Ideal Cup Schedule

Jorge De Guzman

2017, 2021 Pick Em Champion 2018 Bold Predictor
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Since we are on a Tuesday of an off week and News is kind of slow, I figured it’d be fun to do something different. Make your own Cup Schedule.......What would be your ideal cup schedule? How many races? Would you go to any tracks twice? Any foreign races?
 
I'd just like to see Iowa, Gateway, Eldora, and either Mosport or Road America in place of 4 cookie cutter tracks (that have 2 races, generally).
 
Martinsville, Bristol, Watkins Glen, Darlington, Sonoma

Repeat x5

Add Eldora for charity.
 
All warm weather locations in February and March. No Atlanta, Martinsville, or Bristol until late March or early April. Rotate more races for the playoffs.
 
You really want me to drag out my 104 race schedule again?
I am working on a 36 race schedule, I am trying to get it accomplished at work. I am fully prepared to get critiqued or ridiculed, but its fun making one.
 
I made a schedule a while back that turned NASCAR into two divisions (East and West) and basically made the xfinity series another cup level series.

In the end it was like having two races each week except when there was a combined event at places like Daytona for the 500, Talladega, Darlington, Indy, etc.
This allowed for more off weeks for the teams without sacrificing any race dates. I put it together right around the time some of the drivers were complaining about how the schedule was too long and that they didn't have enough off weeks. I will see if I can dig it up.
 
I am working on a 36 race schedule, I am trying to get it accomplished at work. I am fully prepared to get critiqued or ridiculed, but its fun making one.
Well I've got to redo it anyway I have no idea what thread it is in. Have to see how the rest of the work day goes.
 
Okay here it is.....my master piece. My day’s work. I’m not sure if I wanted to include the Playoffs or season long points so I’m just going to disregard that for now. Here’s my schedule perfect world for Snappy D
Feb 11-17: Busch Clash, Qualifying, Twin 125’s

1.) Feb.18: Daytona 500

2.) Feb.27:Our first Change, I’d stay in Florida where it’s already warm and race the Ford 400@Homestead

*Week Off (Head West)

3.) March 11th: Pennzoil 400@Las Vegas

4.) March 18: Ticket Guardian 500@Phoenix

5.) March 25th: Auto Club 400@Fontana

*Week Off Easter,Head Back east

6.) April 8th: O’Reilly 500@Texas

7.) April 15th: Food City 500@Bristol

8.)April 22nd: Folds Of Honor 500@Atlanta

9.) April 28th: Welcome back to the refurbished Rock! Miller Lite 400@Rockingham (Saturday night race)

10. May 6th: Die Hard 500@Talladega

11.) May 13th : Toyota Owners 400@Ricmond

12.) May 19th: Martinsville Night Race (moved all star race to later in schedule. Warmer weather no snow here)

13.) May 27th: Coca Cola 600

14. June 3rd: Pocono 400@Pocono

15. June 10th: AAA 400@Dover

*June 16th: Week Off

17. June 23rd: Save Mart 400@Sonomoa

18. June 29th : Quaker State 400@Kentucky

19: July 4th weekend: Fire Cracker 400 @Daytona

20: July 10th: Chicagoland 400 night race @Chicagoland

21. July 14th Iowa Corn 400@Iowa Speedway (Weds Night All Star Race)

22.)July26th: Brickyard 400

23.) July 30th: Busch 400@Gateway (Weds Night Race)

24.) August 5th: Go Bowling @Watkins Glen

25.) August 12th: Fire Keeper’s 400@Michigan

*Week Off

26.)August 26th: Bass Pro/NRA Bristol Night Race@Bristol

27.)September 3rd: Southern 500@Darlington Raceway

28.)September 10th Tyson Holleyfarms 400@North Wilkesboro (Its Back. Better than new. Wish I had included a second date. Come @me!)

29.)September 17th Music City 400@Nashville FGS

30.) September 23rd: Bank Of America 500@Charlotte. (No Roval we go to a real road course in a few hereSaturday Night)

31.) September 30th: Federated Auto Parts 400@Richmond

32.) October 7th: EA Sports 500@Talladega

33.) October 14th: First Data 500@Martinsville Speedway

34.) October 21st: Midwest 400@ Road America

35.) October 28th: Can-Am 500@Phoenix

36.) November 6th:Championship 400@ Las Vegas Motor Speedway ( Saturday Night)
 
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This is the schedule I posted under the “More Short Tracks” topic for the 2021 season. My ideal schedule would have several changes from this, but I attempted to remain somewhat realistic. I proposed making several races shorter while keeping some of the traditional races as they are.

Date/Track/Distance (miles unless noted)
2/21 Daytona Clash (non-points)
2/28 Daytona 500
3/14 California 300
3/21 Las Vegas 400
3/28 Circuit Of The Americas 90 laps
4/4 OFF Easter
4/11 Rockingham 300
4/18 Atlanta 300
4/25 Talladega 500
5/2 Martinsville 500 laps
5/8 Kentucky 300 (Night Race)
5/16 Dover 300
5/23 Charlotte All Star Race (non-points)
5/30 Charlotte 600 (Night Race)
6/10 Iowa 300 laps (Thursday Night Thunder)
6/20 Pocono 400
6/27 Sonoma 110 laps
7/4 Daytona 400 (Night Race)
7/15 Gateway 300 (Thursday Night Thunder)
7/25 Michigan 400
8/1 Watkins Glen 90 laps
8/8 Chicago 300
8/19 Bristol 500 laps (Thursday Night Thunder)

Chase Round of 16
8/29 New Hampshire 300
9/5 Darlington 500 (Sunday Night)
9/12 Indianapolis 400

Chase Round of 12
9/19 Richmond 400 laps (Saturday Night)
9/25 Kansas 300
10/3 Talladega 400

Chase Round of 8
10/17 Charlotte Roval 100 laps
10/24 Texas 400
10/31 Phoenix 300

Chase Championship 4
11/7 Homestead 400

This schedule allows for a little more time off over the course of the season, and adds 3 mid-week events. The summer Daytona race would move back to the tradition of always being on July 4th, which happens to fall on a Sunday in 2021. The race at COTA will be held on the 2.3 mile “National Circuit” course. It also attempts to avoid running many races in the same area back-to-back weeks. The “Thursday Night Thunder” races would feature 3 events, 1 each month during the summer held at a short track or intermediate track on a Thursday night. Maybe some kind of bonus could be offered for winning those races.

Track Breakdown:
2 Quad-Oval/Tri-Oval 2.5 mile speedway races
4 Super Speedway/restrictor plate races
4 Road course races
4 Short track (less than 1 mile) races
6 Intermediate track (1 mile-less than 1.5 mile) races
10 1.5-2 mile speedway races
 
Even number of years; Michigan, Texas, Chicago, and Vegas. Odd number years, Fontana, Atlanta, Kentucky, and Kansas.

Daytona, Presidents’ Day weekend. Homestead
March: Phoenix, Fontana/Vegas, Atlanta/Texas, talladega.
April: Sonoma, Richmond, Nashville, north wilkesboro
May: Martinsville, Kansas/Chicago, Bristol, Charlotte
June: Pocono, Dover, Iowa, road America.
July: Daytona, Kentucky/Michigan, New Hampshire, Watkins Glenn
August: Richmond, martinsville, Bristol night, Indy
Labor Day: darlington, talladega, Eldora
End of season all star race at whatever track is close to the awards ceremony.
 
Well here we go.....
1. Daytona 500
2. Homestead # 1
3. Las Vegas
4. Phoenix
5. Fontana # 1
6. Sonoma
7. Darlington # 1
8. Rockingham # 1
9. Bristol # 1
10. Martinsville # 1
11. Richmond # 1
12. Talladega # 1
13. Coca-Cola 600
14. Dover # 1
15. Pocono # 1
16. Michigan
17. Road America
18. Daytona Night
19. Pocono # 2
20. New Hampshire
21. Watkins Glen
22. Iowa
23. Bristol Night
24. Richmond # 2
25. Southern 500
Chase
26. Dover # 2
27. Martinsville # 2
28. Chicagoland
29. Montreal
30. Talladega # 2
31.Texas
32. Fontana # 2
33. Atlanta
34. Rockingham # 2
35. Homestead # 2
 
1.Daytona 500
2. Atlanta
3. Las Vegas
4. Fontana
5. Phoenix
6. Sonoma
7. Texas
8. Bristol #1
9. Richmond #1
10. Martinsville #1
11. Rockingham
12. Talladega #1
13. Coca - Cola 600
14. Dover
15. Pocono #1
16 Gateway
17. Mid Ohio
18 . Coke Zero 400
19. New Hampshire
20. Pocono #2
21. Iowa
22. Watkins Glen
23. Richmond #2
24. Bristol #2
25. Darlington
26. Canadian Tire
27. Martinsville #2
28. Eldora
29. Montreal
30. Talladega #2
31. Circuit of the America's
32. Martinsville #2
33. Lucas Oil Speedway
34. Nashville
35. Homestead
 
  1. Daytona 500
  2. Homestead
  3. Atlanta
  4. Phoenix
  5. Kern County
  6. Sonoma
  7. Austin
  8. Talladega
  9. Bristol
  10. Martinsville
  11. Richmond
  12. World 600 Charlotte
  13. Dover
  14. Pocono
  15. Michigan
  16. Road America
  17. Daytona road course
  18. Chicago
  19. Gateway
  20. Denver street course
  21. Loudon
  22. South Boston
  23. Watkins Glen
  24. Bristol Night Race
  25. Darlington Southern 500
  26. Indianapolis Raceway Park
  27. Las Vegas
  28. Iowa
  29. Mid Ohio
  30. Richmond II
  31. Charlotte Roval
  32. Kansas
  33. Martinsville II
  34. California
  35. Portland
  36. Texas
 
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Notice every round of the playoffs includes a "short track" (Iowa isn't a short track but whatever), a Brob and a road course.

Finale at Texas. Don't @ me, I think it would be a hit. Maybe they could implement a Tony Stewart race format to incorporate all three types of tracks.
 
35 races (28 regular season and 7 playoffs).

Remove 1 date from the following tracks: Bristol, Dover, Kansas, Las Vegas, Loudon, Michigan, Phoenix, Pocono, Richmond, Talladega, Texas.

Add a date to the following tracks: Darlington.

New tracks (1 date each): Road America, Circuit of the Americas, Daytona road course, Iowa, Gateway, Eldora, Lucas Oil Raceway, Pikes Peak, Alaska Raceway Park. (This brings total races to 35).

Alternate the All-star race between Bristol and Richmond.

Alternate the season finale between Darlington and Martinsville.

Have 1 exhibition race during the off-season outside the USA.

Everything else stays as-is.
 
Regular Season:
Daytona 500
Sebring
Auto Club
Laguna Seca
ISM
Atlanta
Bristol Day
Martinsville
All Star Race (Rotating Tracks)
Charlotte Coke 600
Pocono
Michigan
Sonoma
Chicago
Daytona Road Course
Kansas (Night)
Gateway
Road America
Loudon
Iowa
IRP
Charlotte Roval
Darlington

Round of 12
Dover
Talladega
Bristol Night

Round of 8
Martinsville
Vegas
Texas

Homestead Final 4

30 races, start at the normal time of year, done by mid October. 23 race regular season. 12 drivers qualify for the 7 race playoffs.
 
1. Daytona
2. Homestead
3. Vegas
4. Phoenix
5. AutoClub
6. Sonoma
7. Texas
*week off
8. Bristol
9. Richmond
10. Martinsville(short track trifecta)
11. Talladega
12. Dover
All-Star 1/3 of season
13. Coke 600
14. Pocono
15. Michigan
16. Kansas
17. Chicago
18. Daytona
19. Kentucky
20. New Hampshire
21. Indy
22. The Glen
23. Mid-Ohio
24. Bristol(Regular season finale)
*Off week

Playoffs
Round one:
25. Darlington
26. Pocono
27. Atlanta
Round two:
28. Richmond
29. Charlotte
30. Dover
Round three:
31. Nashville
32. Talladega
33. Martinsville
Round four: Final four battle for final three races
34. Texas
35. Phoenix
36. Vegas
 
Round four: Final four battle for final three races
34. Texas
35. Phoenix
36. Vegas

Definitely agree that the last 3 or 4 races should determine the champ rather than the Homestead lottery.
I would love to see it be a 4 race "chase" containing a road course, short track, superspeedway, and cookie cutter.
Maybe something like.
Talladega
Charlotte Roval
Martinsville
Vegas

Then have the championship dinner Tuesday or Wednesday night in Vegas.

I'm not really a fan finishing the season on the vegas track because it doesn't provide the best racing, but you can't beat it location wise. There are flights to vegas from all over the country which make it relatively easy and affordable to get to. Homestead is not easy to get to even though they always seem to have a big crowd down there.
 
Current schedule is pretty solid but if it was up to me I'd remove Loudon and Martinsville completely from the schedule. Probably add Road America, another Bristol race, and maybe Iowa.
 
The ideal Cup season is to 1/2 the schedule and cut the races so they can be run in 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
 
I'd love for them to rotate the chase races if they're going to have the darn thing. I would also rotate the chase races to ensure that the "legacy tracks" have 2 dates every other year, with one being a playoff race. Dover, Richmond, Charlotte, Atlanta, Pocono, Martinsville, Darlington and Michigan would be part part of this. Daytona, Bristol (cut seating to 110k) and Talladega keep their 2 dates. This ensures the traditional tracks(historical significance) of NASCAR (diverse tacks) are still emphasized and it helps cut down on the cookie cutters some. The Southern 500 always starts the playoff.
 
1) Daytona*
2) Homestead
3) Phoenix
4) Laguna Seca
5) Sonoma 500
6) Rockingham
7) Bristol (back on concrete)
8) Nashville Superspeedway
9) Kansas
10) Talladega
11) Austin
12) Mexico City
13) Martinsville
14) Dover
15) Charlotte 600*
16) Fort Worth
17) Pocono
18) Pocono 2
19) Eldora
20) Road America
21) New Hampshire
22) Indianapolis Raceway Park
23) Watkins Glen
24) Bowmanville
25) Michigan
26) Daytona 2
27) Darlington*
28) Bristol 2*
29) Richmond
30) Nashville Fairgrounds
31) Charlotte Roval
32) Talladega 2
33) Atlanta
34) Martinsville 2
35) Las Vegas
36) Fontana

* Crown Jewel Race - double points

8 short tracks, a dirt race, 4 plate races, 8 intermediates, 3 two-mile + ovals, 4 one-milers, 8 road courses

Xfinity/Truck standalones: Mid-Ohio, Iowa, Gateway, Knoxville, Wilkesboro, Kentucky
 
1) Daytona*
2) Homestead
3) Phoenix
4) Laguna Seca
5) Sonoma 500
6) Rockingham
7) Bristol (back on concrete)
8) Nashville Superspeedway
9) Kansas
10) Talladega
11) Austin
12) Mexico City
13) Martinsville
14) Dover
15) Charlotte 600*
16) Fort Worth
17) Pocono
18) Pocono 2
19) Eldora
20) Road America
21) New Hampshire
22) Indianapolis Raceway Park
23) Watkins Glen
24) Bowmanville
25) Michigan
26) Daytona 2
27) Darlington*
28) Bristol 2*
29) Richmond
30) Nashville Fairgrounds
31) Charlotte Roval
32) Talladega 2
33) Atlanta
34) Martinsville 2
35) Las Vegas
36) Fontana

* Crown Jewel Race - double points

8 short tracks, a dirt race, 4 plate races, 8 intermediates, 3 two-mile + ovals, 4 one-milers, 8 road courses

Xfinity/Truck standalones: Mid-Ohio, Iowa, Gateway, Knoxville, Wilkesboro, Kentucky
I like your way of thinking. What/where is Bowmanville? I wouldn't be a big fan of another road course in Mexico City and would like to see 2 races at Darlington.
 
Man I need to find this 104 race schedule I built.
 
Poor thing, moldering contentedly in its cybergrave, rudely unearthed and dragged back into some shambling zombie-like mockery of life.
Back from the dead
1629418460261.gif
 
I like your way of thinking. What/where is Bowmanville? I wouldn't be a big fan of another road course in Mexico City and would like to see 2 races at Darlington.
I once read that NASCAR was quite popular in Mexico so I thought if Canada gets a Cup race Mexico should also get one.
I'd like to keep the Pocono doubleheader and I didn't want Martinsville to lose a race so I had to remove the Darlington spring race.
It warms my heart that after almost 3 years, this thread I made was dug up
Yeah I somehow came across it and found it interesting.
 
1) Daytona*
2) Homestead
3) Phoenix
4) Laguna Seca
5) Sonoma 500
6) Rockingham
7) Bristol (back on concrete)
8) Nashville Superspeedway
9) Kansas
10) Talladega
11) Austin
12) Mexico City
13) Martinsville
14) Dover
15) Charlotte 600*
16) Fort Worth
17) Pocono
18) Pocono 2
19) Eldora
20) Road America
21) New Hampshire
22) Indianapolis Raceway Park
23) Watkins Glen
24) Bowmanville
25) Michigan
26) Daytona 2
27) Darlington*
28) Bristol 2*
29) Richmond
30) Nashville Fairgrounds
31) Charlotte Roval
32) Talladega 2
33) Atlanta
34) Martinsville 2
35) Las Vegas
36) Fontana

* Crown Jewel Race - double points

8 short tracks, a dirt race, 4 plate races, 8 intermediates, 3 two-mile + ovals, 4 one-milers, 8 road courses

Xfinity/Truck standalones: Mid-Ohio, Iowa, Gateway, Knoxville, Wilkesboro, Kentucky
Too many road courses and not enough "cookie cutter" tracks.

Need to bring back Chicagoland and Kentucky. :cool:
 
1) Daytona*
2) Homestead
3) Phoenix
4) Laguna Seca
5) Sonoma 500
6) Rockingham
7) Bristol (back on concrete)
8) Nashville Superspeedway
9) Kansas
10) Talladega
11) Austin
12) Mexico City
13) Martinsville
14) Dover
15) Charlotte 600*
16) Fort Worth
17) Pocono
18) Pocono 2
19) Eldora
20) Road America
21) New Hampshire
22) Indianapolis Raceway Park
23) Watkins Glen
24) Bowmanville
25) Michigan
26) Daytona 2
27) Darlington*
28) Bristol 2*
29) Richmond
30) Nashville Fairgrounds
31) Charlotte Roval
32) Talladega 2
33) Atlanta
34) Martinsville 2
35) Las Vegas
36) Fontana

* Crown Jewel Race - double points

8 short tracks, a dirt race, 4 plate races, 8 intermediates, 3 two-mile + ovals, 4 one-milers, 8 road courses

Xfinity/Truck standalones: Mid-Ohio, Iowa, Gateway, Knoxville, Wilkesboro, Kentucky

Hell no! Laguna Seca would be a disaster in stock cars
 
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