When does the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series start?

With the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, anticipation quickly shifts to what lies ahead for 2025. Joey Logano ended the 2024 series by securing his third career championship, edging out Ryan Blaney in the final race at Phoenix Raceway.

While the motorsports community celebrates Logano’s victory, attention now turns to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, which is set to begin in February. The highly anticipated season opener, The Clash at Bowman Gray, is scheduled for February 2, 2025 at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. You can tune in to watch the event live on Fox at 8 p.m. ET.

Season changes in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series

The 2025 racing calendar has undergone significant changes, introducing fans to a new range of venues and different schedules. One of the biggest changes is the preseason Clash’s move from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to Bowman Gray Stadium, marking the return of NASCAR Cup Series competition to the venue for the first time since 1971.

Internationally, the series will reach a major milestone by hosting a Cup Series points race outside the United States for the first time since 1958. The race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City is an example of NASCAR’s strategy to maintain its global appeal and continue its tradition of to expand the horizons of the sport. This exciting event takes one of the race dates, June 15, previously held by Richmond Raceway.

In another lineup reshuffle, the schedule will also reflect more traditional geographic routing, notably with the West Coast swing featuring a stop at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Additionally, playoff changes will see Homestead-Miami Speedway’s historic race placed earlier in the season, and Talladega Superspeedway will step into a pivotal role during the semifinals.

Noted in those changes is the new Easter Sunday bye week after the Food City 500, a nod to the sport’s recent traditions. The last time such a break was observed was in 2021. The return of the bye week gives teams a breath of downtime in the middle of the long race schedule.

Another addition is the first race of the season beginning with the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

2025 NASCAR Cup Series Broadcasting

As part of the fresh broadcast arrangements that form the new TV deal that runs through 2031, races will be shown across multiple networks: FOX, NBC, Amazon Prime Video and TNT. The NASCAR Cup Series will therefore feature a mix of traditional broadcast events and modern streaming options, giving a wider audience access to the celebrated events.

The playoff schedule will reveal new opportunities, including the integration of venues such as New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Gateway Motorsports Park, where longtime races such as those at Watkins Glen International enter the regular season cycle. The revised playoff layout culminates at Phoenix Raceway with the championship race on November 2, offering a fitting climax to what promises to be an exciting season. The lineup will see Joey Logano, the defending champion tasked with maintaining his momentum against rivals like Jimmie Johnson, return to the track with Legacy Motor Club and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.