As the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule centers the majority of the discussion, the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule is also getting flipped upside down.
The majority of the changes center on the changes of the Cup schedule, though some are unique to the Nationwide Series.
Daytona International Speedway will still open the schedule, starting the season on February 19th.
Phoenix International Raceway becomes race No. two as it replaces Auto Club Speedway (Fontana).
Fontana will become race No. five as it goes back to it’s traditional slot, replacing Nashville Superspeedway.
Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway each will move up a lot on the schedule as a result of the changes, with Nashville taking Talladega’s old date in slot No. eight.
While these changes take place, Las Vegas Motor Speedway keeps date No. three and Bristol Motor Speedway keep dates No. five.
Races nine through 11 will stay the same as it will be Richmond International Raceway, Darlington Raceway, and Dover International Speedway.
Race No. 12 will now become Iowa Speedway, replacing Charlotte Motor Speedway. Iowa will now have two dates on the schedule for the first time.
Charlotte will bump down to race No. 13, replacing Nashville.
Nashville moves down to race No. 20, replacing O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.
Races No. 20 to No. 22 on the old schedule will each get bumped down as a result of the changes, becoming races No. 21 to No. 23. These three races are Indianapolis, Iowa, and Watkin’s Glen International.
The last fall in the schedule causes Watkin’s Glen to bump Michigan International Speedway. Michigan will move to slot No. 15, bumping Road America down to slot 16, replacing New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
New Hampshire will then move to slot 19, replacing Gateway, who will no longer have neither date on the schedule.
Getting back to the middle of the schedule, Chicagoland Speedway will gain a second date, replacing Kentucky’s race in slot 14.
Kentucky will then move to slot 18, replacing Chicago’s old date.
Chicago will then move that date to slot 28, bumping Dover and Kansas down to slots 29 and 30. Fontana, who held slot 30 before, will no longer have a second date.
Meanwhile, race No. 17 will stay as Daytona, races 24 and 25 last year at Bristol and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, will be flipped for next year, and Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond will remain as races 26 and 27.
Getting to the last four races of the schedule, they’ll be Charlotte, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Gateway, which held a race between Charlotte and Texas, will become an off-week due to the previous statement of Gateway disappearing off the schedule.
As seen by the article, the changes are a mess of confusion for everybody.
As far as format changes, there is talk of a way to focus only on Nationwide regulars and maybe also an addition of a Chase format.
With the new car, the schedule and possible rule changes, next year could be quite interesting.
2011 NASCAR Nationwide Schedule
- Daytona International Speedway
- Phoenix International Raceway
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- Bristol Motor Speedway
- Auto Club Speedway
- Texas Motor Speedway
- Talladega Superspeedway
- Nashville Superspeedway
- Richmond International Raceway
- Darlington Raceway
- Dover International Speedway
- Iowa Speedway
- Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Chicagoland Speedway
- Michigan International Speedway
- Road America
- Daytona International Speedway
- Kentucky Speedway
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Nashville Superspeedway
- O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
- Iowa Speedway
- Watkin’s Glen International
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
- Bristol Motor Speedway
- Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Richmond International Raceway
- Chicagoland Speedway
- Dover International Speedway
- Kansas Speedway
- Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Texas Motor Speedway
- Phoenix International Raceway
- Homestead-Miami Speedway
