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NASCAR is not always the most responsive when fans call for change. But this time around, it appears that NASCAR fans are getting what they want as the series is set to make a major change to its championship weekend. After spending six seasons at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR is set to move its championship weekend back to Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosted the series finale from 2002-2019.
Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic first broke the news. Homestead is widely regarded as one of the best tracks on the schedule by both fans and drivers alike and was home to a number of iconic finishes, including 23XI star Tyler Reddick’s iconic last-corner pass of Ryan Blaney last season.
NASCAR Moves Championship Race Back To Homestead In Big Win For Race Fans
Bianchi reports that Phoenix will keep two dates on the calendar. But the unique one-mile track will no longer host the season finale and instead will likely host an earlier race in the playoffs. When NASCAR hosted its Spring race in Homestead last month, Bianchi spoke with both track president Guillermo Santa Cruz and Mayor Sean Fletcher about NASCAR bringing the championship race back to the track.
“It’s definitely something I want to see happen,” Santa Cruz said. “And I’m hopeful in the not-too-distant future the championship will come back.”
Fletcher told him that the race generated an estimated $350 million for the area.
“It’s really a big deal for the city of Homestead,” Fletcher said. “I think it’s the perfect race for the drivers; they love the track. It’s really a driver’s racetrack. And that’s a great time of year to be in South Florida.”
But more importantly, it’s a big deal for fans, who have long decried the NASCAR Cup Series aero package for tracks like Phoenix.
Bianchi did note that the series plans to rotate tracks for the finale moving forward, with Phoenix likely to return in future seasons. But Homestead is expected to remain a part of that rotation for the forseeable future.