The Cup Series schedule continues to evolve, and next year’s slate has a lot to look forward to for fans of NASCAR’s top division.
RELATED: See the 2022 Cup Series schedule | Pistone: 2021 races to remember
There’s still a ways to go before the first green flag of the new season flies but here’s a look at five highly-anticipated races in 2022:
CLASH AT THE COLISEUM
A quarter-mile bullring built inside the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will be the unofficial start to the new season as the historic Clash changes locale. Daytona International Speedway was the host to the special pre-season event since its inception in 1979. But a new tradition begins in 2022 with the historic stadium hosting big-league stock car racing. It promises to be one of the most unique races of the year and with the track’s tight quarters expect sparks to fly in Southern California.
RELATED: Format for Clash set, includes heat races
DAYTONA 500
“The Great American Race” is always on lists of races to watch, and listen to on the radio, pretty much every season and 2022 is no exception. The Daytona 500 is the sport’s biggest race and it just happens to official kick off the new campaign. All eyes will be on “The World Center of Racing” Sunday, February 20 when NASCAR’s 74th season begins. It will be the first opportunity for teams to set the tone for the season with a good performance while also giving drivers with new organizations a shot to get their relationships off to great starts. Plus it will be the superspeedway debut of the Next Gen Cup car. The build-up in Daytona with the races and events leading to the 500 is always anticipated.
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
NASCAR made its first visit to the world-class COTA complex in Austin, Texas in last year in a weekend marred by extremely wet weather. It will be a tripleheader weekend again this year now in late March with the Camping World Truck, Xfinity Series and Cup Series all in action on the 3.41-mile-long course. The 20-turn layout provided one of the biggest challenges of the year to drivers. While NASCAR’s presence in the Lone Star State still continues at Texas Motor Speedway, bringing the sport to COTA provides another opportunity to grow and attract a different fan base that got a taste of the action a year ago.
BRISTOL DIRT RACE
It had been just more than 50 years since the Cup Series raced on a dirt track before that will changed in 2021. Bristol Motor Speedway was transformed into a dirt facility for a weekend that included both the Camping World Truck Series and Cup Series. There were challenges to be sure with visibility and wet weather throwing hurdles at drivers and teams. Joey Logano won the Cup race that was postponed from Sunday to Monday. A move to Easter weekend with a primetime audience and the opportunity for better weather conditions will hopefully add up to another unique Bristol weekend on dirt next spring.
ROAD AMERICA
Speaking of world-class road courses, the four-mile gem in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin welcomed NASCAR’s top series for the first time in more than six decades last season in what was a rousing success. More than 100,000 fans jammed the facility to watch Chase Elliott score a very popular victory. After years of hosting an Xfinity Series race, now the Cup Series is part of the sanctioning body’s trip to the Dairy State with a Fourth of July weekend Sunday date back on the calendar. The beautiful course will once again be packed with race fans from around the Midwest for what appears to be a new mid-summer holiday tradition.
