BACK TO GALLERIES
2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule
By | Published: May 21, 2017 36
Getty Images
1 of 36
Getty Images
1. Daytona International Speedway
Date: Feb. 11 (Clash); Feb. 15 (Duels); Feb. 18 (Daytona 500)
Notes: Daytona 500 qualifying will be on the same day as the season-opening Clash; the Daytona 500 returns to President's Day weekend.
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Year of first Cup event: 1959
Banking: Turns (31), Backstretch (3) and Tri-oval (18)
Length/Track type: 2.5 miles, paved (one of two tracks to use restrictor plates)
2 of 36
Getty Images
2. Atlanta Motor Speedway
Date: Feb. 25
Location: Hampton, Georgia
Year of first Cup event: 1960
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Tri-oval (5)
Length/Track type: 1.54 miles, paved
3 of 36
Getty Images
3. Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date: March 4
Note: NASCAR Goes West kicks off again in Las Vegas
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Year of first Cup event: 1998
Banking: Turns (20), Frontstretch and Backstretch (9)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
4 of 36
Getty Images
4. Phoenix Raceway
Date: March 11
Location: Avondale, Arizona
Year of first Cup event: 1988
Banking: Turns 1-2 (11), Turns 3-4 (9), Backstretch (9) and Frontstretch (3)
Length/Track type: 1 mile, paved
5 of 36
Getty Images
5. Auto Club Speedway
Date: March 18
Location: Fontana, California
Year of first Cup event: 1997
Banking: Turns (14), Backstretch (3) and Frontstretch (11)
Length/Track type: 2 miles, paved
6 of 36
Getty Images
6. Martinsville Speedway
Date: March 25
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Note: Martinsville kicks off four short tracks over the next six races.
Year of first Cup event: 1949
Banking: Turns (12), Backstretch and Frontstretch (0)
Length/Track type: 0.526 mile, paved
7 of 36
Getty Images
7. Texas Motor Speedway
Date: April 8
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Year of first Cup event: 1997
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Dogleg (5)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
8 of 36
Getty Images
8. Bristol Motor Speedway
Date: April 15
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Year of first Cup event: 1961
Banking: Turns (24-28), Backstretch (4-8) and Frontstretch (5-9)
Length/Track type: 0.53 mile, concrete
9 of 36
Getty Images
9. Richmond International Raceway
Date: April 21
Note: Richmond's spring race is back under the lights on a Saturday night.
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Year of first Cup event: 1953
Banking: Turns (14), Backstretch (2) and Frontstretch (8)
Length/Track type: 0.75 mile, paved
10 of 36
Getty Images
10. Talladega Superspeedway
Date: April 29
Location: Talladega, Alabama
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (33), Backstretch (2) and Frontstretch (16.5)
Length/Track type: 2.66 miles, paved (one of two tracks to use restrictor plates)
11 of 36
Getty Images
11. Dover International Speedway
Date: May 6
Note: Dover moves from the end of May to the beginning.
Location: Dover, Delaware
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Frontstretch (9)
Length/Track type: 1 mile, concrete
12 of 36
Getty Images
12. Kansas Speedway
Date: May 12
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Year of first Cup event: 2001
Banking: Turns (17-20), Backstretch (5) and Frontstretch (10)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
13 of 36
Getty Images
13. Charlotte Motor Speedway
Dates: May 19, Monster Energy All-Star Race; May 27, Coca-Cola 600
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Year of first Cup event: 1960
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Frontstretch (5)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
14 of 36
Getty Images
14. Pocono Raceway
Date: June 3
Location: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Year of first Cup event: 1974
Banking: Turn 1 (14), Turn 2 (8), Turn 3 (6), Backstretch, Frontstretch and Shortstretch (0)
Length/Track type: 2.5 miles, paved
15 of 36
Getty Images
15. Michigan International Speedway
Date: June 10
Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (18), Backstretch (5) and Frontstretch (12)
Length/Track type: 2 miles, paved
16 of 36
Getty Images
16. Sonoma Raceway
Date: June 24
Note: The first road course of the season comes following an off week for Monster Energy Series teams.
Location: Sonoma, California
Year of first Cup event: 1989
Banking: 11 Turns varying
Length/Track type: 1.99 miles, road course
17 of 36
Getty Images
17. Chicagoland Speedway
Date: July 1
Note: A new, primo spot for Chicagoland, which previously hosted the opening race in the postseason.
Location: Joliet, Illinois
Year of first Cup event: 2001
Banking: Turns (18), Backstretch (5) and Tri-oval (11)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
18 of 36
Getty Images
18. Daytona International Speedway
Date: July 7
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Year of first Cup event: 1959
Banking: Turns (31), Backstretch (3) and Tri-oval (18)
Length/Track type: 2.5 miles, paved (one of two tracks to use restrictor plates)
19 of 36
Getty Images
19. Kentucky Speedway
Date: July 14
Location: Sparta, Kentucky
Year of first Cup event: 2011
Banking: Turns 1 and 2 (17), Turns 3 and 4 (14), Front straightaways (8) and Back straightaways (4)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
20 of 36
Getty Images
20. New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Date: July 22
Note: New Hampshire moves from two Monster Energy Series races to one.
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Year of first Cup event: 1993
Banking: Turns (2&7), Backstretch and Frontstretch (1)
Length/Track type: 1.06 miles, paved
21 of 36
Getty Images
21. Pocono Raceway
Date: July 29
Location: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Year of first Cup event: 1974
Banking: Turn 1 (14), Turn 2 (8), Turn 3 (6), Backstretch, Frontstretch and Shortstretch (0)
Length/Track type: 2.5 miles, paved
22 of 36
Getty Images
22. Watkins Glen International
Date: Aug. 5
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Year of first Cup event: 1957
Banking: Turns (6-10)
Length/Track type: 2.45 miles, road course
23 of 36
Getty Images
23. Michigan International Speedway
Date: Aug. 12
Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (18), Backstretch (5) and Frontstretch (12)
Length/Track type: 2 miles, paved
24 of 36
Getty Images
24. Bristol Motor Speedway
Date: Aug. 18
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Year of first Cup event: 1961
Banking: Turns (24-28), Backstretch (4-8) and Frontstretch (5-9)
Length/Track type: 0.53 mile, concrete
25 of 36
Getty Images
25. Darlington Raceway
Date: Sept. 2
Note: There is an off week for the series between Bristol and Darlington.
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Year of first Cup event: 1950
Banking: Turns (23-25), Backstretch and Frontstretch (6)
Length/Track type: 1.37 miles, paved
26 of 36
Getty Images
26. Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Date: Sept. 9
Note: Being the regular-season finale adds oomph at fabled venue.
Location: Speedway, Indiana
Year of first Cup event: 1994
Banking: Turns (9), Backstretch and Frontstretch (0)
Length/Track type: 2.5 miles, paved
27 of 36
Getty Images
27. Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date: Sept. 16
Note: Las Vegas' second race serves as the postseason opener.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Year of first Cup event: 1998
Banking: Turns (20), Frontstretch and Backstretch (9)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
28 of 36
Getty Images
28. Richmond International Raceway
Date: Sept. 22
Note: We're under the lights in the postseason at Richmond, which brings an added short track into the playoffs.
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Year of first Cup event: 1953
Banking: Turns (14), Backstretch (2) and Frontstretch (8)
Length/Track type: 0.75 mile, paved
29 of 36
Getty Images
29. Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date: Sept. 30
Note: Charlotte moves from Round 2 to the elimination race in Round 1.
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Year of first Cup event: 1960
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Frontstretch (5)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
30 of 36
Getty Images
30. Dover International Speedway
Date: Oct. 7
Location: Dover, Delaware
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Frontstretch (9)
Length/Track type: 1 mile, concrete
31 of 36
Getty Images
31. Talladega Superspeedway
Date: Oct. 14
Location: Talladega, Alabama
Year of first Cup event: 1969
Banking: Turns (33), Backstretch (2) and Frontstretch (16.5)
Length/Track type: 2.66 miles, paved (one of two tracks to use restrictor plates)
32 of 36
Getty Images
32. Kansas Speedway
Date: Oct. 21
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Year of first Cup event: 2001
Banking: Turns (17-20), Backstretch (5) and Frontstretch (10)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
33 of 36
Getty Images
33. Martinsville Speedway
Date: Oct. 28
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Year of first Cup event: 1949
Banking: Turns (12), Backstretch and Frontstretch (0)
Length/Track type: 0.526 mile, paved
34 of 36
Getty Images
34. Texas Motor Speedway
Date: Nov. 4
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Year of first Cup event: 1997
Banking: Turns (24), Backstretch and Dogleg (5)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved
35 of 36
Getty Images
35. Phoenix Raceway
Date: Nov. 11
Location: Avondale, Arizona
Year of first Cup event: 1988
Banking: Turns 1-2 (11), Turns 3-4 (9), Backstretch (9) and Frontstretch (3)
Length/Track type: 1 mile, paved
36 of 36
Getty Images
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: Nov. 18
Location: Homestead, Florida
Year of first Cup event: 1999
Banking: Turns (18-20), Backstretch and Frontstretch (4)
Length/Track type: 1.5 miles, paved