It’s been a hot minute since NASCAR bigwigs let slip that they’re eyeing Mexico for some international races. But well, that’s not the only twist coming in the 2025 schedule. For years, NASCAR had to jump through hoops for any little schedule tweak, get tangled up in contracts, or need the thumbs up from track ownership giants like Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) and International Speedway Corp. (ISC).

Everything shifted when NASCAR bought ISC for $2 billion back in 2019. They suddenly owned 12 race tracks, including Iowa Speedway, which wasn’t even on the Cup Series radar then. While a bunch of the new schedule changes are going to take us across borders, there are plenty of domestic shake-ups coming too, and they’re just as jaw-dropping.

The Daytona race might be on the move for the third year straight

Ever since NASCAR shook things up in 2021, we’ve seen a ton of changes to the schedule. A bunch of tracks that used to host two races a year have been cut down to just one. This opened up spots for new tracks to join the party, like Iowa, Circuit of the Americas, Road America, and Nashville Superspeedway. And guess what? There might be a few more surprises in store for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

Catching the latest from an Instagram post by NASCAR Rumors & Nostalgia, it looks like the second Daytona race could snag its spot back as the regular-season finale. Last year, in 2023, Daytona hosted the last race of the regular season, where Chris Buescher took the win, pulling Bubba Wallace into the playoffs while Ryan Preece ended up in a wreck. Fast forward to 2024, and they’re planning to wrap up the season at Darlington. But the buzz for 2025? Daytona could be back as the grand finale of the regular season.

Second major change: It looks like the Clash might be skipping LA and possibly heading to Bowman Gray instead. The event in L.A. proved NASCAR can indeed whip up a track inside a stadium and put on a show worth watching. However, the buzz has worn off, the three-year deal is up, and throwing more cash into another LA stint doesn’t seem worth it—especially when we’re talking millions.

Now, about Bowman Gray—this historic quarter-mile track in Winston-Salem, NC, has been in NASCAR’s family since the 1940s. The bond just got tighter this March when NASCAR took over the reins to manage the track’s racing operations.

Having the Clash at Bowman Gray would definitely shake things up by bringing the preseason show to a totally unique spot that wouldn’t usually host a Cup points race. Racing in such tight quarters could really dial up the drama for TV, which is exactly what NASCAR and FOX Sports are aiming for to start the season. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. NASCAR’s got a whole bunch of big changes in the pipeline for 2025.

Some more big changes are on deck for the 2025 schedule

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First off, NASCAR’s finally giving everyone a break on Easter Sunday. It looks like they’re taking a step back from gunning for those prime TV ratings to let folks have some quality time hunting Easter eggs with the kiddos.

Another biggie is that there might not be a race in Southern California, despite previous talks about possibly racing at Dodger Stadium or hooking up with the Long Beach Grand Prix. It seems like neither venue is panning out—Dodger Stadium’s a no-go, and the Long Beach Grand Prix just isn’t working out. With the California Speedway in Fontana stuck in construction woes and the Clash at the Coliseum wrapped up, NASCAR’s still keen on keeping its footprint in Southern California, but so far, no dice.

Also, the Auto Club Speedway is dropping off the schedule because it’s getting a makeover into a short track, and the Busch Light Clash is likely packing up for a new spot in 2025.

Well, Montreal might be on the horizon, but probably not until 2026. After talks fizzled out last year, it is anticipated that it might be a while before NASCAR would think about racing at the iconic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. But with Mexico City likely joining the lineup in 2025, it could be smart to hold off on Montreal, aiming for a splash in 2026. However, word on the street is that talks with Montreal are back on the table, though it’s a toss-up—some insiders say there’s a 50-50 shot for 2025, while others think a lot has to change to make it happen.