Last year, amid widespread debate over the fairness of the current championship format, several top drivers, including Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Joey Logano, voiced their opinions and proposed solutions. NASCAR appears to have taken those comments to heart, with early indications suggesting a possible shift in the format as early as 2026.
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As part of the potential revamp, NASCAR plans to rotate the championship venue, aiming to avoid monotony and keep the title race competitive and engaging for both drivers and fans. However, Daytona will not serve as the championship finale.
The move earned a nod of approval from three-time champion Joey Logano, who has long advocated for a rotating finale to bring the spectacle to fans across different regions.
Logano also emphasized that the type of track should not be overlooked. He maintained that the championship should be decided on a traditional oval, steering clear of superspeedways or road courses.
Fans echoed Logano’s stance after Dustin Long confirmed Daytona would not serve as the championship venue. One fan remarked, “I love Daytona, but I absolutely do not want a championship decided on a super speedway.”
Another added, “Championships race should never be on superspeedway like Daytona and Talladega. Because of you know….if the championship 4 caught in a wreck especially near the closing end or final lap.”
#NASCAR‘s Ben Kennedy says that Daytona (superspeedway tracks) not a candidate to host Championship event. More focused on short tracks and intermediate tracks (1.5 miles) for title race.
So don’t hold your breath on the sport starting the year at Daytona and finishing at…— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 6, 2025
A third fan chimed in with a blunt take: “Good. Having it at Daytona would be more stupid than just having it at Phoenix. Who wants to watch a Superspeedway championship race where Austin Dillon or Eric Jones wins the race because everyone else is wrecked. Not to mention the superspeeday setups are terrible for NexGen. Did you not just watch the Talladega race?”
NASCAR officials explain why Daytona isn’t considered for the championship race
Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer, made it clear that Daytona will not be in the mix for hosting Championship Weekend, clarifying that the focus remains on short tracks and intermediate ovals as the preferred battlegrounds to crown the season’s champion.
Kennedy explained that the title race should reflect the essence of classic NASCAR racing, stating that it should feel like what fans would expect traditional NASCAR racing to look and feel like.
He emphasized that short tracks, mile tracks, and intermediates are under consideration, while superspeedways, despite their prestige, are not currently in the running. “Not that Daytona isn’t a championship-caliber venue,” he added, but reasoned that it just doesn’t fit the mold for how NASCAR wants the finale to play out.
He further stressed that the series aims to land at tracks — be it Homestead, Phoenix, or another oval — where strategy plays a key role and all Championship-4 drivers are in the hunt for the win. Kennedy also noted that road courses, much like superspeedways, are not being viewed as suitable venues for deciding the championship.
