After taking cues from veterans like Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Joey Logano, NASCAR has embraced the idea of rotating its season finale venue rather than anchoring it at a single track each year — a shift from what had started to feel like a one-note routine.
Advertisement
While fans enjoyed nearly two decades of finales at Homestead and six years at Phoenix, many are eager to see NASCAR mix them up, bringing the championship race to tracks that may suit some drivers while challenging others — a dynamic that could shift year to year.
When asked about potential venues for future finales, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick echoed similar sentiments. Bell, a proponent of “the more, the better,” acknowledged that weather constraints in November naturally slim NASCAR’s choices.
He remarked, “There’s a couple of tracks: Vegas, Homestead, Phoenix being three that certainly make sense to rotate between the championship event. Charlotte would be a great venue. I think you kind of would be rolling the dice with weather there, but maybe a day race in Charlotte would be acceptable.”
More than the problem of choosing tracks, Bell approved the idea of having the choice in the first place. He said, “I think it’s awesome, though, and I think it should have happened a long time ago, and I’m glad to hear that it’s we’re finally starting a rotation.”
Reddick was on the same page. Like Bell, he named Las Vegas right off the bat. While Phoenix remains in the mix, he welcomed the idea of returning there, given its reliable climate for a November showdown.
Singing the same tune as Bell, the #45 23XI Racing driver pointed out that NASCAR’s options are limited during that time of year due to unpredictable weather across much of the country. Even then, he had no hesitation in naming one track if considering only racing action and not the weather constraints. “Yeah, Charlotte is one that comes to mind,” he said.
As of now, NASCAR has announced that the 2026 championship race will return to Homestead-Miami for the first time since 2019. The remaining finale venues will hopefully be determined in the days to come.
