Credit: Autostock

Date swaps highlight 2006 Cup schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series schedule was announced Tuesday, a 36-race slate starting with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 400 on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In addition to those 36 points events, there also will be two non-points events -- the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona set for Feb. 11 and the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 20 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Also, the two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 -- the Gatorade Duel at Daytona -- will be held on Thursday, Feb. 16.

There are no schedule changes from 2005 in terms of sites. Two tracks, though, have swapped race weeks.

Next season, Richmond International Raceway's spring race will be held on May 6, with Darlington Raceway's event on May 13; this season, Darlington preceded Richmond.

Also, Kansas Speedway's 2006 event will be held Oct. 1, followed by Talladega on Oct. 8; this year, Talladega precedes Kansas.

New Hampshire International Speedway again will host the initial event in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, the 10-race stretch that ends the season -- and determines the series champion. The third annual "Chase" will commence Sept. 17 at NHIS.

The 2006 schedule follows below. Starting times and television information will be available at a later date.

Feb. 11: Budweiser Shootout, Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 19: Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 26: California Speedway
March 12: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 19: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 26: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 2: Martinsville Speedway
April 9: Texas Motor Speedway
April 22: Phoenix International Raceway
April 30: Talladega Superspeedway
May 6: Richmond International Raceway
May 13: Darlington Raceway
May 20: NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge, Lowe's Motor Speedway
May 28: Lowe's Motor Speedway
June 4: Dover International Speedway
June 11: Pocono Raceway
June 18: Michigan International Speedway
June 25: Infineon Raceway
July 1: Daytona International Speedway
July 9: Chicagoland Speedway
July 16: New Hampshire International Speedway
July 23: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 6: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 13: Watkins Glen
Aug. 20: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 26: Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 3: California Speedway
Sept. 9: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 17: New Hampshire International Speedway
Sept. 24: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 1: Kansas Speedway
Oct. 8: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 14: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Oct. 22: Martinsville Speedway
Oct. 29: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Nov. 5: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 12: Phoenix International Raceway
Nov. 19: Homestead-Miami Speedway