Bubba Wallace insider pulls back the curtain on how NASCAR finale's return to Homestead was “almost a done deal”

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace's spotter, Freddie Kraft, revealed that NASCAR and Homestead-Miami Speedway were set to announce the 1.5-mile oval as next year’s championship venue. However, according to him, the deal fell through at the last minute due to financial hurdles.

There was plenty of excitement surrounding reports of the season finale returning to Homestead-Miami Speedway. The iconic 1.5-mile track hosted championship deciders from 2002 to 2019, before NASCAR moved the finale to Phoenix Raceway. Five years after crowning a champion in the desert, many fans and drivers were eager to see Homestead reclaim its traditional spot.

Freddie Kraft, co-host of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, revealed that Homestead's return as the season finale was "almost a done deal." He mentioned that the announcement was set to take place after the race weekend, in the presence of several NASCAR drivers. However, he added that the deal fell through at the last moment due to financial hurdles.

"This was almost a done deal... I think Tuesday or Wednesday, there were drivers were flying to Homestead to announce that they were gonna have the finale. I think some things came up with — they got the World Cup coming there, and it's just a lot of moving parts and some of the funding kind of fell apart for the NASCAR side of it."

The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi reported before the race weekend that the Vice Mayor of Homestead City, Sean Fletcher, was actively advocating for the return of the season finale to the 1.5-mile oval. Bianchi further mentioned that the city was putting together a financial package to compete with Phoenix's bid, which he reported to be around $5-10 million (though he couldn't verify the exact amount).

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Bubba Wallace's spotter indicates a rotating schedule for season finale

Bubba Wallace (23) races during the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway - Source: Imagn

Bubba Wallace's spotter, Freddie Kraft, mentioned that NASCAR could start rotating the venue for its season finale as early as next year. He suggested that Homestead-Miami Speedway could host the championship decider in 2026, with Las Vegas Motor Speedway emerging as the favorite for 2027.

On the latest episode of Door Bumper Clear, the 23XI Racing spotter said:

"We're talking about one year I think [about Homestead], because I think, starting next year, we're going into a rotation. The rumors I heard this week were, Homestead's getting done this week, they're going to announce it this week and the next rumor was Vegas in 2027. Which is interesting to me, because it is an SMI-owned track."

NASCAR is also expected to modify its playoff format for next year, which indicates there could be wholesale changes to the schedule next year. Officials have expressed interest in rotating the season finale, with COO Steve O'Donnell mentioning Homestead-Miami Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway among others as the leading contenders.

Phoenix Raceway will host the championship decider this year, with Bubba Wallace's team co-owner, Denny Hamlin, mentioning on his podcast that while Phoenix may lack on-track action, it offers better facilities and atmosphere compared to Homestead.