2023 NASCAR schedule: First look at Cup, Xfinity, Truck Series races (2024)

Previously announced races at the new downtown Chicago street course and a return to the revered North Wilkesboro track will highlight an otherwise largely unchanged 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule when it is released later Wednesday, The Athletic has learned.

The 2023 Cup playoffs will remain identical to this year’s version, and there is just one notable date shift (Richmond’s second race moves from August to July, and the Indianapolis road course race moves from July to August).

In reviewing copies of all three national series (Cup, Xfinity, Truck) schedules, other items of interest include:

— The final race on the 2-mile layout at Auto Club Speedway in Southern California. NASCAR had previously not given any indications on the timeline for converting the facility into a short track, but is now saying the February race there will be the last one on the current track.

— The Chicago street course and North Wilkesboro Speedway are the new venues on the Cup schedule. Chicago is hosting its first race on July 2, while the non-points All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro on May 21.

— The 10-race Cup playoffs remain unchanged from 2022. The cutoff races (Bristol, Charlotte Roval and Martinsville) and championship finale (Phoenix) also stay as is.

— With Texas Motor Speedway losing the All-Star Race, the track will host just a single Cup race weekend for the first time since 2004.

— The spring Martinsville Cup race shifts from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon.

— The Xfinity Series will also race on the Chicago street course. Previously, NASCAR stated that an unspecified IMSA class would serve as the support series for Cup that weekend.

— Although Cup won’t be returning to Road America in 2023, Xfinity will continue to race on the popular Wisconsin track as it has since 2010. Altogether, there are eight road courses on the Xfinity schedule.

— Bristol shifts from concluding the Xfinity regular season this year to the playoff opener in 2023. The regular season wraps Sept. 9 at Kansas Speedway.

— Sonoma Raceway will host its first ever Xfinity race on June 10. The Truck Series will not return to Sonoma in 2023.

— For the first time since 1996, North Wilkesboro will host a NASCAR points race when the Truck Series visits the fabled short track on May 20.

— The Milwaukee Mile also returns to the Truck schedule, hosting its first NASCAR national series race since 2009.

— Bristol is the only dirt track on the Truck schedule, with Knoxville Raceway falling off.

All three series schedules are below, with playoff races highlighted in green.

(Photo: David Jensen / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jordan Bianchi is a motorsports reporter for The Athletic. He is a veteran sports reporter, having covered the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball, college basketball, college football, NASCAR, IndyCar and sports business for several outlets. Follow Jordan on Twitter @jordan_bianchi