NASCAR reportedly considering removal of three tracks in potential playoff format changes

NASCAR insiders have claimed that the 2025 playoffs will see a potential change in schedule. The reports suggest that three tracks from the current playoff schedule will shift to the regular season.

On a recent episode of The Teardown, the Athletic's Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck talked about the potential change to next year's playoffs. Bianchi claimed that Atlanta Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Homestead-Miami Speedway are set to be moved to the upcoming regular Cup Series season.

"The Athletic has learned that three tracks are coming out of the playoffs, are tentatively planned to come out of the playoff schedule next year. We know about Atlanta, that's already been announced, moving from starting the playoffs to mid-summer."

"Two other tracks that the Athletic has learned will be moving out of the playoffs... Watkins Glenn... and Homestead... Supposedly moving to mid-march," Bianchi said [38:35].

Bianchi also spoke about three replacements to accommodate the 10-race playoffs next year. The highly anticipated Darlington Raceway is set to return to the playoffs. Meanwhile, World Wide Technology Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway are the other two tracks reported as set to host next season's NASCAR playoffs.

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NASCAR insider gives a possible reason for the change in the playoffs

In the aforementioned podcast, The Athletic's Jeff Gluck asked Bianchi about the possible reasons behind NASCAR shifting the favorite former Championship track Homestead-Miami, which has been a part of the playoffs for the last 18 years.

Bianchi replied,

"What I've been told is because they would like another another warm weather date. I mean obviously Fontana as you know is off the schedule... You have two West Coast races now. You do not have a lot of races at the beginning of the year where weather, you know, isn't going to be an issue or shouldn't be an issue."

"You add Homestead at the beginning of the year, gives you Las Vegas, Phoenix, Homestead and then you can kind of get into that Bristol, Martinsville stretch a little bit and just kind of gives you another week to maybe help those tracks that are so often plagued by inclement weather," he added.

However, there hasn't been any official confirmation about the 2025 NASCAR schedule. With the possible removal of Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosted the Championship's final race for all three NASCAR divisions from 2002 to 2019, these changes once announced could spark debate in the NASCAR community.

Currently, NASCAR is heading to the 19th race of the 2024 Cup Series at Nashville Superspeedway on June 30.