Beneath the shimmering neon of the Las Vegas Strip, a different kind of spectacle has quietly solidified its place in the world of American motorsports, with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the center. This impressive 1.5-mile tri-oval, often nicknamed the “Diamond in the Desert,” located northeast of the city near Nellis Air Force Base, was built in its current form in 1996. The site of the former Las Vegas Speedway Park, purchased by Speedway Motorsports Inc. in 1998, quickly became a major stop for NASCAR’s inaugural Cup Series race in 1998, with Mark Martin claiming the win.

Over the years, LVMS has provided numerous thrilling moments, including Jimmie Johnson’s razor-thin 0.045-second victory over Matt Kenseth in 2007, and it now anchors a crucial weekend in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. However, rumors swirling in the garage suggest a change in that lineup. After this weekend’s electrifying South Point 400, LVMS firmly stakes its claim as a worthy future host for NASCAR’s Championship Weekend. The desert oval delivered the perfect blend of tension and entertainment, from Denny Hamlin’s milestone 60th victory to fierce on-track battles and Playoff-shifting drama.

With 21 lead changes among 11 drivers and genuine strategy playing a decisive role, the race offered what fans have long desired: pure and organic competition without gimmicks. Now, as NASCAR embraces a rotating Championship Weekend model, LVMS stands out as a top contender. When asked in May about the possibility of Las Vegas hosting a future NASCAR Championship Weekend, Ben Kennedy acknowledged the idea with openness, stating that “Anything is on the table.” He further emphasized NASCAR’s strong partnership with Speedway Motorsports, suggesting that this collaboration could pave the way for the venue to eventually take center stage as a championship host.

It’s world-class infrastructure, fan-friendly Neon Garage, and big-market allure align seamlessly with the sport’s growing ambitions. With multi-groove racing, thrilling unpredictability, and the glitz of Las Vegas serving as the backdrop, the track could provide the high-energy finale NASCAR has been chasing. Historically, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 has been hosted at a small roster of tracks deemed capable of handling both the competitive and infrastructural demands.

Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida hosted the finale from 2004 through 2019. Kevin Harvick’s dominant victory for the title in 2014 and Jimmie Johnson’s record-tying 7th championship in 2016 were all on this track. In 2020, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race moved to Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. However, the move to a rotating schedule beyond 2026 signals NASCAR’s intention to keep the final race fresh and unpredictable.

Fans accustomed to the familiarity of all 3 tracks stated above are wary of change, but the past shows both the risk and reward in rethinking tradition. The idea now is to bring the finale tracks that combine spectacle, accessibility, and racing morality, qualities LVMS appears primed to meet.

Loyalists push for a return to tradition in NASCAR Championship

One fan suggested, “We’ve gotta start putting the finale in the Southeast. Charlotte and Nashville scream finale, but we go all the way to the other side of the country.” Charlotte, for instance, sits in the heart of NASCAR Valley, home to a bulk of the team, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and corporate infrastructure. Tennessee’s Nashville likewise has long been viewed as a rising motorsports market. Meanwhile, making the finale cross-coast to Phoenix or LVMS felt like drifting away from the sport’s historical base, to some.

Another fan summed up a common backlash with a blunt, “Anywhere BUT Phoenix,” capturing a widespread frustration in the NASCAR community. NASCAR analyst Steve Letarte called the 2024 Phoenix finale “sleepy,” citing minimal tire wear, few lead changes, and a race that felt more like strategy chess than a nail-biting showdown. Even for the Next Gen car that struggles with dirty air and narrower racing lines, the 1-mile tri-oval makes passing harder, putting a premium on track position rather than race craft and tactical comebacks.

One fan critiqued the Championship venue, highlighting concerns about the city’s suitability for such events, writing, “There’s ZERO about Las Vegas that makes it a vacation destination. And isn’t championship weekend during the F1 setup? From what I read that makes Vegas even more miserable. … And yes… I’ve been to Vegas three times. How about the championship near its core audience?” Residents also express frustration over the disruption caused by the event, including traffic congestion and road closures. For instance, preparations for the 2024 race led to increased travel issues as the crew added track lighting and barriers along public roads.

While others added to that sentiment, saying, “And maybe 30,000 showed up this past weekend. It was a bad crowd. The championship needs to come home to the Southeast. This messing around with alternative markets is a symptom of the “be all things to all people” issue Phelps says they are trying to solve.” While Phoenix Raceway has hosted the championship race in recent years, attracting a crowd of approximately 125,000 over the three-day event, some fans feel that the sport’s traditional heartland in the Southeast is being overlooked.

Some raised concerns about the timing of the race for an international audience, saying, “For an international audience, this is a big no no. Starting a race at 10:30pm UK time would be a bad thing for the championship race. Homestead only for the finale. Vegas would need to be atleast 3hrs earlier to work.” This sentiment also echoed concerns raised during the 2023 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, where the race commenced at 10 p.m. local time, translating to a 6 a.m. start for UK viewers. The timing was met with criticism from European fans, some of whom filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 35,000 fans, citing inconvenient hours and other issues during the event.

If NASCAR wants to crown its next champion while keeping fans everywhere engaged, the track as much as the timing will be everything.