There are many who have praised the 2026 NASCAR schedule. The long-awaited return of Chicagoland and the addition of Coronado has made many fans, and even drivers, happy. But Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell has his doubts. He isn’t sure how he feels about the Championship finale shifting to Homestead-Miami from Phoenix.
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Asked whether he favored Homestead or Phoenix, Bell simply hinted that he loves both. He doesn’t hate the fact that Homestead will host the big event, but doesn’t want Phoenix out of the picture completely.
“Man, I don’t know. I love Phoenix. Homestead’s put on really, really good races. So, I think it’s good to have change, and I don’t think either one of them deserve to have it year after year. I think it needs to be a rotation, and it needs to be a rotation deeper than just Phoenix and Homestead,” Bell stated.
The No. 20 driver urged NASCAR to cycle several tracks into the finale slot, especially with the current winner-take-all format, concluding, “I think it has to rotate year to year.”
Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosted the championship finale from 2002 through 2019, will once again close out the season for all three national series in 2026. Phoenix Raceway, the finale site since 2020, will host this year’s event on Oct. 31–Nov. 2 before ceding the spotlight. Homestead, now in its 30th season, first crowned a Cup champion in 2002, when Tony Stewart claimed his initial title.
Meanwhile, the announcement that all three NASCAR national series will race on the grounds of Naval Base Coronado in San Diego in 2026 has been the centerpiece of the new schedule. It will mark the first time NASCAR has ever competed on an active military base, a historic addition that has sparked tremendous anticipation. Bell’s reaction to the opportunity to compete on such a stage will be one to watch.
For now, Bell’s focus remains on his own position in the standings. After a P21 finish at Richmond from an eighth-place start, he has dropped to sixth in points.
Bell will line up 15th for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he carries an 18.9 average finish in 11 starts, with three top-fives. He’ll be aiming to secure his fourth win of the season while also helping teammate Ty Gibbs earn a win and a playoff berth.
