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In 2024, for the first time since 2009, Road America will not be hosting a NASCAR race, as communicated to season ticketholders over the past weekend. This development, however, seems more like a temporary pause than a permanent separation.
NASCAR was set to unveil the schedules for its three national series this week, but it seems this announcement is being delayed as motorsport collaborates with racetracks and its television partner, NBC Universal, to piece together a complex scheduling puzzle.
The Olympics, taking place from July 26 to Aug. 11, present a unique challenge. During this period, NBC will be heavily focused on broadcasting the Summer Games in Paris, leaving limited opportunities for Stock car racing and IndyCar. Both of which are also carried by NBC, its USA Network cable outlet, and the Peacock streaming service.
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Hence, there's a possibility that 2024 will be a one-year hiatus for Stock car racing at Road America, the renowned road course located outside Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County. Road America took over the Wisconsin race in 2010 after NASCAR withdrew from the Milwaukee Mile.
Road America boasts a history of hosting 17 motorsport races, with no driver managing to secure more than one victory. An interesting note is that Franklin native Sam Mayer secured his inaugural Xfinity Series win at this venue in July.
In addition to the 14 races in the Xfinity Series, Road America hosted the prestigious Cup Series in 2021 and 2022, both of which were highly successful events in the track's history.
The Future of NASCAR Cup Series Racing at Road America and Xfinity Series Road Courses
The two-year Cup Series stint came to an end when motorsports decided to race on a temporary street circuit in downtown Chicago.
However, Mike Kertscher, Road America's president and general manager, expressed the track's willingness to welcome back the Cup Series if NASCAR showed interest.
As per the tentative 2024 schedule shared with season ticketholders, Road America is slated to host IndyCar on the weekend of June 6-9, which is slightly earlier than in recent years. It's worth noting that IndyCar typically announces its schedule shortly after NASCAR's announcement.
In summary, while Road America will be without a stock car race in 2024, it seems more like a temporary absence due to scheduling complexities related to the Olympics. The track continues to host a variety of other motorsport events throughout the year, maintaining its status as a prominent venue for racing enthusiasts.
Among the Xfinity Series' road course destinations are Circuit of the Americas, Portland International Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Notably, the Cup Series competes at all of these locations except for Portland. Furthermore, Charlotte serves as the host for playoff races in both series.
