2018 NASCAR schedule: Key changes

Plenty of changes abound with the release of the 2018 schedules for all three NASCAR national series. Prime among them is an alteration to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series' regular-season finale, which now shifts to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 9. Not only will the prestige of the Brickyard be at stake, but so will the last chance to lock in a playoff berth.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway was already confirmed for a second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race date, but now its spot on the calendar is also set. The 1.5-mile Nevada track will open the 10-race postseason on Sept. 16.

Richmond International Raceway had long been the regular-season finale for NASCAR's premier series. It maintains a high profile by moving into the playoffs on Sept. 22. The .75-mile circuit's inclusion means that the number of short tracks in the postseason grows from one to two.

Charlotte Motor Speedway's place on the schedule -- two points-paying events and the annual All-Star Race -- remains the same. But the North Carolina track's playoff race on Sept. 30 will have a new twist -- it will be run on the combination oval/road course, giving the playoffs its first road-racing layout in the sport's history.

Daytona Speedweeks will still be a February fixture, but events are moving one week earlier than in recent years at Daytona International Speedway. The Advance Auto Parts Clash invitational and Daytona 500 qualifying will now be held on the same day -- Feb. 11. The Daytona 500 will take place Feb. 18, back to President's Day weekend.

The 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule goes from two off-weekends to three in 2018: One for Easter on April 1, a new idle weekend in June, plus the weekend before Labor Day. Engines won't be completely silent on the premier series' new open dates June 16-17. Iowa Speedway will take over the spotlight that weekend for its traditional XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series doubleheader.

Chicagoland Speedway will have a new home on the NASCAR schedule. The Monster Energy Series is set to race at the Illinois track on July 1, part of a tripleheader weekend with the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. The event will kick off NBC Sports' coverage of the second half of the season.

Dover International Speedway's first race weekend of the season is set to move from its traditional late May/early June perch. The Monster Mile will now host all three NASCAR national series May 4-6.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway's first race weekend of the season has grown to become a tripleheader, with the Camping World Truck Series adding a March 2 race. The additional Vegas event keeps the Truck Series' schedule at 23 races and closes an early season gap between events. The series will not return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which dials back from two NASCAR weekends to one in 2018.

All the schedule alterations also mean transitions for the playoffs in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. In XFINITY, the regular season will end in Las Vegas and the playoffs begin at Richmond. In Trucks, Bristol will bring the regular season to a close, and the playoffs will open at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park road course in Ontario.