
NASCAR’s biggest race has essentially altered the playoff picture for three straight years. None of the most recent winners — Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Cindric and Michael McDowell — were expected to make the playoffs before their Daytona triumphs. Then, suddenly, they were locked into the field after the first race of the season.
Who will it be this time? Your guess is as good as ours, since there are probably 30 drivers in the field who could win it. This race serves as not only NASCAR’s most prestigious race and the official season opener, but it’s a wild card that can immediately spark some playoff discussion (depending who wins).
Last year: No. 5
3. Phoenix 2 (Nov. 10)
Even though the meaning of the championship has been watered down, it’s still the focal point of most storylines throughout the season. Who is going to make the playoffs? Who will advance to the Championship 4? Who will win it all? Ryan Blaney’s victory last year emphasized how the championship can be as much about getting hot at the right time as anything, but the unknown still provides a curiosity factor throughout the season.
Last year: No. 4
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4. Indianapolis (July 21)
Oh, you beautiful Brickyard 400. NASCAR returns to its rightful place on the Indianapolis oval this season to mark the 30th anniversary of the Brickyard 400 — and even though it might not stay there, we’ll enjoy the real Brickyard while it lasts.
Is there a chance it might be boring? Yes. Could the race quickly remind people of why track organizers opted for the Indianapolis road course in the first place? Sure. But the prestige of the Brickyard 400, undoubtedly a crown jewel for NASCAR, means this will be a comeback worth celebrating.
Last year: Not technically ranked, but the road course was No. 38
5. Iowa (June 16)
Are you surprised a new event is this low? If so, you’re not alone. I can’t pinpoint why, but it’s a struggle to get as hyped for this new Cup Series race compared to other recent new events.
Maybe it’s because this race has Gateway or Nashville Superspeedway vibes — a track that was built, had national series races and then sat for years before it finally got a long-awaited Cup Series race. This track is so old, it’s almost of legal voting age (it turns 18 in September). As recently as two years ago, the only race on Iowa’s schedule was an ARCA event, and it was even on the chopping block for closure until the governor stepped in.
So to then turn around and expect everyone to be full of enthusiasm for the Cup Series going there feels sort of odd. That said, the atmosphere will surely be terrific (the small grandstands already sold out in December), nearby Des Moines is an underrated gem of a city and the famed Knoxville Raceway, less than 30 miles away, will host World of Outlaws races on the same weekend (which will be a fun crossover opportunity for fans).
Last year: Not ranked
6. Martinsville 2 (Nov. 3)
This Martinsville cutoff race to set the Championship 4 field is always one of the season’s most compelling — even in years when there’s no Hail Melon. Last year, William Byron nearly passed out in his ill-handling car while desperately trying to retain his playoff position while Blaney teased his upcoming championship victory with a Martinsville win.
But let’s be honest: Martinsville has taken a hit with the Next Gen car (as have all short tracks). It’s more difficult to look forward to this race with genuine enthusiasm now that the racing there is just … OK.
Last year: No. 3
7. Las Vegas 1 (March 3)
Like a thirsty traveler crawling through the desert in search of an oasis, fans craving a sip of real racing will have to wait nearly an entire month after the season’s unofficial kickoff in Los Angeles. The Clash doesn’t really give much insight into how the year will unfold, and the first two points races are now superspeedway-style drafting events (Daytona and Atlanta).
So the first true race of the season — a classic ol’ intermediate track affair — will finally arrive with this Las Vegas race. Which team will be the first to show strength? How will the new cars from Toyota and Ford stack up compared to the Chevrolets? Who will be the driver to make an early-season statement?
Daytona and Atlanta won’t give us those answers, but Las Vegas will. And because of the unusually long wait, it raises the anticipation level to new heights.
Last year: No. 30
After two superspeedway races to start the season, NASCAR fans will be hungry for the intermediate-style track that Las Vegas provides in early March. (Matthew Bolt / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
8. Atlanta 2 (Sept. 8)
To be clear, I’m not a fan of a superspeedway race opening the playoffs. Is adding another race with random elements the best way to decide a championship? No. But this race also has the trainwreck factor going for it, with decent odds of a championship contender’s season potentially being ruined (or at least taking a hit) by getting caught in someone else’s mess. If you’re into that type of drama, you’ll love this race.
Hopefully this is a one-year experiment to have Atlanta in the playoffs, but I fear not.
Last year: No. 26
9. Homestead (Oct. 27)
Perhaps NASCAR’s greatest pure track, this spot on the calendar comes with weighty playoff implications. This was the place last season where Denny Hamlin’s title prospects essentially ended and Kyle Larson hit the sand barrels to open the door for Christopher Bell to score another clutch playoff victory.
We’d prefer this as the season finale again, as it was for all of the Chase/playoff era through 2019. But until then, this race represents the time when Championship 4 hopes are made and broken, and where the best go head-to-head in a battle of true strength.
Last year: No. 16
10. Southern 500 (Sept. 1)
This is perhaps NASCAR’s second-most important race, but it’s in a very odd spot in 2024 due to the Olympics. Instead of being the playoffs opener, Darlington’s traditional Labor Day date is now the regular-season finale.
That’s disappointing, because Daytona had thrived in this spot. It’s highly unlikely we’ll see an underdog grab the last playoff spot at a difficult track like Darlington (unless it’s Erik Jones, perhaps). Instead of superspeedway drama, a title contender will likely grab another victory to pad his playoff points while a bubble driver finishes 20th to clinch the final spot.
Last year: No. 14
11. Las Vegas 2 (Oct. 20)
Much was made of this race being a hint for who the eventual champion might be. Joey Logano had credited his Vegas victory in 2022 as a key moment to helping his team win the championship, because they had two weeks to prepare after getting locked in to Phoenix.
But last year, Kyle Larson won at Las Vegas and — though it secured a Championship 4 spot — it ultimately was not a preview of who won the title (eventual champ Blaney finished sixth in this race). Still, it remains a crucial Round 3 playoff race.
Last year: No. 13
12. Phoenix 1 (March 10)
It’s not that Phoenix is a great race, but it certainly offers the possibility of hints for the championship weekend later in the season. Last March, all four of the eventual Championship 4 finished in the top six of the Phoenix spring race, including the top two (Byron and Blaney).
Last year: No. 24
13/14. Kansas 1/2 (May 5, Sept. 29)
For the second straight year, the only track with both of its races in the top eight of the “Was it a Good Race?” poll was Kansas. In particular, last year’s fantastic spring race was voted as the best race of 2023 (93.3 percent) and encapsulated everything that makes a compelling NASCAR Cup Series race. It’s tough to separate these two, because Kansas has consistently been excellent in the Next Gen Era; the worst of its four races so far still got an 86.4 percent approval rating in the poll.
Last year: Nos. 22 and 18
Kansas Speedway consistently puts on good shows. The fall race there, a Round of 16 playoff race last year, will kick off the Round of 12 in 2024. (Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
15. Talladega 2 (Oct. 6)
As always, this landmine of a playoff race threatens to upend contenders’ title dreams through no fault of their own. With only the Roval to save them after this, it’s typically a can’t-miss affair.
Last year: No. 9
16. Charlotte Roval (Oct. 13)
Bring back the oval for this key playoff race. Please. We’re begging. But either way, a playoff elimination race is always one of the most-anticipated events — no matter what type of circuit.
Last year: No. 11
17. Bristol 2 (Sept. 21)
Once-glorious Bristol, which owns the top three slots in the 299-race history of the Good Race Poll, has fallen on hard times in the Next Gen Era. Whether it’s concrete or dirt, none of the four most recent Bristol races have exceeded 66 percent in the poll. Basically, it’s been a bunch of meh.
Still, Bristol as an elimination race for Round 1 of the playoffs is always worth watching — particularly since this year might have two wild-card events preceding it (Atlanta and Watkins Glen), which could leave some contenders in desperation mode.
Last year: No. 12
18. Coca-Cola 600 (May 26)
This race has ranked in the top five in the Good Race Poll for two straight years, thanks in large part to the Next Gen racing so well on intermediate tracks. The 2024 edition should be another great one, especially since NASCAR will have the Kyle Larson Double storyline to discuss. Think of how exciting it will be to have Larson helicopter into the track from his Indy 500 run — particularly if he finds some measure of success there — and then hop into his No. 5 car to lead laps in the 600.
Last year: No. 15
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19. Bristol 1 (March 17)
Farewell, Bristol Dirt. It’s wonderful to see a second concrete Bristol race return to the schedule, except we’re worried about two things: The weather and the quality of short-track racing these days.
Bristol has long struggled with cold and/or wet weather for its early spring date, and there are decent odds it could impact the crowd again. Fans can only book a weather-impacted trip so many times before they get cold feet (no pun intended). Also, as mentioned in No. 17, the Bristol racing hasn’t been stellar lately. So if the crowd is thin and the racing isn’t good, expect the Bristol Dirt supporters to be in full “told you so” voice on social media.
Last year: Not technically ranked, but Bristol Dirt was No. 31
20. Darlington 1 (May 12)
It doesn’t matter the car, the package or the tire — Darlington is always going to deliver. It is the only track in the Good Race Poll to have never had a race score below 70 percent (that makes the track 13-for-13, dating back to 2016). This Mother’s Day race, the official “throwback weekend,” should produce some fantastic racing once again.
Last year: No. 19
21. Watkins Glen (Sept. 15)
This race — the first-ever playoff event at the Glen — feels like it should be much higher. But it’s not. Why? Well, you know the answer if you watched last year’s race there. Had Chase Elliott not run out of fuel, the entire event would have run caution-free and there was nothing memorable about the racing. Road courses are right up there with short tracks in the types of venues that have taken a hit in the Next Gen car, and putting stage breaks back into the mix likely won’t do much to change that.
Last year: No. 21
22. North Wilkesboro All-Star Race (May 19)
This race was No. 1 on many lists last year and ended up No. 2 here. And it delivered in terms of the atmosphere, with the once-decaying track coming back to life in front of a highly enthusiastic crowd that reveled in the nostalgia. But the All-Star Race itself was a stinker, as Larson destroyed the field and the Next Gen struggled on another short track. Now the surface has been repaved, which typically does not lead to good racing. So while we’ll be excited to see the race there again, the anticipation level isn’t quite as high this time around.
Last year: No. 2
NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro was a great nostalgic moment, but Kyle Larson’s runaway victory left the actual race lacking in drama. (Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
23. Clash at the Coliseum (Feb. 4)
The Clash was our most-anticipated race of 2022, then fell to No. 6 last year. Now it’s in the bottom half. It’s the classic case of NASCAR having an exciting concept that overstays its welcome, as novelty events like this (or Bristol Dirt) quickly tend to get stale. It would have been nice to see the Clash move elsewhere for 2024, but the departure of Fontana from the schedule probably left NASCAR feeling more urgency to keep a Southern California presence. Either way, the rash of drivers offering “10 percent off!” ticket deals on their social media accounts gives a hint into the lack of fan enthusiasm for a third go-round at the Coliseum.
Last year: No. 6
24. Daytona 2 (Aug. 24)
This one hurts. Despite some skepticism over leaving its traditional July 4 weekend, NASCAR’s decision to put Daytona as the regular-season finale beginning in 2020 turned out to be one of the best scheduling moves of the Modern Era. Positioned as a last-chance race, Daytona offered the perfect mix of an underdog trying to win his way into the playoffs and a nerve-wracking points scramble for the bubble drivers.
But thanks to the Olympic break, it’s now the second-to-last regular-season race instead. Boooo. That will certainly cost Daytona some of its appeal, but it should return to the finale slot in 2025.
Last year: No. 8
25. Michigan (Aug. 18)
RIP Fontana, long live Michigan. The 2-mile track in the Irish Hills is now the only such venue on the circuit, and the Next Gen has put on a pair of good shows there (even if one was interrupted by rain for a day). This should probably be higher on the list, but given its position as a regular-season race, it’s hard to push it much further.
Last year: No. 20
26. Atlanta 1 (Feb. 25)
Fresh from the Department of No One Asked For This, it’s back-to-back superspeedways to open the regular season. Get excited! But in some ways, this move makes sense: There’s typically carryover from the Daytona 500 audience into the second race of the season, and those casuals might prefer to see something similar to the drafting they just watched (instead of, say, Las Vegas).
But Atlanta in February, and after teams will have just torn up a bunch of cars in Daytona to open the year? Woof.
Last year: No. 25
27. Talladega 1 (April 21)
There’s really no specific reason for this race being down so far on the list, but it’s also just a regular-season superspeedway race. Could have an upset winner, could have chaos. It’s Talladega. You know you’ll watch either way.
Last year: No. 17
28/29. Sonoma (June 9) and Austin (March 24)
What do you do with these regular-season road course races? The Next Gen has negatively impacted them, and there’s not a ton of reasons to get excited about the racing there. Sonoma was repaved, but will that change anything?
Last year: No. 29 and No. 27
30. Pocono (July 14)
Long-overlooked Pocono continues to be on the rise. The 2023 Pocono race had a banger of a finish and gave us the Larson/Denny Hamlin feud (“All the buddies know Denny is always right” and “They can boo my rock”). Four of the top five Pocono races in the poll (out of 14 events tracked) have come in the last three seasons.
Last year: No. 35
Pocono has been on the rise in recent years, capped by last year’s thrilling finish and ensuing drama between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. (Logan Riely / Getty Images)
31. Martinsville 1 (April 7)
Memories of great Martinsville spring events are starting to fade. This race was voted the worst of the season last year (37 percent in the Good Race Poll) and was the third-worst of 2022 (18.7 percent). Prior to the Next Gen car, the spring race only scored below 72 percent one time (2019).
Last year: No. 10
32. Nashville (June 30)
It’s hard to muster up a feeling toward this race one way or the other. Admittedly, this is the only Cup Series track I’ve never been to (aside from Iowa), so maybe I’m missing something. Nashville seems like an OK track near a vibrant city, which is good enough to earn a date while everyone waits to see if its more historic and racing-friendly counterpart (the Fairgrounds) ever gets renovated for a Cup opportunity.
Last year: No. 34
33. St. Louis (June 2)
This flat, quasi-short track has a solid fan base and the promoters do a good job with the fan experience. Other than that, it’s just another June race.
Last year: No. 33
34. New Hampshire (June 23)
This flat, quasi-short track has a solid fan base and the promoters do a good job with the fan experience. Other than that, it’s just another June race.
Last year: No. 23
35. Dover (April 28)
Dover’s Next Gen races have actually been decent, but this sure is a tough date for the track. This year marks another late spring race at a venue that has seen back-to-back rainouts (and three since 2019). When you add in a pair of COVID-impacted races in 2020-21 and a rain-delayed spring race in 2018, it’s been a long time since Dover was able to enjoy a”normal” early-season race day.
One potential plus for Dover’s intrigue: The track’s all-time wins leader, new Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, will return to the scene of his final victory for another Cup start. Is there a chance he could somehow win again?
Last year: No. 32
36. Richmond 1 (March 31)
Richmond takes over the primetime Easter slot on Fox, which will certainly add some eyeballs for the track. Last year’s spring race was pretty solid overall and had the most cautions since 2017; it hit the 80 percent mark in the Good Race Poll for the first time since 2016. Still … it’s a track that hasn’t raced well in recent years and typically has long runs. We feel bad continually putting Richmond races so low, but here it is again.
Last year: No. 37
37. Texas (April 14)
First, Texas lost a points race in favor of the All-Star Race. Then it lost a second date altogether. Now the track has suffered a third setback: Having its lone date shifted out of the playoffs. Not a great sign, but also not surprising. The best thing you can say about last year’s Texas race is it wasn’t terrible (which is actually progress). Other than that …
Last year: No. 28
38. Richmond 2 (Aug. 11)
Apologies to Richmond again, but this is a difficult one to muster up any feeling. Remember, this list is ranked on anticipation with this criteria: How curious we’ll be to see what happens in this race, how much we’ll we care about this race by the end of the year and what kind of impact this race will have on the season. The answers here are: Not very, probably not at all and none.
Last year: No. 36
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Gluck: Reflections on 20 years at the track, and how NASCAR has changed
(Top photo of a 2019 Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway: Kyle Ocker / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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